USB 3.0 high-speed card reader with Type-C female connector

This is a USB 3.0 card reader based on the GL3224, modified to use a Type-C female connector. It requires a 24-pin female connector because of the difference between USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
 

1. USB 2.0 Pin Definitions:


USB 2.0 uses a single row of four pins.
 
If only USB 2.0 is needed, a 16-pin Type-C female connector is sufficient. The pin definitions are as follows.
 
 

2. USB 3.0 Pin Definitions:

USB 3.0 uses a two-row, nine-pin design
 
 
. Compared to USB 2.0, 3.0 has two more differential pairs, which are the differential pairs removed from the 16-pin female connector. The pin definitions for the 24-pin Type-C female connector are as follows.
 
3. Why Add a Reversible Insertion Chip:
This is due to the design of the Type-C male connector. The 24-pin Type-C male connector is defined as follows.
 
 
 
 
For example, when the male connector is correctly inserted into the female connector, TX1+ and RX2+ are in contact. When the male connector is reversed, TX1+ and RX1+ are in contact. As you can see, reversible insertion of the female connector can cause confusion in the connection of the two differential lines. Therefore, we need to switch to the correct differential lines when reversing insertion. USB 3.0 only requires one set of differential lines for transmission.
 
4. Using the VL160 chip:
The VL160-QFN28 is a chip used to handle the reversible insertion and signal integration output of 2 LAN ports when using Type-C as the female connector.
 
 
5. GL3224 Firmware Upgrade:
 
 
Upgrading the GL3224 firmware requires soldering an external flash chip. Use the GL3224 update tool v1.0 for the upgrade. Do not insert a TF card during the upgrade. Note whether the flash chip is supported; if not, modify the config.ini file. Here, I am using the ZD25WQ16BUIGR from LCSC Mall. You need to modify the config.ini file; the modified file will be packaged with the software below. Those using the W25Q16 do not need to change anything, as it is included in the file.
 
6. Speed ​​Testing
: A USB 3.0 Type-C data cable is required. Most mobile phone charging cables, such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO/Vivo, do not support USB 3.0. I am using this UGREEN USB 3.0 data cable.
 
 
If the Type-C female connector or VL160 is not soldered properly, it will only use USB 2.0. The speed test used a Samsung 256GB red card. The 2.0 speeds are as follows:
 
 
After firmware upgrade and successful activation of 3.0, the speeds are as follows:
 
 
It is recommended to purchase a brand new GL3224, otherwise strange problems may occur. Previously, I bought a used USB drive; the USB 3.0 connection took about half a minute to boot.