[Editor's Note] Automobiles are increasingly performing various functions beyond the role of a simple means of transportation. Charging various portable devices inside a car is becoming a daily routine. Meanwhile, the trend is for charging ports in the latest vehicles around the world to be standardized to USB C type. Our magazine met with Seungil Moon, director of Infineon Korea, a global semiconductor solutions company, to learn about trends in USB charging technology for vehicles and the USB Type-C PD controller provided by Infineon.


■ What are in-vehicle infotainment features?

Infotainments is a compound word of information and entertainment.

The automobile, which was merely a means of transportation, has evolved to provide necessary information such as driving and route guidance, and entertainment, which refers to various entertainment and human-friendly functions such as audio, video, and the Internet. It is a comprehensive information system that is growing year after year with the development of IT information technology such as smartphones and tablets.

There are two ways to connect a smartphone to an in-vehicle infotainment system: wireless and wired. Infineon provides a solution for a wired connection, the USB-C charging port.

■ Why are the latest USB charging ports switching to Type C?

The reason why the adoption of USB C type is accelerating is because of the special features of the USB C type port.Because of the dots.

First, because of the small connector size.

The USB Type-C is much smaller than the USB Type-A that we commonly use, making it easy to develop small device products, and is quickly being adopted in mobile phones and tablets.

Additionally, unlike before, there are no complicated types such as USB A, B micro, mini, etc., and USB-C is in the form of a single connector, making the connection simple and consistent.

The second is that it can provide up to 100W.

Despite its small size, USB Type-C can supply up to 100W of power, providing enough electricity to charge not only smartphones but also laptops.

The third is flexibility.

The Type-C port allows connection to a variety of devices, including USB data, displays, Ethernet, and audio.

USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, but as its name suggests, it can be said to be a port that has evolved into a universal port.

Fourth and lastly, because it is compatible with future technology standards.

Due to the various available advantages mentioned above, USB-C ports will replace the existing connector types in the future.

The European Union (EU) is currently in discussions to finalize a bill proposing a unified charging method for mobile devices, including smartphones, using USB-C in September of last year.

The plan is to finalize the bill this year and have it implemented in 2024 after a one-year grace period.

Samsung Electronics and most domestic companies are using USB-C charging for their mobile devices.It is becoming more and more popular, and mobile peripherals are also changing rapidly.

That is, the C port is becoming a necessity rather than an option in existing types of USB connectors.

■ System requirements that must be satisfied for designing USB charging function in a vehicle are:

USB charging ports are a must-have for today's automotive systems, and must meet a variety of requirements, including charging capability and robustness in harsh automotive environments.

USB charging ports must support various charging profiles required by mobile phones and various portable devices.

If the USB socket is located far from the controller, compensation must be made for cable drop, and the system must be protected from ESD that may occur at the USB socket.

As automotive electronics become increasingly complex, small solution sizes and low electromagnetic emissions are also important requirements.

■ Please introduce the features and product line of Infineon USB Type-C PD controllers.

Infineon Type-C PD controllers are based on a programmable system-on-chip architecture that includes programmable analog and digital blocks, an ARM® Cortex®-M0 core and flash memory.

There are a variety of products optimized for applications such as Type-C EMCA Cable, Dongle, Power Adapter, Monitor and Docking, Power Bank, etc.

Automotive PD controllers are being prepared for launch, including the CCG3PA product for optimized PD and power delivery design with an external buck-booster circuit, and future products as a single-chip solution with a built-in buck-booster. />
■ I would like to hear about actual application cases using EZ-PD™ CCG3PA.

The Infineon CCG3PA Type-C controller is a highly integrated single-chip solution with power delivery (PD) capability.

CCG3PA supports various charging protocols and fully supports the programmable power supply specification as Power Delivery.

Integrated safety measures include VBUS-CC short-circuit protection, a 30V withstand regulator, high-voltage gate drivers, VBUS overvoltage and overcurrent protection, and ESD protection.

Additionally, the CCG3PA is a programmable solution that includes 64KB flash for firmware upgrades.

CCG3PA is designed and applied as an ideal product for smartphone and portable chargers, PC and tablet power adapters, car chargers and power banks.

■ Lastly, please say a word to your readers.

Infineon strives to make designing for each application more accessible and convenient through various products and design technologies.

Infineon USB Type-C PD controllers provide the flexibility needed to implement products compatible with the latest standards, simplifying the design process and enabling a rapid transition to USB Type-C charging ports.

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