Combination of low power consumption and high voltage performance

STMicroelectronics (hereinafter ST) has released two new USB Type-C™ certified port controller ICs with built-in protection features.

These protection features help implement cost-effective interfaces that support the combination of USB functions required during design. This includes support for power negotiation, active cable management, and guest protocols.

USB Type-C allows for the use of both sides of the plug or cable, making it easy to connect and power various devices. The Type-C connection integrates support for all USB features, including 480 Mbps USB 2.0 and 10 Gbps USB 3.1 data exchange, power supply from 5 V/0.5 A up to 20 V/5.0 A, active cable management to extend connection distance, and alternate mode which allows the same cable to be used for guest protocols such as HDMI or DisplayPort.

ST's new controller ICs consist of a control device dedicated to the Downstream-Facing Port (DFP), or a device capable of handling either the DFP, Upstream-Facing Port (UFP), or Dual-Role Port (DRP), providing designers with a variety of options. Both ICs support Type-C cable connection and connector-direction detection, and operate over a wide supply voltage range of 3V to 22V without using an external voltage regulator, which can reduce the number of components and board size.

Built using ST's high-performance analog CMOS process, this new USB Type-C controller combines low power consumption with robust high-voltage performance. It also features built-in overvoltage protection of up to 22V for CC lines and up to 28V for high-voltage pins, preventing damage in the event of an accidental short circuit to VBUS. Additionally, it is equipped with on-chip discharge circuits for the VBUS and VCONN power lines, allowing for safe cable disconnection.