Wireless battery charger controller is customisable

3rd March 2015

Nat Bowers

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Datasheet

STMicroelectronics' STWBC digital controller for Wireless Battery Charger (WBC) transmitters offers the most flexible and efficient solution for controlling power transfer from a WBC transmitter to a receiver in WBC-enabled phones, wearables and other battery-powered devices that use electromagnetic induction for re-charge.

The STWBC performs all the essential functions for transmitter control: it is able to precisely control the amount of transmitted power to match the requirements of the receiving unit in terms of maximising the efficiency of the power transfer and minimising any increase in operating temperature. The digital feedback between transmitter and receiver units also allows the detection of metal objects close to the receiver (foreign object detection) that could result in potential hazards, enabling the STWBC to stop power transmission when such objects are detected.

The device features native support for half-bridge and full-bridge topologies, operates from a 5V operating voltage and offers up to 5W power capability for mobiles, wearables and remote controls. As a member of the Qi Wireless Power Consortium and the PMA, ST ensures full compatibility with these leading wireless-charging protocols and is one of the first companies that hold certification for the newest Qi 1.1.2 A11 standard.

The STWBC comes with firmware options to offer customers the ability to personalise their end product without the need of external MCUs:

A turn-key Qi 1.1.2 A11 certified solution (reference design board STEVAL-ISB027V1), fully interoperable with Qi-enabled mobile phones; and
Application programming interface access to customise the underlying firmware, for example modifying the behaviour of the LEDs or GPIOs in response to the receiver behaviour and supporting I²C and UART communication within a network.

The device is offered together with a complete ecosystem to support customers in building their applications, including the Qi 1.1.2 A11-certified reference design board (STEVAL-ISB027V1), application programming interface libraries and documentation to develop software customisations, as well as a comprehensive graphical user interface to monitor real-time performance and diagnostics.

Housed in a VFQFPN32 package, the STWBC is available in full production at a price of $3.00 in 1,000 unit quantities.