USB PD controller supports power delivery

It features an embedded microcontroller running firmware compliant with the latest USB Type-C specification and USB PD Revision 3.0 V1.1. Support for Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC) 4/4+ is built into the device. Additionally, the inclusion of QC3.0, QC2.0, and Battery Charging (BC) revision 1.2 and other legacy protocols with auto-detection means that backwards compatibility can be maintained with existing equipment.

The programmable power supply (PPS) feature, introduced with the latest version of the USB PD specification, is also supported by the AP43770. The PPS feature allows the output voltage to vary based on the load requirements; this is communicated using a relevant augmented power data object (APDO). Support for PPS with APDO is implemented in the AP43770 through a constant current and constant voltage (CC/CV) output driver that is adjustable in 50mA steps up to six amps, and 20mV steps between three and 20V, respectively.

As USB PD has the potential to deliver high levels of power, the USB eMarker feature is increasingly applied to active cables. The AP43770 includes the necessary support for eMarker technology, in order to detect and identify cables before power is delivered. Cable compensation is also supported.

When coupled with a suitable PWM controller, such as Diodes’ AP3108L, the AP43770 provides a total PD solution. It also features up to eight kilobytes of OTP (for main firmware code) or MTP (for user configurable parameters). MTP memory can be used to set up power specification and protocol options to the manufacturer’s requirements.

The AP43770 is available in the TSSOP-16 package and priced at $1.35 each in 1,000 piece quantities.