Power receiver controller ICs are USB PD & Type-C compatible

This will make it possible to drive equipment with larger power requirements such as TVs and PCs via USB and at the same time enable conventional USB-equipped portable devices (i.e. smart phones, tablets) to be charged up to 4 times faster than the previous standard.

Recent years have seen a greater demand to reduce e-waste in many regions, including Europe, for example by utilising or developing common connectors and chargers for a variety of electronic devices. As such, the latest USB connector and power transmission standards developed by USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum), which includes USB Type-C, USB Power Delivery (along with USB Superspeed), and the DisplayPort Alternate Mode standard for carrying video, are garnering increased attention as a true all-in-one cable solution by making it possible to deliver high power, high-speed data, and even 4K video simultaneously over a single USB cable/port. This will eliminate the need for dedicated cables, providing greater convenience while reducing clutter and waste.

Combining the Type-C connector, which boasts a smaller, reversible, flippable cable design robust enough for laptops but slim enough for mobile phones, with USB PD that offers scalable power using multiple power delivery modes, results in a common, future-proof interface. ROHM leverages leading BiCDMOS processes and circuit technologies to develop USB PD controller ICs optimised for these latest USB standards.

With the Power Delivery standard, optimum power delivery is enabled in both directions between USB Type-C connected systems through a power contract that determines the Provider (Supply) and Consumer (Receiver) devices. This achieves maximum efficiency, since the Consumer only requests the required amount of power and the Provider only supplies the power available. Additional advantages include multiple scalable power delivery modes, from 7.5W (5V at 1.5A) up to 100W (20V at 5A), making it possible to drive larger electronic equipment such as TVs and laptops while enabling existing USB-equipped battery-driven devices to be charged over four times faster than the previous standard.

Support for DisplayPort Alternate Mode is also provided for carrying video signals over USB, eliminating the need for dedicated video cables. The capability to deliver high-speed data, video, and an unprecedented amount of power over a single cable represents a breakthrough achievement that is expected to improve convenience while significantly reduce clutter and waste.

Advanced micro 0.13μm BiCDMOS processes and circuit technology are utilised to achieve greater compactness and optimisation. This will make it possible to eliminate the FET and separate power supply for power receiving operation. Compared to standard systems, the number of external parts can be reduced by more than 20 (including the external power supply IC), contributing to greater miniaturisation.

The ICs will be available in sample quantities in September, and in OEM quantities by December 2015.