Infineon’s EZ-PD™ Barrel Connector Replacement (BCR) is a highly integrated USB Type-C port controller for updating electronic device designs, where a shift away from legacy barrel connectors (up to 100 W) or USB micro-B connectors is required; such power delivery is often used in drones, smart speakers, power tools, and other rechargeable devices but is becoming increasingly dated as we move towards a standard that enables reliable data communication and power delivery using a single connector type.
Infineon’s EZ-PD™ BCR complies with the latest USB Type-C and USB power delivery (PD) standards and enables users to quickly convert their devices from being powered via barrel connector to via USB-C connector, with few external components. No firmware development is required, and the device supports Apple charging at 2.4 A in addition to BC 1.2, QC 2.0, and AFC standards.
The EZ-PD™ BCR integrates a complete USB Type-C transceiver, USB PD policy manager, a load switch controller with a soft start, all termination resistors required for a USB Type-C port, and system-level ESD protection in addition to a 30 V-tolerant regulator, VBUS-to-CC short protection, and on-chip overvoltage protection (OVP). The chip package is 24-pin QFN, and the temperature range is -40°C to +105°C, supporting industrial applications.
To further save you design time in your conversion, Infineon produces the CY4535 EZ-PD™ BCR LITE Evaluation Kit and the CY4534 EZ-PD™ BCR PLUS Evaluation Kit, each a reference design for replacing an existing barrel power connector with a USB Type-C™ connector. The LITE kit is based on the CYPD3178 EZ-PD BCR USB Type-C Port Controller, which does not support the USB-PD protocol, unlike the CYPD3177 or CYPD3176 devices – If you require this capability, consider the PLUS kit, though this necessitates use of the CY4500 EZ-PD Protocol Analyzer (not included) to observe and analyse the USB power delivery packets exchanged between the evaluation kit and the USB Type-C power adapter. For a more streamlined article, I will focus on the LITE option here, but when applying for the board, feel free to specify your desire for the PLUS option.
The CYPD3178 device can be used for USB-C sink or devices that are only capable of accepting power from the following: USB Type-C only chargers that are capable of delivering 5 V (up to 3 A), or USB Type-A or Type-C chargers that can operate at 5 V, 9 V, 12 V, 15 V, or 20 V using proprietary methods of negotiation over the D+/D- lines.
The Evaluation Kit ships with pre-programmed firmware, which can be customized using the EZ-PD™ Configuration Utility, and there are several features throughout the board to protect end devices during testing.
Keep designing!
(Image sourced from Infineon)
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