Chargers

Today’s consumers want to conveniently and quickly charge their portable devices anywhere, whether they are in a business centre or shopping mall or waiting for a flight or train. However, there are many different types of charging adapters and connectors, which can make determining which charger or chargers to have on hand confusing for the end-user. If the consumer has to carry multiple different charging adapters for different portable devices (such as their phone, tablet, and laptop), they can quickly become overwhelmed

When considering portable devices, the higher power capability of the USB Type-C connector is very important because it means the device’s battery can be charged much faster. The previous micro-USB connector used by many portable devices allowed for a maximum power of 7.5W (5V with 1.5A). With USB Type-C, portable devices can charge their batteries at twice this power with up to 15W (5V with 3A). Even though a standard USB Type-C power supply can provide up to 15W, the end-user will rarely be able to fully utilize 15W with a 5V power supply. This is due to two main factors:

USB Type-C (also called USB-C) connectors offer numerous benefits when compared to the above connectors (e.g., barrel jack, USB Type-A, and Micro-B), such as a reversible plug, higher power when using USB Type-C power delivery (up to 100W), dual-role power capabilities (can act as a sink or source), and higher data speeds. Collectively, these benefits are rapidly driving consolidation toward using USB Type-C connectors in more consumer devices, and it may become the universally accepted standard. This has the added benefit of drastically reducing e-waste by enabling consumers to reuse charging adapters and cables.

To achieve USB Type-C PD fast charging, a PD controller IC is needed in both the portable device and power supply. The PD controller communicates with the PD adapter to determine how much power is needed by the portable device. The PD controller then checks the loading statuses and safety fault information in the portable device. In addition, a PD controller that supports a dual-role port (DRP) allows the consumer to charge other devices from their portable devices, such as charging a phone from a laptop. The portable device then functions as a power bank for added convenience.