Controller Delivers Up to 100W over a USB Interface
Renesas Electronics Corporation today announced its new µPD720250 USB Power Delivery (PD) controller that is based on the USB PD Specification to deliver up to 100W (5A at 20V) power over a USB PD cable. Renesas will exhibit its new USB PD controller at Computex Taipei from June 3 to June 7, 2014 at booth # N0608, 4th floor of the Nangang exhibition hall in Taipei, Taiwan. By combining the new USB PD controller with an optimal power supply circuit, designers will be able to rapidly implement USB-based solutions that provide higher power to notebook PCs and also can reduce the battery charging time for smartphones and tablets. Furthermore, by standardizing the ac adapters provided with notebook PCs and other equipment, both development costs and design challenges can be reduced.
Smartphones and tablet PCs are demanding increasingly larger power supplies. To address this market need, the USB PD Specification was developed by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group in 2012 to allow equipment with large power requirements, such as notebook PCs, to be powered over a USB connection. In the USB PD Specification, the connected equipment can mutually negotiate power supply capacities and requirements and then, after safety has been verified, the USB circuits can control the power supply up to 100W; up from the previous 7.5W level. The newer 100W power supply adequately supports high-power consumption equipment and significantly reduces battery charging times.
Furthermore, the earlier USB power supply was limited to unidirectional supply from host/hub equipment to peripheral equipment; in the USB PD Specification, the power supply is bidirectional and power can be sent in either direction. This is expected to allow the creation of new applications. For example, at the same time as video is being outputted on a large-size monitor over a USB connection from a notebook PC, the USB PD Specification will allow the large-size monitor, which is powered from the ac power mains, to supply power to the notebook PC, which is being operated on battery power.
The µPD720250 USB PD controller is based on the USB PD Specification and in addition to supporting both the power supply and the power receiving sides of a USB connection, can flexibly support either role depending on the actual conditions of operation.
The µPD720250 device is capable of control over a SMBus and can be easily incorporated into tablets and notebook PCs. It also provides flexible support for external ROM firmware and can thus implement optimal systems for both the power supply and power receiving sides. Furthermore, Renesas plans to provide powerful support for system development by offering solution kits that include both boards and software for all types of system.
The µPD720250 device takes advantage of Renesas' low-power technologies for reductions of both standby and operating power consumption and is appropriate for the Energy Star and the EuP Directive. The µPD720250 device includes an integrated 1.0V regulator and can operate from a single 3.3V power supply. It is provided in a compact package and enables lower costs and miniaturization in system construction. Samples of Renesas Electronics' µPD720250 will be available in July 2014.
