News

Infineon Partnering with Rompower to Develop USB-PD Charger Technology

January 12, 2020 by Paul Shepard

Infineon Technologies AG expands with Rompower its expertise for the development of universal chargers with high efficiency and compact design. These USB-PD chargers (Power Delivery) with the universal USB-C connector enable the power supply of e.g. monitors or smart speakers and charge the batteries of mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. Today, these plugs already perform other functions, such as fast charging smartphones.

Using the USB-PD technology, smartphones can be fully charged in less than an hour. USB-PD is made possible by the universal USB-C connector, which allows for higher data transfer and higher power transfer compared to widely established micro-USB and USB-A/B connectors.

The next development stage for all these functions will be permanently installed USB-PD wall outlets. With a maximum power output of 100W made possible by the USB-PD standard, they not only support fast charging of mobile devices, but also function as permanently installed adapters.

In the medium term, USB-PD charging sockets will be used in public buildings, such as airports and hotels, as well as in private households and will reduce the need for adapters and chargers.

Within the partnership, Infineon will contribute its semiconductor expertise, Rompower will offer its technologies and international know-how in the system area as well as in the construction of compact, small and highly efficient charging solutions. The first step is the development of system solutions for compact fast chargers for smartphones and USB-PD wall outlets.

About Rompower

Rompower Energy Systems Inc. was incorporated in 1994 in Tucson Arizona and is an internationally recognized research and development company in the field of power conversion. The primary goal of this engineering firm is to develop new technologies designed to meet the needs of the power conversion industry. Ionel Dan Jitaru, founder of Rompower, was recently issued a U.S. patent titled, "Soft Transition on all Switching Elements Two Transistors Forward Converter."

APEC 2020 Seminar

At the 2020 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC 2020), Mr. Ionel Dan Jitaru will present seminar on a novel soft switching technology which can be applied to any classical hard switching topology and converting it to a "true soft switching" topology. In a "true soft switching topology" the primary switching devices turn on at zero voltage and the secondary switching devices turn off at zero current. The ringing and spikes are eliminated across all of the of the switching elements in primary and secondary. These new soft switching technologies yields superior efficiencies in comparison with LLC topologies due to lower RMS current, and they can operate at constant frequency. The presentation will be highlighted with design examples and experimental results such as 99% efficiency isolated DC-DC Converters server and automotive applications.