USB Type-C Data Line Protection IC Provides Response Time of 15 Nanoseconds

Kinetic Technologies announced today the launch of USB Type-C Port Protector KTU1101, an important milestone for USB data line protection, and a significant addition to the company's extensive overvoltage protection (OVP) portfolio. Now designers can avoid risk with this new, ultra-fast technology that offers an OVP response time of 15ns — beating the industry by a large margin.

"Our goal is to raise the bar across OVP technology, and the KTU1101 does just that," says Kinetic Technologies Vice President David Nam. "This level of protection for USB Type-C ports is an industry first. Competitive solutions are more than 350% slower to respond, which results in risk of system failure during short-to-VBUS events."

Nam continued, "This is a superior OVP solution that meets the demands of major OEMs, including the ability to truly protect down-stream ICs with a 6V absolute maximum rating—no one else is doing this."

The KTU1101 provides ESD, surge, and OVP for USB Type-C CC/VCONN and SBU signal lines. Physical or moisture-related shorts between the signal pins and VBUS at elevated PD voltage levels can cause catastrophic damage to internal electronics; KTU1101 avoids the risk by keeping internal data line voltages below 6V. Integrated ESD protection eliminates the need for external TVS diodes.

The KTU1101's ultra-fast response time and small solution size make it suited for USB Type-C port protection across many applications, including mobile and computing devices like smartphones, tablets and computers, as well as industrial hardware and enterprise solutions.

The KTU1101 is packaged in RoHS and green compliant 1.7mm x 2.1mm wafer-level chip-scale packaging and samples are available today.