industry news
Subscribe Now

Infineon enables highly integrated USB Type-C charger unification

Munich, Germany – 25 October, 2021 – Using energy responsibly is the essential factor for innovations in the field of energy efficiency towards a greener planet. Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY), the market leader for power semiconductors, is continuously investing and innovating in futureproof semiconductor technologies and solutions, enabling environmentally friendly applications as well as performance and ease of design.

The EZ-PD™ BCR (Barrel Connector Replacement) is a highly integrated USB-C controller, together with the USB-C connector, it replaces barrel connectors, custom connectors or legacy USB connectors in electronic devices. The EZ-PD BCR solution supports the USB Power Delivery (PD) standard that interoperates with all USB-C power adapters without the need of firmware development.

The recently published Revised Radio Equipment Directive from the European Commission proposes to standardize charging ports for most electronic devices with an aim to reduce e-waste from retied, incompatible chargers. The proposal calls for USB-C as the common charging port and it allows consumers to charge their devices with the same USB-C charger, regardless of the device brand. A common charging standard harmonizes fast charging technology and prevents product producers unjustifiably limiting the charging speed when using a charger from a different brand.

The common charger proposal also unbundles the sale of a charger from the sale of the electronic device such that consumers will be able to purchase a new electronic device without a new charger. This will greatly limit the number of unwanted chargers purchased or left unused, and ultimately reduce e-waste.

“Infineon is committed to provide its customers with solutions that enable them to leapfrog ahead their competition in performance while contribute to a greener future,” says Adam White, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer in the Power & Sensor Systems Division at Infineon. “Our end-to-end solution in the USB-C charging domain provides the best performance, the highest system reliability and also meets contemporary ecological requirements: it is energy efficient and aims to reduce e-waste. The disposal of retired chargers is responsible for eleven thousand* tons of e-waste every single year. This has to change and we at Infineon are ready to support this change. Our power semiconductor portfolio includes discrete and integrated state-of-the-art silicon and next-generation gallium nitride products which can cover any design requirements our customers may have.”

Changing to a USB-C charging port using EZ-PD BCR at the power-sink holds numerous benefits for the consumers as well as the manufacturers. It offers higher levels of convenience to consumer by being agnostic to connector types or product manufacturers when selecting a charger. Manufacturers can benefit from the consolidation of large variants of chargers to a standard USB-C charger. EZ-PD BCR minimizes BOM (bill of material) cost for the USB-C power-sink system and it guarantees USB-C specification compliance and interoperability through USB-IF certification.

At the power-source, in the charger, the latest CoolGaN™ Integrated Power Stage (IPS) 600 V leverages the markets most reliable GaN and driver technologies, uniting ultimate efficiency and reliability with ease-of-use. GaN technology allows for higher switching frequency and more output power in the same size or smaller charger with the same power level. An integration results in very high power density making this device the first choice for fast charger designs. CoolGaN has an advanced breakdown field of ten times and an electron mobility of two times higher compared to silicon devices. The key for the high frequency operation capability of CoolGaN lies in a ten times lower output and gate charge, compared to silicon-based devices and a reverse recovery charge of virtually zero.

Besides the positive environmental impact, consolidation through standardization and resultant manufacturing cost savings make the shift a favorable option also to manufacturers.

Availability

More information about Infineon’s broad portfolio of USB-PD Type-C solutions is available at www.infineon.com/usb-pd and www.cypress.com/bcr.

More information about Infineon’s contribution to energy efficiency: www.infineon.com/green-energy.

www.ewastemonitor.info

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Apr 25, 2024
Cadence's seven -year partnership with'¯ Team4Tech '¯has given our employees unique opportunities to harness the power of technology and engage in a three -month philanthropic project to improve the livelihood of communities in need. In Fall 2023, this partnership allowed C...
Apr 24, 2024
Learn about maskless electron beam lithography and see how Multibeam's industry-first e-beam semiconductor lithography system leverages Synopsys software.The post Synopsys and Multibeam Accelerate Innovation with First Production-Ready E-Beam Lithography System appeared fir...
Apr 18, 2024
Are you ready for a revolution in robotic technology (as opposed to a robotic revolution, of course)?...

featured video

How MediaTek Optimizes SI Design with Cadence Optimality Explorer and Clarity 3D Solver

Sponsored by Cadence Design Systems

In the era of 5G/6G communication, signal integrity (SI) design considerations are important in high-speed interface design. MediaTek’s design process usually relies on human intuition, but with Cadence’s Optimality Intelligent System Explorer and Clarity 3D Solver, they’ve increased design productivity by 75X. The Optimality Explorer’s AI technology not only improves productivity, but also provides helpful insights and answers.

Learn how MediaTek uses Cadence tools in SI design

featured paper

Designing Robust 5G Power Amplifiers for the Real World

Sponsored by Keysight

Simulating 5G power amplifier (PA) designs at the component and system levels with authentic modulation and high-fidelity behavioral models increases predictability, lowers risk, and shrinks schedules. Simulation software enables multi-technology layout and multi-domain analysis, evaluating the impacts of 5G PA design choices while delivering accurate results in a single virtual workspace. This application note delves into how authentic modulation enhances predictability and performance in 5G millimeter-wave systems.

Download now to revolutionize your design process.

featured chalk talk

Portenta C33
Sponsored by Mouser Electronics and Arduino and Renesas
In this episode of Chalk Talk, Marta Barbero from Arduino, Robert Nolf from Renesas, and Amelia Dalton explore how the Portenta C33 module can help you develop cost-effective, real-time applications. They also examine how the Arduino ecosystem supports innovation throughout the development lifecycle and the benefits that the RA6M5 microcontroller from Renesas brings to this solution.  
Nov 8, 2023
22,393 views