USB Type-C™ Development Kit

Würth Elektronik and STMicroelectronicscombine to provide a USB Type-C development kit for users looking to leverage the expanded range of options offered by USB Type-C and USB Power Delivery (PD) in their projects. This development kit is ready for immediate use in prototypes and represents a reference design for safe and flexible USB PD applications up to 100 W.

USB Type-C connectors are used in many devices and there are many reasons for adopting USB-C® regardless of the final application. Since the connector is reversible, it can be plugged into a device either way. It can carry up to 100 W charging power (from 5 V/0.1 A up to 20 V/5.0 A), and it merges legacy Type-A and -B ports and combines the functionalities of both into one connector that can even change roles on the fly. The Würth Elektronik and STMicroelectronics development kit is a robust solution with embedded protection against short-circuit, overvoltage, overcurrent, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) ensured by using Würth Elektronik eiSos USB Type-C connectors, inductive components, and capacitors and STMicroelectronics certified USB PD controllers with built-in protection. Additionally, it is a complete ready-to-use solution with evaluation boards and a demonstration board for sink and source applications from 0.5 W up to 100 W. These boards can be used without any additional software or firmware, allowing faster development time.

The USB Type-C development kit includes three assembled boards and a high current rating USB Type-C cable. The first board is the 40 W source evaluation board with the STUSB4710 auto run controller and on-board DC/DC converter from STMicroelectronics. The STUSB4710 integrates all the digital and high-voltage analog circuitry needed to autonomously support full USB PD negotiation. It supports up to five Power Data Objects (PDOs) and power-sharing applications thanks to its I²C interface. Typical applications are power-source applications such as AC adapters, power supplies, power hubs, smart plugs, and DC/DC applications.

The second board is the 100 W sink evaluation board with the STUSB4500 autorun controller from STMicroelectronics. It allows straightforward migration from STD-B, micro-B, or custom power plugs to a Type-C™ connector. This solution is ideal for automatically prompting a charging process even if the battery is empty. The STUSB4500 supports up to three PDOs. Typical applications are electronic devices charged through a USB Type-C connector.

The third board is the 100 W source demo board with the STUSB1602, an analog front-end that is a companion chip of the STM32 microcontroller, and an on-board DC/DC converter. The STUSB1602 provides up to five PDOs. Typical applications include power-source applications such as AC adapters, power supplies, power hubs, smart plugs, and DC/DC applications.