Second-generation USB Type-C controller in an ultra-small chip-scale package

Cypress Semiconductor has sampled an ultra-small footprint, integrated USB Type-C cable controller solution with power delivery (PD). Optimized for 2.4mm thin USB Type-C cable connectors, the programmable EZ-PD CCG2 controller is fully capable of supporting any USB Type-C Downstream Facing Port (DFP) or Upstream Facing Port (UFP) applications. EZ-PD CCG2 is available in a 3.3mm2 Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) and is the first programmable solution to fully integrate both the Type-C transceiver and termination resistors needed for Type-C communication, says the company. The USB Type-C standard is gaining rapid support with top-tier PC makers by enabling slim industrial designs, easy-to-use connectors and cables, the ability to transmit multiple protocols, and 100W PD - a significant improvement over the previous 7.5W standard. However, the Type-C standard requires an Electronically Marked Cable Assembly (EMCA) that can report the characteristics a cable supports, such as current carrying capability, protocols supported, and vendor identification. A standard microcontroller may be used for the EMCA implementation, but it makes the design complex by requiring multiple external ICs and passive components. Cypress's EZ-PD CCG2 Type-C controllers solve this challenge with unprecedented integration and bill-of-materials savings with only five or fewer external components required. This makes them ideally suited for Passive and Active EMCA cables, as well as for cable adapters that enable users to connect devices with a Type-C port to older devices with legacy ports such as DisplayPort or HDMI. "Cypress's CCG1 controllers opened up the path for quick adoption of USB Type-C for our top-tier customers, bringing the standard's easy plug-and-play ability, multi-protocol connectivity, and power delivery to market," said Ajay Srikrishna, vice president of the USB product line, Cypress. "Now, with our second generation EZ-PD CCG2 Type-C controller's unmatched levels of integration in a tiny footprint package, we have an optimized, programmable solution for electronically-marked cables and cable adapters." The EZ-PD CCG2 controller comes with on-die System Level ESD protection (8kV Contact Discharge, 15kV Air Discharge), eliminating the need for external components for this protection and resulting in a smaller footprint and bill-of-materials reduction. The controller has an ARM Cortex-M0 core and 32kB of Flash, providing design flexibility with firmware that can be upgraded during product development, in the production line, or in the field. This feature is particularly helpful for future USB-IF specification changes, which can be addressed simply with a firmware revision to achieve compliance, says the company.