Reverse overcurrent protection for universal serial bus type-C (USB-C) connector systems
View Patent ↗An electronic device includes a first electronic circuitry portion configured to connect a V CONN supply terminal of a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller to a first configuration channel (CC) terminal of a plurality of CC terminals of the USB-C controller. The first CC terminal of the USB-C controller is to be directly connected to a first CC terminal of a plurality of CC terminals of a USB-C receptacle. The electronic device further includes a second electronic circuitry portion electrically coupled to the first electronic circuitry portion and configured to detect a voltage across the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V CONN supply terminal. The second electronic circuitry portion is to decouple the V CONN supply terminal from the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller when the voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold.
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first electronic circuitry portion configured to connect a V CONN supply terminal of a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller to a first configuration channel (CC) terminal of a plurality of CC terminals of the USB-C controller, during normal operation the first CC terminal being driven to a V CONN output voltage that is less than a V CONN supply voltage of the V CONN supply terminal, the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller to be directly connected to a first CC terminal of a plurality of CC terminals of a USB-C receptacle, the USB-C receptacle including a V BUS power supply terminal having a higher voltage than the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller; and
a second electronic circuitry portion electrically coupled to the first electronic circuitry portion and configured to:
compare a voltage across the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V CONN supply terminal to detect a short circuit between the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V BUS power supply terminal; and
decouple the V CONN supply terminal from the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller when the V CONN output voltage at the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller is greater than the V CONN supply voltage at the V CONN supply terminal by a predetermined threshold due to the short circuit.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of CC terminals of the USB-C controller comprises a pair of CC terminals of the USB-C controller.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of CC terminals of the USB-C receptacle comprises a pair of CC terminals of the USB-C receptacle.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic circuitry portion is configured to detect a reverse current flowing from the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller to the V CONN supply terminal based at least in part on the voltage.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic circuitry portion is configured to detect the voltage across a V CONN field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V CONN supply terminal.
6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the V CONN FET comprises a cascode N-channel FET configured to operate at approximately 3 volts (V).
7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the V CONN FET comprises a cascode N-channel FET configured to operate at approximately 5 volts (V).
8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the voltage comprises an indication of a reverse overcurrent condition.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises a programmable threshold.
10. A system, comprising:
a first electronic circuitry portion configured to connect a V CONN supply terminal of a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller to a first configuration channel (CC) terminal of a plurality of CC terminals of the USB-C controller, during normal operation the first CC terminal being driven to a V CONN output voltage that is less than a V CONN supply voltage of the V CONN supply terminal;
a USB-C receptacle comprising a plurality of CC terminals and a V BUS power supply terminal, wherein a first CC terminal of the plurality of CC terminals of a USB-C receptacle is configured to directly connect to the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller, and wherein the V BUS power supply terminal has a higher voltage than the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller; and
a second electronic circuitry portion electrically coupled to the first electronic circuitry portion and the USB-C receptacle, and configured to:
compare a voltage across the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V CONN supply terminal to detect a short circuit between the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V BUS power supply terminal; and
decouple the V CONN supply terminal from the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller when the V CONN output voltage at the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller is greater than the V CONN supply voltage at the V CONN supply terminal by a predetermined threshold due to the short circuit.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second electronic circuitry portion is configured to detect a reverse current flowing from the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller to the V CONN supply terminal based at least in part on the voltage.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second electronic circuitry portion is configured to detect the voltage across a V CONN field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between the first CC terminal of the USB-C controller and the V CONN supply terminal.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the V CONN FET comprises a cascode N-channel FET configured to operate at approximately 3 volts (V).
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the V CONN FET comprises a cascode N-channel FET configured to operate at approximately 5 volts (V).
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined threshold comprises a programmable threshold.