USB type-C signal interface circuit

• US 10,338,656 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Nayak, Anup, Rajesh, Karri, Vispute, Hemant Prakash, Khamesra, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh G
• Application Number:
  US16/000,730
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices

Abstract

A device includes a USB-C controller instantiated as a first integrated circuit that includes a first set of host terminals coupled to host controllers and a second set of terminals coupled to sets of D+/D− terminals of a type-C receptacle. A D+/D− multiplexer is to selectively couple the first set of host terminals to the second set of terminals. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is coupled between the D+/D− multiplexer and the second set of terminals. A charger detector circuit is coupled between a positive data system terminal and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals, the charger detector circuit to detect whether the second set of terminals is coupled to a USB charger through the type-C receptacle.

Claims

1. A device comprising a USB-C controller instantiated as a first integrated circuit, the USB-C controller comprising:

a first set of terminals to be coupled to host controllers;

a second set of terminals to be coupled to sets of D+/D−

terminals of a type-C receptacle;

a D+/D−

multiplexer to selectively couple the first set of terminals to the second set of terminals;

an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled between the D+/D−

multiplexer and the second set of terminals; and

a charger detector circuit coupled between a positive data system terminal and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals, the charger detector circuit to detect whether the second set of terminals is coupled to a USB charger through the type-C receptacle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of terminals comprises the positive data system terminal and the negative data system terminal coupled to a USB host controller and a data transmitter terminal and data receiver terminal coupled to a proprietary host controller, the second set of terminals comprises first and second positive data terminals coupled to corresponding D+ terminals of the type-C receptacle and first and second negative data terminals coupled to corresponding D−

terminals of the type-C receptacle, and wherein the D+/D−

multiplexer is to couple;

the positive data system terminal to one of the first and second positive data terminals;

the data transmitter terminal to one of the first and second positive data terminals;

the negative data system terminal to one of the first and second negative data terminals; and

the data receiver terminal to one of the first and second negative data terminals.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of terminals comprises a set of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART) terminals.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first set of terminals is associated with a first connection of a single USB port, and wherein the second set of terminals is associated with a second connection of the single USB port.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the charger detector circuit is further coupled between a data transmitter terminal and a data receiver terminal of the first set of terminals, the charger detector circuit further to detect whether a second positive data terminal and a second negative data terminal of the second set of terminals are coupled to a second USB charger through the type-C receptacle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the ESD protection circuit comprises:

an IEC ESD RC snapback clamp coupled between a local power supply and a ground;

at least one HBM diode coupled between the local power supply and each of the second set of terminals; and

at least one HBM diode coupled between the ground and each of the second set of terminals.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises system ESD protection circuitry comprising:

a first human body model (HBM) snapback clamp coupled to a ground;

a first pair of diodes connected in series and coupled between the first HBM snapback clamp and a positive data system terminal of the first set of terminals;

a second HBM snapback clamp coupled to the ground; and

a second pair of diodes connected in series and coupled between the second HBM snapback clamp and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the D+/D−

multiplexer is controlled to provide flip correction based on a configuration channel (CC) signal.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the charger detector circuit includes a first switch coupled to the positive data system terminal and a second switch coupled to the negative data system terminal, the first switch and the second switch controllable by first logic to disconnect the charger detector circuit during high-speed data transfer of the USB-C controller.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises a charge pump coupled to gates of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) of the D+/D−

multiplexer, wherein the charge pump is to drive the MOSFETs to operate such that each MOSFET exhibits less than seven-ohm resistance.

11. A system comprising:

a USB host controller and a proprietary host controller;

a USB type-C receptacle; and

a USB-C controller coupled to the USB type-C receptacle, to the USB host controller, and to the proprietary host controller, the USB-C controller comprising;

a first set of first terminals coupled to the USB host controller;

a second set of terminals coupled to the proprietary host controller;

a third set of terminals to be coupled to sets of D+/D−

terminals of the USB type-C receptacle;

a D+/D−

multiplexer to selectively couple the first and second sets of terminals to the third set of terminals;

an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit coupled between the D+/D−

multiplexer and the third set of terminals; and

a charger detector circuit coupled between a positive data system terminal and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals, the charger detector circuit to detect whether the third set of terminals is coupled to a USB charger through the type-C receptacle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first set of terminals comprises the positive data system terminal and the negative data system terminal, the second set of terminals comprises a data transmitter terminal and data receiver terminal, the third set of terminals comprises first and second positive data terminals coupled to corresponding D+ terminals of the type-C receptacle and first and second negative data terminals coupled to corresponding D−

terminals of the type-C receptacle, and wherein the D+/D−

multiplexer is to couple;

the positive data system terminal to one of the first and second positive data terminals;

the data transmitter terminal to one of the first and second positive data terminals;

the negative data system terminal to one of the first and second negative data terminals; and

the data receiver terminal to one of the first and second negative data terminals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first set of terminals comprises a set of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART) terminals.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first set of terminals is associated with a first connection of a single USB port, and wherein the second set of terminals is associated with a second connection of the single USB port.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the ESD protection circuit comprises:

an IEC ESD RC snapback clamp coupled between a local power supply and a ground;

at least one HBM diode coupled between the local power supply and each of the second set of terminals; and

at least one HBM diode coupled between the ground and each of the second set of terminals.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises system ESD protection circuitry comprising:

a first human body model (HBM) snapback clamp coupled to a ground;

a first pair of diodes connected in series and coupled between the first HBM snapback clamp and a positive data system terminal of the first set of terminals;

a second HBM snapback clamp coupled to the ground; and

a second pair of diodes connected in series and coupled between the second HBM snapback clamp and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the D+/D−

multiplexer is controlled to provide flip correction based on a configuration channel (CC) signal.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the charger detector circuit includes a first switch coupled to the positive data system terminal and a second switch coupled to the negative data system terminal, the first switch and the second switch controllable by first logic to disconnect the charger detector circuit during high-speed data transfer of the USB-C controller.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises a charge pump coupled to gates of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) of the D+/D−

multiplexer, wherein the charge pump is to drive the MOSFETs to operate such that each MOSFET exhibits less than seven-ohm resistance.

20. A method comprising:

operating a USB-C controller instantiated as a first integrated circuit, wherein the USB-C controller comprises a D+/D−

multiplexer, a charger detector circuit, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, and wherein operating the USB-C controller comprises;

selectively coupling, by the D+/D−

multiplexer, a first set of terminals to a second set of terminals, wherein the first set of terminals are coupled to host controllers and the second set of terminals are coupled to sets of D+/D−

terminals of a type-C receptacle;

detecting, by the charger detector circuit, whether the second set of terminals are coupled to a USB charger through the type-C receptacle, wherein the charger detector circuit is coupled between a positive data system terminal and a negative data system terminal of the first set of terminals; and

providing ESD protection by the ESD protection circuit, wherein the ESD protection circuit is coupled between the D+/D−

multiplexer and the second set of terminals.