Microchip Technology’s UTC2000 is the latest in a flurry of USB Type-C controller IC announcements that evince the enormous interest in the unifying potential of the year-old connector specification. And rightly so: the specification is the best thing to happen to consumer connectivity, wired or wireless, since Bluetooth.
Introduced in August 2014, a year after the USB 3.1 10-Gbit/s specification, USB Type-C connectors have stolen the spotlight because they’re reversible, with the same non-oriented connector on both ends, small (similar to USB 2.0 Micro-B), robust and can handle 10-Gbits/s and can deliver up to 100 W (bi-directionally).
The 24-pin connector also has a two-pin Alternate Mode that allows other high-speed protocols, such as DisplayPort to use the connector, making it universal in appeal.
Much anticipated before launch, the USB 3.0 Promoter group expected Type-C to be the single-cable solution for all devices far into the future, and it may soon be proven right.
In February, Cypress Semiconductor announced a PSoC 4-based full IC solution, including Power Delivery, even though compliance requirements for PD have yet to be defined. Lattice, Pericom, Texas Instruments, Analogix, and NXP have since followed suit with various flavors, some with Power Delivery, some without.
System wise, Apple and Google have announced notebooks with one and two Type-C connectors, respectively, while Nokia’s N1 tablet also uses it. Other wins to date include a thumb drive from SanDisk, an external hard disk drive from LaCie, and now there are indications that OnePlus’s flagship smartphone will have a Type-C connector.
Over the next month, I will explore the technical details and nuances of USB Type C, and why it is gathering so much attention, while also keeping track of related announcements.
In the meantime, with its UTC2000, Microchip took a decidedly pragmatic approach, offering a low-cost, low-risk solution, without the power, active cabling, and signaling headaches surrounding 100-W Power Delivery (more on those next week). As such, it allows anyone to move to the Type-C form factor, simply and quickly, using equally low-cost passive cabling.
At $0.61 per 10K, the UTC2000 USB Type-C controller is a low-cost, low-risk means of upgrading any existing product to USB Type-C. It includes Type-C cable detection and reversibility, and audio adapter support.
However, don’t let the $0.61/10,000 price point fool you, the controller still delivers 15 W from its 16-pin QFN package, supporting legacy 1.5-A and 3-A USB Type-C charging profiles.
The IC is available now, and is supported by the UTC2000 Evaluation Kit ($99) that allows you to convert a traditional USB connector to Type C for both UFB and DFP.
Along with consumer, target applications include automotive and industrial.
By Patrick Mannion
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