STMicroelectronics Receives USB-IF Certification for Complete 140W USB PD 3.1 Solution

STMicroelectronics has achieved USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) certification of two ICs for use in adapter (source) and device (sink) sides of a USB Power Delivery (USB PD) EPR power supply/charger product. The new ICs extend the range of a universal charger to 140W, allowing for a single AC to DC adapter to charge equipment such as computers, smart-home actuators, power tools, and e-bikes, as well as traditional applications including smartphones, TWS earbuds, and Bluetooth speakers.

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) announced new Certified USB Type-C Cable power rating logos to clearly indicate the power capabilities of USB-C cables to consumers. According to the the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, Certified USB Type-C Cables will now feature logos highlighting support for 60W or 240W of power as defined by the recently published USB Power Delivery (USB PD) 3.1 Specification.

STMicroelectronics is facilitating modernization of battery-powered products to capture the advantages of the latest USB Power Delivery (USB PD) technology including faster charging and easy reuse of USB-C chargers and cables. The company's latest USB-IF-certified solution provides solid reference for end-product certification, while promoting reuse and reliable interoperability for existing USB-C fast chargers and cables with USB Power Delivery support.

This year, I was really looking forward to meeting with the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, and discuss their projects for the USB4 Specification, the really big, gigantic update story on that front (at least in consumer electronics) since CES last year. The USB-IF announced the publication of the latest and greatest USB4 specification in September 2019, offering a major update to the USB architecture that complements and builds upon the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. This article was published originally in The Audio Voice 264 newsletter, February 6.