Quick-charge 3.0 chipset targets mobile adapter rapid-charging market

Dialog Semiconductor has announced its Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 (QC3.0) chipset is now in volume production. The chipset is 'unique' in its offering by providing constant power profiles for ease of configuration, says the company. Pin-compatible with the company’s QC2.0 chip set, it facilitates easy upgrades and will extend Dialog’s leadership position in rapid charging where the company holds an estimated 70% market share. The chipset, which pairs the iW1782 primary-side AC/DC controller with the iW636 secondary-side controller, offers a constant power profile for 3A USB-C charging, which optimizes transformer design and minimizes charge time. A complementary digital green-mode synchronous rectifier controller, the iW673, may be used with the QC3.0 chipset to enable an overall system efficiency of approximately 90%. This minimizes heat dissipation so increased output power adapters in smaller compact form factors can be manufactured, adding consumer appeal to the design of AC/DC adapters. “Dialog is again demonstrating innovation to meet emerging power management challenges in the mobile device industry quickly and confidently,” said Davin Lee, senior vice president and general manager, Power Conversion Business Group, Dialog. “Working closely with Qualcomm, we developed our new QC3.0 chip set setting a new benchmark for system efficiency, performance, size and cost. Pin-compatibility with our previous generation chipset is allowing our leading smartphone customers to upgrade quickly to this latest rapid charging specification.” Used in AC/DC mobile power adapters, Dialog’s iW1782 PrimAccurate primary-side digital pulse width modulation (PWM) controller is coupled to the secondary-side iW636 Rapid Charge interface chip via a digital communication link. It receives all commands from the iW636 through an optocoupler and the chipset has a fast, dynamic load response. Adapters can be configured for multi-level outputs from 3.6V to 12V in 200mV increments, depending on the voltage requested by the mobile device, and the solution is backwards compatible with QC2.0 and USB BC1.2 charging requirements. Double-layer cable protection is provided by the new chipset, without the need for additional components. On the primary side, the iW1782 incorporates Dialog’s SmartDefender advanced hiccup technology which protects mobile devices from heat damage caused by short circuits in dirty or damaged charging ports, or worn USB cables and connectors. It does this by reducing the average power delivered to a short circuit by up to 75% without latching off. On the secondary side, Dialog’s D+/D- over-voltage protection addresses bus voltage soft shorts. These protection features result in safer, more reliable rapid charging and avoid excessive heat build-up. No load power consumption is less than 10mW at 5V/2A output. The iW673 is a synchronous rectifier controller for flyback converters that emulates the diode rectifier on the secondary side of the converter to reduce conduction losses. Available in a small 6 pin SOT23 package, the iW673 enables smaller printed circuit board (PCB) adapter designs. Dialog’s proprietary digital adaptive turn-off control technology also minimizes dead time and eliminates the parallel Schottky diode needed by conventional synchronous rectifiers. The controller consumes only 4mW with no load, says the company.