USB-C PD turns the cable connection into smart tech

SEGGER's emUSB-C PD is an embedded software library for PD protocol management. With emUSB-C PD, the software can actively manage cable connections. This assists embedded system developers in meeting the necessity of an upcoming EU mandate. Devices sold in the EU, powered with less than 100W, must have a USB Type-C charging port.

This software solution turns the cable into a smart connection, allowing the detection of the type of device connected, power supply capabilities, USB Host/Device software, and more.

Specifically, devices with rechargeable batteries profit from the extra power that can be provided via USB-C cables, charging faster. Having the cable communicate its capabilities ensures that optimum power is supplied while staying within cable specifications.

"With emUSB-C PD comes the ability to 'ask the cable' for information," says Dirk Akemann, marketing manager at SEGGER. "Questions like: 'Which way does the current flow?', 'How much power can the cable handle?', 'What is the state of charge of the battery?' can now be answered by the cable or the device at the far end. emUSB-C PD can be used with emUSB-Host and/or emUSB-Device or even with no USB stack at all. Maximum flexibility using one connection for everything!"

The company's USB-C PD stack is created to work on any embedded system with a USB-C PD controller. Divided into two layers, emUSB-C provides an upper device-independent USB-C PD protocol layer and a target-dependent device driver layer. The company can immediately deliver a complete solution, top to bottom, with support for ST's STM32H5xx and STM32U5xx device families; other device drivers are in preparation.