Infineon Introduces USB PD 3.1 MCUs with Support for High Wattage

The EZ-PD PMG1 (Power Delivery Microcontroller Gen1) MCUs support the high power mandates of the USB PD 3.1 specification and utilizes the capability of the MCU to provide added control capabilities.

Members of the EZ-PD PMG1 family. Image courtesy of Infineon

The PMG1 family integrates a market-proven USB PD stack for reliability and interoperability. The device features an Arm Cortex-M0/M0+ processor and is configured with up to 256 KB Flash memory and 32 KB SRAM. The USB full-speed device offers solid high-voltage protection circuits, low drop out (LDO) regulators, gate drivers as well as multiple programmable GPIO pins. Family members provide secure firmware boot and signed firmware updates as well as offering protection against over-voltage, over-current, short circuit, and reverse current.

 

Smoothing the Pathway for Designers

The PMG1 MCUs feature programmable digital and analog blocks. This makes it easy for engineers to incorporate intelligent analog sensors into their designs. The device is field programmable to enable quick and efficient signed firmware updates.

Programming is supported by the ModusToolbox integrated development environment along with the PMG1 software development kit. Prototyping kits and quick start guides are also available. Together, they simplify firmware development, the test simply, and serve to reduce the overall development time.

 

A Milestone for Infineon

This is one of the larger, main product families that Infineon and Cypress Semi have completed together since Infineon acquired Cypress.  Many of the source documents describing the PMG1 family are heralded as “Infineon + Cypress” products.

As noted by Ajay Srikrishna, Senior Vice President of the Wired Connectivity Solutions Product Line at Infineon, “As a leader in power semiconductors, we are excited to bring the new PMG1 family to market. It will enable OEMs to further differentiate their consumer, industrial and commercial applications.”  He goes on to state that “Following our mission, this MCU is enabling our customers to bring new products to market that will help make consumers’ everyday lives easier, safer, and greener.”

 

Available Devices

A PMG1 portfolio page lists five PMG1 devices. They are the PMG1-S0, PMG1-S1, the PMG1-S2, and two PMG1-S3s. Specs are listed for the latter two, but engineers are cautioned to “Contact the local Cypress sales office to get more information about EZ-PD™ PMG1-S3”.

It is those latter two devices that are alluded to two in the press release, as they are the only ones with 256KB and 32KB of Flash and RAM, respectively. They can operate at 28 volts, with one unit offering one sink and one source, and the other offering two sinks and sources. They utilize the Arm Cortex-M0+

The final three units feature the Arm Cortex-M0 and operate at 21.5 volts

• The PMG1-S2 features 128KB Flash and 8KB of RAM along with one sink/source. 
• The PMG1-S1 also features one sink/source. It features 128KB Flash and 12KB of RAM.
• The PMG1-S0 only offers one sink and no source. It offers 64KB of Flash and 8KB RAM

 

Applications

• Power tools
• Routers
• Smart speakers
• Garden tools

 

Getting to Market faster

Infineon offers prototyping kits for the PMG1-S0 and the PMG1-S1

CY7110 EZ-PD™ PMG1-S0 Prototyping Kit. Image courtesy of Infineon

They are aimed at helping engineers to design applications that are to be energized from a high voltage USB PD port which also requires an MCU to implement varied features.