Suggestion needed for universal USB port charge controllers

[Sibrah]

I am currently trying to design a DC powered USB charger station (just charging and no hub/connectivity/upstream/downstream) that can charge multiple USB devices simultaneously and from my hurriedly put together research online, I understand that charging specifications of mobile devices (mostly phones) vary on how they negotiate charge conditions (like current drawn or draw-able). I also understand there aren't any universal USB charger controller ICs (haven't come across any yet) that can charge all devices optimally.

My targets is to come up with a design that features either a single & universal USB charge port controller or variety of USB charge controllers that will help me charge all types of USB devices.
I am therefore looking for the best possible set of USB charge controllers that can optimally charge all USB device kinds. I plan to support Iphone, Samsung and Xiaomi device charging among others.

Putting it in a more technical way, I plan to have ports for 0.5 amps, 0.9 amps, 1.0 amps, 1.5 amps, 2.1 amps and above.

Suggestions are welcomed.

I have seen the TPS2511 from TI but it only promises to handle BC1.2 schemes and divider modes. I want the ones that can do dedicated charging for all USB. Thanks.

 

[gophert]

I am currently trying to design a DC powered USB charger station (just charging and no hub/connectivity/upstream/downstream) that can charge multiple USB devices simultaneously and from my hurriedly put together research online, I understand that charging specifications of mobile devices (mostly phones) vary on how they negotiate charge conditions (like current drawn or draw-able). I also understand there aren't any universal USB charger controller ICs (haven't come across any yet) that can charge all devices optimally.

My targets is to come up with a design that features either a single & universal USB charge port controller or variety of USB charge controllers that will help me charge all types of USB devices.
I am therefore looking for the best possible set of USB charge controllers that can optimally charge all USB device kinds. I plan to support Iphone, Samsung and Xiaomi device charging among others.

Putting it in a more technical way, I plan to have ports for 0.5 amps, 0.9 amps, 1.0 amps, 1.5 amps, 2.1 amps and above.

Suggestions are welcomed.

I have seen the TPS2511 from TI but it only promises to handle BC1.2 schemes and divider modes. I want the ones that can do dedicated charging for all USB. Thanks.

What happens if a phone is partially charged and needs something less than 2.1 A? Will it still force 2.1A? If the 2.1A mode can taper to lower amperages, how will it know not to slip into 1.0A mode or 0.5A mode?

 

[gophert]

And, how will Ohms Law play into your design?

 

[Pommie]

Doesn't USB need to negotiate for anything above 500mA?

Mike.
BTW isn't Universal Universal Serial Bus kinda redundant?

 

[rjenkinsgb]

For charging systems, all you need is a 5V power source connected to the power pins of a few USB sockets.
As long as the supply is adequate, the devices will all just draw whatever current they need.

You can add a polyswitch type thermal fuse in line with each socket to protect against short circuits of individual sockets.

USB-C has the facility for devices to negotiate different voltages on dedicated pins for other than 5V, but normal USB A devices do not need anything but the power pins connected for simple charging.

With normal USB, the "power negotiation" only applies to devices working from PCs etc., where no more than 500mA is guaranteed.


All the actual charge control and power regulation is done in the phone or whatever, the USB side is just a "dumb" 5V source, like a low voltage version of a normal wall socket - it does not care what is connected.

 

[gophert]

Doesn't USB need to negotiate for anything above 500mA?

Mike.
BTW isn't Universal Universal Serial Bus kinda redundant?

It would be redundant if there weren't different kinds of USB.

 

[JonSea]

For charging systems, all you need is a 5V power source connected to the power pins of a few USB sockets.
As long as the supply is adequate, the devices will all just draw whatever current they need.

Sorry, this is bad information. Apple devices in the past and I believe currently will draw a maximum of 500mA unless a pair of voltage dividers put certain voltage level on D+ and D- to tell the device what current it may draw.

In response to gophert's comment about forcing too much current. No, again the voltage dividers tell the device the maximum current it may draw. The device will take what it needs. The charger isn't a constant current supply.

Your goal gets much more complicated when you add charging at greater than 5 volts. Qi chargers and USB C high rate chargers negotiate for 12v+ charging. I believe TI has some chips that handle all of this.

 

[JonSea]

Here's a discussion including a chart showing voltage levels for signaling permissible charge current for Apple devices]/url].

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

The tps2511 was the coolest, most promising one I've seen so far. Use some of the selectors at mouser, digikey and then research

 

[Ian Rogers]

Right... Let's get back to topic.. Arguing helps no one...

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Apple devices in the past and I believe currently will draw a maximum of 500mA unless a pair of voltage dividers put certain voltage level on D+ and D- to tell the device what current it may draw.

True - but no "active" electronics or software negotiation system needed for 5V usb.

Connector configurations for different iphone charge ratings:

https://surfncircuits.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/usb_charging_schematics1.jpg?w=616&h=356

 

[Sibrah]

The tps2511 was the coolest, most promising one I've seen so far. Use some of the selectors at mouser, digikey and then research

I have seen it but it only promises to handle BC 1.2 and divider mode but doesn't talk about the 1.2 v mode and the Chinese mode(YD/T 1591-2009). I just need something complementary to the TP2511 that will handle the most common USB charging signatures out there. I am willing to create many USB ports to accommodate all possible devices in my USB station.

 

[Sibrah]

True - but no "active" electronics or software negotiation system needed for 5V usb.

Connector configurations for different iphone charge ratings:

https://surfncircuits.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/usb_charging_schematics1.jpg?w=616&h=356

The TPS2511 can handle iPhone and iPad safely but I need more USB charging controllers for other devices. The aim is to have many ports on my USB charging station and allow variety of charge signatures that can charge any possible device.
I am making it a dedicated charging unit and so there will be no need for upstream/downstream capabilities for data flow. Just charging.
I also need tips on how best to handle the circuit construction considering that the ICs are really small.

 

[Sibrah]

Doesn't USB need to negotiate for anything above 500mA?

Mike.
BTW isn't Universal Universal Serial Bus kinda redundant?

Yes, it does. I am after ICs that can negotiate with all popular devices out there. I want to support Chinese (YD/T 1591-2009) and divider 1.2 v modes.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Kinda cute: https://www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/USBSmartCharger.pdf

Interesting: **broken link removed**

 

[rjenkinsgb]

As far as I can find, if you just link the two data pins and use a divider to set the voltage on them to 2.7V, it will be seen as 1.5A capable by all devices to date.