Microchip opens USB Power Delivery software to customer code

For USB Type-C with Power Delivery, Microchip has created a framework allowing designers to add their code to the its Power Delivery software stack.

“With our Power Delivery software framework, all Microchip MCUs and standalone controllers that support USB-C now share the same PD code base,” said Microchip v-p Charles Forni. “This code is provided free to customers and is easy to configure and modify, enabling our customers to implement new features and system updates without the need for a manufacturer to customise the code for them.”

A range of Microchip SAM, PIC and dsPIC controllers are supported, and designers get the option to run power delivery on an existing Microchip MCU infrastructure by adding its UPD350 PD transceiver chip, or by integrating power delivery into more complex products with proprietary system code.

For example, customers can reallocate unused pins or CPU memory to other system functions.

Coding is supported by the MPLAB X IDE and there is an evaluation kit which combines a SAMD20 MCU with the UPD350 power delivery transceiver to supports two USB-C ports, each of which can handle up to 100W.

The kit is compliant with the USB 3.1 Gen1/Gen2, USB 2.0 HS, Full-Speed (FS), and Low-Speed (LS) USB signaling.

The framework product page is here and it has a Github site