A chip recently announced by Microchip is designed to convert the ports on existing products using USB 2 and 3 ports into the new type with the reversible USB-C connector. The UTC2000 takes care of the power and ancillary USB signals but not the data signals which need to be wired from the existing port to the new type C connector or via a multiplexer. In this case the chip supplies switching information and ‘plug orientation’ signal.

The UTC2000 controller is designed for USB 2.0/3.0 Downstream Facing Port (DFP) and Upstream Facing Port (UFP) applications and performs all the necessary detection and control needed to implement a basic USB type C. The chip includes A/Ds which monitor pins CC1 and CC2 of the Type C connector to detect various connection events.

According to a Microchip spokesperson “The USB-C cable is poised to become the ‘universal’ cable, it is capable of supplying transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s, 100 W of continuous power and ultra-high-bandwidth video through alternate modes – all with a single connection and cable,” The UTC2000 can handle 15 W which is suitable for most notebooks, printers, mobile devices and battery chargers. Support for the chip comes in the shape of the UTC2000 evaluation kit (EVK-UTC2000) allowing both UFP and DFP types of interface to be converted to Type C.

The chip comes packaged in a 3 x 3 mm QFN at 0.85 mm high.