MPQ4242 -with use USB DATA

DC-DC Power Converters
1

Hello team,

I would like to use the MQP4242 in my product, which has a 60W USB Type-C power source. The USB Type-C connector on my product allows the host PC to be powered at 20V-3A. Furthermore, the host PC’s USB 2.0 data link would not be connected to the MQP4242, but to a USB HUB. The USB data from the host PC is a downstream data stream on the HUB.

Is it possible to use the MQP4242 in this configuration, and is there any specific configuration to be done in the component’s registers?

schema-mqp4242
schema-mqp4242923×591 29 KB

Thanks for your help!

2

Hello Nicholas, welcome to the MPS Forums!

The MPQ4242 is designed to act as a PD source and doesn’t require USB data lines to function for just for power negotiation alone. The USB Type-C connector on the diagram that you provided correctly connects CC and VBUS, while the USB2 and USB3 lines go the shown hub, which aligns with the role of the MPQ4242.

However, you would need to check the following:

  • Configure the PD Profiles via I2C. You may want to disable any sink functions (if not needed) and perhaps disabling/ignoring BC1.2/USB data role detection (if also unused).
  • Ensure that the 2:1 data mux handles the CC flip well
  • Confirm that the hub supports data routing independently from the PD controller.

Let me know if there are any more in-depth questions here.

1 Like
3

Hi Krishan,

Thank you for the given solution you have described here. However, I am skeptical this is going to work correctly , because we have just tested similar solution on our custom board, and I can confirm it doesn’t work properly.

As I have understood the situation described in the first post from Nicolas, the Power Role and Data Role on the USB-C connector are going to be “opposite” in his system design.
It means, the USB-C connector must be seen as Source (DFP) from the Power Role perspective and as Device (UFP) from the Data Role perspective. It means the MPQ4242 must be able to negotiate over CC lines both, power and data roles as the PC will be connected.
According to his block diagram, the PC HOST (DOWNSTREAM) is a SINK form the Power Role perspective and HOST form the Data Role perspective.
Do we agree about this?

According to the data sheet, from the Power Role point of view, the MPQ4242 can be Source only.
Is this correct?
At least I wasn’T able to find any register or possibility in Virtual Bench Pro 4.0 where the Power Role can be swapped from Source to Sink.

Now my question is, how we can configure MPQ4242 (which bits in which register must be changed) so that MPQ4242 can negotiate Data Role of the USB-C Port as UPF (Device)?
In my opinion, there is no dedicated Register in MPQ4242 to do that and MPQ4242 can support the DFP Data Role (Host) only. This can be configured in the register HOST_SET (0x02). If there is a possibility to configure MPQ4242 so that it supports Device Data Role, please let me show how to do this? We are currently struggling with this.

We have already implemented almost similar solution in our system, with exception that we have USB2.0 only. We have tested the solution with 3 different laptops:

  • DELL: PD profile was active but no charging and USB2.0 was recognized/enumeration happened.
  • HP : Charging works, we have achieved 60W easily but USB2.0 is not recognized/enumeration didn’t happen
  • Lenovo: Charging works, we have achieved 60W easily but USB2.0 is not recognized/enumeration didn’t happen.
  • All Laptops are between 2 and 3 years old.

Only way to achieve this implementation where Power and Data Roles will be “opposite”, is by using MPQ5038 IC. I found in MPQ5038’s datasheet Register CTL5 (15h), Bit CAP_DEVICE, that gives possibility to configure USB-C Port Data Role as Device. Unfortunatley the MPQ5038 hasn’t been available at any MPS’s distributor, maybe as free samples only.

Please let me know your opinion here.

Best regards
Josko

4

Hello Josko,

Thank you for verifying this detailed account. If you have tested, verified, and seen this, then there is definitely a disconnect between my last message and the actual implementation. I will get back to you on this thread when I can respond with more details.