Qi-certified wireless power solutions from STMicroelectronics: Unlocking the power of wireless

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In order to provide safe high-power wireless charging for personal electronic devices, products must solve a series of design challenges and problems, including energy efficiency, communication reliability, foreign object detection (FOD), and protection against overheating, overvoltage, and overcurrent.

Qi-certified wireless power solutions from STMicroelectronics

As a senior member of the Wireless Charging WPC Alliance, STMicroelectronics has been providing design solutions based on the industry standard Qi wireless charging system platform for many years, providing the industry with a complete set of transceiver solutions.

ST’s Qi-certified wireless power solutions

STMicroelectronics’ wireless power solutions enable faster, high-power charging for a better user experience. Critical security features ensure end-user protection, while groundbreaking innovations such as ARC Mode help customers create best-in-market solutions involving wireless power. The proprietary STMicroelectronics Super Charge (STSC) protocol enables fast charging of up to 100W transfer power.

STMicroelectronics offers a comprehensive wireless charging product portfolio (1W to 100W) across the industry, including Qi-compliant wireless charging power receivers and transmitters. The products are fully compliant with the Qi specification requirements of the Wireless Power Alliance. With proprietary hardware technology, software algorithms and STSC protocols, we provide users with efficient, safe and excellent spatial freedom solutions as well as design import support services for customized solutions. Unique wireless charging software and development ecosystem accelerate time to market. In addition, ST also maintains close cooperation with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and wireless charging coil manufacturers.

(1) Main features

Key features of STMicroelectronics’ wireless power solutions include:

1. Qi wireless charging: Complies with Qi standards to ensure a consistent, safe and simple user experience when used with other Qi certified products;

2. Foreign Object Detection (FOD): FOD enables accurate detection and helps avoid overheating during charging;

3. Greater spatial freedom: The proprietary Adaptive Rectifier Configuration (ARC) mode increases the detection distance in all directions by 50%;

4. Fast charging: Extended Power Profile (EPP) can shorten charging time by up to one-third;

5. High efficiency: Built-in power management function can achieve excellent energy efficiency;

6. Protection functions: Protection measures include on-chip thermal management, over-voltage and over-current protection, which can effectively prevent overheating;

7. Reverse charging mode: the receiver can act as a wireless transmitter without changing any hardware design;

8. Sustainable solution: Charging sockets take up space and allow water and dust to enter the device; therefore avoiding the use of these sockets can extend the life of the product;

9. Reduce BOM: Reduce the use of discrete components to simplify the wireless power transmitter system;

10. Communication interface: Built-in I²C, UART, SPI and GPIO interfaces can simplify parameter configuration.

(2) Main applications

ST wireless power charging solutions currently occupy an important position in medium and high power applications and are favored by global smartphone manufacturers. They have been widely used in fast charging smartphones, wearable devices, hearable devices, medical applications and industrial tools. . For example, it can be used in earplugs and headphones (TWS), smartphones, tablets, e-readers and wearable devices in the field of personal electronic products; in the field of medical care such as ultrasound imaging, patient monitoring, drug delivery, etc.; in industrial applications such as industrial tools , metering, swimming pool cleaners, household robots, etc.

ST provides complete wireless charging solutions, including wireless charger receivers (Qi-compliant wireless charging ICs with higher efficiency, enhanced safety, and suitable for a wider range of applications) and wireless charging transmitters (Qi-compliant transmitter, ensuring fast and stable single/multi-coil wireless charging for 2.5 - 100W applications).

Qi Compliant 15W Wireless Power Receiver Solution

STWLC38 is an integrated wireless power receiver designed to support the Qi 1.3 inductive communication protocol specification and supports 5W Baseline Power Profile and 15W Extended Power Profile. The ultra-small size design makes it suitable for a variety of wireless power solutions from personal to industrial applications, such as smartphones, wearables, fitness trackers, hearables, asset tracking devices, and healthcare devices.

This highly efficient chip includes features including Adaptive Rectifier Configuration (ARC) mode for increased spatial freedom, embedded 32KB RRAM for increased programming flexibility, and on-chip thermal management and protection features.

The STDES-WLC38TWS reference design is based on the STWLC38 and is suitable for 2.5W Qi-BPP hearable device applications. Equipped with a TWS coil, this reference design is ideal for a true wireless stereo quick implementation solution, allowing users to quickly start a 2.5W Qi BPP-compatible wireless charging receiver project. ST provides extensive documentation for this reference design, allowing 2.5W charging projects to be developed using the Baseline Power Profile (BPP).

Users can access and modify different configuration parameters through the I²C interface, customizing the operation of the device according to the needs of different applications. Using the onboard USB-to-I²C bridge, users can monitor the STWLC38 operating status with the help of the STSW-WPSTUDIO graphical user interface (GUI).

Key features of this reference design include:

1. Transmission power up to 2.5W;

2. Compatible with Qi 1.3;

3. Integrated high-efficiency synchronous rectifier and low-voltage drop regulator with output current limit control;

4. Output 5V baseline power distribution;

5. Adaptive rectifier configuration (ARC) mode that enhances spatial freedom;

6. Precise voltage/current measurement for foreign object detection (FOD);

7. On-chip thermal management and protection.

Qi Compliant Inductive Wireless Power Transmitter Solutions

STWBC86 is a highly integrated Qi-compliant inductive wireless power transmitter that supports applications up to 5W with only a small external BOM count. High efficiency and low power consumption are achieved thanks to the integrated low-impedance full/half-bridge inverter. The I2C interface supports custom firmware and platform parameters and can be configured using embedded FTP. Additional firmware patches also increase the application flexibility of the STWBC86. Flip chip packaging and low BOM count make it suitable for small size applications.

The STDES-WBC86WTX reference design is based on the STWBC86 and is designed for wireless power transmitter applications. It can provide up to 2.5W power to the STDES-WLC38WA board with appropriate Rx coil size to guarantee good performance of the STDES-WBC86WTX.

Using an external USB-to-I²C bridge, users can monitor the STWBC86 operating status with the help of the STSW-WPSTUDIO graphical user interface (GUI). STDES-WBC86WTX features multiple safety mechanisms to provide over-temperature, over-voltage and current-limit protection.

Key features of this reference design include:

1. The power sent to the receiver can reach up to 2.5W (5V/0.5A);

2. Wide input range: 5 to 20V;

3. Integrated driver and high-efficiency half-bridge/full-bridge inverter;

4. 32-bit 64MHz Arm®Cortex® M0+ microcontroller with 8KB SRAM;

5. On-chip thermal management and protection.

sourcehttps://www.topchipelec.com/news/details/qi-certified-wireless-power-solutions-from-stmicroelectronics-unlocking-the-power-of-wireless.html