Overvoltage protection for Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) connector systems

A system comprising:

• a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) receptacle;
• and
• a USB-C controller coupled to the USB-C receptacle, wherein the USB-C controller comprises:
• a sideband use (SBU) crossbar switch, a first SBU terminal, and a second SBU terminal;
• a first switch configured to connect the first SBU terminal to the SBU crossbar switch;
• a second switch configured to connect the second SBU terminal to the SBU crossbar switch;
• and
• an overvoltage detection and protection circuit configured to deactivate the first switch or the second switch when a voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected on a respective terminal of the first switch or the second switch, wherein the first switch and the second switch are each coupled to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit.

A method comprising:

• detecting, by a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller, an orientation of a plug mated with a USB-C receptacle coupled to the USB-C controller;
• coupling a first sideband use (SBU) terminal of the USB-C controller to a SBU crossbar switch of the USB-C controller by using a first switch;
• coupling a second SBU terminal of the USB-C controller to the SBU crossbar switch by using a second switch;
• detecting, by an overvoltage detection and protection circuit of the USB-C controller, that a voltage on the first SBU terminal or the second SBU terminal is greater than a predetermined threshold;
• and
• in response to detecting that the voltage on the first SBU terminal or the second SBU terminal is greater than the predetermined threshold, deactivating the first switch or the second switch respectively.