# US 10,873,162 B2 · Overvoltage protection for Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) connector systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,162 B2 - Document ID: US10873162B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/240,489 - Filed: 2019-01-04 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-11 - Assignees: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Applicants: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Inventors: Partha Mondal; Arun Khamesra; Hemant P. Vispute - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873162B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/6666: {with built-in overvoltage protection} - G06F 13/385: {for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices} - G06F 13/4022: {using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network (G06F13/4009 takes precedence)} - G06F 13/4282: {on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247)} - H01R 33/97: Holders with separate means to prevent loosening of the coupling or unauthorised removal of apparatus held - H03K 19/00315: {in field-effect transistor circuits} - H03K 19/018507: {Interface arrangements} - H03K 19/018557: {Coupling arrangements; Impedance matching circuits} - H10D 89/811: {using FETs as protective elements} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract An example electronic device includes a first switch and a second switch that are each coupled to an overvoltage detection and protection circuit. The first switch is configured to connect a first sideband use (SBU) terminal of a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller to a SBU crossbar switch of the USB-C controller. The second switch is configured to connect a second SBU terminal of the USB-C controller to the SBU crossbar switch. The overvoltage detection and protection circuit is configured to deactivate the first switch or the second switch when a voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected on a terminal of the first switch or the second switch. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: a first switch configured to connect a first sideband use (SBU) terminal of a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller to a SBU crossbar switch of the USB-C controller, the first SBU terminal configured to be coupled to a USB-C receptacle; a second switch configured to connect a second SBU terminal of the USB-C controller to the SBU crossbar switch, the second SBU terminal configured to be coupled to the USB-C receptacle; 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the SBU crossbar switch further comprises a flip orientation block coupled to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit, wherein the flip orientation block is configured to determine a plug orientation of the USB-C receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the SBU crossbar switch further comprises a selection block coupled to the flip orientation block, wherein the selection block is configured to select between a Display Port mode and a Thunderbolt mode based on the plug orientation determined by the flip orientation block. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a third switch configured to connect a first configuration channel (CC) terminal of the USB-C controller to a VCONN supply voltage of the USB-C controller; and a fourth switch configured to connect a second CC terminal of the USB-C controller to a control channel physical layer logic (PHY) of the USB-C controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch each comprises a cascade N-channel field-effect transistor (FET) configured to operate at a voltage no higher than the VCONN supply voltage or a gate oxide breakdown voltage limit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a self-bias control circuit configured to provide bias voltages to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises a programmable threshold. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the SBU crossbar switch further comprises a flip orientation block coupled to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit, wherein the flip orientation block is configured to determine a plug orientation of the USB-C receptacle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the SBU crossbar switch further comprises a selection block coupled to the flip orientation block, wherein the selection block is configured to select between a Display Port mode and a Thunderbolt mode based on the plug orientation determined by the flip orientation block. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises: a VCONN supply voltage, a control channel physical layer logic (PHY), a first configuration channel (CC) terminal, and a second CC terminal; a third switch configured to connect the first CC terminal to the VCONN supply voltage; and a fourth switch configured to connect the second CC terminal to the PHY. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch each comprises a cascade N-channel field-effect transistor (FET) configured to operate at a voltage no higher than the VCONN supply voltage or a gate oxide breakdown voltage limit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the USB-C controller further comprises a self-bias control circuit configured to provide bias voltages to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises a programmable threshold. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the orientation of the plug is performed by a flip orientation block of the SBU crossbar switch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting, by a selection block of the SBU crossbar switch, between a Display Port mode and a Thunderbolt mode based on the orientation of the plug. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: coupling a first configuration channel (CC) terminal of the USB-C controller to a VCONN supply voltage of the USB-C controller by using a third switch; and coupling a second CC terminal of the USB-C controller to a control channel physical layer logic (PHY) of the USB-C controller by using a fourth switch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: detecting, by the overvoltage detection and protection circuit, that a voltage on the first CC terminal or the second CC terminal is greater than the predetermined threshold; and in response to detecting that the voltage on the first CC terminal or the second CC terminal is greater than the predetermined threshold, deactivating the third switch or the fourth switch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising providing bias voltages to the overvoltage detection and protection circuit by using a self-bias control circuit of the USB-C controller.