Floating ground architectures in USB type-C controllers for fault detection

A system comprising:

• a first power converter;
• a first Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) connector;
• a Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller coupled to the first USB-C connector, wherein the USB-C controller comprises:
• a first floating ground circuit coupled to the first power converter to provide a first floating ground voltage based on a first supply voltage of the first power converter;
• and
• a first fault detection circuit coupled to the first power converter, the first fault detection circuit comprising a first comparator, wherein power rails of the first comparator are coupled to the first supply voltage and the first floating ground voltage, wherein the first fault detection circuit is to:
• measure a first differential signal across a first terminal and a second terminal, the first differential signal representing a first current of the first power converter;
• compare the first differential signal against a first threshold using the first comparator;
• and
• output an indication of a first fault condition in response to the first differential signal satisfying the first threshold.

A multi-port Universal Serial Bus Type-C (USB-C) controller comprising:

• a first floating ground circuit coupled to a first power converter to provide a first floating ground voltage based on a first supply voltage of the first power converter, the first power converter to operate at a maximum voltage that is higher than 5 volts;
• and
• a first fault detection circuit coupled to the first power converter, the first fault detection circuit comprising a first comparator that operates at approximately 5 volts or less, wherein power rails of the first comparator are coupled to the first supply voltage and the first floating ground voltage, wherein the first fault detection circuit is to detect a first fault condition in a first supply current of the first power converter using the first comparator;
• a second floating ground circuit coupled to a second power converter to provide a second floating ground voltage based on a second supply voltage of the second power converter, the second power converter to operate at a maximum voltage that is higher than 5 volts;
• and
• a second fault detection circuit coupled to the second power converter, the second fault detection circuit comprising a second comparator that operates at approximately 5 volts or less, wherein power rails of the second comparator are coupled to the second supply voltage and the second floating ground voltage, wherein the second fault detection circuit is to detect a second fault condition in a second supply current of the second power converter using the second comparator.