Protection racket targets USB charging circuits

Integrated overvoltage protector is dedicated to USB charging applications for portable and consumer devices.

New from ON Semiconductor, the NCP361 is an integrated overvoltage protector dedicated to USB charging applications for portable and consumer devices, such as cellphones and MP3 players, set top boxes and computers.

The NCP361 uses an internal P-channel FET, making the need for an external device unnecessary and thus reducing the system cost and the PCB area of the application board.

If overvoltage from a wall adapter occurs, causing the input voltage to exceed the overvoltage threshold, the NCP361 instantaneously disconnects the output from the input to protect the downstream system for optimal protection.

The NCP361 offers lower quiescent current than competing ICs and very low current consumption at 20uA.

For added protection, the NCP361 features typical overcurrent protection at 750mA.

It has a negative-going flag output that alerts the system that a fault has occurred.

The enable pin allows this overvoltage protection device to be forced to an off-state.

It also offers protection of bus voltage up to +20V, a more precise voltage threshold than discrete Zener-based devices.

"Portable devices are especially vulnerable to electrostatic discharge due to their USB and other ports", says Marie Therese Capron, Director of ON Semiconductor's Low Voltage Power Management Business Unit.

"This creates a challenge for designers to provide extra protection to very sensitive components on crowded boards".

"ON Semiconductor's solutions, including the NCP361, provide best-in-class integrated protection devices in tiny packages that are ideal for implementation in ever-shrinking portable handheld devices".

The NCP361 is offered in the lead-free very small 2.0 x 2.0mm uDFN-6 package.

Budgetary pricing for the NCP361 is US $0.40 per unit in quantities of 3000.

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