Type-C Interface EN62680-1 Testing

Background Introduction

Due to the inconsistent specifications of charging interfaces for electronic devices and the resulting inconvenience to consumers, there has been a significant waste of electronic resources. To improve convenience for consumers and reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste, the industry has voluntarily reduced the number of mobile phone charging port types from approximately 30 down to 3 since 2009.

To further unify charging ports, the European Union officially released the amended directive (EU) 2022/2380 regarding common chargers on December 7, 2022. This supplements the specific implementation requirements for common charging interfaces outlined in Article 3.4 of the red directive 2014/53/EU. This move signifies that the requirements for unifying charging ports and charging protocols for relevant products have officially entered a mandatory phase.

◆ Article 3.4: Introduction to the Common Charger Directive

1. Two amendments to the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU introduced the "common charging" solution.

2. Directive (EU) 2022/2380 defines the requirements for the "common charging" solution.

3. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1717 updated the references to the technical specifications for wired charging.

Standards & Remarks

• IEC/EN 62680-1-2:2022
  (Common components - USB Power Delivery specification)

1. A fast charging protocol based on the CC channel in the Type-C connector;

2. Power-consuming devices and power-supplying devices can negotiate and adjust voltage, current, and charging direction;

3. This specification establishes detailed requirements for electrical characteristics, the physical layer, the protocol layer, system policies, state machines, and power rules.

• IEC/EN 62680-1-3:2022
  (Common components - USB Type-C cable and connector specification)

1. Covers three major topics: Type-C connectors, Type-C cables, and Type-C protocols (functions);

2. Describes the master-slave roles of Type-C devices, power supply role definitions, power supply capabilities, related handshake protocols, and state machine definitions;

3. Contains independent chapters that describe and specify support for USB4 and Active Cables.

◆ Scope of Application

This amended directive covers the following 13 categories of radio equipment:

1. Handheld mobile phones

2. Tablets

3. Digital cameras

4. Headphones

5. Headsets (Headphones with microphones)

6. Handheld video game consoles

7. Portable speakers

8. E-readers

9. Keyboards

10. Mice

11. Portable navigation systems

12. Earbuds

13. Laptops

Implementation Time: Categories 1 through 12 listed above will officially take effect on December 28, 2024, while laptops will take effect on April 28, 2026.

Specific Requirements for Products in the Directory

Wireless products within the directory that can be charged via a cable are required to:

1. Be equipped with a USB Type-C receptacle that complies with the EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022 standard, and this receptacle should remain easily accessible and operational at all times.

2. Be capable of being charged by cables that comply with EN IEC 62680-1-3:2022.

If wireless products within the directory are charged via a cable at more than 5V, 3A, or 15W (supporting fast charging), they are required to:

1. Comply with the USB PD (Power Delivery) protocol under the EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022 standard.

2. Ensure that any additional charging protocols, regardless of the charging equipment used, can provide the full functionality of USB PD (Power Delivery) as described in EN IEC 62680-1-2:2022.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Did the RED directive define the "common charger"?

Answer: RED itself does not directly define a "common charger." It provides requirements to harmonize the wired charging capabilities of certain categories or classes of radio equipment.

By requiring these devices to be chargeable using a harmonized charger, RED indirectly requires chargers to possess interoperability.

Supplementary requirements regarding "common chargers" are planned to be introduced under another legislative document (namely Regulation 2019/1782, which sets ecodesign requirements for external power supplies).

The revised version of this regulation is expected to take effect in early 2025.

The main proposed options include:

• Informing consumers by labeling "common chargers" with corresponding marks and pictograms;

• Expanding the scope of "common chargers" to equipment other than RED devices to broaden the benefits of interoperability;

• Preventing the sale of non-compliant proprietary chargers alongside RED devices.

2. Do the rules in the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) introduced by the Common Charger Directive apply only to rechargeable devices?

Answer: Yes. The "common charging" rules apply to the following radio equipment:

(a) Equipment belonging to the categories or classes of radio equipment listed in Part I of Annex Ia;

(b) Equipment equipped with a removable or embedded rechargeable battery;

(c) Equipment that can be recharged via wired charging.

3. Do the provisions in the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) introduced by the Common Charger Directive cover radio equipment that uses non-rechargeable batteries (such as "AA" type)?

Answer: No, they are not covered.

4. Are certain specific products designed exclusively for commercial/industrial use exempt from the provisions introduced by the Common Charger Directive to RED?

Answer: No, there are no such exemptions in RED. However, Article 14 of the Common Charger Directive does provide certain clarifications regarding specific categories or classes of radio equipment affected by the "common charging" rules.

According to Article 14, "digital cameras designed exclusively for the audiovisual sector or the security and surveillance sector shall not be required to integrate a harmonized charging solution."

5. Besides the USB-C interface, is it allowed to use proprietary charging interfaces?

Answer: Yes. The Radio Equipment Directive (RED) only requires that radio equipment governed by the "common charging" rules be equipped with a USB-C interface. Therefore, as long as the governed radio equipment is also equipped with the harmonized charging interface (USB-C), the use of other interfaces is not prohibited.