Microchip enables Qi 1.3 wireless charging with authentication

To ensure high-quality, wireless-charging power transmitters, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has released the Qi 1.3 specification with the extended power profile. This new specification created demand for high-security, silicon-authentication devices for full-service support.

In response, Microchip Technology is announcing the new, industrial-grade TrustFLEX ECC608 and the automotive-grade Trust Anchor TA100. This is combined with Microchip’s secure key provisioning services for Qi 1.3 power transmitters.

The new offering is an all-in-one secure storage subsystem that includes key provisioning for consumer and automotive systems.

The Qi 1.3 specification now mandates the addition of a secure storage subsystem with secure key provisioning, including X.509 certificates to cryptographically verify the source and quality of the certified power-transmitter. When a receiver (such as in a cell phone) is placed on a Qi 1.3 power transmitter, it may initially accept a 5W charge or no charge at all.

Then, after a successful X.509 based ECC authentication proving the charger is an approved, “do no harm” device, the phone will then safely accept a 15W charge significantly reducing charging time.

Microchip is now a WPC licensed manufacturing Certificate Authority (CA), not only offering pre-configured secure storage subsystem solutions that reduce complexity and development time, but also lowering the technical barrier of entry by handling the entire key ceremony with the WPC root-certificate authority. This is on behalf of Microchip customers.

By providing a complete certified reference design, including application MCU, Qi 1.3 software stack, secure storage subsystems with supporting crypto library, and provisioning services for automotive and consumer applications, Microchip is a one-stop shop for Qi 1.3 solutions.

“Our WPC secure storage subsystem solutions demonstrate Microchip’s continuous commitment to facilitating high volume deployment of state-of-the-art security architectures within embedded systems” said Nuri Dagdeviren, VP of the security products business unit at Microchip. “We work every day to lower the barrier of entry into this complex but essential technology for our customers in the wireless charging market.”