I want to make a device which can be connected either to a PC with an USB 2.0 connection or to another identical device and have a serial connection. This should be detected acutomatically and I want it to have a single connector. It seems that the USB-C is a good candidate. I can use the USB 2.0 signals when connected to a PC and the SuperSpeed signals when connected to the device.
Is this a proper way to use the USB 3.0 alternate modes? I have seen examples of using it as displayport or PCIe but never as a low speed serial port. This mode would never be used when connected with the computer but of course shouldn't damage or cause problems with the PC.
As these signals are differential, even if I'm working at the typical 115.2kbps I suppose I would need a transceiver to convert them to LVDS and use the TX+/TX- and RX+/RX- pairs, right?
Or could I get away with using the signals SBU1 and SBU2 with no transceiver? I haven't seen any usage example of these two signals.
Using the LVDS transceiver seems to be the right thing to do, but maybe overkill, the distance between devices is short and the speed slow. It's for a low quantity prototype so cost is not an issue, but seems the circuit gets quite complicated with the transceivers, switches and ESD protection.
If I go with the LVDS transceiver, I have seen that the TX pair should have AC coupling capacitors, whould this also be necessary for low speed?
The device doesn't have USB-host capabilities, this is why I want to communicate by UART between devices, it's already implemented and the firmware won't need mayor changes.
Thanks!
Best Answer
USB Type-C connector specification does define a "Debug Accessory Mode", DAM. If both CC lines are pulled down with 5.1k resistors, a USB Type-C device must enter "debug" mode. See Apendix B to USB Type-C specifications.
The standard defines all power and orientation protocols on entry into DAM, but leaves the transport level up to designers, so you can use the other available wires as you wish, UART, LVDS, whatever, proprietary.