CES: Semtech’s 40W wireless charger stays compatible

Semtech has announced at CES in Las Vegas a family of wireless charging transmitters and receivers that support applications requiring up to 40W of power.

But the charging power transmitter is also backwards compatible, supporting Qi-enabled phones.

The firm says it has used a firmware-based approach and proprietary communication protocol between the transmitter and receiver at 40W in its LinkCharge 40 system. It will revert to the WPC (Wireless Power Consortium) or Qi standard protocol at lower power.

Menno Treffers, chairman of the Wireless Power Consortium, writes:

“Implementations of the latest Qi specification deliver up to 15 watts of wireless power. This supplier now demonstrates that it is possible to deliver considerably more power while maintaining compatibility with existing Qi power receivers. We welcome this extension to the Qi ecosystem.”

The system will support 19Vout/2A at the receiver.