Module switching circuit, module switching method and module switching device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a module switching circuit, a module switching method, and a module switching device. The module switching circuit includes: a main control unit, a first module, a second module, and a first resistor. The main control unit is configured to set a first output terminal to a high-impedance state when a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is not inserted into the first module, and the main control unit communicates with the second module. The main control unit is also configured to set the first output terminal to a low level when the UICC is inserted into the first module, and the main control unit communicates with the first module. The first resistor is configured to perform voltage division when a first reset terminal of the main control unit is high and the first output terminal is low. The module switching circuit achieves switching between the first module and the second module via a resistor and the output terminal of the main control unit. The circuit requires a small number of discrete components, resulting in low cost and simple circuit connections.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of electronic circuit technology, and specifically to a module switching circuit, a module switching method, and a module switching device. Background Art

[0002] A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is essential for electronic devices to access the internet. Users can purchase a SIM card from a carrier and insert it into the SIM socket inside their electronic device. With the advancement of communications technology, embedded SIMs (eSIMs) are becoming increasingly popular. An eSIM is a traditional SIM card embedded directly into an electronic device as hardware, eliminating the need for a separate SIM card.

[0003] Since eSIMs are not yet widely available, electronic devices need to be compatible with both SIM cards and eSIMs. Switching between SIM cards and eSIMs can be achieved through a switching circuit. However, this circuit requires many discrete components, resulting in high costs and complex circuit connections. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An embodiment of the present application provides a module switching circuit, a module switching method, and a module switching device. The module switching circuit realizes switching between a first module and a second module through a resistor and an output end of a main control unit, so that the number of discrete components in the circuit is small, the cost is low, and the circuit connection is simple.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a module switching circuit, the circuit comprising:

[0006] A main control unit, a first module, a second module and a first resistor;

[0007] The main control unit includes a first input terminal, a first reset terminal and a first output terminal; the first module includes a second output terminal and a second reset terminal; the second module includes a third reset terminal; the first resistor includes a first port and a second port;

[0008] The first input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the first reset terminal and the second reset terminal are respectively connected to the first port; the first output terminal and the third reset terminal are respectively connected to the second port;

[0009] The first module is used to insert a universal integrated circuit card UICC; the second module is used to embed the UICC;

[0010] The main control unit is configured to determine, through the first input terminal, whether the UICC is inserted into the first module;

[0011] The main control unit is further configured to, when the UICC is not inserted into the first module, set the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module;

[0012] The main control unit is further configured to, when the UICC is inserted into the first module, set the first output terminal to a low level, and the main control unit communicates with the first module;

[0013] The first resistor is used to perform voltage division when the first reset terminal is at a high level and the first output terminal is at a low level.

[0014] In the embodiments of the present application, the main control unit can be understood as a functional module for receiving and processing data and then outputting control instructions. For example, the functional module can be a processing unit, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a chip, that operates on received data by running software program code to obtain results and output instructions.

[0015] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, when the reset end of a module (such as the first module or the second module) is continuously at a high level, the module is in a working state; when the reset end is continuously at a low level, the module does not work.

[0016] The module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application can realize module switching through an output end of the main control unit by introducing a resistor, which is lower in cost than a switch or switching circuit composed of an integrated circuit or multiple separate devices.

[0017] In addition, the module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application first resets the second module and then switches to the first module for communication after detecting that the UICC is inserted into the first module. This is a switching action actively initiated by the main control unit after detecting an external change, rather than passively switching to the first module after an abnormality occurs, which improves reliability.

[0018] Finally, in the module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application, the first module and the second module use the same signal line, and the switching part introduces a resistor and an output end of the control unit. Therefore, the printed circuit board (PCB) can occupy less space and the signal routing can also be better protected.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the main control unit is further configured to, when it is determined that the UICC is inserted into the first module and the UICC is not embedded in the second module, set the first output end to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module.

[0020] In a possible implementation, when the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the second output end is at a first level; when the UICC is inserted into the first module, the second output end is at a second level;

[0021] When the second output terminal is at the second level, the main control unit determines that the UICC is inserted into the first module;

[0022] When the second output terminal is at the first level, the main control unit determines that the UICC is not inserted into the first module.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the first level is a low level, and the second level is a high level; or, the first level is a high level, and the second level is a low level.

[0024] In a possible implementation, the main control unit further includes a first power supply terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first data terminal; the first module further includes a second power supply terminal, a second clock terminal, and a second data terminal; the second module further includes a third power supply terminal, a third clock terminal, and a third data terminal;

[0025] The second power supply terminal and the third power supply terminal are respectively connected to the first power supply terminal; the second clock terminal and the third clock terminal are respectively connected to the first clock terminal; the second data terminal and the third data terminal are respectively connected to the first data terminal.

[0026] In a possible implementation, the high voltage is a voltage greater than or equal to 1.8 volts, and the low level is a voltage less than or equal to 0.3 volts.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the UICC includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card.

[0028] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a module switching method, which is applied to a module switching circuit, the circuit comprising: a main control unit, a first module, a second module, and a first resistor;

[0029] The main control unit includes a first input terminal, a first reset terminal and a first output terminal; the first module includes a second output terminal and a second reset terminal; the second module includes a third reset terminal; the first resistor includes a first port and a second port;

[0030] The first input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the first reset terminal and the second reset terminal are respectively connected to the first port; the first output terminal and the third reset terminal are respectively connected to the second port;

[0031] The first module is configured to be inserted into a universal integrated circuit (UICC); the second module is configured to be embedded in the UICC; and the method includes:

[0032] The main control unit determines, through the first input terminal, whether the UICC is inserted into the first module;

[0033] When the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module;

[0034] When the UICC is inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a low level, and the main control unit communicates with the first module;

[0035] The first resistor is used to perform voltage division when the first reset terminal is at a high level and the first output terminal is at a low level.

[0036] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: when it is determined that the UICC is inserted into the first module and the UICC is not embedded in the second module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the first module.

[0037] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a module switching device, which includes the circuit in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application or the background technology.

[0039] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a circuit including a switch provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 is a circuit diagram including a switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram of a module switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of another module switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of another module switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of another module switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 7This is a flowchart of a module switching method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims and drawings of this application are only used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order.

[0047] In the embodiments of the present application, a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) can be understood as a physical card used to carry information required for an electronic device to connect to a network. For example, the information required for an electronic device to connect to a network can be user information, authentication keys, payment methods, etc.

[0048] Refers to smart cards used in mobile phones on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks.

[0049] It is understood that a UICC may include one or more logical modules. For example, in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a UICC may include a SIM. In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, a UICC may include a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM). Furthermore, a UICC may also include modules such as electronic signature authentication and an electronic wallet.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, eSIM can be understood as a traditional SIM card directly embedded in an electronic device, rather than being inserted into the electronic device as an independent removable component. Therefore, the user does not need to insert a physical SIM card.

[0051] With the continuous development of science and technology, the application of eSIM cards is becoming more and more widespread. Due to its advantages such as small size, configurability and high security, eSIM cards have been widely used in IoT-related communication electronic devices (such as mobile phones and wearable devices).

[0052] However, based on current market applications, eSIM cannot completely replace SIM cards, and in many scenarios, both are required to coexist. For example, from a compatibility perspective, backward compatibility with SIM cards is required, and eSIM is only reserved for future product upgrades. From an operation and maintenance perspective, when troubleshooting eSIM-related network problems or upgrading the network, a SIM card is required to ensure the Internet access of electronic devices. From a reliability perspective, when using electronic devices in different locations, different operators have different signal coverage and signal strength. Having both an eSIM and a SIM card can provide stable network service.

[0053] To sum up, since there is a need for compatibility between eSIM and SIM cards, there must be a way to switch between the two.

[0054] For example, see Figure 1 , Figure 1 : is a circuit diagram including a switching switch provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the circuit includes four units: a main control unit, a switch, an eSIM, and a SIM. The main control unit is connected to the switch, and the switch is connected to the eSIM and the SIM respectively.

[0055] The power supply terminal VCC, the data terminal DAT, the clock terminal CLK, the reset terminal RST and the control bus of the main control unit are respectively connected to the switch.

[0056] The power terminal VCC1, data terminal DAT1, clock terminal CLK1, and reset terminal RST1 of the eSIM are respectively connected to the switch.

[0057] The power terminal VCC2, the data terminal DAT2, the clock terminal CLK2, and the reset terminal RST2 of the SIM are respectively connected to the switch.

[0058] The switching switch is controlled by the main control unit. Specifically, the main control unit controls the switching switch through the control bus according to the instructions issued by the software, so that the switching switch selects the power supply terminal, data terminal, clock terminal and reset terminal of one unit in the eSIM and SIM to connect to the power supply terminal, data terminal, clock terminal and reset terminal of the main control unit respectively, thereby realizing communication.

[0059] However, if Figure 1 The circuit shown cannot switch to the SIM card for communication immediately after the SIM card is inserted. Instead, the software must pre-issue a command to select the SIM card channel, which is inconvenient. In addition, the switch uses an integrated circuit, which is relatively expensive.

[0060] For example, see Figure 2 , Figure 2: is a circuit diagram including a switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, the circuit includes four units: main control unit, switch circuit, eSIM and SIM.

[0061] The power terminal VCC, the clock terminal CLK, and the reset terminal RST of the main control unit are connected to the power terminal VCC1, the clock terminal CLK1, and the reset terminal RST1 of the eSIM respectively.

[0062] The power terminal VCC, the clock terminal CLK and the reset terminal RST of the main control unit are connected to the power terminal VCC2, the clock terminal CLK2 and the reset terminal RST2 of the SIM respectively.

[0063] The data terminal DAT of the main control unit is connected to the switch circuit; the data terminal DAT1 of the eSIM is connected to the switch circuit; the data terminal DAT2 and the detection terminal DET of the SIM are respectively connected to the switch circuit.

[0064] The SIM card's detection terminal (DET) controls the switch circuit, causing it to select the data terminal of one of the eSIM and SIM units and connect it to the data terminal of the main control unit, thereby achieving communication. Specifically, the switch circuit controls the connection between the SIM card's data terminal (DAT2) or the eSIM's data terminal (DAT1) and the main control unit's data terminal (DAT) by utilizing the different levels of the detection terminal (DET) when the SIM card is in place and when it is not.

[0065] Under normal circumstances, the SIM card detection terminal DET should be connected to the main control unit so that the control unit can quickly and normally handle the SIM card insertion and removal actions. Figure 2 In the circuit shown, the SIM card's detection terminal (DET) is not connected to the main control unit (MCU). Instead, it serves as the control pin for the switching circuit. Therefore, the MCU passively switches to the SIM card after an eSIM communication anomaly. This is an unconventional switch, potentially risky, and unsafe. Furthermore, the switching circuit typically uses a variety of discrete components, such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), transistors, and resistors and capacitors, resulting in high cost and complex circuit connections.

[0066] based on Figure 1 and Figure 2 To overcome the defects of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 , the present application provides a module switching circuit. Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram of a module switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0067] like Figure 3As shown, the module switching circuit includes a main control unit 301, a first module 302, a second module 303 and a first resistor 304.

[0068] The main control unit 301 includes a first input terminal 3011, a first reset terminal 3012, and a first output terminal 3013; the first module 302 includes a second output terminal 3021 and a second reset terminal 3022; the second module 303 includes a third reset terminal 3031; and the first resistor 304 includes a first terminal 3041 and a second terminal 3042.

[0069] The first input terminal 3011 is connected to the second output terminal 3021 , the first reset terminal 3012 and the second reset terminal 3022 are connected to the first port 3041 respectively; the first output terminal 3013 and the third reset terminal 3031 are connected to the second port 3042 respectively.

[0070] The first module 302 is used to insert the UICC; the second module 303 is used to embed the UICC;

[0071] The main control unit 301 is configured to determine whether a UICC is inserted into the first module 302 via the first input terminal 3011;

[0072] The main control unit 301 is further configured to set the first output terminal 3013 to a high configuration when no UICC is inserted into the first module, so that the main control unit 301 communicates with the second module 303;

[0073] The main control unit 301 is further configured to set the first output terminal 3013 to a ground level when a UICC is inserted into the first module 301, so that the main control unit 301 communicates with the first module 302;

[0074] The first resistor 304 is used for voltage division when the first reset terminal 3012 is at a high level and the first output terminal 3013 is at a low level.

[0075] In the embodiment of the present application, the main control unit ( Figure 3 The main control unit 301 in the figure and the main control unit 401 and the main control unit 501 in the following text can be understood as a functional module for receiving and processing data and then outputting control instructions. For example, the functional module can be a processing unit that operates on the received data by running software program code to obtain results and output instructions, such as a CPU or other chip.

[0076] In the embodiment of the present application, the first module 302 is used to insert the UICC, that is, the first module 302 is used to receive a physical card inserted by a user. The second module 303 is used to embed the UICC, that is, the first module 302 is used to embed the UICC as hardware in the circuit.

[0077] It is understood that both the first module 302 and the second module 303 are used to implement the functions of the logic modules included in the UICC. The only difference is their circuitry: the UICC in the first module 302 is inserted, while the UICC in the second module 303 is embedded. Therefore, the main control unit 301 only needs to select one of the modules for communication.

[0078] It is understandable that in the embodiment of the present application, the module (such as Figure 3 When the reset terminal of the first module 302 or the second module 303 is continuously at a high level, the module is in a working state; when the reset terminal is continuously at a low level, the module does not work.

[0079] It can be understood that the main control unit 301 determines whether a UICC is inserted into the first module by changing the level of the first input terminal 3011 connected to the second output terminal 3021. Specifically, in some embodiments, when no UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the second output terminal 3021 is at a first level; when a UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the second output terminal 3021 is at a second level;

[0080] When the second output terminal 3021 is at the second level, the main control unit 301 determines that the UICC is inserted into the first module 302;

[0081] When the second output terminal 3021 is at the first level, the main control unit 301 determines that no UICC is inserted into the first module 302 .

[0082] In some embodiments, the first level is a low level, and the second level is a high level; or, the first level is a high level, and the second level is a low level.

[0083] It is understood that, generally, when no UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the second output terminal 3021 is at a low level, and when a UICC is inserted, the second output terminal 3021 is at a high level. However, the specific situation depends on the circuit design of the first module. That is, the second output terminal 3021 may be at a low level when a UICC is inserted into the first module 302, and at a high level when a UICC is not inserted.

[0084] Specifically, when no UICC is inserted into the first module 302 , the main control unit 301 sets the first output terminal 3013 to a high impedance state.

[0085] Generally speaking, a high impedance state refers to an output state of a circuit, which is neither a high level nor a low level, and has no effect on the lower circuit. In the embodiment of the present application, a high impedance state can be understood as an open circuit.

[0086] It is understood that, when no UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the second output terminal 3021 and the second reset terminal 3022 can be understood to be disconnected. Figure 4 , the circuit when the first output terminal 3013 is in high impedance state can be equivalent to Figure 4 .in:

[0087] The first input terminal 4011 and the first output terminal 4013 of the main control unit 401 are disconnected, and the first output terminal 4021 and the second reset terminal 4022 of the first module 402 are disconnected. The first reset terminal 4012 of the main control unit 401 is connected to the first terminal 4041 of the first resistor 404, and the third reset terminal 4031 of the second module 403 is connected to the third terminal 4042 of the first resistor, thereby achieving communication between the main control unit 401 and the second module 403.

[0088] Specifically, the main control unit 401 can set the first reset terminal 4012 to a low level to initialize the second module 403; after the second module 403 is initialized, the first reset terminal 4012 is set to a high level to achieve normal communication between the main control unit 401 and the second module 403.

[0089] When the UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the main control unit 301 sets the first output terminal 3013 to a low level. In the above case, the circuit can be equivalent to: Figure 5 .in:

[0090] The first input terminal 5011 of the main control unit 501 is connected to the first output terminal 5021 of the first module 502; the first reset terminal 5012 of the main control unit 501 and the second reset terminal 5022 of the first module 502 are respectively connected to the first port 5041 of the first resistor 504; the first output terminal 5013 of the main control unit 501 and the third reset terminal 5031 of the second module 503 are respectively connected to the second port 5042 of the first resistor.

[0091] Since the first output terminal 5013 is at a low level and the third reset terminal 5031 of the second module is directly connected to the first output terminal 5013 , the third reset terminal 5031 of the second module 503 is at a low level, and the main control unit 501 resets the second module 503 .

[0092] Since the first reset terminal 5012 is directly connected to the second reset terminal 5022 (such as Figure 5The main control unit 501 can communicate with the first module 502. Specifically, the main control unit 501 can set the first reset terminal 5012 to a low level to initialize the first module 502; after the first module 502 is initialized, the first reset terminal 5012 is set to a high level to achieve normal communication between the main control unit 501 and the first module 502.

[0093] It can be understood that when the main control unit 501 and the first module 502 communicate normally, the first reset terminal 5012 is at a high level and the first output terminal 5013 is at a low level. Therefore, the first resistor 504 is used to connect the first reset terminal 5012 and the first output terminal 5013 for voltage division to protect the circuit.

[0094] It is understandable that after the main control unit 501 detects that the UICC in the first module 502 is unplugged, it sets the first output terminal 5013 to a high impedance state, and then communicates with the second module 503. The specific situation is the same as Figure 4 The circuit shown is similar and will not be described again here.

[0095] In the embodiment of the present application, the first resistor (such as Figure 3 The first resistor 304, Figure 4 The first resistor 404, Figure 5 The value of the first resistor 504 in FIG. 5 can be adjusted based on actual conditions. For example, the first resistor can be 10K ohms. For lower power consumption, the first resistor can be 50K to 100K ohms. It is understood that the reset terminal is only level-controlled and has a very low rate, so the first resistor has no effect on the signal.

[0096] In summary, the module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application can realize module switching through an output end of the main control unit by introducing a resistor, which is lower in cost than a switch or switching circuit composed of an integrated circuit or multiple separate devices.

[0097] In addition, the module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application first resets the second module and then switches to the first module for communication after detecting that the UICC is inserted into the first module. This is a switching action actively initiated by the main control unit after detecting an external change, rather than passively switching to the first module after an abnormality occurs, which improves reliability.

[0098] Finally, in the module switching circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application, the first module and the second module use the same signal line, and the switching part introduces a resistor and an output end of the control unit. Therefore, the PCB can occupy less space and the signal routing can also be better protected.

[0099] against Figure 3 In some embodiments, the main control unit 301 is further configured to set the first output terminal 3013 to a high impedance state when it is determined that a UICC is inserted into the first module 302 and no UICC is embedded in the second module 303, so that the main control unit 301 communicates with the second module 303.

[0100] It is understandable that after the UICC is inserted into the first module 302, the main control unit 301 sets the first output terminal 3013 to a low level, which can ensure communication between the main control unit 301 and the first module 302 and reset the second module 303. Figure 5 Description.

[0101] The above situation is for the case where the second module is in a normal state. However, when the second module 303 is damaged or under repair, the main control unit 301 needs to set the first output terminal 3013 to a high impedance state to improve the stability of the circuit.

[0102] In some embodiments, the UICC includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card.

[0103] In the embodiment of the present application, a high level can be understood as a voltage greater than or equal to 1.8 V, and a low level can be understood as a voltage less than or equal to 0.3 V. For example, currently conventional SIM cards can use a voltage of 1.8 V or 3 V, and the main control unit 301 can adaptively adjust the voltage according to actual conditions.

[0104] It is understandable that a UICC may include one or more logic modules. When the UICC includes a SIM card, the first module 302 may be understood as a socket for inserting a SIM card, and the second module may be understood as an embedded SIM, ie, an eSIM.

[0105] In some embodiments, the main control unit further includes a first power supply terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first data terminal; the first module further includes a second power supply terminal, a second clock terminal, and a second data terminal; the second module further includes a third power supply terminal, a third clock terminal, and a third data terminal;

[0106] The second power supply terminal and the third power supply terminal are respectively connected to the first power supply terminal; the second clock terminal and the third clock terminal are respectively connected to the first clock terminal; the second data terminal and the third data terminal are respectively connected to the first data terminal.

[0107] Specifically, taking the UICC including the SIM module as an example, the first module can be understood as a socket for the SIM card, and the second module can be understood as an eSIM. The circuit of the above embodiment is as follows: Figure 6 As shown. Among them:

[0108] The main control unit includes a first power supply terminal VCC, a first clock terminal CLK, a first reset terminal RST, a first data terminal DAT, a first input terminal DET, and a first output terminal IO; the SIM module includes a second power supply terminal VCC1, a second clock terminal CLK1, a second reset terminal RST1, a second data terminal DAT1, and a second output terminal DET1; the eSIM module includes a third power supply terminal VCC2, a third clock terminal CLK2, a third reset terminal RST2, and a third data terminal DAT2.

[0109] The second power supply terminal VCC1 and the third power supply terminal VCC2 are respectively connected to the first power supply terminal VCC; the second clock terminal CLK1 and the third clock terminal CLK2 are respectively connected to the first clock terminal CLK; the second data terminal DAT1 and the third data terminal DAT2 are respectively connected to the first data terminal DAT; the first input terminal DET is connected to the second output terminal DET1; the first reset terminal RST and the second reset terminal RST1 are respectively connected to the first port of the resistor R1; the third reset terminal RST2 and the first output terminal IO are respectively connected to the second port of the resistor R1; the first port and the second port are different ports.

[0110] right Figure 6 The control of the circuit shown can be referred to in the previous article to realize the switching between SIM and eSIM. Figure 3 、 Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The relevant description will not be repeated here.

[0111] An embodiment of the present application provides a module switching device. Specifically, the module switching device includes the above-mentioned module switching circuit; and may also include one or more of the following:

[0112] The charging management module is configured to receive charging input from a charger, which can be a wireless charger or a wired charger.

[0113] Antennas are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna can cover a single or multiple communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be reused to improve antenna utilization.

[0114] The mobile communication module can provide solutions for wireless communications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G, etc., applied to the module switching device. The mobile communication module can include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc.

[0115] The wireless communication module can provide wireless communication solutions applied to the module switching device, including wireless local area networks (WLAN) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication technology (NFC), infrared technology (IR), etc.

[0116] Exemplarily, the module switching device can be a physical device such as a mobile phone, a wearable device, and a vehicle-mounted device, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0117] The module switching circuit provided by the embodiment of the present application is described in detail above. Next, the module switching method provided by the embodiment of the present application is introduced. The module switching method is applied to the module switching circuit. The specific description of the module switching circuit can be referred to Figure 3 The circuit shown.

[0118] See also Figure 7 , Figure 7 : is a flow chart of a module switching method provided in an embodiment of the present application, the module switching method comprising:

[0119] 701: The main control unit determines whether a UICC is inserted into the first module through the first input terminal.

[0120] 702 : When the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module.

[0121] 703: When the UICC is inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a low level, and the main control unit communicates with the first module; the first resistor is configured to perform voltage division when the first reset terminal is at a high level and the first output terminal is at a low level.

[0122] It is understandable that the first module can detect whether the UICC is inserted through the second output terminal. Specifically, the second output terminal can be Figure 3 3021, Figure 4 5021 in Figure 5 5021 and Figure 6 DET1 in.

[0123] When the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high-impedance state. At this time, because the UICC is not inserted into the first module and the first output terminal is in a high-impedance state, the first reset terminal of the main control unit is directly connected to the third reset terminal of the second module via the first resistor, and the main control unit communicates with the second module.

[0124] When the UICC is inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a low level. At this time, the first output terminal is at a low level, so the third reset terminal of the second module directly connected to the first output terminal is at a low level, i.e., the second module is in a reset state. At the same time, the first reset terminal of the main control unit is directly connected to the second reset terminal of the first module, and the main control unit communicates with the first module.

[0125] In other embodiments, the module switching method further includes: when it is determined that the UICC is inserted into the first module and the UICC is not embedded in the second module, the main control unit sets the first output end to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the first module.

[0126] The fact that the UICC is not embedded in the second module can be understood as the second module being damaged or under repair, and the main control unit needs to set the first output terminal to a high impedance state to improve the stability of the circuit.

[0127] In yet other embodiments, the UICC includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card.

[0128] In some further embodiments, the main control unit further includes a first power supply terminal, a first clock terminal, and a first data terminal; the first module further includes a second power supply terminal, a second clock terminal, and a second data terminal; the second module further includes a third power supply terminal, a third clock terminal, and a third data terminal;

[0129] The second power supply terminal and the third power supply terminal are respectively connected to the first power supply terminal; the second clock terminal and the third clock terminal are respectively connected to the first clock terminal; the second data terminal and the third data terminal are respectively connected to the first data terminal.

[0130] In the embodiment of the present application, a high level can be understood as a voltage greater than or equal to 1.8 V, and a low level can be understood as a voltage less than or equal to 0.3 V. For example, currently conventional SIM cards can use a voltage of 1.8 V or 3 V, and the main control unit 301 can adaptively adjust the voltage according to actual conditions.

[0131] The module switching method provided in the embodiment of the present application can realize module switching through an output end of the main control unit by introducing a resistor, which is lower in cost than a switch or switching circuit composed of an integrated circuit or multiple separate devices.

[0132] In addition, the module switching method provided in the embodiment of the present application first resets the second module after detecting that the UICC is inserted into the first module, and then switches to the first module for communication. This is a switching action actively initiated by the main control unit after detecting an external change, rather than passively switching to the first module after an abnormality occurs, which has higher reliability.

[0133] Finally, in the module switching method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the first module and the second module use the same signal line, and the switching part introduces a resistor and an output end of the control unit. Therefore, the PCB can occupy less space and the signal routing can be better protected.

[0134] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the above claims.

Claims

1. A module switching circuit, characterized in that: The circuit comprises: A main control unit, a first module, a second module and a first resistor; The main control unit includes a first input terminal, a first reset terminal and a first output terminal; the first module includes a second output terminal and a second reset terminal; the second module includes a third reset terminal; the first resistor includes a first port and a second port; The first input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the first reset terminal and the second reset terminal are connected to the first port respectively; the first output terminal and the third reset terminal are connected to the second port respectively; The first module is used to insert into a universal integrated circuit card (UICC); the second module is used to embed into the UICC; the main control unit is configured to determine, through the first input terminal, whether the UICC is inserted into the first module; The main control unit is further configured to, when the UICC is not inserted into the first module, set the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module; The main control unit is further configured to, when the UICC is inserted into the first module, set the first output terminal to a low level so that the main control unit communicates with the first module; The first resistor is used for performing voltage division when the first reset terminal is at a high level and the first output terminal is at a low level; The main control unit determines whether the UICC is inserted into the first module according to a level change of the first input terminal connected to the second output terminal.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein: The main control unit is further configured to, when it is determined that the UICC is inserted into the first module and the UICC is not embedded in the second module, set the first output terminal to a high impedance state so that the main control unit communicates with the first module.

3. The circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that When the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the second output end is at a first level; when the UICC is inserted into the first module, the second output end is at a second level; When the second output end is at the second level, the main control unit determines that the UICC is inserted into the first module; When the second output terminal is at the first level, the main control unit determines that the UICC is not inserted into the first module.

4. The circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that The first level is a low level, and the second level is a high level; or, the first level is a high level, and the second level is a low level.

5. The circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The main control unit further includes a first power supply terminal, a first clock terminal and a first data terminal; the first module further includes a second power supply terminal, a second clock terminal and a second data terminal; the second module further includes a third power supply terminal, a third clock terminal and a third data terminal; The second power supply terminal and the third power supply terminal are respectively connected to the first power supply terminal; the second clock terminal and the third clock terminal are respectively connected to the first clock terminal; The second data terminal and the third data terminal are connected to the first data terminal respectively.

6. The circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that The high level is a voltage greater than or equal to 1.8 volts, and the low level is a voltage less than or equal to 0.3 volts.

7. The circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that The UICC includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card.

8. A module switching method, characterized in that: Applicable to a module switching circuit, the circuit comprising: A main control unit, a first module, a second module and a first resistor; The main control unit includes a first input terminal, a first reset terminal and a first output terminal; the first module includes a second output terminal and a second reset terminal; the second module includes a third reset terminal; the first resistor includes a first port and a second port; The first input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the first reset terminal and the second reset terminal are connected to the first port respectively; the first output terminal and the third reset terminal are connected to the second port respectively; The first module is used to be inserted into a universal integrated circuit card (UICC); the second module is used to be embedded in the UICC; and the method includes: The main control unit determines whether the UICC is inserted into the first module through the first input terminal; When the UICC is not inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the second module; When the UICC is inserted into the first module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a low level, and the main control unit communicates with the first module; The first resistor is used to perform voltage division when the first reset end is at a high level and the first output end is at a low level.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The method further comprises: When it is determined that the UICC is inserted into the first module and the UICC is not embedded in the second module, the main control unit sets the first output terminal to a high impedance state, and the main control unit communicates with the first module.

10. A module switching device, characterized in that: The device comprises the module switching circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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