Charger module and method for dynamically adjusting bus voltage of a charger module

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of charger module, AC / DC conversion unit converts alternating mains voltage into DC bus voltage and provides it to DC / DC conversion unit, DC / DC conversion unit converts bus voltage into output voltage provided to power receiving device, micro control unit in the case where detecting that power receiving device is connected to the output port of charger module, the actual charging voltage of power receiving device is sampled, and whether the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of power receiving device sampled is greater than predetermined voltage value is judged, in the case where judging that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of power receiving device is greater than predetermined voltage value, micro control unit controls reference voltage adjustment unit to act to make the reference voltage on the positive pole of feedback voltage regulator change, bus voltage adjustment unit is controlled according to the change of reference voltage to make bus voltage change, so that the output voltage of DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of power receiving device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a charger module and a method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of the charger module. Background Technology

[0002] With the significant increase in shipments of electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets, people's demand for fast charging and multi-port output is growing. The market share of multi-port fast charging is steadily increasing, and major brands are launching compact multi-port fast chargers to meet user needs. However, multi-port fast charging may have the following problems: such as severe overheating, low power conversion efficiency, and still relatively slow charging speed.

[0003] As a prior art (first prior art), the following technology is known: after a fast charger is connected to a 220V AC mains power supply, the secondary output bus voltage of the AC / DC conversion unit is a fixed value (the bus voltage is 30V or 60V or higher). Then, according to the read protocol, multiple DC / DC conversion units are used to convert the bus voltage into sub-line voltages such as 5V, 12V, and 20V, and output them to electronic devices for charging.

[0004] However, in the aforementioned first prior art, since the bus voltage is a fixed value, when it is converted to a lower DC sub-line voltage, the cross loss is large, which will cause the temperature of devices such as switching transistors and inductors to rise, and will lead to an increase in on-resistance, which will reduce the DC / DC conversion efficiency of the fast charger. This situation is particularly obvious when multiple low-voltage ports are charged at the same time.

[0005] In addition, as another prior art (second prior art), there is a known technique that supplies 220V AC mains power to multiple AC / DC conversion units and then directly supplies it to each port for use, with each output port not affecting each other.

[0006] However, in the aforementioned second prior art, the fast charger has a high manufacturing cost, a large size, a small adjustable range of output voltage for each port, and a small output power for a single port. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a charger module that, when a powered device is detected to be connected to the output port of the charger module, can dynamically adjust the magnitude of the bus voltage according to the protocol requirements of the powered device, so that the bus voltage can be adjusted to be close to the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit. This can significantly reduce conversion losses to improve DC / DC conversion efficiency and reduce the heat generation of the charger product while suppressing the cost and size of the charger product, thereby improving the user experience.

[0008] Technical solutions to solve technical problems

[0009] The charger module according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an AC / DC conversion unit, a DC / DC conversion unit, a first capacitor, a feedback regulator, a microcontroller unit, a reference voltage adjustment unit, and a bus voltage adjustment unit. The AC / DC conversion unit converts AC mains voltage into DC bus voltage and provides it to the DC / DC conversion unit. The DC / DC conversion unit converts the bus voltage into an output voltage provided to the powered device. One end of the first capacitor is supplied with the bus voltage, and the other end of the first capacitor is grounded. The feedback regulator is connected in parallel with the first capacitor, and its positive terminal is grounded. The microcontroller unit detects the powered device... When connected to the output port of the charger module, the actual charging voltage of the powered device is sampled, and it is determined whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value. If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate so that the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator changes. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to change according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

[0010] Furthermore, when not in operation, the reference voltage adjustment unit is pre-adjusted so that the lowest voltage of the preset value of the bus voltage is the predetermined voltage value.

[0011] Furthermore, the DC / DC conversion unit includes multiple DC / DC conversion sections, the output ports of which can be connected to multiple powered devices respectively. The microcontroller samplees the actual charging voltage of each of the multiple powered devices and determines whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of each of the multiple powered devices is greater than a predetermined voltage value. If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of at least one powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate so that the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator changes. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to change according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the at least one powered device.

[0012] Furthermore, the reference voltage adjustment unit includes a first resistor and at least one group formed by a switch transistor connected to the microcontroller and a resistor in series. One end of the first resistor is connected to the positive terminal of the feedback regulator, and the other end of the first resistor is grounded. The at least one group formed by a switch transistor connected to the microcontroller and a resistor in series is connected in parallel with the first resistor. When it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller outputs a drive signal to the base of at least one switch transistor in the at least one group formed by a switch transistor connected to the microcontroller and a resistor in series, so that the at least one switch transistor is turned on, thereby changing the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator.

[0013] Furthermore, the predetermined voltage value is 5V.

[0014] Furthermore, the microcontroller further detects whether the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module. If the maximum actual charging voltage is detected to be greater than the predetermined voltage value and the powered device has been disconnected from the charger module, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate to increase the reference voltage. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to decrease based on the increase in the reference voltage.

[0015] The second aspect of the present invention relates to a method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module, wherein the charger module includes an AC / DC conversion unit, a DC / DC conversion unit, a first capacitor, a feedback regulator, a microcontroller unit, a reference voltage adjustment unit, and a bus voltage adjustment unit. The AC / DC conversion unit converts AC mains voltage into DC bus voltage and provides it to the DC / DC conversion unit. The DC / DC conversion unit converts the bus voltage into an output voltage provided to the powered device. One end of the first capacitor is supplied with the bus voltage, and the other end of the first capacitor is grounded. The feedback regulator is connected in parallel with the first capacitor, and the positive terminal of the feedback regulator is grounded. The method is characterized by including the following steps: When the microcontroller detects that the powered device is connected to the output port of the charger module, it samples the actual charging voltage of the powered device. The microcontroller determines whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value. If it determines that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to change the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to change according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

[0016] Furthermore, when not in operation, the reference voltage adjustment unit is pre-adjusted so that the lowest voltage of the preset value of the bus voltage is the predetermined voltage value.

[0017] Furthermore, the predetermined voltage value is 5V.

[0018] Furthermore, the method includes the following steps: the microcontroller further detects whether the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module; if the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate to increase the reference voltage; and the bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to decrease based on the increase in the reference voltage.

[0019] Invention Effects

[0020] According to the charger module of the present invention, when a powered device is detected to be connected to the output port of the charger module, the bus voltage can be dynamically adjusted according to the protocol requirements of the powered device, so that the bus voltage can be adjusted to be close to the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit. This can significantly reduce conversion loss, improve DC / DC conversion efficiency, and reduce the heat generation of the charger product while suppressing the cost and size of the charger product, thereby improving the user experience.

[0021] Furthermore, according to the charger module of the present invention, when the maximum value of the actual charging voltage is detected to be greater than the predetermined voltage value and the powered device has been disconnected from the charger module, the bus voltage can be restored to a suitable value, thereby adapting to the random connection or disconnection of the powered device and automatically providing a suitable voltage and power, which can further improve the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The invention can be better understood by describing exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram illustrating the specific structure of the charger module involved in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a bus voltage adjustment unit in a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the specific steps included in the method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating further steps included in the method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following describes specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that, in order to provide a concise description, this specification cannot exhaustively describe all features of the actual embodiments. It should be understood that, in the actual implementation of any embodiment, just as in any engineering or design project, various specific decisions are often made to achieve the developer's specific goals and to meet system-related or business-related constraints, and this can change from one embodiment to another. Furthermore, it is understood that although the efforts made in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art related to the content disclosed in this invention, some design, manufacturing, or production modifications based on the technical content disclosed herein are merely conventional technical means and should not be construed as insufficient content of this disclosure.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the patent application description and claims of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. The terms "an" or "a" and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding "comprising" or "including" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms "connected" or "linked" and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, nor are they limited to direct or indirect connections.

[0029] <Specific structure of the charger module>

[0030] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram illustrating the specific structure of the charger module involved in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, the charger module 10 according to the embodiments of the present invention includes an AC / DC conversion unit 101, a DC / DC conversion unit 102, a first capacitor EC1, a feedback regulator D1, a microcontroller unit 103, a reference voltage adjustment unit 104, and a bus voltage adjustment unit 105. Furthermore, Figure 1 The example also includes LED U2A, resistor R1, resistor R2, and resistor R3.

[0032] AC / DC conversion unit 101 converts AC mains voltage (e.g., 220V) into DC bus voltage (mains voltage) VBUS and supplies it to DC / DC conversion unit 102. DC / DC conversion unit 102 then converts the bus voltage VBUS into an output voltage supplied to the powered device. As an example, although... Figure 1 The power receiving device is not shown, but it can be connected to... Figure 1 The output ports TYPC1, TYPC2, and TYPC3 can be used for electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops; there are no particular limitations. Furthermore, Figure 1 Although three output ports TYPC1, TYPC2, and TYPC3 are shown in the figure, the number of output ports is not particularly limited in this invention.

[0033] In addition, one end of the first capacitor EC1 is supplied with the bus voltage VBUS, and the other end of the first capacitor EC1 is grounded (SGND). The feedback regulator D1 is connected in parallel with the first capacitor EC1, and the positive terminal of the feedback regulator is grounded (SGND).

[0034] In addition, when the microcontroller unit (MCU) 103 detects that the powered device is connected to the output port of the charger module, it samples the actual charging voltage of the powered device and determines whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 5V).

[0035] If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to change the reference voltage U1 on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 controls the bus voltage VBUS according to the change of the reference voltage U1, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit 102 can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a bus voltage adjustment unit in a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] like Figure 2As shown, as an example, the bus voltage adjustment unit 105 includes a triangular wave generator 501, a comparator 502, and a latch 503. In the bus voltage adjustment unit 105, the reference voltage U1, adjusted by the reference voltage adjustment unit 104, is input to one input terminal of the comparator 502. The comparator 502 compares the input reference voltage U1 with the triangular wave from the triangular wave generator 501, obtains a first pulse signal, and inputs it to the latch 503. The latch 503 changes the duty cycle of the PWM output signal according to the first pulse signal from the comparator 502 and a clock signal to adjust the magnitude of the bus voltage VBUS. Furthermore, in this invention, as long as the bus voltage VBUS changes accordingly based on the change in the reference voltage U1, the specific implementation of the bus voltage adjustment unit 105 is not particularly limited.

[0038] also, Figure 1 In this invention, the DC / DC conversion unit 102 includes three DC / DC conversion sections (DC / DC1, DC / DC2, and DC / DC3), and the output ports (TYPC1, TYPC2, and TYPC3) of these three DC / DC conversion sections can be connected to multiple powered devices respectively. Of course, in this invention, the number of DC / DC conversion sections and output ports is not limited to this.

[0039] Figure 1 In the example, the input port ADC7 of DC / DC1, DC / DC2, and DC / DC3 is connected to port ADC7 (port 8) of microcontroller 103, the output port (TYPC1) of DC / DC1 is connected to port ADC6 (port 7) of microcontroller 103, the output port (TYPC2) of DC / DC2 is connected to port ADC5 (port 6) of microcontroller 103, and the output port (TYPC3) of DC / DC3 is connected to port ADC4 (port 5) of microcontroller 103.

[0040] Figure 1 In the figure, the microcontroller unit 103 samples the actual charging voltage of each of the three powered devices (i.e., the voltage of the output ports TYPC1, TYPC2, and TYPC3) through the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (not shown in the figure), and determines whether the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of each of the three powered devices is greater than a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 5V).

[0041] also, Figure 1In this circuit, the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 includes a first resistor R4, a group formed by a switch Q1 connected to port IO2 of the microcontroller 103 via its base and a resistor R5 connected in series, and a group formed by a switch Q2 connected to port IO1 of the microcontroller 103 via its base and a resistor R6 connected in series. The groups formed by the switch Q1 and resistor R5 connected to port IO2 of the microcontroller 103 via its base and the switch Q2 and resistor R6 connected to port IO1 of the microcontroller 103 via its base and a resistor R6 connected in series are connected in parallel with the first resistor R4. One end of the first resistor R4 is connected to the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1, and the other end of the first resistor R4 is grounded (SGND).

[0042] Figure 1 In the example, if it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the device connected to TYPC1 is greater than a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 9V), the microcontroller unit 103 outputs a low level from port IO2 to the base of the switch Q1 in the reference voltage adjustment unit 104, and outputs a high level from port IO1 to the base of the switch Q2 in the reference voltage adjustment unit 104. At this time, switch Q1 (PNP type) is turned on, and switch Q2 (PNP type) is turned off, causing the reference voltage U1 on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1 to decrease. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 controls the bus voltage VBUS to rise to above 9V based on the decrease in the reference voltage U1, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC converter DC / DC1 in the DC / DC converter unit 102 can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the device connected to TYPC1 (i.e., 9V).

[0043] Furthermore, as another example, if it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the device connected to TYPC2 is greater than a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 12V), the microcontroller unit 103 outputs a low level from port IO2 to the base of the switch Q1 in the reference voltage adjustment unit 104, and also outputs a low level from port IO1 to the base of the switch Q2 in the reference voltage adjustment unit 104. At this time, both switch Q1 (PNP type) and switch Q2 (PNP type) are turned on, causing the reference voltage U1 on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1 to decrease further. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 controls the bus voltage VBUS to rise above 12V based on the further decrease in the reference voltage U1, thereby enabling the output voltage of the DC / DC converter DC / DC1 in the DC / DC converter unit 102 to reach the maximum value (i.e., 12V) of the actual charging voltage of the device connected to TYPC2.

[0044] Furthermore, as another example in this invention, when it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device connected to the TYPC3 is greater than a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 48V), the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate, thereby reducing the reference voltage U1 at the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 further controls the adjustment based on the reduction of the reference voltage U1 to adjust the bus voltage VBUS to the highest value (e.g., 60V). Then, the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate, thereby increasing the reference voltage U1 at the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 further controls the adjustment based on the increase of the reference voltage U1 to reduce the bus voltage VBUS to a value slightly larger than but close to the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device (e.g., 50V).

[0045] also, Figure 1 In the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 shown, there are two groups formed by the switching transistor and the resistor connected in series with the base and the microcontroller unit 103. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Any number of groups can be set according to the required adjustment accuracy, and the type of switching transistor and the parameters of each resistor can be adjusted.

[0046] In addition, the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 is pre-adjusted when not in operation to make the minimum voltage of the preset value of the bus voltage VBUS the predetermined voltage value (e.g., 5V). Figure 1 In the example, the value of the first resistor R4 is pre-adjusted when the device is not in operation so that the minimum preset value of the bus voltage VBUS is a predetermined voltage value. Here, it is preferable to set the minimum preset value (predetermined voltage value) of the bus voltage VBUS to 5V because most charging protocols for mobile phones and other powered devices use a charging voltage of 5V (generally, fast charging protocols use a charging voltage greater than 5V, for example, 9-20V), while the DC / DC conversion unit 102 in this invention only has a step-down function. Furthermore, in this invention, the preset value of the bus voltage VBUS only needs to be greater than or equal to 5V, and there is no particular limitation.

[0047] Therefore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, when the charger module 10 detects that the powered device is connected to the output port (TYPC1, TYPC2, TYPC3) of the charger module 10, it can dynamically adjust the bus voltage VBUS according to the protocol requirements of the powered device (the maximum value of the actual charging voltage), so that the bus voltage can be adjusted to be close to the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit. This can significantly reduce conversion losses while suppressing the cost and size of the charger product, thereby improving the DC / DC conversion efficiency and reducing the heat generation of the charger product, and thus improving the user experience.

[0048] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, the microcontroller unit 103 can further detect whether a powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module 10. If it is detected that a powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module 10, the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate, thereby increasing the reference voltage U1. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105, based on the increase in reference voltage U1, controls the bus voltage VBUS to decrease. For example, if two charging devices with maximum actual charging voltages of 20V and 5V are connected to the charger module, when the 20V charging device is unplugged, the bus voltage VBUS can be adjusted to, for example, 10V. If two charging devices with maximum actual charging voltages of 20V and 12V are connected to the charger module, when the 20V charging device is unplugged, the bus voltage VBUS can be adjusted to, for example, 15V.

[0049] Therefore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, when the charger module 10 detects that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value and the powered device has been disconnected from the charger module 10, the bus voltage VBUS can be restored to a suitable value according to the currently connected powered device, thereby adapting to the random connection or disconnection of the powered device and automatically providing suitable voltage and power, thereby further improving the user experience.

[0050] <Method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module>

[0051] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of specific steps included in a method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] like Figure 3As shown, firstly, in step ST1000, the microcontroller unit 103 detects that the powered device is connected to any output port of the charger module 10. Then, in step ST1001, the microcontroller unit 103 samples the actual charging voltage of the powered device via the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Then, in step ST1002, the microcontroller unit 103 determines whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value. Then, in step ST1003, if it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value (e.g., 5V) (e.g., in the case of 48V), the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate, causing the reference voltage U1 on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1 to decrease. The bus voltage adjustment unit 105 further controls the adjustment based on the decrease in the reference voltage U1 to adjust the bus voltage VBUS to the highest value (e.g., 60V). Then, in step ST1004, the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate so that the reference voltage U1 on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator D1 increases, and the bus voltage adjustment unit 105 further controls the bus voltage VBUS to decrease to a value that is slightly larger than and close to the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device (e.g., 50V) based on the increase of the reference voltage U1.

[0053] also, Figure 3 The flowchart shows an example of first adjusting the bus voltage VBUS to its highest value and then reducing it to a value that is slightly larger than and close to the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device. However, the invention is not limited to this and may also gradually increase the bus voltage VBUS from a preset value to a value that is slightly larger than and close to the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

[0054] Therefore, according to the method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of the charger module according to the embodiments of the present invention, when the powered device is detected to be connected to the output port (TYPC1, TYPC2, TYPC3) of the charger module 10, the magnitude of the bus voltage VBUS can be dynamically adjusted according to the protocol requirements of the powered device (the maximum value of the actual charging voltage), so that the bus voltage can be adjusted to be close to the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit. This can significantly reduce conversion losses while suppressing the cost and size of the charger product, thereby improving the DC / DC conversion efficiency and reducing the heat generation of the charger product, and thus improving the user experience.

[0055] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating further steps included in the method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, in Figure 3 Following step ST1004, the microcontroller unit 103 can further detect whether the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module 10 (step ST1005). Then, in step ST1006, if it is detected that the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module 10, the microcontroller unit 103 controls the reference voltage adjustment unit 104 to operate, thereby increasing the reference voltage U1. Finally, in step ST1007, the bus voltage adjustment unit 105 controls the bus voltage VBUS to decrease based on the increase in the reference voltage U1. For example, if two charging devices with maximum actual charging voltages of 20V and 5V are connected to the charger module, when the 20V charging device is unplugged, the bus voltage VBUS can be adjusted to, for example, 10V. If two charging devices with maximum actual charging voltages of 20V and 12V are connected to the charger module, when the 20V charging device is unplugged, the bus voltage VBUS can be adjusted to, for example, 15V.

[0057] Therefore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of the charger module can restore the bus voltage VBUS to a suitable value required by the currently connected power receiving device when the maximum value of the actual charging voltage is detected to be greater than the predetermined voltage value and the device has been disconnected from the charger module 10. This allows the method to adapt to random connection or disconnection of the power receiving device, automatically provide suitable voltage and power, and further improve the user experience.

[0058] It should be understood that the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) can be used in combination with each other. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt particular conditions or materials to the teachings of the various embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are used to define parameters of the various embodiments of the invention, the embodiments are not intended to be restrictive but are exemplary. Many other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the invention should be determined by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

[0059] Industrial practicality

[0060] This invention can be applied to chargers for electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops.

Claims

1. A charger module, comprising an AC / DC conversion unit, a DC / DC conversion unit, a first capacitor, a feedback regulator, a microcontroller unit, a reference voltage adjustment unit, and a bus voltage adjustment unit. The AC / DC conversion unit converts the AC mains voltage into a DC bus voltage and supplies it to the DC / DC conversion unit. The DC / DC conversion unit converts the bus voltage into an output voltage supplied to the powered equipment. One end of the first capacitor is supplied with the bus voltage, and the other end of the first capacitor is grounded. The feedback regulator is connected in parallel with the first capacitor, and the positive terminal of the feedback regulator is grounded. The reference voltage adjustment unit includes a first resistor and at least one group consisting of a switch transistor connected to the microcontroller unit and a resistor connected in series. One end of the first resistor is connected to the positive terminal of the feedback regulator, and the other end of the first resistor is grounded. The at least one group consisting of a switch transistor connected in series with the base of the microcontroller and a resistor is connected in parallel with the first resistor. When the microcontroller detects that the powered device is connected to the output port of the charger module, it samples the actual charging voltage of the powered device and determines whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value. If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller outputs a drive signal to the base of at least one of the at least one switching transistors in a group consisting of a switching transistor connected to the microcontroller and a resistor in series, so that the at least one switching transistor is turned on, thereby changing the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

2. The charger module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When not in operation, the reference voltage adjustment unit is pre-adjusted so that the lowest voltage of the preset value of the bus voltage is the predetermined voltage value.

3. The charger module as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The DC / DC conversion unit includes multiple DC / DC conversion sections, and the output ports of these multiple DC / DC conversion sections can be connected to multiple powered devices respectively. The microcontroller sampled the actual charging voltage of each of the plurality of powered devices, and determined whether the maximum value of the sampled actual charging voltage of each of the plurality of powered devices was greater than a predetermined voltage value. If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of at least one powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate so that the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator changes. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage to change according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the at least one powered device.

4. The charger module as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The predetermined voltage value is 5V.

5. The charger module as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The microcontroller further detects whether the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module. If the device being powered has been disconnected from the charger module when the maximum value of the actual charging voltage is detected to be greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller unit controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate and increase the reference voltage. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the reduction of the bus voltage based on the increase of the reference voltage.

6. A method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module, The charger module includes an AC / DC conversion unit, a DC / DC conversion unit, a first capacitor, a feedback regulator, a microcontroller unit, a reference voltage adjustment unit, and a bus voltage adjustment unit. The AC / DC conversion unit converts the AC mains voltage into a DC bus voltage and supplies it to the DC / DC conversion unit. The DC / DC conversion unit converts the bus voltage into an output voltage supplied to the powered equipment. One end of the first capacitor is supplied with the bus voltage, and the other end of the first capacitor is grounded. The feedback regulator is connected in parallel with the first capacitor, and the positive terminal of the feedback regulator is grounded. The reference voltage adjustment unit includes a first resistor and at least one group consisting of a switch transistor connected to the microcontroller unit and a resistor connected in series. One end of the first resistor is connected to the positive terminal of the feedback regulator, and the other end of the first resistor is grounded. The at least one group consisting of a switch transistor connected in series with the base of the microcontroller and a resistor is connected in parallel with the first resistor. The method is characterized by including the following steps: When the microcontroller detects that the powered device is connected to the output port of the charger module, it samples the actual charging voltage of the powered device. The microcontroller determines whether the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the sampled powered device is greater than a predetermined voltage value; and If it is determined that the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device is greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller outputs a drive signal to the base of at least one of the at least one switching transistors in a group consisting of a switching transistor connected to the microcontroller and a resistor in series, so that the at least one switching transistor is turned on, thereby changing the reference voltage on the positive terminal of the feedback regulator. The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the bus voltage according to the change of the reference voltage, so that the output voltage of the DC / DC conversion unit can reach the maximum value of the actual charging voltage of the powered device.

7. The method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module as described in claim 6, characterized in that, When not in operation, the reference voltage adjustment unit is pre-adjusted so that the lowest voltage of the preset value of the bus voltage is the predetermined voltage value.

8. The method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The predetermined voltage value is 5V.

9. The method for dynamically adjusting the bus voltage of a charger module as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: The microcontroller further detects whether the powered device whose maximum actual charging voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage value has been disconnected from the charger module; If the powered device is disconnected from the charger module when the maximum value of the actual charging voltage is detected to be greater than the predetermined voltage value, the microcontroller controls the reference voltage adjustment unit to operate and increase the reference voltage; and The bus voltage adjustment unit controls the reduction of the bus voltage based on the increase of the reference voltage.

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