Power adapter, equipment upgrading method and upgrading system

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of power adapters, and provides a power adapter, an equipment upgrading method and an upgrading system. The power adapter comprises a communication module and a control module. The communication module is configured with a communication interface, and the communication interface is used for being connected with external equipment. The control module is configured with a control unit and a first communication branch. When the communication interface of the communication module is connected with the first type of external equipment, the first communication branch of the control module can be conducted. The first communication branch between the control unit and the external equipment can be conducted when the first type of external equipment is connected, and direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external equipment is realized by utilizing the conducted first communication branch, so that the external equipment can directly carry out upgrading data configuration on the control unit; the control unit can execute the upgrading operation by using the upgrading data, so that the upgrading rate of the power adapter is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of power adapters, and in particular, relates to a power adapter, a device upgrade method, and an upgrade system. Background Art

[0002] The power adapter is used to provide electrical energy to the load. For example, the power adapter can be connected to the mains and convert the mains into direct current suitable for the load. Here, the load can be a rechargeable battery, an electrical device, etc. As more and more electronic devices are used by users, the power adapter is becoming more and more intelligent and can provide power for different electronic devices. Based on this, it is necessary to perform maintenance such as functional upgrades on the power adapter. The existing power adapter is configured with a communication module, and the communication interface configured on the communication module can be used to connect an external device to realize data interaction between the external device and the power adapter.

[0003] However, when using an external device to configure upgrade data for the power adapter through a communication interface, the upgrade data sent by the external device needs to be forwarded to the control module of the power adapter through the communication module during the periodic interval or session gap between the control module and the load, resulting in a low upgrade rate of the power adapter. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a power adapter, a device upgrade method and an upgrade system, which can improve the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0005] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a power adapter, comprising:

[0006] The communication module is configured with a communication interface, and the communication interface is used to connect to an external device;

[0007] The control module is configured with a control unit and a first communication branch, wherein the first communication branch is connected between the communication interface and the control unit;

[0008] The first communication branch is used to be turned on when the communication interface is connected to a first type of external device;

[0009] The control unit is used for receiving the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch, and performing the upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

[0010] A power adapter provided by an embodiment of the present application includes a communication module and a control module. Among them, the communication module is configured with a communication interface, and the communication interface is used to connect an external device. The control module is configured with a control unit and a first communication branch. The first communication branch is connected between the communication interface and the control unit. The first communication branch is turned on when the communication interface is connected to a first type of external device. The first type of external device can perform upgrade data configuration on the control unit through the first communication branch that is turned on. The control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch that is turned on, and performs an upgrade operation using the upgrade data. In the above scheme, when the communication interface of the communication module is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch of the control module can be turned on. When the first type of external device is connected, the first communication branch between the control unit and the external device can be turned on, and the direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device is realized by using the first communication branch that is turned on, so that the external device can directly configure the control unit with upgrade data, and the control unit can perform an upgrade operation using the upgrade data, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0011] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a device upgrade method, which is applied to the power adapter provided in the first aspect above, and the method includes:

[0012] When the communication interface is connected to the first type of external device, receiving the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch that is turned on; wherein the first communication branch is turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device;

[0013] An upgrade operation is performed using the upgrade data.

[0014] A device upgrade method provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to the power adapter provided in the first aspect above. When the communication interface is connected to a first type of external device, the first communication branch is turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device. Since the first communication branch can realize direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device, the control unit can receive the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch, and then use the upgrade data to perform the upgrade operation. In this way, there is no need for other communication modules to act as relays to forward the upgrade data, and the first type of external device can configure the upgrade data for the control unit through the first communication branch, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0015] A third aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides an upgrade system, including an external device, and the upgrade system also includes the power adapter provided by the first aspect above.

[0016] It can be understood that the beneficial effects of the third aspect mentioned above can be found in the relevant description of the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a power adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a power adapter provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a power adapter provided in another embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a power adapter provided in another embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0021] Figure 5 A flowchart of a device upgrade method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an upgrade system provided in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0024] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0025] It should be understood that the orientation or position relationship indicated by terms such as "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0026] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0027] At present, the existing power adapter is equipped with a communication module, and the communication interface configured on the communication module can be used to connect an external device to realize data interaction between the external device and the power adapter. However, when the external device is used to configure upgrade data for the power adapter through the communication interface, the upgrade data sent by the external device needs to be forwarded to the control module of the power adapter through the communication module.

[0028] For example, since the control module in the power adapter is powered on and works only when the power adapter is used to power the load, the communication module must also implement a session between the control module and the load. Based on this, when upgrading the power adapter through an external device, the communication module can only be used to configure the upgrade data during the periodic interval or session gap of the above session. In this way, not only does it need to cache and forward the upgrade data, but the periodic interval or session gap of the above session is very short, that is, the configuration time of the upgrade data also needs to take into account the above session time, resulting in a low upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0029] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a power adapter, including a communication module and a control module. The communication module is configured with a communication interface, and the communication interface is used to connect an external device. The control module is configured with a control unit and a first communication branch. The first communication branch is connected between the communication interface and the control unit. The first communication branch is turned on when the communication interface is connected to a first type of external device. The first type of external device can perform upgrade data configuration on the control unit through the first communication branch. The control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch, and performs an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

[0030] In the above scheme, when the communication interface of the communication module is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch of the control module can be turned on. When the first type of external device is connected, the first communication branch between the control unit and the external device can be turned on, and the direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device is realized by using the turned-on first communication branch, so that the external device can directly perform upgrade data configuration on the control unit, and the control unit can perform upgrade operations using the upgrade data, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0031] See also Figure 1, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a power adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to this embodiment are shown, which are described in detail as follows:

[0032] exist Figure 1 In the present invention, a power adapter 100 includes a communication module 10 and a control module 20. Specifically:

[0033] The communication module 10 is configured with a communication interface 11, and the communication interface 11 is used to connect an external device. The external device includes a first type of external device. The control module 20 is configured with a control unit 21 and a first communication branch 22. The first communication branch 22 is connected between the communication interface 11 and the control unit 21. The first communication branch 22 is used to be turned on when the communication interface 11 is connected to the first type of external device. The control unit 21 is used to receive upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the turned-on first communication branch, and perform an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

[0034] In this embodiment, the communication interface 11 generally refers to a physical interface used by the power adapter 100 to connect to an external device. The external device generally refers to a device that can exchange data with the power adapter 100 through the communication interface 11. For example, the external device can be a computer, a mobile terminal, a remote controller, etc. used to configure the power adapter.

[0035] For example, in actual applications, the power adapter 100 can be used to connect a power source to power the load. For example, the power source connected to the power adapter 100 can be a mains power source, and the mains power source can be converted into working power suitable for the load. Here, when the power adapter 100 is used to power the load, the control module 20 can communicate with the load through the communication module 10. It is easy to understand that when the power adapter 100 is used to power the load, the load is not an external device, so the control module 20 communicates with the load through the communication module 10, which specifically means that the control module 20 communicates with the load through the communication module 10 as a communication link.

[0036] Taking the load as an example, the battery in the electrical equipment is configured with a battery management system, and the control module 20 in the power adapter 100 can interact with the battery management system through the communication module 10. For example, when the power adapter 100 is used to connect to the power supply and charge the battery, the battery management system can send charging demand information, such as charging voltage value and / or charging current value, to the communication module 10, and the communication module 10 sends the charging demand to the control module 20. At this time, each module in the power adapter 100 is powered by the power supply. That is, only when the power adapter 100 is used to power the load, each module in the power adapter 100 enters the working state, and then the communication module 10 and the load must interact with data, resulting in a reduction in the rate at which the power adapter 100 is upgraded by connecting to an external device.

[0037] In order to solve the problem that the power adapter 100 can only put its various modules into working state when it supplies power to the load, in the present embodiment, the control module 20 is configured with a control unit 21 and a first communication branch 22. When the communication interface 11 is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch 22 can be turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device, and the direct current is provided to the control unit 21 as working power. Based on this, the control unit 21 in the control module 20 can also be powered by the first type of external device without connecting the power supply or supplying power to the load. The first type of external device can perform upgrade data configuration on the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on. Here, the upgrade data configuration can be specifically understood as sending the upgrade data to the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on, so that the control unit 21 performs the upgrade operation according to the upgrade data.

[0038] In a specific implementation, the upgrade data may be a program file executed by the control unit 21. The first type of external device may directly send the program file to the control unit 21 via the first communication branch 22. Here, when the control unit 21 receives the program file, it may automatically execute the program file to implement the upgrade operation.

[0039] In all embodiments of the present application, the first type of external device generally refers to a computer device that can be connected to the power adapter 100 through the communication interface 11 and can provide working power for the power adapter 100. For example, the first type of external device can be a server, a host computer, etc. used to test or configure the power adapter 100.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first communication branch 22 is connected between the communication interface 11 and the control unit 21, which is equivalent to multiplexing the communication interface 11 in the communication module 10, and can realize direct connection with the external device. Therefore, when the communication module 10 is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch 22 can be turned on according to the DC power provided by the first type of external device, and the DC power can be directly provided to the control unit 21 as working power, so that the control unit 21 can be powered on and enter the working state. Based on this, the power adapter 100 may not be connected to the power supply and / or the load, and the communication module 10 may not need to realize the conversation between the control unit 21 and the load. When the first type of external device performs upgrade data configuration on the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on, the upgrade data can be directly sent to the power adapter 100 through the communication interface 11, and transmitted to the control unit 21 via the first communication branch 22, without passing through other cache units or functional units in the communication module 10, and the communication module 10 does not need to temporarily store and / or forward the upgrade data.

[0041] As a possible implementation method, in a specific implementation, the communication interface 11 can be at least one of a USB Type-A interface, a USB Type-C interface, a Micro-USB interface, and a PD interface.

[0042] Based on the above possible implementation methods, illustratively, the first communication branch 22 can be connected to the electrode terminal of any of the above interfaces, and then can receive direct current provided by the first type of external device through the communication interface 11, and be turned on under the action of the direct current.

[0043] As an example, in a specific implementation, the first communication branch 22 may include a switch circuit composed of a switch tube. When receiving direct current provided by the first type of external device through the communication interface 11, the switch circuit is turned on under the action of the direct current, and then the electrode terminals of the control unit 21 and the communication interface 11 are turned on, and together with the communication interface 11, a communication / interaction link between the first type of external device and the control unit 21 is formed.

[0044] As another example, in a specific implementation, the first communication branch 22 may also use a switch circuit composed of a comparator and a switch tube. When receiving the direct current provided by the first type of external device through the communication interface 11, the comparator can be used to determine that the provided direct current meets the power supply requirement, and the switch tube is controlled to be turned on, thereby turning on the electrode terminals of the control unit 21 and the communication interface 11, and together with the communication interface 11, a communication / interaction link between the first type of external device and the control unit 21 is formed.

[0045] It is understandable that, in specific implementation, the first communication branch 22 may also be implemented by other switch circuits. Therefore, the example used here is used to illustrate the implementation of the first communication branch 22, and should not be understood as a limitation on the specific implementation of the first communication branch 22.

[0046] In the above scheme, when the communication interface of the communication module is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch of the control module can be turned on. Without using a power adapter to power the load, the first communication branch between the control unit and the external device can be turned on by connecting the first type of external device, and direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device is achieved by the turned-on first communication branch, so that the external device can directly upgrade the data configuration of the control unit, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0047] In addition, since the first communication branch is turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device when the communication interface is connected to the first type of external device, and the direct current can be provided to the control unit as working power, the control unit can be powered on and operated without using a power adapter to power the load, so that the first type of external device can directly upgrade the data configuration of the powered-on control unit through the first communication branch that is turned on. Because there is no need to use a power adapter to power the load, there is no need for the control unit to execute programs or strategies related to powering the load. When the first type of external device performs upgrade data configuration on the powered-on control unit through the first communication branch that is turned on, all communication bandwidth or communication resources of the first communication branch can be used to a greater extent, providing a basis for further improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0048] Figure 2 FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a power adapter provided by another embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 The embodiment differs in that Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the communication module 10 is further configured with a communication control unit 12 and a second communication branch 13. In this embodiment, the external device also includes a second type of external device. Specifically:

[0049] The communication control unit 12 is connected to the second communication branch 13. The communication control unit 12 is used to control the second communication branch 13 to be turned on when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device. The control unit 21 is also used to receive the upgrade data sent by the second type of external device through the communication control unit 12 and the turned-on second communication branch, and perform the upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

[0050] In this embodiment, the communication control unit 12 is connected to the control module 20, so the communication control unit 12 can receive the working power provided by the control module 20 and work according to the working power. The second type of external device generally refers to an external device different from the first type of external device, and the second type of external device does not provide working power to the power adapter. Based on this, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, the first communication branch 22 is in a disconnected state.

[0051] It should be noted that, taking into account the need for users to upgrade the power adapter 100 when actually using the power adapter 100, this embodiment configures a communication control unit 12 in the communication module 10 to be connected to the second communication branch 13, as well as a conduction mechanism of the second communication branch 13, so that when users actually use the power adapter 100, they can also use the second type of external device to upgrade the power adapter 100.

[0052] Taking the example of a user using a power adapter 100 to connect a power source to supply power to a load, the power source may be AC ​​power. Exemplarily, the power adapter 100 converts the AC power into working power suitable for the load. Among them, the control module 20 may include a rectifier circuit and a voltage conversion circuit, the rectifier circuit rectifies the AC power to obtain direct current, and then the voltage conversion circuit converts the DC power to output the working power to the communication control unit 12. When the communication control unit 12 works according to the working power provided by the control module 20, if the communication interface 11 is connected to a second type of external device, the communication control unit 12 controls the second communication branch 13 to be turned on. At this time, the second type of external device can send upgrade data to the communication control unit 12 through the communication interface 11, and then the communication control unit 12 sends the upgrade data to the control unit 21 through the turned-on second communication branch 13, so as to realize the upgrade data configuration of the control unit 21.

[0053] As an embodiment, considering that when the power adapter 100 supplies power to the load, the communication module 10 communicating with the load will inevitably occupy the resources of the communication module 10, it is also possible to suspend powering the load and / or suspend communication with the load while the communication control unit 12 controls the second communication branch 13 to be turned on.

[0054] As a possible implementation method, the communication control unit 12 can perform in-place detection on the communication interface 11 when in working state. That is, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, the communication control unit 12 can detect the corresponding electrical signal, thereby determining that the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, and then controlling the second communication branch 13 to be turned on. Here, the communication control unit 12 can detect that the corresponding electrical signal can be a high level or a low level.

[0055] For example, when the communication interface 11 is connected to a second type of external device, the potential of the communication interface 11 is pulled low. Accordingly, the communication control unit 12 can detect an electrical signal that changes from a high level to a low level, thereby determining that the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, and then controlling the second communication branch 13 to be turned on.

[0056] For another example, when the communication interface 11 is connected to a second type of external device, the potential of the communication interface 11 is pulled up, and accordingly, the communication control unit 12 can detect the electrical signal that changes from a low level to a high level, and then determine that the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, and then control the second communication branch 13 to be turned on.

[0057] It should be noted that, in actual use, one communication interface 11 can only be connected to one external device. That is, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the first type of external device, it is no longer connected to the second type of external device, and when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, it is no longer connected to the first type of external device. Of course, in specific implementation, one, two or more communication interfaces 11 can be configured according to the actual use or configuration requirements of the power adapter 100, and there is no limitation here.

[0058] It is understandable that, since when the power adapter 100 is only configured with one communication interface 11 , the communication interface 11 is only connected to one external device, and therefore the first communication branch 22 and the second communication branch 13 are not turned on at the same time.

[0059] In this embodiment, the communication control unit 12 works according to the working power provided by the control module 20, specifically, the power adapter 100 is connected to the power supply to power the load, and the control module 20 can convert the electric energy provided by the power supply into working power adapted by the communication control unit 12, and provide it to the communication control unit 12. At this time, the communication control unit 12 works according to the working power provided by the control module 20, and can communicate with the battery management system in the load.

[0060] In some embodiments, the power adapter 100 is connected to the first type of external device through the communication interface 11, and the control module 20 is powered by the first type of external device. In addition, the control module 20 can also convert the power provided by the first type of external device into working power adapted by the communication control unit 12.

[0061] It is easy to understand that in a specific implementation, when the power adapter 100 is not connected to a power source or the communication interface 11 is connected to a first type of external device, in order to avoid the communication module 10 interacting or communicating with the load, the control module 20 may not provide working power to the communication control unit 12.

[0062] As an embodiment, the control unit 21 is further used to instruct the communication control unit 12 to prohibit the second communication branch 13 from being turned on when the first communication branch 22 is turned on.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch 22 can be turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device, and the direct current is provided to the control unit 21 as working power. At this time, the control unit 21 can be powered without the need for the power adapter 100 to be connected to a power source, thereby enabling the first type of external device to perform upgrade data configuration for the control unit 21. In order to avoid confusion during the upgrade data configuration process, when the first communication branch 22 is turned on, the second communication branch 13 is prohibited from being turned on, so that the transmission through the second communication branch 13 during the upgrade data process can be avoided.

[0064] The above scheme, by configuring the communication control unit 12 in the communication module 10 to be connected to the second communication branch 13, and the conduction mechanism of the second communication branch 13, can enable the user to upgrade the power adapter 100 using the second type of external device when actually using the power adapter 100.

[0065] Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a specific structure of a first communication branch in a power adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the first communication branch 22 includes: a voltage input terminal 221, a voltage output terminal 222, a first interface connection terminal 223, a second interface connection terminal 224, a first transmission terminal 225, and a second transmission terminal 226. The voltage input terminal 221, the first interface connection terminal 223, and the second interface connection terminal 224 are connected to the communication interface 11. The voltage output terminal 222, the first transmission terminal 225, and the second transmission terminal 226 are connected to the control unit 21.

[0066] In this embodiment, the voltage input terminal 221, the first interface connection terminal 223 and the second interface connection terminal 224 are connected to the communication interface 11 in common, specifically, the voltage input terminal 221, the first interface connection terminal 223 and the second interface connection terminal 224 are respectively connected to different connection electrodes in the communication interface 11.

[0067] In a specific implementation, the control unit 21 may include a control circuit composed of a control chip. Similarly, the voltage output terminal 222, the first transmission terminal 225, and the second transmission terminal 226 are connected to the control unit 21, and specifically, the voltage output terminal 222, the first transmission terminal 225, and the second transmission terminal 226 are connected to different pins of the control chip in the control unit 21, respectively.

[0068] As a possible implementation method, the first communication branch 22 may include a voltage stabilizing circuit and a switch circuit. Among them, the input end of the voltage stabilizing circuit serves as a voltage input end 221, and the output end of the voltage stabilizing circuit serves as a voltage output end 222, which is connected to the power supply end of the control unit 21. The voltage stabilizing circuit can stabilize the DC power provided by the first type of external device, and provide it to the control unit 21 as working power. The switch circuit is connected to the communication interface 11 through the first interface connection end 223 and the second interface connection end 224, and is connected to the control unit 21 through the first transmission end 225 and the second transmission end 226. At the same time, the switch circuit is also connected to the voltage stabilizing circuit, and while the voltage stabilizing circuit outputs working power, the path between the first interface connection end 223 and the first transmission end 225 is turned on, and the path between the second interface connection end 224 and the second transmission end 226 is turned on, so that the first type of external device can upgrade the data configuration of the control unit 21 through the turned-on first communication branch 22.

[0069] It is understandable that, in specific implementation, the first communication branch 22 may also be implemented by other electrically controlled switch circuits, which will not be further described with examples here.

[0070] Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows a specific circuit diagram of a first communication branch in a power adapter provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, the first communication branch 22 includes: a first diode D1, a second diode D2, a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, a first capacitor C1, a first switch tube Q1, a second switch tube Q2, a third switch tube Q3 and a fourth switch tube Q4.

[0071] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 The anode of the first diode D1 is connected to the cathode of the second diode D2 to form a first node P1 as a voltage input terminal 221, the cathode of the first diode D1 is used as a voltage output terminal 222, the anode of the second diode D2 is connected to the first end of the first resistor R1, the second end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the first end of the second resistor R2 to form a second node P2, the second end of the second resistor R2 is grounded, and the first capacitor C1 is connected between the second node P2 and the ground.

[0072] The controlled end of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled end of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled end of the third switch tube Q3 and the controlled end of the fourth switch tube Q4 are connected to the second node P2, the low potential end of the first switch tube Q1 serves as the first interface connection end 223, the low potential end of the second switch tube Q2 serves as the second interface connection end 224, the high potential end of the first switch tube Q1 is connected to the high point end of the third switch tube Q3, the high potential end of the second switch tube Q2 is connected to the high point end of the fourth switch tube Q4, the low potential end of the third switch tube Q3 serves as the first transmission end 225, and the low potential end of the fourth switch tube Q4 serves as the second transmission end 226.

[0073] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 In this embodiment, the first node P1 can be regarded as a voltage input terminal 221, connected to the communication interface 11. When the communication interface 11 is connected to a first type of external device, the first type of external device can input direct current to the voltage input terminal 221 through the communication interface 11. The first diode D1 has a voltage stabilizing effect on the direct current, and the cathode of the first diode D1 serves as a voltage output terminal 222, and the stabilized direct current can be provided to the control unit 21 as working power. The second diode D2 is a voltage stabilizing diode, which is reversely conducted under the action of the direct current and transmitted to the second node P2 through the first resistor R1. Here, since the controlled ends of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled ends of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled ends of the third switch tube Q3 and the controlled ends of the fourth switch tube Q4 are connected to the second node P2, under the action of direct current, the voltage of the second node P2 can meet the conduction conditions of the above-mentioned switch tubes, thereby making the controlled ends of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled ends of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled ends of the third switch tube Q3 and the fourth switch tube Q4 turned on at the same time, thereby realizing the conduction of the first communication branch 22 under the action of direct current.

[0074] Correspondingly, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, since the second type of external device does not input direct current to the voltage input terminal 221 through the communication interface 11. Therefore, there is no input voltage on the first node P1. Based on this, the second diode D2 cannot be reversely conducted. For the second node P2 to which the controlled end of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled end of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled end of the third switch tube Q3 and the controlled end of the fourth switch tube Q4 are connected in common, since there is not enough electric energy to control the first switch tube Q1, the second switch tube Q2, the third switch tube Q3 and the fourth switch tube Q4 to be turned on, when the communication interface 11 is connected to the second type of external device, the first communication branch 22 is in a disconnected state.

[0075] It is understandable that, in actual use, the communication interface 11 may also be connected to other external devices, such as external devices other than the first type of external devices and the second type of external devices.

[0076] For example, it is assumed that other external devices can also input direct current to the voltage input terminal 221 through the communication interface 11. In the case where the direct current is small, although the first diode D1 can stabilize the direct current, the voltage of the direct current after voltage stabilization is low and may not be provided to the control unit 21 as working power. At the same time, due to the small voltage of the direct current, under its action, the second diode D2 may not be able to conduct in the reverse direction, and thus the direct current cannot be transmitted to the second node P2 through the first resistor R1. At this time, for the second node P2 to which the controlled end of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled end of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled end of the third switch tube Q3 and the controlled end of the fourth switch tube Q4 are connected in common, there is still not enough power to control the first switch tube Q1, the second switch tube Q2, the third switch tube Q3 and the fourth switch tube Q4 to conduct, so when the communication interface 11 is connected to other external devices other than the first type of external devices, the first communication branch 22 is still in a disconnected state.

[0077] It is easy to understand that in Figure 4 In the embodiment, the second end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the first end of the second resistor R2 to form a second node P2, and the second end of the second resistor R2 is grounded. The first capacitor C1 is connected between the second node P2 and the ground, which is equivalent to the first capacitor C1 and the second resistor R2 being connected in parallel to form a filtering RC circuit, which can filter out interference when direct current acts on the second node P2.

[0078] In some embodiments, it is also possible to Figure 4 On the basis of the circuit, a third resistor (not shown in the figure) is added and connected between the anode end of the second diode D2 and the ground. For the second node P2, the third resistor is connected in series with the first resistor R1 and then connected in parallel with the second resistor R2. In this way, when the first type of external device is unplugged from the communication interface 11, the speed of discharging the electric energy of the second node P2 can be accelerated, so that the controlled end of the first switch tube Q1, the controlled end of the second switch tube Q2, the controlled end of the third switch tube Q3 and the controlled end of the fourth switch tube Q4 are quickly powered off, and then the first switch tube Q1, the second switch tube Q2, the third switch tube Q3 and the fourth switch tube Q4 are quickly turned off, so as to realize the disconnection operation of the first communication branch 22.

[0079] It is easy to understand that, in specific implementation, the first communication branch 22 can also be specifically adjusted according to the communication protocol between the first communication branch 22 and the control unit 21, such as the RS485 protocol, the I2C protocol or the CAN bus protocol. For example, the first communication branch 22 and the control unit 21 follow the RS485 communication protocol, and since the low potential end of the third switch tube Q3 serves as the first transmission end 225 and the low potential end of the fourth switch tube Q4 serves as the second transmission end 226, a fourth resistor (not shown in the figure) can be connected in series between the low potential end of the third switch tube Q3 and the low potential end of the fourth switch tube Q4 according to the RS485 communication protocol.

[0080] In the above scheme, when the communication interface of the communication module is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch of the control module can be turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device, and the direct current is provided to the control unit as working power. When the first type of external device is connected, the first communication branch between the control unit and the external device is turned on, and the control unit is powered by the first type of external device. Direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device is achieved by the turned-on first communication branch, so that the external device can directly upgrade the data configuration of the control unit, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0081] In addition, by configuring the communication control unit in the communication module to be connected to the second communication branch and the conduction mechanism of the second communication branch, the user can use the second type of external device to upgrade the power adapter when actually using the power adapter.

[0082] Figure 5 The following is a flowchart of a device upgrade method provided in an embodiment of the present application. It should be noted that the device upgrade method provided in this embodiment is applied to Figure 1 The power adapter provided in the embodiment. Figure 1 In all embodiments of the present application, the execution subject of the device upgrade method may be the control module 20 in the power adapter 100, and specifically may be the control unit 21 in the control module 20. Figure 5 As shown, the device upgrade method specifically includes:

[0083] S501: When the communication interface is connected to a first type external device, the control unit receives upgrade data sent by the first type external device through a first communication branch that is turned on; wherein the first communication branch is turned on according to direct current provided by the first type external device.

[0084] S502: The control unit performs an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

[0085] In this embodiment, the communication interface refers to a physical interface provided on the power adapter for connecting an external device. The external device generally refers to a device that can exchange data with the power adapter through the communication interface. For example, the external device can be a computer, a mobile terminal, a remote controller, etc., used to configure the power adapter.

[0086] It should be noted that the first type of external device specifically refers to a computer device that can be connected to a power adapter through a communication interface and can provide power for the power adapter. For example, the first type of external device can be a server or host computer used to test or configure the power adapter.

[0087] Combination Figure 1 as well as Figure 1 It can be seen from the embodiment that when the communication interface 11 is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch 22 can be turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device, and the direct current can be provided to the control unit 21 as working power. Based on this, the control unit 21 in the control module 20 can also be powered by the first type of external device without connecting the power supply or supplying power to the load. At the same time, the first type of external device can perform upgrade data configuration on the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on. Here, the upgrade data configuration can be specifically understood as sending the upgrade data to the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on, so that the control unit 21 performs the upgrade operation using the upgrade data. In specific implementation, the upgrade data can specifically be a program file executed by the control unit 21, and the first type of external device can directly send the program file to the control unit 21 through the first communication branch 22 that is turned on. Here, when the control unit 21 receives the program file, it can automatically execute the program file to implement the upgrade operation.

[0088] Understandably, due to Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the specific implementation of the first communication branch 22 has been illustrated, so the specific implementation and working principle of the first communication branch 22 will not be described in detail here.

[0089] As an embodiment, the device upgrading method further includes:

[0090] When the first communication branch is turned on, the control unit instructs the communication control unit to prohibit turning on the second communication branch.

[0091] Combination Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the communication module 10 is further configured with a communication control unit 12 and a second communication branch 13. As an embodiment, the device upgrade method further includes:

[0092] Step 1: When the communication interface is connected to the second type of external device, the control unit instructs the communication control unit to control the second communication branch to be turned on.

[0093] Step 2: The control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the second type of external device through the conducted second communication branch.

[0094] In this embodiment, step 1 to step 2, and Figure 5 The above steps 1 to 2 are the same as step S501. Figure 5 The execution order of step S501 shown is not particular. After step S501 is executed, the above steps 1 to 2 are no longer executed. After steps 1 to 2 are executed, step S501 is no longer executed.

[0095] As an embodiment, the above step 2 may specifically include:

[0096] If the power adapter is in a power supply state to provide power to the load, the control unit controls the power adapter to exit the power supply state; when the power adapter exits the power supply state, the control unit receives upgrade data sent by the second type of external device through the conductive second communication branch.

[0097] It is easy to understand that when the communication interface is connected to the second type of external device, the power adapter also needs to be connected to the power supply, that is, the power supply provides power to each module in the power adapter. At this time, if the power adapter is connected to a load, the efficiency of upgrading data configuration can be improved by suspending power supply to the load or suspending communication with the load.

[0098] As an embodiment, after the above step S502, the control unit may also control the power adapter to enter a power supply state after the upgrade operation is completed to provide power to the load again.

[0099] In this embodiment, since the power adapter connects the power supply and the load, after the upgrade operation is completed, the power supply to the load needs to be restored, that is, the control unit controls the power adapter to enter the power supply state to provide power to the load again.

[0100] As an embodiment, the device upgrading method further includes:

[0101] When the first communication branch is turned on, the control unit instructs the communication control unit to prohibit turning on the second communication branch.

[0102] In this embodiment, when the communication interface is connected to the first type of external device, the first communication branch can be turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device, and the direct current is provided to the control unit as working power. At this time, the control unit can be powered without the need for a power adapter to connect to a power source, thereby enabling the first type of external device to configure the upgrade data for the control unit. In order to avoid confusion during the upgrade data configuration process, when the first communication branch is turned on, the second communication branch is prohibited from being turned on, so that the upgrade data can be prevented from being transmitted through the second communication branch during the process.

[0103] A device upgrade method provided in an embodiment of the present application is applied to the power adapter provided in the first aspect above. When the communication interface is connected to a first type of external device, the first communication branch is turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device. Since the first communication branch can realize direct communication or data interaction between the control unit and the external device, the control unit can receive the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch, and then use the upgrade data to perform the upgrade operation. In this way, there is no need for other communication modules to act as relays to forward the upgrade data, and the first type of external device can configure the control unit with upgrade data through the first communication branch, thereby improving the upgrade rate of the power adapter.

[0104] Figure 6 An upgrade system 200 provided in this embodiment is shown, comprising an external device 110 and a power adapter 100 provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0105] As an embodiment, the external device 110 may include a first type of external device and a second type of external device.

[0106] Specifically, the first type of external device may include a host computer. The second type of external device may include a remote controller or a mobile terminal.

[0107] It can be understood that the upgrade system 200 provided in this embodiment, the improvements and specific implementation methods related to this application have been Figures 1 to 3 The corresponding embodiment of the power adapter 100 is described in detail, so please refer to Figures 1 to 3 ,as well as Figures 1 to 3 The relevant descriptions in the corresponding embodiments are not repeated here.

[0108] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional units and modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above-mentioned functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0109] The embodiments described above are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some of the technical features may be replaced by equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A power adapter, characterized in that: include: A communication module is configured with a communication interface, wherein the communication interface is used to connect an external device, and the external device includes a first type of external device; A control module, configured with a control unit and a first communication branch, wherein the first communication branch is connected between the communication interface and the control unit; The first communication branch is used to be turned on when the communication interface is connected to the first type of external device; The control unit is used to receive the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch that is turned on, and perform an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

2. The power adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The external device also includes a second type of external device; the communication module is also configured with a communication control unit and a second communication branch; The communication control unit is connected to the second communication branch; The communication control unit is used to control the second communication branch to be turned on when the communication interface is connected to the second type of external device; The control unit is further used to receive upgrade data sent by the second type of external device through the communication control unit and the second communication branch that is connected, and perform an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

3. The power adapter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control unit is further configured to, when the first communication branch is turned on, instruct the communication control unit to prohibit turning on the second communication branch.

4. The power adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first communication branch includes: a voltage input terminal, a voltage output terminal, a first interface connection terminal, a second interface connection terminal, a first transmission terminal and a second transmission terminal; The voltage input terminal, the first interface connection terminal and the second interface connection terminal are connected to the communication interface; The voltage output terminal, the first transmission terminal and the second transmission terminal are commonly connected to the control unit.

5. The power adapter according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first communication branch includes: a first diode, a second diode, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first capacitor, a first switch tube, a second switch tube, a third switch tube and a fourth switch tube; The anode of the first diode is connected to the cathode of the second diode to form a first node as the voltage input terminal, the cathode of the first diode is used as the voltage output terminal, the anode of the second diode is connected to the first end of the first resistor, the second end of the first resistor is connected to the first end of the second resistor to form a second node, the second end of the second resistor is grounded, and the first capacitor is connected between the second node and the ground; The controlled end of the first switch tube, the controlled end of the second switch tube, the controlled end of the third switch tube and the controlled end of the fourth switch tube are connected to the second node in common, the low potential end of the first switch tube serves as the first interface connection end, the low potential end of the second switch tube serves as the second interface connection end, the high potential end of the first switch tube is connected to the high point end of the third switch tube, the high potential end of the second switch tube is connected to the high point end of the fourth switch tube, the low potential end of the third switch tube serves as the first transmission end, and the low potential end of the fourth switch tube serves as the second transmission end.

6. A device upgrade method, characterized in that: Applied to the power adapter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the device upgrading method comprises: When the communication interface is connected to the first type of external device, the control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the first type of external device through the first communication branch that is turned on; wherein the first communication branch is turned on according to the direct current provided by the first type of external device; The control unit performs an upgrade operation using the upgrade data.

7. The device upgrading method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The external device also includes a second type of external device; The communication module is further configured with a communication control unit and a second communication branch; the device upgrade method further includes: When the communication interface is connected to the second type of external device, the control unit instructs the communication control unit to control the second communication branch to be turned on; The control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the second type external device through the second communication branch that is turned on.

8. The device upgrading method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The device upgrading method further comprises: When the first communication branch is turned on, the control unit instructs the communication control unit to prohibit turning on the second communication branch.

9. The device upgrading method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The receiving the upgrade data sent by the second type of external device through the second communication branch that is turned on includes: If the adapter is in a power supply state for providing electric energy to a load, the control unit controls the adapter to exit the power supply state; When the adapter exits the power supply state, the control unit receives the upgrade data sent by the second type external device through the turned-on second communication branch.

10. An upgrade system, characterized in that: It comprises an external device and a power adapter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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