Power supply equipment and environment monitoring equipment based on solar energy

Abstract

The invention relates to a solar-based power supply device. The device includes a battery module, a first voltage input, a second voltage input, and a charge management circuit. The charging management circuit includes: a first charging circuit coupled between a first voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using a first voltage; a second charging circuit coupled between a second voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using a second voltage; the charging switching circuit is configured to respond to the situation that the second voltage input does not receive the second voltage, and the first voltage input is connected to the first charging circuit, so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module only through the first voltage; and in response to the second voltage received by the second voltage input, disconnecting the first voltage input from the first charging circuit, so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module only by using the second voltage. The disclosure also relates to an environmental monitoring device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device utilizing solar energy, and more particularly, to a power supply device and an environment monitoring device based on solar energy. Background Art

[0002] In many application scenarios, it is necessary to monitor the environment and collect data from the environment to help users analyze and make decisions. Environmental monitoring equipment that completes such tasks is usually placed outdoors for a long time, so it is necessary for environmental monitoring equipment to efficiently collect and store energy and optimize the power consumption of the equipment to adapt to continuous and long-term outdoor operation. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a solar-based power supply device, which is configured to supply power to a load via a voltage output, and includes: a battery module, which is configured to be coupled to the voltage output; a first voltage input, which is configured to receive a first voltage from the solar module; a second voltage input, which is configured to receive a second voltage lower than the first voltage; and a charging management circuit, including: a first charging circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the first voltage; a second charging circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the second voltage; and a charging switching circuit, wherein the charging switching circuit is configured to: in response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, connect the first voltage input to the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit only uses the first voltage to charge the battery module; and in response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, disconnect the first voltage input from the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit only uses the second voltage to charge the battery module.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an environmental monitoring device, comprising: a waterproof housing; a sensor configured to sense environmental data; a solar panel disposed on the housing; and a power supply device disposed in the housing, the power supply device being configured to power the sensor, wherein the power supply device comprises: a battery module configured to be coupled to a voltage output; a first voltage input configured to receive a first voltage from the solar panel; a second voltage input configured to receive a second voltage lower than the first voltage; and a charging management circuit, comprising: a first charging circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the first voltage; a second charging circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the second voltage; and a charging switching circuit, wherein the charging switching circuit is configured to: in response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, connect the first voltage input to the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit only uses the first voltage to charge the battery module; and in response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, disconnect the first voltage input from the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit only uses the second voltage to charge the battery module.

[0005] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, and are further used to explain the principles of the present disclosure and enable those skilled in the art to make and use the present disclosure. Among them:

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a charging management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a schematic circuit diagram of a charging management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 5is a schematic circuit diagram of a power supply management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a power switch circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of a power switch circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B is a schematic circuit diagram of a reverse connection protection circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Fig. 9 is a plan view of a first surface of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Fig. 10A is a three-dimensional view of a first surface of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Fig. 10B is a plan view of a first side of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein circuit components are removed;

[0018] Fig. 10C is a perspective view of a second surface of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Fig. 10D is a plan view of a second side of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein circuit components are removed;

[0020] Fig.11 is a schematic block diagram of an environment monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12H is a schematic circuit diagram of various parts of a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D is a schematic physical diagram of an environmental monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Note that in the embodiments described below, sometimes the same reference numerals are used in common between different drawings to represent the same parts or parts with the same functions, and their repeated descriptions are omitted. In some cases, similar numbers and letters are used to represent similar items, so once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0024] For ease of understanding, the position, size, range, etc. of each structure shown in the drawings and the like may not represent the actual position, size, range, etc. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the position, size, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings and the like. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0026] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is in fact merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure and its application or use. That is, the structures and methods herein are shown in an exemplary manner to illustrate different embodiments of the structures and methods in the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that they merely illustrate exemplary ways of the present disclosure that can be implemented, rather than exhaustive ways. In addition, the drawings need not be drawn to scale, and some features may be enlarged to illustrate the details of specific components.

[0027] In addition, technologies, methods, and apparatus known to ordinary technicians in the relevant field may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such technologies, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of the authorization specification.

[0028] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0029] The present disclosure provides a solar-based power supply device and an environmental monitoring device, wherein the solar-based power supply device can supply power to the environmental monitoring device so that the environmental monitoring device can monitor a variety of objects in a variety of environments. The solar-based power supply device and the environmental monitoring device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the actual solar-based power supply device and the environmental monitoring device may have other components, and in order to avoid obscuring the main points of the present disclosure, the drawings do not show and the other components are not discussed herein.

[0030] Figure 1is a schematic block diagram of a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The solar-based power supply device (also referred to herein as "power supply device") provides a function of supplying power to its load through its voltage output P4. For example, when the power supply device is a power supply device in an environmental monitoring device, the load it supplies power to may include various sensors used to sense environmental data in the environmental monitoring device, such as a camera including an image sensor, a temperature / humidity / wind / illuminance meter, etc.; it may also include a controller (such as MCU, etc.) used for control in the environmental monitoring device, a graphics processor used for calculation, a memory used to store data, and a communication module used for communication, etc. The power supply device includes a battery module, which is coupled to the voltage output P4 to supply power to the load. The power supply device also includes a first voltage input P1 for receiving a first voltage from a solar module, and a second voltage input P2 for receiving a second voltage, such as from a USB module. The power supply device also provides a function of charging the battery module through the first voltage input P1 or the second voltage input P2. Among them, the solar module may include a solar panel (also referred to as a "solar panel") for collecting solar energy, and the USB module may include an external device connected to the power supply device via a USB interface, such as a computer, a charger, etc.

[0031] As described above, the environmental monitoring device is usually placed outdoors for a long time. The solar-based power supply device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure that supplies power to the environmental monitoring device can collect solar energy through a solar panel and store the energy in a battery module to power the environmental monitoring device. Solar energy is an unstable energy source and may be absent for several consecutive days. Therefore, the solar-based power supply device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can also draw energy from the USB module and store it in the battery module, which can be a supplement to the energy from the solar module. Due to the limited sunshine time, charging can only be done in a short time and it is best to collect the most energy in the shortest time. Therefore, the environmental monitoring device often uses a larger solar panel that is more efficient in collecting energy and can provide a higher first voltage (for example, approximately 18V or higher). The second voltage (for example, approximately 5V) from the USB module is usually much lower than the first voltage from the larger solar panel. For example, the first voltage can be three times or more of the second voltage. However, the lower second voltage has higher continuity and stability than the higher first voltage. A charging management circuit can be constructed in the power supply device so that the lower second voltage automatically enjoys a higher priority in the charging process of the battery module.

[0032] Figure 2The present invention is a schematic block diagram of a charging management circuit for charging a battery module through a first voltage input P1 or a second voltage input P2. The charging management circuit includes a first charging circuit coupled between the first voltage input P1 and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the first voltage, a second charging circuit coupled between the second voltage input P2 and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the second voltage, and a charging switching circuit for switching between the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit so as to charge only using the second voltage when the second voltage exists and to charge using the first voltage when the second voltage does not exist. The charging switching circuit is configured to: in response to the second voltage input P2 not receiving the second voltage, connect the first voltage input P1 to the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module only using the first voltage; and in response to the second voltage input P2 receiving the second voltage, disconnect the first voltage input P1 from the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module only using the second voltage.

[0033] As shown in the figure, the charging switching circuit includes a first switch element and a second switch element. The first switch element is coupled between the first voltage input P1 and the first charging circuit, and the second switch element is coupled to the second voltage input P2 and the first switch element. The second switch element is configured to: in response to the second voltage input P2 not receiving the second voltage, present a first switch state so that the first switch element is turned on; and in response to the second voltage input P2 receiving the second voltage, present a second switch state so that the first switch element is turned off.

[0034] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a schematic circuit diagram of a charging management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3A The figure shows the situation where the second voltage input P2 does not receive the second voltage, for example, the external USB module is not connected. Figure 3B The second voltage input P2 receives the second voltage, for example, an external USB module is connected. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In the schematic circuit diagram, the on and off of the switch K1 is used to simulate the connection and non-connection of the external USB module. It should be noted that Figure 3A and Figure 3B The purpose is to illustrate the charging switching circuit in the charging management circuit, so the first charging circuit and the second charging circuit therein are shown in a highly simplified manner.

[0035] exist Figure 3A and Figure 3BIn the embodiment shown, the first switch element is a P-type MOSFET Q1, and the second switch element is an N-type MOSFET Q2. The source of Q1 is coupled to the first voltage input P1, the drain of Q1 is coupled to the first charging circuit, and the gate of Q1 is coupled to Q2. The gate of Q2 is coupled to the second voltage input P2, the source of Q2 is grounded, and the drain of Q2 is coupled to the gate of Q1. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In the embodiment shown, Q2 controls the gate voltage of Q1 through a bipolar transistor, thereby controlling the on and off of Q1. As shown in the figure, the charging switching circuit also includes a PNP bipolar transistor Q3 and a resistor R1. The base of Q3 is coupled to the drain of Q2 and is grounded via Q2, and the emitter of Q3 is coupled to the first voltage input P1 and the collector is grounded through the resistor R1. Because of this connection method, when the first voltage input P1 is able to receive the first voltage, for example, when the first voltage of 18V is received as shown in the figure, the emitter junction of Q3 is forward biased and the collector junction is reverse biased, and the bipolar transistor Q3 will always operate in the amplification region. In addition, in the charging switching circuit, the gate of Q1 is also coupled between the collector of Q3 and the resistor R1, so that the gate of Q1 is grounded through the resistor R1.

[0036] like Figure 3A As shown, when the second voltage input P2 does not receive the second voltage (simulated by disconnecting the switch K1 in the figure), the gate voltage of Q2 coupled to the second voltage input P2 is at a lower potential, and the gate-source voltage of the N-type MOSFET Q2 is not greater than the turn-on voltage of Q2, so Q2 is in the off state. The second charging circuit is also unable to charge the battery module (shown as 0V in the figure) because it fails to receive the second voltage from the second voltage input P2. Although the bipolar transistor Q3 operates in the amplification region, since the base of Q3 is grounded via Q2, when Q2 is turned off, the base of Q3 has no current flowing due to the open circuit, so the emitter current and collector current of Q3 are also zero. Since the source of Q1 is directly coupled to the first voltage input P1, and the gate of Q1 is coupled to the voltage divider circuit composed of resistors R1 and R2, the gate voltage of the P-type MOSFET Q1 is less than its source voltage. By designing the resistance values ​​of the resistors R1 and R2, the gate-source voltage of Q1 can be controlled to be less than the turn-on voltage of Q1 when the first voltage input P1 can receive the first voltage, so that Q1 is turned on. Therefore, the first charging circuit can receive the first voltage from the first voltage input P1, so that in this case, the charging management circuit only charges the battery module through the first charging circuit (shown as 17.875V in the figure).

[0037] like Figure 3BAs shown, when the second voltage input P2 receives the second voltage (simulated by the switch K1 being turned on in the figure), the second charging circuit receives the second voltage from the second voltage input P2, so it can charge the battery module (shown as 5V in the figure). The gate voltage of Q2 coupled to the second voltage input P2 is pulled up by the action of the resistor R3, and the gate-source voltage of the N-type MOSFET Q2 is greater than the turn-on voltage of Q2, so Q2 is in the on state. Since the base of the bipolar transistor Q3 is grounded via Q2, when Q2 is turned on, the base current of Q3 is not zero. Since Q3 works in the amplification region, a large current will flow through the emitter and collector of Q3 at this time. Since the collector of Q3 is grounded through the resistor R1, the large collector current of Q3 flows through the resistor R1, which causes the gate voltage of the P-type MOSFET Q1 to rise quickly, so that the gate-source voltage of Q1 is no longer less than the turn-on voltage of Q1, thereby causing Q1 to turn off. In this way, the first charging circuit cannot receive the first voltage from the first voltage input P1, so that the first charging circuit cannot charge the battery module. Therefore, when the second voltage input P2 receives the second voltage, the charging management circuit only charges the battery module through the second charging circuit.

[0038] In this way, the second voltage input P2 with a lower voltage can be set to have a higher charging priority, which enables the charging management circuit to automatically use the more stable USB module to charge the battery module first, and automatically use the solar module to charge the battery module when the voltage input of the USB module does not exist, while also preventing current backflow from damaging any circuit components.

[0039] In some embodiments, the power supply device further includes a power management circuit coupled to the voltage output. Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of a power supply management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4As shown, the power management circuit is coupled between the battery module, the solar module, the USB module and the system load to provide the power from the battery module, the solar module and the USB module to the load. The power management circuit includes a first power supply circuit coupled between the first voltage input P1 and the voltage output P4, a second power supply circuit coupled between the second voltage input P2 and the voltage output P4, a third power supply circuit coupled between the battery module and the voltage output P4, and a power supply switching circuit switching between the three power supply circuits. The power supply switching circuit includes a third switch element coupled to each of the first to third power supply circuits, wherein the third switch element is configured to: turn off in response to the second voltage input P2 receiving the second voltage, so that the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are disconnected, so that the power management circuit only uses the second voltage to supply power to the load; and turn on in response to the second voltage input P2 not receiving the second voltage, so that the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are connected, so that the power management circuit uses the first voltage and / or the battery module to supply power to the load.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of a power supply management circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the first charging circuit includes a solar charger, the second charging circuit includes a USB charger, the battery module includes a lithium battery, and the third switch element includes a P-type MOSFET Q4. The source of Q4 is coupled to the voltage output P4, and the gate thereof is coupled to the second voltage input P2. The drain of Q4 is coupled to both the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit, for example, to both the output port of the solar charger and the output port of the lithium battery, so that both the first power supply circuit of the solar module and the third power supply circuit of the battery module supply power to the load via Q4. When the second voltage input P2 receives the second voltage, the second voltage turns on the diode so that the load can be directly supplied with power through the second voltage input P2, and the USB charger directly connected to the second voltage input P2 can charge the lithium battery. At the same time, the second voltage increases the gate voltage of the P-type MOSFET Q4, and the gate-source voltage of Q4 is greater than the turn-on voltage of Q4, so that Q4 is turned off, so that the solar module and the battery module cannot supply power to the load. Therefore, when the second voltage input P2 receives the second voltage, the power management circuit only uses the USB module to supply power to the load.

[0041] When the second voltage input P2 does not receive the second voltage, the gate voltage of the P-type MOSFET Q4 is low potential, and the source voltage is the output voltage of the solar charger or the output voltage of the lithium battery. Therefore, the gate-source voltage is less than the turn-on voltage of Q4, and Q4 is turned on, so that the first power supply circuit based on the solar module and the third power supply circuit based on the battery module are both turned on. It should be understood that the diode in the figure can also prevent the current at the voltage output P4 end from flowing back to the second voltage input P2 and the USB charger when Q4 is turned on. In this way, when the second voltage input P2 does not receive the second voltage, when the solar module can supply power to the outside (for example, when the solar panel still has enough power to provide power to the outside), at least the load is powered by solar energy: if the current required by the load exceeds the current that the solar module can provide, the solar module and the battery module are used to power the load at the same time; if the current required by the load does not exceed the current that the solar module can provide, the solar module can charge the battery module while supplying power to the load. When the solar module cannot supply power to the outside, the battery module is used to power the load.

[0042] In particular, the external power positive input terminal of the solar charger is coupled to the first voltage input P1, its battery positive connection terminal BAT (also referred to as "BAT pin") is coupled to the battery module, and its charging current detection positive input terminal CSP (also referred to as "CSP pin") is coupled to its battery positive connection terminal BAT via the detection resistor R4. In addition, the first power supply circuit couples the charging current detection positive input terminal CSP of the solar charger to the voltage output P4 (for example, via the third switch element Q4), so that the third power supply circuit couples the battery module to the voltage output P4 (for example, via the third switch element Q4) via the detection resistor R4. The resistor R4 connected between the CSP pin and the BAT pin is used to set the maximum charging current of the lithium battery. Although the current on the CSP line is not limited, the current on the BAT line is limited by the resistor R4. In a typical application, the output of the solar charger will be connected to the BAT pin, for example, coupled to the voltage output P4 through the BAT pin to power the load. However, such a connection will result in: when charging the battery and powering the output system at the same time, the current consumption is distributed on these two lines, which will confuse the current-based charging algorithm in the battery charger, resulting in uncertain charging behavior; on the other hand, if the system output needs to absorb more current from the detection resistor than possible, the system may not work properly. In the circuit disclosed in the present invention, by coupling the CSP pin of the solar charger to the voltage output P4, that is, powering the load through the CSP pin of the solar charger, these problems can be solved.

[0043] In some embodiments, the power supply device further includes a power switch circuit coupled between the power supply management circuit and the voltage output P4. Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of a power switch circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the power switch circuit includes a self-reset key switch, a fourth switch element and a fifth switch element. The fourth switch element is coupled between the power supply management circuit and the voltage output P4 and is coupled to the self-reset key switch, and the fifth switch element is coupled to the fourth switch element. The fourth switch element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switch element being in an off state and the self-reset key switch being pressed, and the fifth switch element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switch element being turned on, so that the fourth switch element is latched in a conducting state. In this way, when the fourth switch element is in an off state, if the self-reset key switch is pressed, the fourth switch element is turned on and latched in a conducting state, so that the power supply management circuit can continuously supply power to the load until the self-reset key switch is operated in a specific mode so that the fourth switch element is turned off. In some embodiments, the power switch circuit also includes a voltage node P5, which is configured to have its potential detected by a controller outside the power supply device and its potential can be set by the controller. The voltage node P5 is also coupled to the self-reset key switch to detect whether the self-reset key switch is pressed or pressed in a specific mode, and the voltage node P5 is coupled to the fifth switch element to control the on-off of the fifth switch element. In this way, it can be achieved that when the fourth switch element is turned on, that is, the power supply device supplies power to the load, when the voltage node P5 detects that the self-reset key switch is pressed in a specific mode, such as a long press, the controller can control the on-off of the fifth switch element by controlling the potential of the voltage node P5, thereby controlling the on-off of the fourth switch element, for example, making the fourth switch element disconnected, so as to realize the power supply device shutting down the system load. In some embodiments, the fourth switch element is also coupled to the third voltage input P3. The fourth switch element is also configured to turn on in response to the third voltage input P3 being a specific mode. The third voltage input P3 can be connected to an external control source, such as a clock wake-up unit, so that when the wake-up signal arrives, the fourth switch element can be turned on, so that the power supply device starts to supply power to the load.

[0044] Figure 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of a power switch circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the fourth switch element includes a P-type MOSFET Q5, the fifth switch element includes an N-type MOSFET Q6, and the voltage node P5 is connected to the pin of the external controller so that the controller can detect and control the potential. The source of Q5 is coupled to the power supply management circuit (e.g., the voltage output P6 of the power supply management circuit), the drain of Q5 is coupled to the voltage output P4, and the gate of Q5 is grounded via a self-reset key switch. The gate of Q5 is also coupled to the third voltage input P3, so that Q5 is turned on in response to the potential reduction of the third voltage input P3. The source of Q6 is grounded, the drain of Q6 is coupled to the gate of Q5, and the gate of Q6 is coupled to the drain of Q5. The voltage node P5 is grounded via a self-reset key switch K2 and the voltage node P5 is coupled to the gate of Q6. The voltage node P5 is configured to have an initial potential when the power switch circuit is turned on, and the reduction of its initial potential can be detected by the controller, and its potential can be set by the controller to a potential higher than the initial potential. It should be noted that, although not shown, the external controller is also a load of the power supply device, and the power supply device is required to supply power to it.

[0045] When the power switch circuit makes the power supply device not supply power to the load (also called the shutdown state), at the moment when the self-reset key switch K2 is pressed, the gate of the P-type MOSFET Q5 is pulled down via the capacitor C1 in a short time (for example, a few milliseconds), so that Q5 is immediately turned on after K2 is pressed. After K2 is pressed, due to its self-reset characteristics, when the pressing pressure disappears, the key switch K2 is reset to the off state. However, after Q5 is turned on, the voltage on the output line of the power switch circuit (the line connecting the drain of Q5 and the voltage output P4) increases, thereby pulling up the gate voltage of the N-type MOSFET Q6 via the capacitor C2 and the resistors R5 and R6, so Q6 is turned on. At this time, the gate of Q5 is grounded through the turned-on Q6, that is, the gate potential of Q5 is pulled down by Q6, so that Q5 is continuously and stably in the turned-on state. It can be seen that, on the one hand, as long as Q5 is turned on to increase the potential of the voltage output P4, Q6 will be turned on; on the other hand, as long as Q6 is turned on, Q5 will be turned on. In this way, the power switch circuit will be locked in the on state, so that the power supply device always supplies power to the load through the voltage output P4 (also called the on state). When the power supply device is in the on state, if the key switch K2 is pressed, the potential of the node N1 is pulled down, which causes the capacitor C2 to discharge through the resistor R5. If the key switch K2 is pressed for a long enough time, for example, the key switch K2 is pressed for a long time, the capacitor C2 continues to discharge, which causes the gate potential of Q6 to be pulled down until Q6 is turned off, so that the gate voltage of Q5 increases until Q5 is turned off, so that the power switch circuit is disconnected, causing the power supply device to return to the off state.

[0046] It can be seen that if the voltage of the voltage node P5 is pulled down when the power supply device is in the power-on state, for example, to the ground potential, and lasts for a sufficiently long time, it can also play the same role as long pressing the key switch K2, that is, the power supply device is turned into the shutdown state. In this way, the controller can control the voltage of the voltage node P5 according to its own control logic or commands from other devices to shut down the power supply device. In addition, if the voltage of the third voltage input P3 is reduced for a short period of time when the power supply device is in the shutdown state, for example, it is reduced to the ground potential, it can play the same role as short pressing the key switch K2, that is, the power supply device is turned into the power-on state. In this way, the third voltage input P3 can be connected to the interrupt output of the real-time clock circuit that is powered separately (for example, the interrupt output can be a negative pulse), so that the real-time clock circuit can output an interrupt at a predetermined time to wake up the power supply device to turn it into the power-on state.

[0047] In some embodiments, the power supply device further includes a reverse connection protection circuit to disconnect the circuit from the power supply in the event of a reverse connection of the power supply. The reverse connection of the power supply may be caused by the connector for the solar module or the USB module being inserted into the PCB board connector of the power supply device in the wrong way, or may be caused by a connection error in the power wiring. Fig. 8A and Figure 8B This is a schematic circuit diagram of a reverse connection protection circuit in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The reverse connection protection circuit is coupled between the first voltage input P1 and the battery module. The reverse connection protection circuit includes an N-type MOSFET Q7 and a light emitting diode. The gate of Q7 is coupled to the positive electrode of the first voltage input P1 (referring to the preset positive electrode of the first voltage input P1), the drain of Q7 is coupled to the negative electrode of the first voltage input P1 (referring to the preset negative electrode of the first voltage input P1), and the source of Q7 is coupled to the negative electrode of the battery module. The anode of the light emitting diode is coupled to the negative electrode of the first voltage input P1, and its cathode is coupled to the positive electrode of the first voltage input P1, that is, the light emitting diode is reversely connected to both ends of the first voltage input P1. As Fig. 8A As shown, when the external power source (such as the solar panel of the solar module or the USB charger of the USB module, etc.) is connected positively, that is, the positive and negative poles of the connected external power source match the preset positive and negative poles of the first voltage input P1, the gate voltage of the N-type MOSFET Q7 is at a high potential under the action of the external power source, and Q7 is turned on, so that the external power source can charge the battery module. When the external power source is reversely connected, that is, the positive and negative poles of the connected external power source are opposite to the preset positive and negative poles of the first voltage input P1, as shown Figure 8BAs shown, the gate voltage of Q7 is at a low potential under the action of the external power supply, and Q7 is turned off, so that the external power supply cannot charge the battery module to protect the downstream circuit elements; and at the same time, the reversed external power supply causes current to flow through the light-emitting diodes reversely connected at both ends of the first voltage input P1, and the light-emitting diodes light up to indicate that the external power supply is reversed, thereby warning the user in a simple and practical way that the connection is faulty.

[0048] In some embodiments, the power supply device further includes a plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector, wherein the positive pole of the first voltage input P1 and the negative pole of the first voltage input P1 are provided by corresponding interfaces among the plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector; the power supply device further includes a plurality of interfaces for the USB connector, wherein the positive pole of the second voltage input P2 and the negative pole of the second voltage input P2 are provided by corresponding interfaces among the plurality of interfaces for the USB connector. In addition, the power supply device may further include a battery box for accommodating one or more rechargeable and dischargeable batteries, a printed circuit board (also referred to as a "PCB board") separated from the battery box and coupled to the battery box through a battery interface, and a self-reset key switch coupled to the voltage output P4, a plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector (also referred to as a "GPIO interface"), and a plurality of interfaces for the USB connector (also referred to as a "USB interface"), etc. are provided on the PCB board. The above-mentioned battery module includes a battery interface and one or more rechargeable and dischargeable batteries. The first voltage input P1 is coupled to a corresponding interface among the plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector to receive a first voltage from the solar module, and the second voltage input P2 is coupled to a corresponding interface among the plurality of interfaces for the USB connector to receive a second voltage. In some embodiments, the battery interface, the first voltage input P1, the second voltage input P2 and the charging management circuit can be arranged on the first side of the PCB board, and the self-reset key switch, the GPIO connector and the USB connector can be arranged on the second side of the PCB board opposite to the first side. The multiple interfaces for the GPIO connector and the multiple interfaces for the USB connector all penetrate the PCB board, thereby respectively coupling the corresponding circuit elements located on the first side of the PCB board to the GPIO connector and the USB connector installed on the second side of the PCB board.

[0049] Fig. 9 It is a plan view of the first side (the side of the main circuit of the distributed power supply device) of the PCB board in the solar-based power supply equipment according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10A is a three-dimensional view of a first surface of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 10B is a plan view of a first side of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein circuit components are removed. Fig. 10Cis a three-dimensional view of a second side (the side opposite to the first side) of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig. 10D FIG. 1 is a plan view of the second side of a PCB board in a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein circuit components are removed. Fig. 9 As shown, the various components constructed on the PCB board in the power supply device include (but are not limited to): voltage output, battery interface, reverse connection protection circuit, real-time clock circuit, GPIO interface, MCU connector interface 1, external power enable, battery voltage division enable, solar charger, charging switching circuit, power switch circuit, USB output interface, USB switch circuit, fast charging jumper, USB input interface, MCU connection interface 2, USB ESD protection circuit, USB charger, power path circuit, and boost converter, etc.

[0050] As described above, the solar-based power supply device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has functions such as energy collection (for example, through solar panels), battery charging (for example, via the above-mentioned charging management circuit), battery protection (for example, via the above-mentioned reverse protection circuit) and load output regulation (for example, via the above-mentioned power supply management circuit). In addition, it also involves battery voltage monitoring, a multi-purpose power switch (for example, via the above-mentioned power switch circuit and the self-reset push button switch included therein), external sensor connection (for example, via a GPIO interface and / or a USB interface) and a real-time clock circuit.

[0051] In the illustrated embodiment, the PCB board of the power supply device can be connected to a single 3.7V lithium-ion battery included in the battery module through a battery interface, and can provide a 5V / 2.5A regulated output to the load of the power supply device and a USB output to a device connected to it via USB. The solar module of the power supply device may include a PWM switch mode solar collector for a standard 18V solar panel, which focuses on stability and high efficiency by adopting a preset maximum power point function to maximize the output power generated by the solar panel under varying sunlight conditions. The fast charging mode supports a charging current of up to 3A. When sunlight is insufficient, the USB charger can be used to charge the battery from the Type-C interface in priority through the charging management circuit. An LED for indicating the charging status may also be included on the PCB board. The onboard LEDs indicate the charging status of the USB charger and the solar charger respectively. The power supply device also includes many protection features, such as battery / solar reverse connection protection, battery overcharge and discharge protection, output voltage / current limit protection, and electrostatic discharge protection on the input and output connectors.

[0052] The power supply device's on / off state is controlled by the power switch circuit, which also provides signals to and receives signals from an external controller (such as a microcontroller, also known as an MCU) via the circuit to implement various programmable operations, such as safe shutdown or software changes. If a software failure occurs, the self-reset key switch can be long pressed (see Fig. 10C ) to force power off. An onboard voltage divider can be enabled by an external signal to reduce the battery voltage, suitable for analog-to-digital converters in microcontrollers and allows battery voltage monitoring. Also included on the power supply PCB is an I2C real-time clock module with alarm power-up function, and general input / output signal connections with power enable circuits for external circuits / sensors.

[0053] 10-pin GPIO connector for solar panels and external circuits (see Fig. 10C ) and USB Type-C connectors (see Fig. 10C ) are waterproof. Externally accessible connections between power switches can be waterproofed with standard rubber covers (see Fig.13A and Fig. 13B The entire power supply device can be installed in a waterproof housing such as a chassis (see Fig. 13C and Fig.13D ) to effectively separate and protect electronic circuits from adverse weather conditions and rain, while enabling power and basic command transmission to embedded devices (such as a motherboard on which an MCU is included).

[0054] Size is an important factor in low-power IoT devices for reasons including, but not limited to, placement, privacy, and practicality. To reduce the size of the power supply device, a flat group of components such as integrated circuit chips, resistors, and ceramic capacitors can be placed on the second side of the PCB (the side opposite the first side) if their connection to the rest of the circuit is not sensitive to noise so that their lines can be transmitted through vias to the first side of the PCB (the side where the main lines of the power supply device are distributed). Using more than two layers of PCB boards (a first metal line layer on the first side and a second metal line layer on the second side) can allow the ground layer and power layer to be located on the inner layer (i.e., between the first metal line layer and the second metal line layer), thereby making room for signal routing and more circuit components. This will allow the overall size of the PCB board of the power supply device to be reduced to approximately 65mm x 30mm. The size of the PCB board can be further reduced by placing components such as battery interfaces, voltage outputs, GPIO interfaces, and USB input / output interfaces in a way that allows the power path to flow continuously on the PCB board. In addition, all screen printing markings of component numbers can be removed to reduce the footprint of the components and thus reduce the size of the PCB board.

[0055] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12His a schematic circuit diagram of various parts of a solar-based power supply device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 12A Involving USB charger chips and related circuits, Fig. 12B It involves solar charger chips and related circuits, as well as charging switching circuits. Fig. 12C A power path circuit, a boost converter and related circuits, and a soft latch circuit (such as an example of a power switch circuit described above), Fig.12D Involving measurement enabling circuits and real-time clock chips and related circuits, Fig.12E The invention relates to a battery input (such as an example of the battery interface described above), a power output (such as an example of the voltage output described above), a USB output (used to transmit data to and from an external USB device, such as outputting data stored in a memory located on the mainboard), a USB input (used to receive power from an external USB device, such as a USB charger), an external GPIO (used to connect an external device, such as a solar panel, etc., via a GPIO interface), and an MCU GPIO (used to connect to an MCU located on the mainboard), etc., Fig.12F A negative pulse generator is involved (for example, used to generate a negative pulse signal capable of waking up a power supply device as described above according to an interrupt signal of a real-time clock chip), Figure 12G Involving battery protection circuit and USB protection circuit, Fig.12H Involving USB output circuit and USB interface graphics.

[0056] The solar-based power supply device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be used to safely and efficiently collect energy through a solar power source or a USB power source, while providing a regulated output for the Internet of Things and low-power devices. The power supply device contains an energy storage part consisting of one or more lithium-ion batteries with a nominal voltage of 3.7V and any lithium-ion battery with a total capacity of more than 2000mAh. Although storage groups below 2000mAh can also be used, it is recommended not to charge the battery with a charging current greater than its rated capacity. Therefore, if the system is designed to collect small currents or does not include a charging function at all, any battery capacity is suitable. In order to charge the battery, photovoltaic energy can be collected. Available off-the-shelf 18V solar panels have a wide power range from 3W for small sizes to 200W for large installations, but it should be noted that the highest power input that the components on the board can handle is 72W or 4A, and the maximum charging current reaches 3A input power of about 12W. On the output side, the mainboard / system load is a microcontroller or a main chip with the necessary circuits. Today, almost all IoT modules are powered by 5V, and the development board usually has a micro USB connection so that it can be directly connected to the power manager. The 2.4A current limit is suitable for all low power systems, microcontrollers and even microprocessor modules.

[0057] The power supply device includes a 65mm×30mm PCB board based on the CN3791 solar lithium-ion battery charger IC chip that utilizes a PWM switch mode topology. Its maximum power point function is preset to accept a standard 18V solar panel, which can provide a variety of different power outputs over a wide range. Solar energy is provided through a waterproof 10-pin connector, which also includes power, ground and different GPIO lines (I2C, ADC and signal) for external sensors and circuits. The battery charging current of the solar charger chip is determined by the current sense resistor. In the implemented circuit, in order to make full use of the solar energy at hand while ensuring safe charging of the battery regardless of its capacity, the charging current is fixed at 2A, but can be increased to 3A via a jumper on the corresponding header pin. A P-channel MOSFET is added to the typical application circuit given by the manufacturer, such as Fig. 12B As shown, to prevent battery current backflow and establish reverse connection protection function of input power. It is also equipped with a dual-color LED to indicate the charging status of the chip: red when charging and green when the battery is full.

[0058] Low-power devices do not consume a lot of current during operation, but do require fast energy harvesting capabilities under suboptimal charging conditions. Typically, solar chargers for low-power devices are designed within the same power range, which limits the maximum power input of the solar panel. However, when the device can only be charged for a short period of time due to limited sunlight hours and the maximum amount of energy must be collected in the shortest time, the possibility of using larger solar panels to charge the device's battery through the charge management circuit is crucial. This capability can be achieved by implementing components with higher power ratings, necessary protection circuits, and large copper layers to ensure efficient heat dissipation on the board. In order to accept more power / higher input current and voltage from larger solar panels, the components used in the circuit need to be selected accordingly. In addition, protection functions also need to be implemented for this power range. Therefore, by selecting circuit components that can accept higher currents and voltages, it enables the power supply device to include solar panels with a variety of power outputs.

[0059] The power supply device also integrates a second charger IC chip for charging the lithium-ion battery, namely the USB charger buck switch mode IP2312U. Fig. 12A As shown, the battery can be charged via a waterproof Type-C USB connector. The maximum charging current in constant current mode is set to 2.65A by an external 51kΩ resistor. During charging, the blue LED flashes at a frequency of 0.5Hz and switches to a constant light when the battery is fully charged. In order to avoid dangerous charging behavior when both USB and solar power are present, such as Fig. 12BAs shown in the charging switching circuit, a transistor-based automatic switch disconnects the solar line from its charger via the USB power line. This circuit prioritizes USB charging over solar charging because the USB power source has voltage stability and high power input capability.

[0060] The hybrid power path configuration circuit can continuously provide the required current for the output load and maintain a normal battery charging cycle regardless of the solar or USB power input. By combining the MOSFET-based power path selection circuit for USB input with the current detection line for solar input as the power output, if the load current consumption is not higher than the set maximum charging current, the power supply can simultaneously provide the output load and charge the battery at the same time. In the case where the load current consumption is higher than the set maximum charging current, both the external input power supply and the battery will provide power for the output load.

[0061] In order to generate a stable voltage for the output while setting the protection current limit, a current mode boost converter MT3608L (also called a step-up converter) is implemented, such as Fig. 12C As shown. Due to the chemical properties of lithium-ion batteries, their voltage can range from 4.2V down to an over-discharge voltage of 2.4V. To ensure that all components and circuits powered by the battery operate normally, the voltage is increased to 5V through a boost converter with a current limit of 2.4A.

[0062] For user convenience, the power switch is included directly before the output connector on the PCB of the powered device. Fig. 12C As shown, the implemented multifunctional soft latch switch circuit is based on a self-resetting push button switch, such as the latching button from Mosaic Industries (mosaicindustries). This configuration allows the output power to be turned on by a short press of the button, and the output of the powered device to be turned off by a long press of the button. At the same time, the external system on the "SW" signal line can detect the button press, and the power supply can be turned off by pulling the same line low for a few seconds. With the help of this feature, a safe shutdown can be implemented from the microcontroller after completing critical tasks, and other software-coded functions can be implemented on different button press combinations (such as single press, double press, triple press, etc.). For example, the MCU pin connected to the SW line is set as a pull-up input trigger to detect the falling edge of the short press button. The ALM line is connected to a real-time clock chip with an interrupt output, such as Fig.12D When the pre-programmed timing time is reached, the real time clock chip will send a short negative pulse on the ALM line. This will be exactly the same as pressing the button and turning the system on. In order to turn the system off via the MCU's SW line, first change the pin to an output pin, then pull low to discharge capacitor C72, which then pulls the gate of the N-type MOSFET in Q70 low.

[0063] When power is supplied through the USB Type-C connector, its corresponding output is also enabled by a push button. To do this, the power output signal switches the MOSFET circuit to let the USB power pass. Compatibility between the USB Type-C input and the micro-B USB output is achieved by pulling the CC pin low to ground with a 5.1kΩ resistor, such as Figure 12G This allows data transfer with the embedded system via the USB connector on the PCB board of the powered device.

[0064] To ensure safe voltage and current flow on the power lines (i.e. battery, solar, USB, and output) when charging / discharging the battery or connecting / disconnecting cables from the board, there are several protection features: ESD protection diodes on the battery input, power output, and USB connectors; reverse connection LED indicators and cut-off MOSFET switches for the battery and solar connectors; DW06D Li-ion polymer battery protection chip, including overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, and short-circuit protection. In addition, the battery cable uses an XH connector with a pitch of 2.54mm, while the power output of the module is hosted by a PH-2.00mm connector to avoid potential misconnections. A tiny button is integrated to reset the battery protection chip when the battery power is first connected and the discharge function is disabled.

[0065] To facilitate timekeeping and enable ultra-low-power sleep modes that can only be woken up by external interrupts, a continuously powered real-time clock chip can be included in the power management system. Especially for solar devices, low-power sleep is a significant advantage. Most microcontrollers and embedded systems usually already include low-power sleep modes. However, these modes either still consume a few milliamps of power or turn off the internal real-time clock and then lose the current time. By combining a soft latching switch circuit and a real-time clock chip that includes an interrupt function, the microcontroller itself can completely turn off the system load and then automatically turn it back on by the real-time clock chip. This operation can be programmed to be done again and again in a loop, making it ideal for data loggers or other equipment that operates in a single action for a long time. Automatic wake-up is achieved through an interrupt pin, which generates a signal pulse at a specific pre-programmed time. The signal line is connected to the switch circuit so that the interrupt pulse is like a short button press, so the system power can be turned on again. This approach ensures that in power-off mode, the real-time clock chip and a few MOSFETs and passive components are the only components on the power management board that consume power, resulting in a total power consumption of microamperes. The method of utilizing the real-time clock circuit can cut off the power supply of the mainboard to reduce power consumption, which is particularly advantageous for devices that run for a long time without any power supply to charge the system battery.

[0066] like Fig.12DAs shown, the real-time clock chip PCF8563 introduces a practical timing function. To ensure stable I2C communication between the chip and its main microcontroller, the two components accept the same supply voltage. The backup power is directly provided by the main battery to avoid setting up an additional button battery on the PCB board. Since the main power supply voltage (3.3V for low-power microcontrollers) is lower than the always-on battery backup power supply (4.2V-3.7V), it is necessary to integrate a priority circuit to smoothly switch to the main microcontroller power supply for clear I2C communication. For standard diode-based OR circuits, the higher voltage is given priority, and the main power supply is completely ignored in this case. To overcome this problem, dual P-type MOSFETs placed on the backup line act as automatic power switching when the system is turned on and serve as reverse current protection.

[0067] The timer pin of the real-time clock chip is connected to a latch switch circuit, so that a short pulse generated by a pre-programmed timer interrupt can be used to turn on the powered device at any desired time, date or interval. This feature enables an ultra-low power mode of approximately 200 microamps, in which only the boost converter, protection circuitry and real-time clock consume power.

[0068] The battery voltage can be measured by a voltage divider, which steps the voltage down to fit on a microcontroller ADC port. Since such an ADC port can be used by multiple other peripherals / functions, the voltage divider includes a MOSFET enable switch driven by another IO pin. For external sensors / circuits, a power enable circuit is employed to further optimize the power consumption of the system. All power and GPIO signals from the embedded system, used to program, control, measure, sense, and supply the various circuits on the PCB board of the powered device, are provided through two surface mount 8-pin SH-1.0mm connectors on both sides of the PCB board.

[0069] To better manage and optimize energy harvesting and power through software adaptation, a simple voltage divider can be used to reduce the battery voltage to meet the microcontroller's ADC requirements. In this way, when the battery voltage is low, the software can adjust its operating mode to reduce the current consumption of the device. By adding connectors for control and communication lines between the main board / microcontroller and the PCB board of the powered device, useful measures such as battery voltage, charge status and button presses can be retrieved and system operation can be adjusted accordingly by the microcontroller's program. Fig.12EIn the Power Supply Device, two 8-pin connectors accept various GPIOs from the main system microcontroller to enable certain functions, measure battery voltage, get the time from the real-time clock, and redirect these signals to another device through a waterproof connector. For "input / output signals", this article refers to the signal lines as GPIO pins from an external control chip (such as a microcontroller). By allowing the control chip to access certain measurements or circuit enable options, the power supply device becomes a controllable component in the overall system. Communication between the power supply device and the main system (such as a motherboard that includes a microcontroller) also allows the microcontroller to adjust its operation based on information provided by the power supply device about battery voltage level, charge status, etc.

[0070] The power supply device described above can be used for various IoT devices or electronic devices placed outdoors to power them. The present disclosure also proposes an environmental monitoring device placed outdoors, including the power supply device described above. The power supply device is set in a portable waterproof housing and operates with, for example, an openMV embedded machine vision module to perform environmental monitoring. Fig.11 It is a schematic block diagram of an environmental monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environmental monitoring device includes a waterproof housing, a power supply device (including a power supply device PCB board, a real-time clock chip, a battery box, and one or more batteries contained therein, etc.) arranged in the housing for powering the environmental monitoring device, and a mainboard (including a controller and a memory arranged thereon, etc.), and a solar panel for collecting solar energy, various sensors for sensing environmental data, a waterproof GPIO connector, a waterproof USB connector, and a waterproof self-reset key switch arranged outside the housing. Among them, the solar panel is coupled to the power supply device PCB board through the GPIO connector, the sensor is coupled to the controller through the GPIO connector, and the USB connector and the self-reset switch are both coupled to the power supply device PCB board. The controller is coupled to the real-time clock chip for programming, and the battery is coupled to the power supply device PCB board through the battery box and the battery interface of the power supply device PCB board. The power supply device PCB board supplies power to the controller and the sensor through the GPIO connector.

[0071] The sensor for sensing environmental data disposed outside the housing may include a camera with an image sensor for capturing images of the external environment, such as images of animals and / or plants in the environment, which enables the environmental monitoring device to collect visual data from the monitored environment. The sensor may also include a microphone for capturing the sound of the external environment, which enables the environmental monitoring device to collect auditory data from the monitored environment. The microphone may be selected from a plurality of microphones with different acoustic characteristics (for example, but not limited to, some microphones may have better sensitivity or lower noise at ultrasonic frequencies, some microphones may have a piezoelectric design to have higher robustness, etc.), thereby allowing the selection of a suitable microphone for a specific environment. The sensor may also include one or more environmental sensors. The environmental sensor may be configured to sense the properties of the external environment. The environmental sensor may include one or more sensors for sensing air properties (for example, but not limited to, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, PM2.5 sensors, etc.), sensors for sensing soil properties (for example, but not limited to, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, PH sensors, etc.), sensors for sensing water source properties (for example, but not limited to, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, PH sensors, etc.), sensors for sensing geographic locations (for example, but not limited to, GPS sensors, etc.).

[0072] The housing can be made of any suitable waterproof material, for example. For any component mounted on the housing (not in the internal space defined by the housing, but for example in an opening mounted on the housing), such as the above-mentioned GPIO connector, USB connector, self-reset key switch, etc., a waterproof seal (such as a rubber ring, etc.) can be provided between the component and the housing to prevent water vapor from entering the interior of the housing from the gap between the component and the housing. The housing can be designed to be sturdy and durable. In some embodiments, the housing can include metal materials and / or plastics, and is coated with a protective coating to prevent corrosion. In some embodiments, the housing can have a multi-piece structure, for example, the housing can be composed of a front housing part and a rear housing part, or a combination of an upper housing part and a lower housing part, so that the housing can be opened at the junction of the parts to reach the internal space of the housing, and a waterproof seal is provided at the junction of the parts. The waterproof housing enables the environmental monitoring device to be deployed in a variety of environmental conditions (whether it is a land environment system or an underwater environment system), and enables the environmental monitoring device to withstand a variety of weather conditions (whether it is sunny or rainy).

[0073] The controller provided on the mainboard can communicate with various sensors provided outside the housing for sensing environmental data, for example, through a GPIO interface. For example, the sensor may include a camera with an image sensor, and the controller may receive image data from the camera and analyze the image data through a machine learning model. The controller may include, for example, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc., a combination thereof, or any other suitable computing device known in the art. In some embodiments, the controller may analyze the image data through a machine learning model to identify objects in the image. The machine learning model may be configured in the controller using an external computer device using a USB connector after the environmental monitoring device is installed; the machine learning model may also be configured in the controller before assembling the environmental monitoring device. In addition to the camera, the controller may also communicate with one or more of the other sensors described above to receive and analyze data from the corresponding sensors.

[0074] In some embodiments, the controller may include an STM32 microcontroller-based embedded machine vision board dedicated to analyzing image data from a camera, such as the H7+ machine vision board provided by openMV. In an embodiment using the openMV H7+ machine vision board, an imaging sensor board designed to be compatible with the machine vision board (e.g., the OV5645 provided by OMNIVISION) may also be selected to be used in combination with the machine vision board. The machine vision board can be easily programmed using the microPython language through the open source openMV integrated development environment (IDE), allowing the use of a variety of machine vision algorithms, such as but not limited to frame difference methods, spot detection, and tensorflow Lite models. Embedding a controller in the housing of an environmental monitoring device allows real-time analysis of detected image data and other environmental data. By setting a controller, the environmental monitoring device can be further equipped with computing power based on data collected from the environment.

[0075] The real-time clock chip can have a separate power supply, that is, it does not need a power supply device to provide power for it, although in the illustrated embodiment the real-time clock chip is arranged on the PCB board of the power supply device. A real-time clock chip with a separate power supply can always provide real-time time for the system. The controller can communicate with the real-time clock chip, for example, via I2C, to obtain time data. In addition, as described above, an interrupt from the real-time clock chip can cause the power supply device in the shutdown state to be turned on to power the environmental monitoring device. In a specific example, after completing a monitoring operation (including sensor data collection, controller data collection and analysis, and memory data storage), the controller can use a soft shutdown (also known as a safe shutdown) function to cause the power supply device to completely cut off the power supply to the load (including various sensors and the mainboard) so that the environmental monitoring device enters a low power consumption mode, and before the soft shutdown, the controller configures the real-time clock chip so that it generates an interrupt at the expected time of the next monitoring operation (for example, 5 minutes later). In this way, when the set interrupt time arrives, the corresponding pin of the real-time clock chip generates an interrupt, as described above in combination with Figure 7 and Fig. 12C As described, the interruption causes the power supply device to start supplying power to the load, so that the sensor can start collecting data and the controller can perform operations such as data collection and calculation. It should be noted that the controller does not need to configure the real-time clock chip every time before entering the low-power mode, but can perform a total configuration when the system is initialized, for example, configuring the real-time clock chip to generate the above wake-up interrupt every 5 minutes.

[0076] The memory provided on the mainboard can be used to store data collected by the sensor, such as image data, audio data, environmental data, etc. The memory is coupled to the controller so that the controller reads these data and writes the calculation and analysis results of the controller. The memory can take any suitable form, including but not limited to SD cards, etc. In some embodiments, the memory can integrate image data, audio data and / or environmental data together into a database for use by end users. In some embodiments, the memory can also store these data collected by the sensor in association with corresponding time data. The memory can be removable or non-removable. The USB connector provided on the housing not only includes the function of providing power through the USB interface, but also includes the function of transmitting data through the USB interface. The USB connector can be coupled to the memory through the USB interface, thereby allowing an external device to access the memory via the USB data connector. In addition to USB data transmission, the environmental monitoring device may also include other communication modules, such as wireless network modules that perform one or more of the communication modes such as WLAN, WiFi, GSM / GPRS, Bluetooth, LoRa, etc., so as to communicate with external computing devices (such as smart phones, personal computers, control center platforms, central servers, etc.), so that the stored data (including the collected raw data and the calculation and analysis results of the controller, etc.) can be transmitted to the external computing device, and data or commands can also be received from the external computing device. In these cases, the controller in the environmental monitoring device may not analyze and calculate the raw data, but the external computing device may do so; or the controller and the external computing device may jointly perform data analysis.

[0077] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D1 is a schematic physical diagram of an environmental monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The environmental monitoring device can be mounted on a support frame in different postures, and the support frame may include but is not limited to a tripod, a hanger, a clamp, a flexible arm, etc., which can facilitate the flexible deployment of the environmental monitoring device. The environmental monitoring device includes a solar panel 1301 located above a waterproof housing 1302 to collect solar energy. A waterproof GPIO connector 1305, a waterproof USB connector 1303, and a waterproof self-reset key switch 1304 are arranged outside the housing 1302 and extend into the housing 1302, thereby respectively coupling with the GPIO interface, USB interface, and self-reset key switch on the PCB board of the power supply device. The power supply device PCB board 1306 without waterproof function, the battery box 1308, the battery 1309 contained therein, and the main board 1307 including a controller and a memory, etc. are all arranged in the housing 1302 to avoid environmental damage. In the case where the environmental monitoring device uses an openMV embedded machine vision module, the main board 1307 can be an openMV board. In order to accommodate the power supply device PCB board 1306 and the main board 1307 in the shell 1302, and at the same time enable the power supply device PCB board 1306 and the main board 1307 to access the external connector and the power switch, holes for the GPIO connector and the USB connector to pass through, as well as holes for the key switch to pass through, are opened in the shell 1302.

[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, the main system formed by the mainboard 1307 is a development board with an integrated WiFi low-power microcontroller having a micro USB connector for programming and a 5V-GND pin group for power input. These ports and the energy storage device consisting of four parallel batteries are directly connected to the power supply device PCB board. On the outside of the housing 1302, the solar panel power supply and the environmental sensor are connected to the multi-pin GPIO connector through a compatible waterproof plug. Since the communication between the microcontroller and the sensor is usually transmitted using the I2C protocol, which can accept multiple peripherals on the two data lines of the GPIO connector, the environmental monitoring device can be expanded to include other sensors using the same communication protocol. In addition, an external device, such as a personal computer, can write and read access to the data storage or flash memory of the main system through the USB connector, such as downloading an image or uploading a new program to the microcontroller, which is conducive to the debugging or deployment of the environmental monitoring device. At the same time, if necessary, the USB connector can be connected to a USB power source (such as a USB charger, etc.) to charge the battery.

[0079] The power supply described above can provide a stable 5V power output for the openMV board, which is not affected by batteries or any external power source (USB or solar), and can be easily turned on and off by a key switch. To avoid file corruption when the system power is turned off while the microcontroller is writing or reading the SD card (set on the main board), a "safe shutdown" function can be implemented by a signal from a button press. For example, as described above, when the power supply device is in the power supply state, if the user presses the key switch in a specific pattern (for example, two short presses in a row), the controller can switch the power supply on and off through the pin connected to the SW line (in Fig.12E In the example shown, the specific mode of operation is detected by the pin P9, for example, the voltage signal on the SW line is detected to have two consecutive negative pulses in a short time. In response to detecting the specific mode of operation of the key switch, the controller can set the detection pin as an output pin after the read and write operations are completed, and then pull down the level of the pin, so that the capacitor C72 discharges through the resistors R72 and R74, causing the N-type MOSFET and the P-type MOSFET in Q70 to be turned off successively, thereby achieving a safe shutdown.

[0080] Although the computer vision system of the environmental monitoring device is processed by a microcontroller, its power consumption is still high for a battery-powered device even in low-power mode. To adapt the openMV board for continuous environmental monitoring, it is necessary to reduce power consumption while increasing the power capacity. With the real-time clock, the system can be powered off directly after setting the wake-up alarm interrupt and saving the data required later on the SD card, thus achieving an ultra-low power mode with a current consumption of 200uA. The power capacity can be increased by increasing the number of batteries in the battery box, for example by enlarging the battery box. However, in the case of limited volume of the waterproof housing of the environmental monitoring device, the energy capacity of the system can be increased by setting a rechargeable battery. Since the environmental monitoring device may be set up in the wild without access to a power socket or USB charging device, the most effective renewable energy source that can be harvested is solar energy. The power supply device can provide up to 3A of battery charging current, which can be provided by a small 10W 18V solar panel in sufficient sunlight.

[0081] Sensors for environmental monitoring devices may include temperature / humidity sensors, weather sensors, soil sensors, cameras, microphones, etc. To power, program, and transfer data between the mainboard / powered device and these modules which typically use I2C communication, the 10-pin waterproof GPIO connector, which is primarily used for solar input, also includes 5V power from a boost converter, 3.3V from a microcontroller system regulator, I2C communication lines, analog-to-digital converter signals, 2 general purpose input / output ports, and a ground signal with a switch to disable external sensors or modules when not needed.

[0082] The environmental monitoring device proposed in the present disclosure can significantly improve the energy collection efficiency and power consumption of embedded devices based on renewable energy, wherein the power supply device is easily integrated into a waterproof housing and can use a solar panel and / or a USB charging device to quickly and safely charge the battery.

[0083] The words "left", "right", "front", "back", "top", "bottom", "up", "down", "high", "low", etc., in the specification and claims, if present, are used for descriptive purposes and are not necessarily used to describe an unchanging relative position. It should be understood that the words so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein, for example, can operate in other orientations than those shown or otherwise described herein. For example, when the device in the drawings is turned over, features previously described as being "above" other features may now be described as being "below" the other features. The device may also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the relative spatial relationships will be interpreted accordingly.

[0084] In the specification and claims, when an element is said to be "above", "attached" to, "connected" to, "coupled" to, "coupled to", or "in contact with" another element, the element may be directly above, directly attached to, directly connected to, directly coupled to, directly coupled to, or directly in contact with another element, or one or more intermediate elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is said to be "directly" "above", "directly attached" to, "directly connected" to, "directly coupled" to, "directly coupled to", or "in direct contact with" another element, there will be no intermediate elements. In the specification and claims, a feature is arranged "adjacent" to another feature, which may refer to a feature having a portion that overlaps with an adjacent feature or a portion that is above or below an adjacent feature.

[0085] As used herein, the word "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" rather than as a "model" to be exactly copied. Any implementation described as exemplary herein is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not to be limited by any expressed or implied theory given in the technical field, background, summary, or detailed description.

[0086] As used herein, the term "substantially" is intended to include any minor variations due to design or manufacturing imperfections, device or component tolerances, environmental influences, and / or other factors. The term "substantially" also allows for deviations from a perfect or ideal condition due to parasitic effects, noise, and other practical considerations that may exist in actual implementations.

[0087] In addition, the terms "first", "second" and the like may also be used herein for reference purposes only, and thus are not intended to be limiting. For example, the terms "first", "second" and other such numerical terms referring to structures or elements do not imply a sequence or order unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0088] It should also be understood that when the term “include / comprises” is used in this document, it indicates the presence of the specified features, integers, steps, operations, units and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, units and / or components and / or their combinations.

[0089] In this disclosure, the term "provide" is used in a broad sense to cover all ways of obtaining an object, and thus "providing an object" includes but is not limited to "purchasing", "preparing / manufacturing", "arranging / setting up", "installing / assembling", and / or "ordering" an object, etc.

[0090] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0091] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the boundaries between the above operations are merely illustrative. Multiple operations can be combined into a single operation, which can be distributed in additional operations, and operations can be performed at least partially overlapping in time. Moreover, alternative embodiments can include multiple instances of specific operations, and the order of operations can be changed in various other embodiments. However, other modifications, variations, and replacements are equally possible. Aspects and elements of all embodiments disclosed above can be combined in any manner and / or in combination with aspects or elements of other embodiments to provide multiple additional embodiments. Therefore, this specification and accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative, not restrictive.

[0092] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The various embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It should also be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A solar-based power supply device, configured to supply power to a load via a voltage output, comprising: a battery module configured to be coupled to the voltage output; a first voltage input configured to receive a first voltage from a solar module; a second voltage input configured to receive a second voltage lower than the first voltage; as well as Charging management circuit, including: a first charging circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using a first voltage; a second charging circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the second voltage; and A charging switching circuit, wherein the charging switching circuit is configured as: In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, connecting the first voltage input to the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module using only the first voltage; and In response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, the first voltage input is disconnected from the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module using only the second voltage.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The charging switching circuit includes: A first switch element coupled between a first voltage input and a first charging circuit; A second switching element is coupled to the second voltage input and the first switching element, wherein The second switching element is configured as: In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, assuming a first switch state so that the first switch element is turned on; and In response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, a second switching state is assumed such that the first switching element is turned off.

3. The power supply device according to claim 2, wherein: The first switch element comprises a first P-type MOSFET, a source of the first P-type MOSFET is coupled to the first voltage input, and a drain of the first P-type MOSFET is coupled to the first charging circuit; The second switch element comprises a first N-type MOSFET, the gate of the first N-type MOSFET being coupled to the second voltage input, the source thereof being grounded, and the drain thereof being coupled to the gate of the first P-type MOSFET, so that: In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, the gate-source voltage of the first N-type MOSFET is not greater than the turn-on voltage of the first N-type MOSFET, and the first N-type MOSFET is turned off, so that the gate voltage of the first P-type MOSFET is at a lower potential, the gate-source voltage of the first P-type MOSFET is less than the turn-on voltage of the first P-type MOSFET, and the first P-type MOSFET is turned on; as well as In response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, the gate-source voltage of the first N-type MOSFET is greater than the turn-on voltage of the first N-type MOSFET, the first N-type MOSFET is turned on, so that the gate voltage of the first P-type MOSFET is at a higher potential, the gate-source voltage of the first P-type MOSFET is not less than the turn-on voltage of the first P-type MOSFET, and the first P-type MOSFET is turned off.

4. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein: The charging switching circuit also includes: PNP type bipolar transistor; and The first resistor, The base of the PNP bipolar transistor is coupled to the drain of the first N-type MOSFET, the emitter is coupled to the first voltage input, and the collector is grounded through the first resistor. And wherein, the gate of the first P-type MOSFET is coupled between the collector of the PNP-type bipolar transistor and the first resistor.

5. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The first voltage is three or more times the second voltage.

6. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein: The second voltage comes from the USB module.

7. The power supply device according to claim 6, wherein: The first voltage is approximately 18V or higher, and the second voltage is approximately 5V.

8. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply management circuit coupled to the voltage output, wherein: The power management circuit includes: a first power supply circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the voltage output; a second power supply circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the voltage output; a third power supply circuit coupled between the battery module and the voltage output; and The power supply switching circuit includes a third switch element, wherein the third switch element is configured as follows: shutting down in response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage so that the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are disconnected, thereby allowing the power supply management circuit to supply power to the load using only the second voltage; and In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are turned on, so that the power supply management circuit uses the first voltage and / or the battery module to supply power to the load.

9. The power supply device according to claim 8, wherein: The first charging circuit includes a solar charger, wherein the external power positive input terminal of the solar charger is coupled to the first voltage input, the battery positive connection terminal thereof is coupled to the battery module, and the charging current detection positive input terminal thereof is coupled to the battery positive connection terminal thereof via a detection resistor. The first power supply circuit couples the charging current detection positive input terminal of the solar charger to the voltage output via the third switch element. The third power supply circuit couples the battery module to the voltage output via the detection resistor and the third switch element.

10. The power supply device according to claim 8, wherein: The third switch element includes a second P-type MOSFET, wherein a source of the second P-type MOSFET is coupled to the voltage output, a drain of the second P-type MOSFET is coupled to both the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit, and a gate of the second P-type MOSFET is coupled to the second voltage input.

11. The power supply device according to claim 8, further comprising a power switch circuit coupled between the power supply management circuit and the voltage output, wherein: The power switch circuit includes: Self-reset push button switch; a fourth switch element, coupled between the power management circuit and the voltage output and coupled to the self-reset key switch; A fifth switch element is coupled to the fourth switch element, wherein The fourth switch element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switch element being in an off state and the self-reset key switch being pressed, The fifth switching element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switching element being turned on, so that the fourth switching element is latched in the on state.

12. The power supply device according to claim 11, wherein: The power switch circuit also includes: A voltage node is configured such that its potential can be detected by the controller and its potential can be set by the controller, wherein, The voltage node is grounded via a self-reset key switch, and the voltage node is coupled to a fifth switch element to control the on-off of the fifth switch element.

13. The power supply device according to claim 11, wherein: The fourth switch element is further coupled to a third voltage input, wherein The fourth switch element is further configured to be turned on in response to the third voltage input being in a specific mode.

14. The power supply device according to claim 11, wherein: The fourth switch element includes a third P-type MOSFET, a source of the third P-type MOSFET is coupled to the power management circuit, a drain of the third P-type MOSFET is coupled to the voltage output, and a gate of the third P-type MOSFET is grounded via a self-reset key switch. The fifth switch element includes a second N-type MOSFET, a source of the second N-type MOSFET is grounded, a drain of the second N-type MOSFET is coupled to the gate of the third P-type MOSFET, and a gate of the second N-type MOSFET is coupled to the drain of the third P-type MOSFET.

15. The power supply device according to claim 14, wherein: The power switch circuit also includes: The voltage node is configured to have an initial potential when the power switch circuit is turned on, and a decrease in its initial potential can be detected by the controller, and its potential can be set by the controller to a potential higher than the initial potential, wherein, The voltage node is grounded via a self-reset key switch and is coupled to a gate of a second N-type MOSFET.

16. The power supply device according to claim 15, wherein: The gate of the third P-type MOSFET is also coupled to the third voltage input, so that the third P-type MOSFET is turned on in response to a potential decrease of the third voltage input.

17. The power supply device according to claim 16, further comprising a real-time clock circuit, wherein: The third voltage input is coupled to an interrupt output of the real time clock circuit.

18. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a reverse connection protection circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the battery module, wherein: The reverse polarity protection circuit includes: a second N-type MOSFET, wherein the gate of the second N-type MOSFET is coupled to the positive electrode of the first voltage input, the drain of the second N-type MOSFET is coupled to the negative electrode of the first voltage input, and the source of the second N-type MOSFET is coupled to the negative electrode of the battery module; and The light emitting diode has an anode coupled to the negative pole of the first voltage input and a cathode coupled to the positive pole of the first voltage input.

19. The power supply device according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of interfaces for a GPIO connector, wherein: The positive pole of the first voltage input and the negative pole of the first voltage input are provided by corresponding interfaces of the plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector.

20. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: A battery box configured to accommodate one or more rechargeable and dischargeable batteries; The PCB board is configured to be separated from the battery box and coupled to the battery box through a battery interface; A self-resetting pushbutton switch coupled to the voltage output; Multiple interfaces for GPIO connectors; as well as Multiple interfaces for USB connectors, where The battery module includes a battery interface and one or more rechargeable and dischargeable batteries. The first voltage input is coupled to a corresponding interface of the plurality of interfaces for the GPIO connector to receive a first voltage from the solar module, The second voltage input is coupled to a corresponding interface of the plurality of interfaces for the USB connector to receive a second voltage, and wherein, The battery interface, the first voltage input, the second voltage input and the charging management circuit are arranged on the first side of the PCB board. The self-resetting key switch is arranged on the second side of the PCB board opposite to the first side. Multiple interfaces for the GPIO connector and multiple interfaces for the USB connector all penetrate the PCB board, thereby respectively coupling corresponding circuit elements located on the first side of the PCB board to the GPIO connector and the USB connector installed on the second side of the PCB board.

21. An environmental monitoring device comprising: Waterproof housing; a sensor configured to sense environmental data; A solar panel is arranged on the housing; as well as a power supply device, disposed in the housing, and configured to supply power to the sensor, Wherein, the power supply equipment comprises: a battery module configured to be coupled to the voltage output; A first voltage input configured to receive a first voltage from the solar panel; a second voltage input configured to receive a second voltage lower than the first voltage; and Charging management circuit, including: a first charging circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using a first voltage; a second charging circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the battery module and configured to charge the battery module using the second voltage; and A charging switching circuit, wherein the charging switching circuit is configured as: In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, connecting the first voltage input to the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module using only the first voltage; and In response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage, the first voltage input is disconnected from the first charging circuit so that the charging management circuit charges the battery module using only the second voltage.

22. The environmental monitoring device of claim 21, further comprising a waterproof GPIO connector, wherein: The power supply device is coupled to the solar panel via the GPIO connector.

23. The environmental monitoring device of claim 21, further comprising a waterproof USB connector, wherein: A second voltage input is coupled to the USB connector.

24. The environmental monitoring device according to claim 21, wherein: The power supply device further includes a power supply management circuit coupled to the voltage output, wherein the power supply management circuit includes: a first power supply circuit coupled between the first voltage input and the voltage output; a second power supply circuit coupled between the second voltage input and the voltage output; a third power supply circuit coupled between the battery module and the voltage output; and The power supply switching circuit includes a third switch element, wherein the third switch element is configured as follows: shutting down in response to the second voltage input receiving the second voltage so that the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are disconnected, thereby allowing the power supply management circuit to supply power to the load using only the second voltage; and In response to the second voltage input not receiving the second voltage, the first power supply circuit and the third power supply circuit are turned on, so that the power supply management circuit uses the first voltage and / or the battery module to supply power to the load.

25. The environmental monitoring device according to claim 24, wherein: The power supply device further includes a power switch circuit coupled between the power supply management circuit and the voltage output, wherein the power switch circuit includes: Self-reset push button switch; a fourth switch element, coupled between the power management circuit and the voltage output and coupled to the self-reset key switch; A fifth switch element is coupled to the fourth switch element, wherein The fourth switch element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switch element being in an off state and the self-reset key switch being pressed, The fifth switching element is configured to be turned on in response to the fourth switching element being turned on, so that the fourth switching element is latched in the on state.

26. The environmental monitoring device according to claim 25, further comprising: A controller is disposed in the housing, wherein: The power supply device is further configured to supply power to the controller. The power switch circuit also includes: A voltage node is configured such that its potential can be detected by the controller and its potential can be set by the controller, wherein, The voltage node is grounded via a self-reset key switch, and the voltage node is coupled to a fifth switch element to control the on-off of the fifth switch element.

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