Reduced power intelligent electronic switches, chips, chip products and electromechanical equipment

Abstract

This application provides a power-reducing intelligent electronic switch, comprising: a current-limiting terminal for connecting to an adjusting resistor; a power switch; a current-limiting generation module that outputs a first current-limiting signal based on the resistance value of the adjusting resistor; a voltage regulation module connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of the power switch to obtain a drain-source voltage, and also connected to the current-limiting generation module, the voltage regulation module outputting a second current-limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current-limiting signal, wherein the second current-limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the first current-limiting signal, and wherein the larger the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second current-limiting signal; and a current-limiting control unit connected to the voltage regulation module, which limits the current flowing through the power switch when the current flowing through the power switch is greater than or equal to a third current-limiting threshold. Embodiments of this application also provide an integrated circuit chip, a chip product, and an electromechanical device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent semiconductor switches, and more particularly to a low-power intelligent electronic switch, chip, chip product, and electromechanical device. Background Technology

[0002] Intelligent electronic switches are typically used to couple loads to a power source and are electronic components that control the continuity of load circuits. Intelligent electronic switches also possess one or more diagnostic capabilities and protection features, such as protection against over-temperature, overload, overcurrent, and short-circuit events. For example, an intelligent electronic switch may include a power switch that trips in cases such as over-temperature events, disconnecting the power supply from the load. Intelligent electronic switches are widely used in automotive electronics, industrial automation, and medical equipment.

[0003] Related technologies have proposed an intelligent electronic switch with a current-limiting protection feature. Specifically, when an overcurrent or short-circuit event occurs, it limits the current flowing through the power switch, preventing the current from increasing excessively and thus protecting the power switch. To broaden the application range of the intelligent electronic switch, the technology proposes an intelligent electronic switch with a current-limiting terminal for connecting an external regulating resistor. By connecting different regulating resistor values ​​to the current-limiting terminal, different current-limiting thresholds can be achieved.

[0004] Once the regulating resistor connected to the current-limiting terminal is determined, the current-limiting value of the intelligent electronic switch is also determined. When the current flowing through the power switch reaches the value corresponding to the current-limiting value, the current of the power switch is limited to provide safety protection. However, the inventors of this application discovered that when the voltage across the source and drain terminals of the power switch is high, even with current-limiting protection, the intelligent electronic switch still has a high probability of failure. The inventors found that the reason for this is that the heat generated by the power switch is too great, causing the intelligent electronic switch to burn out. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of this application is to provide a smart electronic switch, chip, chip product, and electromechanical device with reduced power consumption, addressing the shortcomings of the prior art. The current limiting value can be adjusted according to the drain-source voltage of the power switch, reducing the probability of the smart electronic switch burning out.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, a first aspect of this application provides a smart electronic switch that reduces heat generation, comprising:

[0007] The system includes a power supply terminal, a power ground terminal, a load output terminal, a current limiting terminal, and a switch control unit. The power supply terminal is used to connect to the positive terminal of the power supply, the power ground terminal is used to connect to the negative terminal of the power supply, the load output terminal is used to connect to the load, and the current limiting terminal is used to connect to an adjustment resistor.

[0008] A power switch, with its first terminal connected to the power supply terminal or the power ground terminal, its second terminal connected to the load output terminal, and its control terminal connected to the switch control unit, which is used to control the power switch to turn on or off.

[0009] A current limiting generation module is connected to the current limiting terminal, and the current limiting generation module outputs a corresponding first current limiting signal based on the resistance value of the regulating resistor;

[0010] A voltage regulation module is connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of a power switch to obtain a drain-source voltage, and is also connected to a current limiting generation module. The voltage regulation module outputs a second current limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current limiting signal, wherein the second current limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the first current limiting signal, and wherein the larger the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second current limiting signal.

[0011] A current limiting control unit, which is connected to the voltage regulation module, limits the current flowing through the power switch when the current flowing through the power switch is greater than or equal to a third current limiting threshold. The third current limiting threshold corresponds to the second current limiting signal.

[0012] Optionally, the voltage regulation module includes a voltage-to-current conversion module and a calculation unit. The voltage-to-current conversion module is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch to convert the drain-source voltage into a corresponding first conversion current signal. The calculation unit is connected to the voltage-to-current conversion module and the current limiting generation module, and the calculation unit outputs the second current limiting signal based on the first conversion current signal and the first current limiting signal.

[0013] Optionally, the second current limiting signal is obtained by subtracting the signal derived from the first current limiting signal from the signal derived from the first conversion current signal.

[0014] Optionally, the power on the power switch is kept constant below the protection power within the upper voltage limit of the intelligent electronic switch.

[0015] Optionally, the voltage regulation module includes a voltage-to-current conversion module, a reference upper limit current generation unit, and a calculation unit. The voltage-to-current conversion module is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch to convert the drain-source voltage into a corresponding first conversion current signal. The reference upper limit current generation unit generates a first preset current signal. The calculation unit is connected to the voltage-to-current conversion module and the reference upper limit current generation unit. The calculation unit performs calculations on the first preset current signal and the signal originating from the first conversion current signal to output a third conversion current signal. The product of the drain-source voltage and the signal originating from the third conversion current signal is less than the protection power. When the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is greater than the signal originating from the third conversion current signal, the second current limiting signal corresponds to the third conversion current signal.

[0016] Optionally, the third conversion current signal is obtained by subtraction calculation.

[0017] Optionally, the voltage regulation module includes a power limiting comparison unit, which is connected to the current limiting generation module, the current limiting control unit, and the calculation unit. The power limiting comparison unit includes a first current mirror and a second current mirror, wherein the first current mirror is connected to the current limiting generation module and the current limiting control unit, and the second current mirror is connected to the first current mirror and connected to the third conversion current signal.

[0018] The first current mirror is used to mirror the current flowing through the current limiting generation module to obtain a first current corresponding signal. The second current mirror mirrors the third converted current signal to obtain a fourth converted current signal. The first current corresponding signal and the fourth converted current signal are located on the same current path. When the first current corresponding signal is greater than the fourth converted current signal, the fourth converted current signal is selected to correspond with the second current limiting signal.

[0019] Optionally, the first current mirror includes a ninth MOSFET and a tenth MOSFET, and the second current mirror includes a seventh MOSFET, an eighth MOSFET, and an eleventh MOSFET.

[0020] Wherein, the first end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to the current limiting generation module, the second end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to the first end of the eighth MOS transistor, the control end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to its first end, the control end of the tenth MOS transistor is connected to the control end of the ninth MOS transistor, the first end of the tenth MOS transistor is used to output the second current limiting signal, and the second end of the tenth MOS transistor is connected to the first end of the eleventh MOS transistor.

[0021] The control terminal of the eighth MOS transistor is connected to the control terminal of the seventh MOS transistor. The first terminal of the seventh MOS transistor is connected to its control terminal. The first terminal of the seventh MOS transistor is also connected to the third conversion current signal. The control terminal of the eleventh MOS transistor is connected to the control terminal of the eighth MOS transistor. The second terminals of the seventh MOS transistor, the eighth MOS transistor, and the eleventh MOS transistor are all connected to the power supply ground terminal.

[0022] Optionally, when the drain-source voltage is greater than a first preset voltage and less than a second preset voltage, the voltage regulation module outputs a second current limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current limiting signal. The greater the drain-source voltage is than the first preset voltage, the smaller the maximum value of the second current limiting signal or the second current limiting signal.

[0023] A second aspect of this application provides an integrated circuit chip including the aforementioned intelligent electronic switch, wherein the power supply terminal is a power supply pin, the power ground terminal is a power ground pin, the load output terminal is a load output pin, and the current limiting terminal is a current limiting pin.

[0024] A third aspect of this application provides a chip product including the above-mentioned intelligent electronic switch, wherein the components of the intelligent electronic switch other than the power switch are located on a first integrated circuit chip, and the power switch is located on a second integrated circuit chip;

[0025] Wherein, the power supply terminal is a power supply pin, the power ground terminal is a power ground pin, the load output terminal is a load output pin, the current limiting terminal is a current limiting pin, the power supply pin, the power ground pin, and the current limiting pin are located on the first integrated circuit chip, and the load output pin is located on the second integrated circuit chip.

[0026] The fourth aspect of this application provides an electromechanical device, including the above-described intelligent electronic switch, the above-described integrated circuit chip, or the above-described chip product;

[0027] It also includes a power supply, a regulating resistor, a load, and a microprocessor, wherein the positive terminal of the power supply is connected to the power supply terminal, the negative terminal of the power supply is connected to the power supply ground terminal, one end of the load is connected to the load output terminal, the other end of the load is connected to the power supply ground terminal or the power supply terminal, the microprocessor is connected to the intelligent electronic switch, the first end of the regulating resistor is connected to the current limiting terminal, and the second end of the regulating resistor is connected to the power supply ground terminal.

[0028] Optionally, the electromechanical equipment includes a vehicle.

[0029] The intelligent electronic switch in this embodiment includes a voltage regulation module connected to a first and second terminal of a power switch to obtain the drain-source voltage, and also connected to a current-limiting generation module. The voltage regulation module outputs a second current-limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current-limiting signal, wherein the second current-limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the first current-limiting signal, and the larger the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second current-limiting signal. Therefore, through this processing, the power on the power switch is reduced compared to before when the current-limiting condition is triggered, thereby reducing the heat generated on the power switch when the current-limiting condition is triggered. Thus, the intelligent electronic switch is less prone to damage while achieving current limiting. Furthermore, by connecting adjustable resistors of different resistance values ​​to the current-limiting terminal, it can be adapted to various application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1a This is a circuit block diagram of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 1b This is a circuit block diagram of an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch connected to the regulating resistor according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 3a This is a detailed circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch according to the first embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 3b This is a detailed circuit block diagram of a smart electronic switch according to another embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a detailed circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch according to the second embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5a This is a detailed circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch according to the third embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 5b This is a detailed circuit diagram of the voltage regulation module of the third embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the maximum power versus protection power curves on the power switch according to the third embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, appearing in this application specification, claims, and drawings, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or modules is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used to distinguish different objects and are not used to describe a specific order. Connections in this application include direct connections and indirect connections. An indirect connection refers to the presence of other electronic components, pins, etc., between the two connected components. The XX terminal mentioned in this application may or may not be an actual terminal, such as simply one end of a component or one end of a wire. The mention of "and / or including" three cases in this application, such as A and / or B, includes A, B, and A and B. The signal originating from or corresponding to the XX signal mentioned in this application can be the XX signal itself, or a signal obtained by conversion of the XX signal, such as a signal obtained by one or more mirroring of the XX signal.

[0042] First Embodiment

[0043] This application provides an embodiment of an electromechanical device, such as an automobile, medical device, industrial automation equipment, aerospace equipment, etc. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1aThe electromechanical equipment includes a power supply 110, a load 120, a microprocessor 300, and an intelligent electronic switch 200. The power supply 110 is generally a battery, typically a rechargeable battery, providing voltages of 12V, 24V, 36V, 48V, 60V, etc. It can also be other types of batteries or power supplies, such as AC / DC converters or DC / DC converters. The load 120 includes at least one of resistive, inductive, and capacitive loads. Resistive loads 120 include, for example, seat adjustment devices, auxiliary heating devices, window heating devices, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), rear lighting, or other resistive loads 120. Inductive loads 120 include, for example, pumps, actuators, motors, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), electronic braking systems (EBS), fans, or other systems including inductive loads for one or more wiper systems. Capacitive loads 120 include, for example, lighting elements such as xenon arc lamps. In the diagram, load 120 is shown as a single element for illustration only. Load 120 is typically a more complex load, such as a module or subsystem with numerous components. Microprocessor 300 is connected to intelligent electronic switch 200 to control it. Simultaneously, intelligent electronic switch 200 feeds back its status and relevant parameter information to microprocessor 300, such as diagnostic parameters, current parameters, and voltage parameters, for processing by microprocessor 300.

[0044] In this embodiment, the intelligent electronic switch 200 includes a power supply terminal VCC, a power ground terminal GND, and a load output terminal OUT. The power supply terminal VCC is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply 110, the power ground terminal GND is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply 110, and the load output terminal OUT is connected to one end of the load 120. The other end of the load 120 is connected to either the negative or positive terminal of the power supply 110. Additionally, in other embodiments of this application, a reverse connection protection diode and a current-limiting resistor may be connected in parallel between the power ground terminal GND and the negative terminal of the power supply 110.

[0045] In this embodiment, the intelligent electronic switch 200 further includes a power switch M1 and a switch control unit 220. One end of the power switch M1 is connected in series with the load 120 via the load output terminal OUT, and the other end is connected to the power supply terminal VCC or the power ground terminal GND. Its control terminal is connected to the switch control unit 220, which is used to control whether the power switch M1 is turned on. In this embodiment, the power switch M1 is an NMOS transistor, PMOS transistor, junction FET, or IGBT, etc. The illustration uses an NMOS transistor as an example. The power switch M1 can be implemented as a silicon device, or it can be implemented using other semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or gallium nitride (GaN).

[0046] exist Figure 1a In this embodiment, power switch M1 is connected as a high-side switch, which is a switch connected between the power supply terminal VCC and the load 120. However, this application is not limited to this; please refer to other embodiments of this application. Figure 1b Power switch M1 is connected as a low-side switch, which is the switch connected between load 120 and power ground GND.

[0047] Please refer to the above. Figure 1a , Figure 2 , Figure 3a In this embodiment, the intelligent electronic switch 200 includes a current-limiting terminal CL and a current-limiting generation module 230. The current-limiting terminal CL is used to connect to the first end of the regulating resistor R0, and the second end of the regulating resistor R0 is connected to the power ground terminal GND. The resistance range of the regulating resistor R0 is generally specified in the product specification of the intelligent electronic switch 200, for example, the resistance range of the regulating resistor R0 is 5kΩ-100kΩ, specifically 5kΩ, 10kΩ, 50kΩ, 100kΩ, etc. This application does not impose specific restrictions on the resistance value of the regulating resistor R0, and those skilled in the art can set it as needed. In this embodiment, the current-limiting generation module 230 is connected to the current-limiting terminal CL, and the current-limiting generation module 230 outputs a first current-limiting signal based on the resistance value of the regulating resistor R0. The first current-limiting signal corresponds to the resistance value of the regulating resistor R0. In this embodiment, the first current-limiting signal is a current.

[0048] In this embodiment, the current limiting generation module 230 includes an operational amplifier OP1 and a twelfth MOSFET M12. The non-inverting input of operational amplifier OP1 is connected to a first reference voltage Vref1, which may be, for example, 0.5V, 0.6V, 0.7V, 0.8V, 0.9V, or 1V. The inverting input of operational amplifier OP1 is connected to the current limiting terminal CL. The output of operational amplifier OP1 is connected to the control terminal of the twelfth MOSFET M12. The second terminal of the twelfth MOSFET M12 is connected to the current limiting terminal CL. In this embodiment, the twelfth MOSFET M12 is an NMOS transistor. In this embodiment, when the current limiting terminal CL is connected to an adjusting resistor R0, the voltage at the inverting input of operational amplifier OP1 is equal to the first reference voltage Vref1. The current flowing through the adjusting resistor R0 at this time is:

[0049] Vref1 / R0;

[0050] Wherein, Vref1 is the voltage value of the first reference voltage Vref1, and R0 is the resistance value of the regulating resistor R0. In this embodiment, the current flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12 is equal to the current flowing through the regulating resistor R0. However, this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the current flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12 may differ from the current flowing through the regulating resistor R0. This difference is generally known and will be very small, generally negligible.

[0051] In this embodiment, the current limiting generation module 230 further includes a first current mirror. The first current mirror is used to convert the signal flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12 into a corresponding first current limiting signal and output it. The first current limiting signal can be equal to or unequal to the current flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12. For example, the ratio of the current flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12 to the first current limiting signal is 1:1, 10:1, 100:1, 1000:1, 10000:1, etc. This application does not impose any restrictions on this. In this embodiment, the first current mirror includes a first current mirror comprising a thirteenth MOSFET M13 and a fourteenth MOSFET M14. The first terminal of the thirteenth MOSFET M13 is connected to the first internal power supply 260, and its control terminal is connected to its second terminal. The second terminal of the thirteenth MOSFET M13 is connected to the first terminal of the twelfth MOSFET M12. The first terminal of the fourteenth MOSFET M14 is connected to the first internal power supply 260, and its control terminal is connected to the control terminal of the thirteenth MOSFET M13. The second terminal of the fourteenth MOSFET M14 is used to output a first current limiting signal. In this embodiment, the thirteenth MOSFET M13 and the fourteenth MOSFET M14 are PMOS transistors. In this embodiment, there is one first current mirror. The first end of the first current mirror (i.e., the first end of the thirteenth MOSFET M13 and the fourteenth MOSFET M14) is connected to the first internal power supply 260. However, this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the first current mirror may not be provided (when signal conversion or other processing is not required, the first current limiting signal is the current flowing through the twelfth MOSFET M12). Alternatively, the first current mirror may include a first current mirror and a second current mirror. The number of the first current mirror and the second current mirror can be set as needed. When the first current mirror includes a first current mirror and a second current mirror, the connection method of the first current mirror is similar to or the same as the previous one. The second end of the second current mirror is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The first end of the second current mirror is connected to the second end of the thirteenth MOSFET M13 or the fourteenth MOSFET M14 or used to output the first current limiting signal, so that the first current mirror outputs the first current limiting signal in the desired manner. This is conventional technology in the field and will not be described in detail here.

[0052] In this embodiment, the intelligent electronic switch 200 includes a current limiting control unit 250. Under normal circumstances, when the current flowing through the power switch M1 is greater than or equal to the third current limiting threshold, the current limiting control unit 250 limits the current flowing through the power switch M1.

[0053] In this embodiment, one implementation of the current limiting control unit 250 can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 3a The current limiting control unit 250 includes a current detection unit 251, a first comparator A1, and a third MOSFET M3. The current detection unit 251 outputs a detected current signal, which characterizes the current flowing through the power switch M1. The first input terminal of the first comparator A1 is connected to the detected current signal, and the second input terminal of the first comparator A1 is connected to a second reference threshold. The output terminal of the first comparator A1 is connected to the control terminal of the third MOSFET M3. The first terminal of the third MOSFET M3 is connected to the control terminal of the power switch M1, and the second terminal of the third MOSFET M3 is connected to the load output terminal OUT. In this embodiment, when the detected current signal is greater than or equal to the second reference threshold, it indicates that the current flowing through the power switch M1 is greater than or equal to the third current limiting threshold. The first comparator A1 outputs a control signal to the third MOSFET M3, and the third MOSFET M3 adjusts the voltage at the control terminal of the power switch M1 to make the detected current signal equal to the second reference threshold, i.e., the current flowing through the power switch M1 is equal to the third current limiting threshold through adjustment. In this embodiment, the first comparator A1 is a voltage comparator that detects the current signal, and the second reference threshold is a voltage. Of course, those skilled in the art can adjust these parameters as needed. In this embodiment, the third MOS transistor M3 is an NMOS transistor.

[0054] In this embodiment, the current detection unit 251 includes a second MOSFET M2 and a first resistor R1. The second MOSFET M2 is a mirror transistor of the power switch M1, and the type of the second MOSFET M2 is the same as that of the power switch M1. The current flowing through the second MOSFET M2 is approximately proportional to the current flowing through the power switch M1. For example, the ratio of the current flowing through the power switch M1 to the current flowing through the second MOSFET M2 is 100:1, 1000:1, 5000:1, 10000:1, etc. The control terminal of the second MOSFET M2 is connected to the control terminal of the power switch M1. The first terminal of the second MOSFET M2 is connected to the first terminal of the power switch M1. The second terminal of the second MOSFET M2 is connected to the first terminal of the first resistor R1. The second terminal of the first resistor R1 is connected to the load output terminal OUT. The second terminal of the second MOSFET M2 is connected to the first input terminal of the first comparator A1. The signal at the second terminal of the second MOSFET M2 is the detected current signal, which is the voltage at the first terminal of the first resistor R1. In addition, in other embodiments of this application, the current detection unit 251 may not be limited to the circuit described above. For example, the current detection unit 251 includes a first resistor R1, which is connected in series with the power switch M1. For example, the first end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the second end of the power switch M1, and the second end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the load output terminal OUT. In this case, the voltage at the first end of the first resistor R1 is the detected current signal. This current detection method is a conventional technology in the field and will not be described in detail here.

[0055] In this embodiment, the current limiting control unit 250 includes a second current mirror and a second resistor R2. The second current mirror is used to convert the second current limiting signal (see the description below) into a second intermediate signal. The second intermediate signal is used to output to the second resistor R2 to obtain a second reference threshold. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second current mirror includes a second first current mirror, which includes a fifteenth MOSFET M15 and a sixteenth MOSFET M16. The first terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 is connected to the second internal power supply 221, and the control terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 is connected to its second terminal. The second terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 is used to input a second current limiting signal. The first terminal of the sixteenth MOSFET M16 is connected to the first terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15, and the control terminal of the sixteenth MOSFET M16 is connected to the control terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15. The second terminal of the sixteenth MOSFET M16 is connected to the first terminal of the second resistor R2. The second terminal of the sixteenth MOSFET M16 is used to output a second intermediate signal. The second terminal of the second resistor R2 is connected to the load output terminal OUT, and the first terminal of the second resistor R2 is also connected to the second input terminal of the first comparator A1. The second intermediate signal corresponds to the second current limiting signal. At this time, the voltage at the first terminal of the second resistor R2 is the second reference threshold. In this embodiment, there is one second current mirror, but this application is not limited to this. In other embodiments of this application, the second current mirror may not be provided. In this case, the second current limiting signal is output to the second resistor R2. Alternatively, the second current mirror may include a second first current mirror and a second second current mirror. The number of the second first current mirror and the second second current mirror can be set as needed. When the second current mirror includes a second first current mirror and a second second current mirror, the connection method of the second first current mirror is similar to or the same as the previous one. The second end of the second second current mirror is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND, and the first end of the second second current mirror is connected to the second end of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 or the sixteenth MOSFET M16 or used to output a second intermediate signal, so as to realize that the output current of the second current mirror is output to the second resistor R2 in the desired manner. This is conventional technology in the art and will not be described in detail here. In this embodiment, the fifteenth MOSFET M15 and the sixteenth MOSFET M16 are PMOS transistors. The current flowing through the fifteenth MOSFET M15 is proportional to the current flowing through the sixteenth MOSFET M16, for example, the ratio is 1:1, 2:1, 1:2, etc.

[0056] Generally, once the regulating resistor R0 is correctly connected to the current limiting terminal CL, the magnitude of the first current limiting signal is determined. In related technologies, the second current limiting signal is the same as the first current limiting signal, so the second reference threshold remains unchanged. When the detected current signal is greater than or equal to the second reference threshold, it indicates that the current flowing through the power switch M1 is greater than or equal to the third current limiting threshold, and the current limiting control unit 250 will limit the current flowing through the power switch M1. However, the inventors of this application discovered that the voltage across the power switch M1 is dynamically changing, that is, the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1 is dynamically changing. The reasons for this change include different voltages of the connected power supply 110, such as 12V, 24V, 36V, etc., or short circuits or weak short circuits of the load 120, which cause the drain-source voltage to increase. When the drain-source voltage is different, based on the same third current limiting threshold, the power on the power switch M1 will be different when the current limiting condition is triggered, which in turn will cause the heat generated by the power switch M1 to be different. When the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1 is relatively large, the heat may be quite severe when the current limiting protection is triggered, which means that the intelligent electronic switch 200 still has a high probability of being damaged, mainly burned out.

[0057] To address the aforementioned issues, the intelligent electronic switch 200 of this application further includes a voltage regulation module 240. The voltage regulation module 240 is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch M1 to obtain the drain-source voltage. The voltage regulation module 240 is also connected to a current limiting generation module 230 to obtain a first current limiting signal. Based on the drain-source voltage and the first current limiting signal, the voltage regulation module 240 outputs a second current limiting signal. The second current limiting signal is smaller than the signal originating from the first current limiting signal. Therefore, the second current limiting signal is constrained not only by the first current limiting signal but also by the drain-source voltage. Furthermore, the larger the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second current limiting signal; that is, the second current limiting signal dynamically changes with the drain-source voltage. A larger drain-source voltage results in a smaller second current limiting signal, and vice versa. Thus, through this processing, the power on the power switch M1 can be reduced compared to before when the current limiting condition is triggered, thereby reducing the heat generated on the power switch M1 when the current limiting condition is triggered. Consequently, while achieving current limiting, the probability of damage to the intelligent electronic switch 200 is reduced. Furthermore, this embodiment can adjust the first current limiting signal according to customer requirements, and then adjust the second current limiting signal, which is beneficial to expanding the application range.

[0058] In this embodiment, the voltage regulation module 240 includes a voltage-to-current conversion module 241 and an arithmetic unit. The voltage-to-current conversion module 241 is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch M1 to obtain the drain-source voltage and converts the drain-source voltage into a corresponding first converted current signal. The first converted current signal is output to the arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit is connected to the voltage-to-current conversion module 241, the current limiting generation module 230, and the current limiting control unit 250. The arithmetic unit receives the first current limiting signal and the first converted current signal and performs calculations to output a second current limiting signal. The second current limiting signal is output to the current limiting control unit 250. In this embodiment, the second current limiting signal is equal to the difference between the first current limiting signal and the first converted current signal, or the second current limiting signal is the signal corresponding to the difference between the first current limiting signal and the first converted current signal, or the second current limiting signal is the signal corresponding to the difference between the first current limiting signal and the signal corresponding to the first converted current signal. In this embodiment, the second current limiting signal is the signal corresponding to the difference between the first current limiting signal and the signal corresponding to the first converted current signal. In this embodiment, the first converted current signal is linearly related to the drain-source voltage; the larger the drain-source voltage, the larger the first converted current signal, and vice versa. The voltage-to-current conversion module 241 converting the drain-source voltage into the first converted current signal is a conventional technique in the art and will not be described in detail here. The first converted current signal is a current.

[0059] In this embodiment, the arithmetic unit includes a current subtractor and a fourth current mirror. The current subtractor is used to subtract the first conversion current signal from the first current limiting signal to obtain a difference, and the fourth current mirror is used to convert the difference into a second current limiting signal. In this embodiment, the current subtractor includes a 36th MOSFET M36 and a 37th MOSFET M37. The first terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36 is connected to the voltage-to-current conversion module 241 to obtain a first converted current signal. The control terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36 is connected to its first terminal. The second terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36 is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The first terminal of the 37th MOSFET M37 is connected to the second terminal of the 14th MOSFET M14. The control terminal of the 37th MOSFET M37 is connected to the control terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36. The second terminal of the 37th MOSFET M37 is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The 37th MOSFET M37 and the 36th MOSFET M36 constitute a current mirror. The 37th MOSFET M37 outputs a second converted current signal, which corresponds to the first converted current signal. The output signal of the current subtractor is the difference between the first current limit signal and the second converted current signal and is output to the fourth current mirror. In this embodiment, the fourth current mirror includes a 71st MOSFET M71 and a 72nd MOSFET M72. The first terminal of the 71st MOSFET M71 is connected to a current subtractor to receive the difference value. The control terminal of the 71st MOSFET M71 is connected to its first terminal, and its second terminal is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The first terminal of the 72nd MOSFET M72 is used to output a second current limiting signal. The control terminal of the 72nd MOSFET M72 is connected to the control terminal of the 71st MOSFET M71, and its second terminal is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. In this embodiment, the 36th MOSFET M36, the 37th MOSFET M37, the 71st MOSFET M71, and the 72nd MOSFET M72 are all NMOS transistors. Alternatively, in other embodiments of this application, a fourth current mirror may be omitted, or more current mirrors may be provided to output the second current limiting signal to the current limiting control unit 250 in a desired manner.

[0060] In this embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 3aThe switch control unit includes a second internal power supply 221, which is connected to the power supply terminal VCC. The second internal power supply 221 is used to boost the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC. The second internal power supply 221 is, for example, a charge pump. In this embodiment, the first terminals of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 and the sixteenth MOSFET M16 are both connected to the second internal power supply 221. Generally, the output voltage of the second internal power supply 221 is two to three times the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC. In this embodiment, a first internal power supply 260 is connected to the power supply terminal VCC. The first internal power supply 260 is used to step down the voltage of the power supply terminal VCC. The first internal power supply 260 is, for example, an LDO. In this embodiment, the output voltage of the first internal power supply 260 is generally 6V or 5V. Those skilled in the art can set the desired output voltage according to actual needs. Furthermore, in other embodiments of this application, the second internal power supply 221 may not be included in the switch control unit.

[0061] Additionally, in other embodiments of this application, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 1b , Figure 2 and Figure 3b When power switch M1 is connected as a low-side switch, the principle is the same as... Figure 3a Similarly, those skilled in the art can implement the solution of the present invention with simple modifications, which will not be elaborated here. In this case, a first internal power supply is not required.

[0062] This application also provides an integrated circuit chip, which includes the aforementioned intelligent electronic switch 200, i.e., the aforementioned intelligent electronic switch 200 is fabricated on the same semiconductor substrate. The power supply terminal VCC is the power supply pin, the power ground terminal GND is the power ground pin, the load output terminal OUT is the load output pin, and the current limiting terminal CL is the current limiting pin.

[0063] Other embodiments of this application also provide a chip product, which includes the aforementioned intelligent electronic switch 200. The components of the intelligent electronic switch 200, except for the power switch M1, are located on a first integrated circuit chip, and the power switch M1 is located on a second integrated circuit chip. That is, the first integrated circuit chip is fabricated on one semiconductor substrate, and the second integrated circuit chip is fabricated on another semiconductor substrate. The power supply terminal VCC is the power supply pin for power supply 110, the power ground terminal GND is the power ground pin, the load output terminal OUT is the load output pin, and the current limiting terminal CL is the current limiting pin. The power supply pin, power ground pin, and current limiting pin are located on the first integrated circuit chip, and the load output pin is located on the second integrated circuit chip. The first and second integrated circuit chips can also have other pins added as needed. Here, the first and second integrated circuit chips are packaged into a single product.

[0064] In addition, in other embodiments of this application, the intelligent electronic switch 200 and integrated circuit chip of this embodiment are not limited to automotive electronics, but can also be used in industrial automation, aerospace and other fields.

[0065] In this embodiment, regardless of the drain-source voltage of power switch M1, the second current-limiting signal is associated with the drain-source voltage.

[0066] However, in actual use, the power consumption is usually high when the drain-source voltage is relatively high, which may lead to the burnout of the power switch M1. Only then is it necessary to reduce the power consumption by lowering the second reference threshold and triggering the current limiting condition earlier. Otherwise, it may affect the driving of the load. For example, when the load is equivalent to a capacitor and resistor in parallel, if the current is reduced according to the drain-source voltage when the first current limiting signal is relatively low, the voltage on the capacitor may not rise. In order to better meet the actual application scenario, this application provides a second embodiment.

[0067] Second Embodiment

[0068] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch 200 according to the second embodiment of this application. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, the parts not described in this embodiment can be referred to the first embodiment. The main difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the first current limiting signal is reduced based on the drain-source voltage only when the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage.

[0069] Please see Figure 1a , Figure 2 , Figure 4In this embodiment, the current subtractor further includes a threshold current comparison unit. When the first conversion current signal is less than or equal to a preset first current threshold, it indicates that the drain-source voltage is less than or equal to a first preset voltage. At this time, the output second conversion current signal is 0, that is, the drain-source voltage does not affect the current limiting condition. When the first conversion current signal is greater than the first current threshold, it indicates that the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage. At this time, the output second conversion current signal is greater than 0. At this time, the second current limiting signal is equal to the signal corresponding to the difference between the first current limiting signal and the second conversion current signal.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, the threshold current comparison unit includes a 40th MOSFET M40. The first terminal of the 40th MOSFET M40 is connected to the control terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36, and the second terminal of the 40th MOSFET M40 is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The control terminal of the 40th MOSFET M40 is connected to a first bias voltage Vb1, wherein the first bias voltage Vb1 is used to control the maximum current flowing through it to a first current threshold, i.e., the saturation current value. In this embodiment, the 40th MOSFET M40 is an NMOS transistor.

[0071] In this embodiment, when the first conversion current signal is less than or equal to the first current threshold, the entire first conversion current signal flows out from the 40th MOSFET M40, and no current flows through the second terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36. At this time, the 36th MOSFET M36 is turned off, and the 37th MOSFET M37 is also turned off. Thus, the entire first current limiting signal flows into the 71st MOSFET M71 and is not diverted to the 37th MOSFET M37. When the first conversion current signal is greater than the first current threshold, the current that exceeds the first current threshold flows through the first and second terminals of the 36th MOSFET M36. This current flows out from the 37th MOSFET M37 after mirroring, meaning the second conversion current signal is greater than 0. Therefore, the current flowing into the 71st MOSFET M71 is the difference between the first current limiting signal and the second conversion current signal. After mirroring, the second current limiting signal is the signal corresponding to this difference.

[0072] In this embodiment, since the first conversion current signal represents the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1, the first current threshold is used to represent the first preset voltage corresponding to the drain-source voltage. When the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage, the first conversion current signal is greater than the first current threshold. Moreover, the greater the drain-source voltage is than the first preset voltage, the larger the second conversion current signal is, the smaller the difference is, and consequently the smaller the second current limiting signal is.

[0073] The current subtractor in this embodiment includes a threshold current comparison unit. When the drain-source voltage is less than or equal to a first preset voltage, that is, when the first conversion current signal is less than or equal to a first current threshold, the current limiting condition is not affected by the drain-source voltage. When the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage, that is, when the first conversion current signal is greater than the first current threshold, the current limiting condition is affected by the drain-source voltage. For the same first current limiting signal, the greater the drain-source voltage is than the first preset voltage, the smaller the second current limiting signal, thereby reducing the probability of damage to the power switch M1. With this setting, when the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1 is relatively small, the drain-source voltage does not affect the current limiting condition and does not affect the normal operation of the intelligent electronic switch 200, for example, it does not limit the normal load capacity of the intelligent electronic switch 200; when the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1 is relatively large, the drain-source voltage will affect the current limiting condition, thereby preventing the power switch M1 from being damaged due to excessive heat.

[0074] This embodiment also limits the maximum value of the second conversion current signal to prevent the current limiting condition from being triggered too early due to the large drain-source voltage when the regulating resistor R0 is relatively large, which may even cause the intelligent electronic switch 200 to fail to turn on stably (e.g., the difference is 0). To improve this problem, in this embodiment, the current subtractor also includes a maximum current limiting unit, which includes a 38th MOSFET M38. The first terminal of the 38th MOSFET M38 is connected to the second terminal of the 37th MOSFET M37. The second terminal of the 38th MOSFET M38 is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The control terminal of the 38th MOSFET M38 is connected to a second bias voltage Vb2. The second bias voltage Vb2 is used to limit the maximum current value flowing through the 38th MOSFET M38. This maximum current value is defined as the second current threshold. When the second conversion current signal is greater than or equal to the second current threshold, it means that the drain-source voltage is greater than or equal to the second preset voltage. The second preset voltage is greater than the first preset voltage. At this time, the second conversion current signal is the second current threshold. When the second conversion current signal is less than the second current threshold, it means that the drain-source voltage is less than the second preset voltage. At this time, the second conversion current signal remains unchanged. In this embodiment, the thirty-eighth MOSFET M38 is an NMOS transistor. In this embodiment, the second bias voltage Vb2 and the first bias voltage Vb1 can be the same or different. When they are the same, the control terminal of the thirty-eighth MOSFET M38 is connected to the control terminal of the fortieth MOSFET M40, and both are connected to the first / second bias voltage Vb2.

[0075] In this embodiment, the current subtractor further includes a 39th MOSFET M39. The first terminal of the 39th MOSFET M39 is connected to the second terminal of the 36th MOSFET M36, and the second terminal of the 39th MOSFET M39 is connected to the power supply ground terminal GND. The control terminal of the 39th MOSFET M39 is connected to the second bias voltage Vb2. In this embodiment, the 39th MOSFET M39 is mainly used for matching with the 30th MOSFET M30, so that the current mirror formed by the 36th MOSFET M36 and the 37th MOSFET M37 will be more ideal, and the correspondence between the second converted current signal and the first converted current signal will be more ideal. Alternatively, in other embodiments of this application, when the matching requirements are not very high, the 39th MOSFET M39 can be omitted.

[0076] In this embodiment, since an upper limit is set for the second conversion current signal, when the current limiting terminal CL is connected normally, even if the drain-source voltage of the power switch M1 is relatively large, the probability that the difference between the first current limiting signal and the second conversion current signal is 0 is reduced, thereby reducing the impact on the normal use of the intelligent electronic switch 200.

[0077] In the two embodiments above, to improve the application range, the resistance range of the adjusting resistor R0 is relatively large, which leads to a relatively large range of the first current limiting signal. Since the second conversion current signal is only related to the drain-source voltage, the second conversion current signal may have a limited impact on the first current limiting signal, and its correlation with the power on the power switch M1 is relatively small, resulting in the power on the power switch M1 still potentially being relatively large. The two embodiments above have limited effect on preventing the power switch M1 from burning out, or there is still a certain probability that the difference will be 0, resulting in the second current limiting signal being 0, causing the power switch M1 to be completely turned off, and preventing the power switch M1 from driving the load 120. To improve this problem, this application provides a third embodiment.

[0078] Third Embodiment

[0079] Please see Figure 5a , Figure 5a This is a circuit block diagram of the intelligent electronic switch 200 according to the third embodiment of this application. This embodiment is similar to the second embodiment. Therefore, the parts not described in this embodiment can be referred to the second embodiment. The main difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is to ensure that the power on the power switch M1 is not too high.

[0080] In this embodiment, the rate limiting condition will be triggered if either of the following two conditions is met:

[0081] (1) A protection power is set. This protection power is obtained through testing or theoretical calculation. It is mainly used to protect the intelligent electronic switch 200 itself. The power on the power switch M1 should be less than the protection power to prevent the power switch M1 from being damaged due to heat. When the power on the power switch M1 is greater than the protection power, the power switch M1 is more likely to be damaged or its reliability will be reduced.

[0082] (2) When the current flowing through the power switch M1 is greater than or equal to the current originating from the first current limiting signal, the current limiting protection is triggered. This is based on the customer's requirements for the load 120 and the protection settings for the power switch M1.

[0083] To achieve both of the above functions, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5a and Figure 5b In this embodiment, the voltage regulation module 240 further includes a reference upper limit current generation unit 243. The reference upper limit current generation unit 243 includes a constant current source, which is used to generate a first preset current signal. The first preset current signal corresponds to the preset upper limit current flowing through the power switch M1. A current subtractor is connected to the reference upper limit current generation unit 243 and is used to output a difference value. This difference value is referred to here as the third conversion current signal. The third conversion current signal is obtained by subtracting the second conversion current signal from the first preset current signal. In this embodiment, in conjunction with the following description, the third conversion current signal represents the maximum power on the power switch M1. Reaching the third conversion current signal triggers the current limiting condition.

[0084] In this embodiment, the voltage regulation module 240 further includes a power limiting comparison unit 244, which includes a third current mirror and a third second current mirror. The third first current mirror includes a ninth MOSFET M9 and a tenth MOSFET M10. The first terminal of the ninth MOSFET M9 is connected to the second terminal of the fourteenth MOSFET M14 to receive a first current limiting signal. The control terminal of the ninth MOSFET M9 is connected to its first terminal. The second terminal of the ninth MOSFET M9 is connected to the third second current mirror. The second terminal of the tenth MOSFET M10 is connected to the third second current mirror. The control terminal of the tenth MOSFET M10 is connected to the control terminal of the ninth MOSFET M9. The first terminal of the tenth MOSFET M10 is connected to the second terminal of the fifteenth MOSFET M15 to output a second current limiting signal. In this embodiment, the current flowing through the ninth MOSFET M9 is equal to the current flowing through the fourteenth MOSFET M14. The third first current mirror converts the first current limiting signal into a first current-corresponding signal. In this embodiment, the ninth MOSFET M9 and the tenth MOSFET M10 are NMOS transistors.

[0085] In this embodiment, the third current mirror includes a seventh MOSFET M7, an eighth MOSFET M8, and an eleventh MOSFET M11. The first terminal of the seventh MOSFET M7 is connected to a current subtractor to receive the third conversion current signal; the control terminal of the seventh MOSFET M7 is connected to its first terminal; and the second terminal of the seventh MOSFET M7 is connected to the power supply ground (GND). The first terminal of the eighth MOSFET M8 is connected to the second terminal of the ninth MOSFET M9; the control terminal of the eighth MOSFET M8 is connected to the control terminal of the seventh MOSFET M7; and the second terminal of the eighth MOSFET M8 is connected to the power supply ground (GND). The first terminal of the eleventh MOSFET M11 is connected to the second terminal of the tenth MOSFET M10; the control terminal of the eleventh MOSFET M11 is connected to the control terminal of the seventh MOSFET M7; and the second terminal of the eleventh MOSFET M11 is connected to the power supply ground (GND). In this embodiment, the seventh MOSFET M7, the eighth MOSFET M8, and the eleventh MOSFET M11 are all NMOS transistors.

[0086] In this embodiment, the current flowing through the seventh MOSFET M7 is the third conversion current signal. The seventh MOSFET M7 and the eleventh MOSFET M11 form a current mirror, so the current flowing through the eleventh MOSFET M11 is proportional to the third conversion current signal. Here, the current flowing through the eleventh MOSFET M11 is called the fourth conversion current signal.

[0087] The current comparison principle of this embodiment is as follows: When the first current-corresponding signal is less than or equal to the fourth converted current signal, the current signal output by the eleventh MOSFET M11 is limited by the first current-corresponding signal. Therefore, the second current-limiting signal output by the series circuit formed by the eleventh MOSFET M11 and the tenth MOSFET M10 is equal to the first current-corresponding signal. At this time, the first current-corresponding signal is constrained by the resistance value of the adjusting resistor R0, which is beneficial for improving the application range. When the first current-corresponding signal is greater than the fourth converted current signal, the current signal output by the tenth MOSFET M10 is limited by the fourth converted current signal. Therefore, the series circuit formed by the eleventh MOSFET M11 and the tenth MOSFET M10 can only output the fourth converted current signal and cannot output a larger current. The second current-limiting signal is equal to the fourth converted current signal, ensuring that the current is less than the protection power. This embodiment achieves the comparison of two current signals and outputs a lower current signal through a clever and simple circuit design. In this embodiment, the eighth MOSFET M8 is matched with the eleventh MOSFET M11, enabling the ninth MOSFET M9 and the tenth MOSFET M10 to form a relatively ideal current mirror. Preferably, in this embodiment, the ratio of the width-to-length ratio of the eighth MOSFET M8 to the eleventh MOSFET M11 is equal to the ratio of the width-to-length ratio of the ninth MOSFET M9 to the tenth MOSFET M10. In other embodiments of this application, the ratio of the width-to-length ratio of the eighth MOSFET M8 to the eleventh MOSFET M11 is greater than the ratio of the width-to-length ratio of the ninth MOSFET M9 to the tenth MOSFET M10. Furthermore, in other embodiments of this application, when the matching requirements are not very high, the third current mirror may not include the eighth MOSFET M8. Additionally, in other embodiments of this application, those skilled in the art can also achieve the comparison of the two currents and select the lower current for output in other ways.

[0088] The following is in conjunction with reference to [see also] Figure 5a , Figure 5b , Figure 6 The power control of this application is described. In this embodiment, since the first preset current signal is preset and the first preset current signal is adjusted based on the drain-source voltage to obtain the third conversion current signal, the third conversion current signal can characterize the maximum power flowing through the power switch M1.

[0089] Specifically, when the drain-source voltage of power switch M1 is less than or equal to the first preset voltage, the second conversion current signal is 0, and the third conversion current signal is the first preset current signal, corresponding to the preset upper limit current of power switch M1. The preset upper limit current is the maximum current allowed to flow through power switch M1. When the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the third conversion current signal, that is, when the signal corresponding to the first current is less than the fourth conversion current signal, the second current limiting signal corresponds to the first current limiting signal, and the maximum current allowed to flow through power switch M1 is limited to less than the preset upper limit current (triggering the current limiting condition). When the signal corresponding to the first current is greater than or equal to the fourth conversion current signal, the second current limiting signal corresponds to the fourth conversion current signal, and the maximum current allowed to flow through power switch M1 is the preset upper limit current (triggering the current limiting condition). Figure 6 It is evident that when the drain-source voltage of power switch M1 is less than or equal to the first preset voltage, the power on power switch M1 must be less than or equal to the product of the first preset voltage and the preset upper limit current (marked by 520). This product is located on the lower left side of the protection power equal power curve (marked by 510), thus it must be less than the protection power, which is beneficial for protecting power switch M1. Moreover, due to the setting of the preset upper limit current, the maximum value of the first current limiting signal can be limited, preventing the current at the current limiting terminal CL from being too large and exceeding the protection power, thus failing to effectively protect power switch M1. Furthermore, when the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is relatively small (corresponding to less than the preset upper limit current), the third current limiting threshold corresponds to the first current limiting signal, and the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is not processed. This can improve the load-carrying capacity and meets the user's expectations. In addition, the range of the first current limiting signal controlled by the adjusting resistor R0 is relatively wide, which is beneficial for improving the application range of the intelligent electronic switch.

[0090] When the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage and less than or equal to the second preset voltage, if the third conversion current signal is still equal to the first preset current signal, the power on the power switch M1 may exceed the protection power. To avoid this, this embodiment reduces the third conversion current signal as the drain-source voltage increases, thus ensuring that the power on the power switch M1 is less than the protection power. Specifically, when the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage and less than or equal to the second preset voltage, the second conversion current signal is greater than 0. The larger the drain-source voltage, the larger the second conversion current signal, and the smaller the difference between the first preset current signal and the second conversion current signal, which means the third conversion current signal is smaller and the fourth conversion current signal is smaller. Conversely, the smaller the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second conversion current signal, and the larger the difference between the first preset current signal and the second conversion current signal, which means the third conversion current signal is larger and the fourth conversion current signal is larger. When the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the third conversion current signal (i.e., the signal corresponding to the first current is less than the signal corresponding to the fourth conversion current), the second current limiting signal corresponds to the first current limiting signal, and the maximum allowable current flowing through the power switch M1 is limited to less than the signal corresponding to the fourth conversion current signal. When the signal originating from the first current limiting signal is greater than or equal to the signal originating from the third conversion current signal (i.e., the signal corresponding to the first current is greater than or equal to the signal corresponding to the fourth conversion current signal), the second current limiting signal corresponds to the fourth conversion current signal, and the maximum allowable current flowing through the power switch M1 is the signal corresponding to the fourth conversion current signal. Figure 6 It is evident that when the drain-source voltage of power switch M1 is greater than the first preset voltage and less than or equal to the second preset voltage, by controlling the third conversion current signal, the maximum allowable power (the point on the sloping line) on power switch M1 is located on the lower left side of the protection power equal power curve. This ensures that the maximum allowable power on power switch M1 is necessarily less than the protection power, which is beneficial for protecting power switch M1. In this embodiment, Figure 6 The oblique line between the first preset voltage and the second preset voltage can be a straight line, an upward convex curve, a downward concave curve, etc.

[0091] When the drain-source voltage is greater than the second preset voltage but less than the upper voltage limit allowed in the specifications (i.e., the maximum voltage allowed by power supply 110), the second conversion current signal remains unchanged and is always equal to the second conversion current information when the drain-source voltage is the second preset voltage. That is, the third and fourth conversion current signals remain unchanged. Correspondingly, the current on power switch M1 at this time is the preset lower limit current. As the drain-source voltage of power switch M1 gradually increases, the power on power switch M1 also gradually increases. When the drain-source voltage of power switch M1 reaches the upper voltage limit, the maximum power on power switch M1 is the product of the upper voltage limit and the corresponding third conversion current signal (which remains unchanged). Figure 6 As can be seen, the maximum power is located on the lower left side of the protection power equal power curve, meaning the power on power switch M1 will be less than the protection power, which is beneficial for protecting power switch M1. Furthermore, because a preset lower current limit is set for power switch M1, it prevents the drain-source voltage from increasing further, causing the third conversion current signal to become increasingly smaller, eventually resulting in a zero third conversion current signal. While this can prevent damage to power switch M1 due to excessive power, it may also render power switch M1 unusable or result in a weak load-carrying capacity (allowing for a very small current flow). In this case, power switch M1 still has a certain load-carrying capacity. When the drain-source voltage is greater than or equal to the upper voltage limit allowed in the specifications (i.e., the maximum voltage allowed by power supply 110), power switch M1 will be turned off, which is beneficial for protecting power switch M1.

[0092] In this embodiment, the difference between the second preset voltage and the first preset voltage is less than the first preset voltage, and ideally, this difference is less than half of the first preset voltage. This setting reduces complexity. In this embodiment, the difference between the upper voltage limit and the second preset voltage is also less than half of the first preset voltage. In this embodiment, the preset lower current limit is half of the preset upper current limit.

[0093] Generally speaking, once the intelligent electronic switch 200 is determined, the protection power of the general power switch M1 is also determined, and can then be obtained as needed. Figure 6 Curve 520 in the diagram represents the maximum power when the drain-source voltage is less than or equal to the first preset voltage. This power is generally more than 5% lower than the protection power, and preferably more than 10% lower. Similarly, when the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage and less than or equal to the second preset voltage, the maximum power of the power switch M1, i.e., the maximum power of the sloping segment of curve 520, is more than 5% lower than the protection power, and preferably more than 10% lower. Likewise, when the drain-source voltage is greater than the second preset voltage and less than or equal to the upper voltage limit allowed in the specifications, the product of the upper voltage limit and the lower current limit is the maximum power, which is generally more than 5% lower than the protection power, and preferably more than 10% lower. This configuration prevents the power on curve 520 from reaching or exceeding the protection power due to manufacturing processes or other factors, thus minimizing the impact on the intelligent electronic switch 200.

[0094] In this embodiment, the current subtractor does not obtain the difference by subtracting the first current limiting signal from the second converted current signal. Instead, it sets a first preset current signal and then associates the third current converted signal with the first preset current signal and the drain-source voltage to achieve power correlation. That is, the third current converted signal can characterize the power on the power switch M1. This is achieved by setting the third current limiting threshold to be less than or equal to the signal corresponding to the third current converted signal. Figure 6 Curve 520 in the diagram ensures that the real-time power on the power switch M1 is less than or equal to the product of the drain-source voltage and the corresponding signal of the third current conversion signal. This product must be less than the protection power, thus ensuring that the real-time power on the power switch M1 is less than the protection power and preventing the power switch M1 from overheating and being damaged.

[0095] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0096] It should be understood that "a plurality of" as used herein refers to two or more. Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the application disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the following claims.

[0097] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus embodiments, since they are basically similar to the method embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0098] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application shall still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A power-reducing intelligent electronic switch, characterized in that, include: The system includes a power supply terminal, a power ground terminal, a load output terminal, a current limiting terminal, and a switch control unit. The power supply terminal is used to connect to the positive terminal of the power supply, the power ground terminal is used to connect to the negative terminal of the power supply, the load output terminal is used to connect to the load, and the current limiting terminal is used to connect to an adjustment resistor. A power switch, with its first terminal connected to the power supply terminal or the power ground terminal, its second terminal connected to the load output terminal, and its control terminal connected to the switch control unit, which is used to control the power switch to turn on or off. A current limiting generation module is connected to the current limiting terminal, and the current limiting generation module outputs a corresponding first current limiting signal based on the resistance value of the regulating resistor; A voltage regulation module is connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of a power switch to obtain a drain-source voltage, and is also connected to a current limiting generation module. The voltage regulation module outputs a second current limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current limiting signal, wherein the second current limiting signal is less than the signal originating from the first current limiting signal, and wherein the larger the drain-source voltage, the smaller the second current limiting signal. A current limiting control unit, which is connected to the voltage regulation module, limits the current flowing through the power switch when the current flowing through the power switch is greater than or equal to a third current limiting threshold. The third current limiting threshold corresponds to the second current limiting signal. Within the upper voltage limit of the intelligent electronic switch, the power on the power switch is always less than the protection power; The voltage regulation module includes a voltage-to-current conversion module, an arithmetic unit, and a power limit comparison unit. The voltage-to-current conversion module is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch to convert the drain-source voltage into a corresponding first conversion current signal. The arithmetic unit performs calculations on the first preset current signal and the signal originating from the first conversion current signal to output a third conversion current signal. The product of the drain-source voltage and the signal originating from the third conversion current signal is less than the protection power. The power limiting comparison unit includes a first current mirror and a second current mirror; The first current mirror is used to mirror the current flowing through the current limiting generation module to obtain a first current corresponding signal. The second current mirror mirrors the third converted current signal to obtain a fourth converted current signal. The first current corresponding signal and the fourth converted current signal are located on the same current path. When the first current corresponding signal is greater than the fourth converted current signal, the fourth converted current signal is selected to correspond with the second current limiting signal.

2. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage regulation module includes a voltage-to-current conversion module and a calculation unit. The voltage-to-current conversion module is connected to the first and second terminals of the power switch to convert the drain-source voltage into a corresponding first conversion current signal. The calculation unit is connected to the voltage-to-current conversion module and the current limiting generation module. The calculation unit outputs the second current limiting signal based on the first conversion current signal and the first current limiting signal.

3. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second current limiting signal is obtained by subtracting the signal from the first current limiting signal from the signal from the first conversion current signal.

4. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage regulation module includes a reference upper limit current generation unit, which is used to generate a first preset current signal. The calculation unit is connected to the voltage-current conversion module and the reference upper limit current generation unit.

5. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third conversion current signal is obtained by subtraction calculation.

6. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power limiting comparison unit is connected to the current limiting generation module, the current limiting control unit, and the arithmetic unit. The first current mirror is connected to the current limiting generation module and the current limiting control unit, and the second current mirror is connected to the first current mirror and connected to the third converted current signal.

7. The intelligent electronic switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first current mirror includes a ninth MOSFET and a tenth MOSFET, and the second current mirror includes a seventh MOSFET, an eighth MOSFET, and an eleventh MOSFET; Wherein, the first end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to the current limiting generation module, the second end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to the first end of the eighth MOS transistor, the control end of the ninth MOS transistor is connected to its first end, the control end of the tenth MOS transistor is connected to the control end of the ninth MOS transistor, the first end of the tenth MOS transistor is used to output the second current limiting signal, and the second end of the tenth MOS transistor is connected to the first end of the eleventh MOS transistor. The control terminal of the eighth MOS transistor is connected to the control terminal of the seventh MOS transistor. The first terminal of the seventh MOS transistor is connected to its control terminal. The first terminal of the seventh MOS transistor is also connected to the third conversion current signal. The control terminal of the eleventh MOS transistor is connected to the control terminal of the eighth MOS transistor. The second terminals of the seventh MOS transistor, the eighth MOS transistor, and the eleventh MOS transistor are all connected to the power supply ground terminal.

8. The intelligent electronic switch according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, When the drain-source voltage is greater than the first preset voltage and less than the second preset voltage, the voltage regulation module outputs a second current limiting signal based on the drain-source voltage and the first current limiting signal. The greater the drain-source voltage is than the first preset voltage, the smaller the value of the second current limiting signal or the second current limiting signal.

9. An integrated circuit chip, characterized in that, The intelligent electronic switch includes any one of claims 1-8, wherein the power supply terminal is a power supply pin, the power ground terminal is a power ground pin, the load output terminal is a load output pin, and the current limiting terminal is a current limiting pin.

10. A chip product, characterized in that, Includes the intelligent electronic switch as described in any one of claims 1-8, wherein the components of the intelligent electronic switch other than the power switch are located on a first integrated circuit chip, and the power switch is located on a second integrated circuit chip; Wherein, the power supply terminal is a power supply pin, the power ground terminal is a power ground pin, the load output terminal is a load output pin, the current limiting terminal is a current limiting pin, the power supply pin, the power ground pin, and the current limiting pin are located on the first integrated circuit chip, and the load output pin is located on the second integrated circuit chip.

11. An electromechanical device, characterized in that, This includes the intelligent electronic switch as described in any one of claims 1-8, the integrated circuit chip as described in claim 9, or the chip product as described in claim 10; It also includes a power supply, a regulating resistor, a load, and a microprocessor, wherein the positive terminal of the power supply is connected to the power supply terminal, the negative terminal of the power supply is connected to the power supply ground terminal, one end of the load is connected to the load output terminal, the other end of the load is connected to the power supply ground terminal or the power supply terminal, the microprocessor is connected to the intelligent electronic switch, the first end of the regulating resistor is connected to the current limiting terminal, and the second end of the regulating resistor is connected to the power supply ground terminal.

12. The electromechanical equipment according to claim 11, characterized in that, The electromechanical equipment includes automobiles.

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