Multi-channel automatic charging method, charging distribution controller and system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of battery charging, in particular to a multipath automatic charging method, a charging distribution controller and a system. The charging distribution controller comprises a composite input port, a control module and at least two charging channels, and the composite input port is connected with an external charger through the same pair of wires and receives electric energy and charging control instructions at the same time. The control module receives and analyzes the control instruction, obtains the working state information of each charging channel, and outputs a channel conduction signal; and each charging channel comprises a channel input end, a controllable switch and a channel state output end, and is connected with a power supply to charge the target battery and feed back a state to the control module when receiving a conduction signal. In cooperation with a communication and power adjusting module of an external charger, automatic alternate charging of a plurality of batteries can be achieved, additional communication lines and power supply lines are not needed, the structure is simple, wiring is convenient, and the charging efficiency is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of battery charging, and in particular to a multi-channel automatic charging method, a charging distribution controller and a system. Background Art

[0002] Existing battery chargers can typically only charge a single battery at a time. If users need to charge multiple batteries simultaneously, they must configure multiple independent chargers or rotate batteries on the same charger. This is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also increases wiring complexity and operating costs. Furthermore, even if some existing solutions can achieve multi-way charging through additional expansion devices, they often require laying separate communication cables or independent power cables, making the system bulky and inconvenient to install.

[0003] In addition, in the multi-channel charging expansion scenario, the main charger cannot adjust the output voltage, current or switch the charging target according to the real-time status of different batteries (for example: whether the battery is full, whether the battery temperature is too high, whether a new battery is connected, etc.).

[0004] Therefore, how to use the same pair of wires to simultaneously complete power and command transmission without the need for separate power supply and communication lines, and realize automatic rotation charging of multiple batteries, has become a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to address the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a multi-channel automatic charging method, charging distribution controller and system. It is designed to simultaneously transmit power and charging control instructions on the same pair of wires without adding independent communication lines or additional power supply lines. In combination with the control module inside the device and the working status information of multiple charging channels, it can realize automatic rotation charging of multiple batteries.

[0006] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object through the following technical solutions: A charging distribution controller includes a composite input port, a control module and at least two charging channels; a composite input port, configured to be connected to a composite output port of an external main charger via a same pair of wires and to simultaneously receive power and charging control instructions from the composite output port; a control module, electrically connected to the composite input port, configured to receive and parse a charging control instruction sent from the external main charger, obtain operating status information of at least two charging channels and generate a channel status feedback signal received by the external main charger, select a target charging channel based on the charging control instruction and the operating status information, and output a channel conduction signal; at least two charging channels, each charging channel comprising a channel input, a controllable switch, and a channel status output; the channel input being coupled to the composite input port and configured to receive power from the external main charger; the controllable switch having a control terminal connected to the control module and configured to be turned on upon receiving the channel turn-on signal; and the channel status output being connected to the control module and configured to transmit operating status information of the charging channel to the control module; The control module returns the channel status feedback signal to the external main charger, and enables the external main charger to charge the multiple batteries in sequence without additional power supply lines and communication lines.

[0007] As a further solution of the present invention: a voltage stabilizing module is provided between the composite input port and the control module for converting the electric energy received from the composite output port into a stable voltage for normal operation of the control module.

[0008] As a further solution of the present invention: the controllable switch is a MOS tube or a relay.

[0009] As a further solution of the present invention: it also includes a detection unit, the input end of the detection unit is coupled to the channel input end of each charging channel, and the output end of the detection unit is connected to the control module, which is used to detect the voltage and / or current and / or temperature of the battery, and send the detection result to the control module as the working status information.

[0010] As a further solution of the present invention: after determining the target charging channel, the control module outputs an on signal to the corresponding controllable switch and outputs an off signal to other controllable switches, so as to realize a sequential or alternating working mode of multiple charging channels.

[0011] As a further solution of the present invention: the charging distribution controller further includes: a single-wire communication control circuit connected to the composite input port for transmitting and receiving variable pulse width protocol (VPW) signals on the same pair of wires; A supercapacitor unit is connected in parallel to the power input terminal of the control module, and is used to maintain the normal operation of the control module when the communication cycle level is low; The controllable switch is correspondingly provided on the positive electrode line of each charging channel, and is used to provide a charging path for the corresponding battery when the control module outputs a channel conduction signal; The undervoltage protection circuit is coupled to the composite input port and is used to block the power supply path and avoid excessively lowering the communication bus level when it is detected that the input voltage is lower than a set threshold.

[0012] A charging distribution expansion system comprising: an external main charger having a composite output port that simultaneously outputs power and sends charging control instructions through a single pair of wires; A charge distribution controller, comprising any one of the preceding charge distribution controllers, wherein the composite input port and the composite output port are connected via the same pair of conductors; The charging distribution controller receives the electric energy and charging control instructions output by the external main charger, and returns the channel status feedback signal to the external main charger, thereby automatically charging multiple batteries in turn without the need for additional power supply lines and communication lines.

[0013] As a further solution of the present invention: the external main charger further includes: a communication module, configured to modulate or superimpose charging control instructions on the composite output port and receive channel status feedback signals from the charging distribution controller; The power regulation module is used to regulate the output voltage or current according to the channel state feedback signal.

[0014] As a further solution of the present invention: the external main charger is also used to automatically enter a standby mode or a low power mode when it detects that each charging channel is fully charged or no battery is connected, and maintain a low current output on the composite output port for communication maintenance or monitoring.

[0015] A multi-channel automatic charging method comprises the following steps: Connection steps: Connect the composite input port of the charge distribution controller to the composite output port of the external main charger through the same pair of wires; Power-on step: the external main charger outputs electric energy through the composite output port and sends a charging control instruction to the charging distribution controller; Status acquisition step: the control module of the charging distribution controller obtains the working status information of at least two charging channels and returns a channel status feedback signal to the external main charger; Channel selection step: according to the charging control instruction and the channel working status information, the control module of the charging distribution controller determines the target charging channel and outputs a channel conduction signal; Charging execution step: the controllable switch of the target charging channel is turned on, and the external main charger provides charging to the battery connected to the charging channel; Rotational charging step: When charging of the target charging channel is completed or a fault occurs, the charging distribution controller turns off the controllable switch and executes the channel selection step again to charge the battery of the next target charging channel until all charging channels are fully charged or no battery is connected, thereby charging multiple batteries in turn; Low power consumption step: When all charging channels have completed charging or no battery is connected, the charging distribution controller and the external main charger enter standby or low power consumption mode, and the automatic multi-channel charging process can be completed without additional power supply lines or communication lines.

[0016] A multi-channel charging expansion circuit, characterized by comprising: an input circuit, configured to be connected to a composite output port of an external main charger and receive power and a single-wire communication signal from the composite output port; a communication control unit electrically connected to the input circuit, the communication control unit comprising a variable pulse width protocol transmitting circuit for generating a low-level communication pulse on the charger output line, and a load resistor group cooperating with the variable pulse width protocol transmitting circuit to pull down the output line level to form a single-line communication signal; an energy storage module, connected in parallel with the input circuit, including a supercapacitor, for maintaining operating power when the voltage is pulled low during a communication cycle; A channel control unit, including a MOS tube or a relay, is used to turn on the target output channel under the action of a control signal (i.e., a channel conduction signal), so that the external main charger can charge the corresponding battery; An undervoltage protection circuit is provided at the front end of the input circuit, and is used to detect the voltage of the composite output port and cut off the input power supply path when it is lower than a preset threshold, thereby preventing excessive discharge during the communication process; a control module interconnected with the communication control unit and the channel control unit, configured to parse charging instructions received from the external main charger and output a conduction signal according to the operating status of each charging channel, while feeding back the charging channel status to the external main charger; Among them, the multi-channel charging expansion circuit can simultaneously realize power input and single-line communication through the same pair of wires, and the power distribution and channel control process of multi-channel automatic charging can be completed without additional power supply lines or communication lines.

[0017] The charge distribution controller defined in the present invention, through the coordinated design of three major components: a composite input port, a control module, and at least two charging channels, can achieve automatic charging scheduling for multiple batteries without the need for additional wiring. Compared with the existing technology, the present invention has at least the following advantages: 1. A single pair of wires transmits both power and control commands: By configuring a composite input port, a single pair of wires is required to connect to an external main charger, transmitting both the required power and sending and receiving control commands. This solution significantly reduces wiring and plugging requirements, eliminating the need for separate communication cables or auxiliary power supply lines, making the system more streamlined and flexible.

[0018] 2. Multiple charging channels are centrally scheduled by the control module: At least two charging channels each include a controllable switch and a channel status output. The control module manages the opening and closing of the controllable switches. Upon receiving charging control commands from the external main charger and combining them with the operating status information provided by each channel, the control module selects the target charging channel and outputs a channel-on signal. This enables sequential power supply to multiple batteries, rapid switching, and fault isolation.

[0019] 3. Operating status information feedback enables automatic charging rotation: The channel status output terminal transmits the current channel operating status (e.g., battery connection, charging progress, abnormal status, etc.) to the control module, which then feeds the channel status back to the external main charger. This information exchange enables the external main charger to understand the actual needs of each channel in real time and adjust its output strategy. Compared to traditional methods with only one-way power output, the external main charger and the expansion device of the present invention form a closed-loop system that automatically switches according to different channel status, reducing human intervention, shortening charging cycles, and improving device utilization efficiency.

[0020] 4. No need for an additional controller or power supply: This invention emphasizes "simultaneously receiving power and charging control commands through a single pair of wires." This simplifies and eliminates the need for complex wiring, unlike traditional solutions that require separate power and communication cables. The entire device exposes only a single composite input port, significantly reducing hardware size, lowering costs, and facilitating installation and maintenance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a wiring diagram of the external main charger of the present invention used as an independent charger.

[0022] Figure 2 Schematic diagram for connecting an external main charger to a charge distribution controller for multiple batteries.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a circuit schematic diagram of the single-line communication control circuit of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a circuit schematic diagram of the power supply circuit of the charge distribution controller of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of the MCU main control circuit of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 1 is a circuit principle diagram of the indicator light circuit of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 7 4 is a circuit schematic diagram of the signal acquisition circuit of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a circuit schematic diagram of the charging channel output control circuit of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 9 It is a circuit principle diagram of the communication and discharge loop circuit of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 10 It is a partial schematic diagram of the transmission bits and the start and end times of the VPW transmission protocol of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 11 FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the overall hardware architecture of the external main charger of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 12 This is the overall hardware architecture diagram of the charge distribution controller of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 13 for Figure 11 The circuit schematic diagram of the external main charger.

[0034] Figure 14 This is an example diagram of a communication method of the VPW transmission protocol of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 15 This is another example diagram of a communication method of the VPW transmission protocol of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. It will be understood that the drawings are only provided for reference and illustration purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention. The connection relationship shown in the drawings is only for the convenience of clear description and does not limit the connection method.

[0037] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 15In an embodiment of the present invention, a charging distribution controller is provided, which can be connected to an external main charger (also known as an "upstream charger") through the same pair of wires to automatically charge multiple batteries in turn. Specifically: A charging distribution controller includes a composite input port, a control module, and at least two charging channels; A composite input port, used to connect to an external main charger through the same pair of wires and simultaneously receive power and charging control instructions from the external main charger through the same pair of wires; a control module, electrically connected to the composite input port, configured to receive and parse a charging control instruction sent from the external main charger, obtain operating status information of at least two charging channels and generate a channel status feedback signal received by the external main charger, select a target charging channel based on the charging control instruction and the operating status information, and output a channel conduction signal; At least two charging channels, each charging channel includes a channel input terminal, a controllable switch and a channel status output terminal; the channel input terminal is coupled to the composite input port and is used to receive power from the external main charger; the controllable switch is used to turn on when receiving the channel conduction signal; and the channel status output terminal is used to send operating status information of the charging channel to the control module.

[0039] The main functional features of the charging distribution controller of this solution are as follows: This optional standalone charger expands the charging capabilities of an external main charger (i.e., a single upstream charger) to multiple charging channels (similar to a USB bus expansion dock). The charge distribution controller requires no separate power supply; it is powered by the external main charger (via its composite output port) through a two-wire connection. The expansion unit eliminates the need for a separate communication cable; communication is accomplished through the external main charger's output charging cable. It utilizes a single-wire, low-speed, variable-pulse-width communication protocol, a low-power design, and includes buttons and an LED or LCD display for operation and indication.

[0040] Circuit part of the charging distribution expansion system It mainly includes an external main charger circuit and a charge distribution controller circuit, both of which have a low-speed variable pulse width communication protocol.

[0041] External main charger circuit: The charger includes an AC input, power supply circuit, primary MCU main control circuit, single-wire communication control circuit, current and voltage control circuits, output voltage and current sampling circuits, control circuits for a controllable switch (such as a MOS or relay), an LED indicator or LCD display, and a key processing circuit module. The charger also features an internal MOS tube or transformer temperature sampling circuit for charger protection, as well as a battery temperature detection circuit to meet the needs of temperature compensation for battery charging voltage in niche products.

[0042] Charge distribution controller circuit: The system includes a power supply circuit, a second MCU main control circuit (as part of the control module in the present invention), a single-line communication control circuit, a battery voltage sampling circuit, an LED indicator and button processing circuit, and a controllable switch circuit. The charging distribution controller circuit includes: a first charging interface, a second charging interface, and an Nth charging interface (this solution uses four charging channels as an example). Each charging channel includes a channel input terminal (coupled to the composite input port), a set of controllable switches, and a signal acquisition output terminal (for transmitting operating status information).

[0043] Charging method Method 1: Use as a standalone charger Users do not need to connect the charge distribution controller, and can charge a single battery by directly connecting the external main charger to the rechargeable battery.

[0044] Method 2: Connect a charging distribution controller to expand multi-channel charging First, connect the external main charger to an AC power source. Then, connect the charge distribution controller's composite input port to the external main charger's composite output port via the same pair of wires. The charge distribution controller can be equipped with a power button that turns on the controller circuit. Upon powering up, the charge distribution controller will initially communicate with the external main charger to confirm that the distribution controller is online. This allows the external main charger to determine line losses and MOS / relay losses during charging based on actual usage scenarios.

[0045] Typically, the charge distribution controller checks the voltage of each battery channel one by one. When it detects a battery waiting to be charged in a particular charging channel, it turns on the corresponding controllable switch to initiate charging. Once the external main charger completes charging of that channel, it notifies the charge distribution controller to switch to another charging channel. The charge distribution controller then checks the next channel to see if a battery is waiting to be charged. If so, it notifies the external main charger to initiate charging. Otherwise, it proceeds to the next channel, and this cycle continues, completing the charging cycle for multiple batteries.

[0046] This invention addresses the pain point of users needing to expand multiple charging channels. It can charge a single battery independently or, when coupled with a charge distribution controller, automatically charge or maintain multiple batteries in rotation. Using digital MCU technology, the external main charger can control charging voltage, current, and time according to user settings, including charging sequence and maintenance functions. Hardware design can also include buttons and LCD or LED displays for intelligent human-computer interaction.

[0047] According to information disclosed on the Business Research website (see link for details: https: / / www.businessresearchinsights.com / zh / market-reports / battery-charger-market-102762), the global battery charger market size was US$23,361.26 million in 2022 and is expected to reach US$51,970.89 million by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.54%. Common smart chargers can usually only charge a single battery individually. If users want to charge multiple batteries at once, they have to purchase multiple chargers or manually rotate the batteries, which is time-consuming and expensive. The present invention adds a small amount of single-line communication circuitry to the original charger and uses a low-cost charge distribution controller to automatically charge multiple batteries in rotation without the need for additional power or communication lines.

[0048] External main charger for upstream Figure 3 (Indication) The external main charger is similar to a common smart charger, except that it has an additional single-line communication circuit and protocol with the charge distribution controller. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the communication circuit. Figure 3 C-BUS1 or C-BUS2 is the communication control pin. When the C-BUS control pin is set high or low, the charger output control pin is set high or low. Because this is low-speed communication, with a baud rate of approximately 100-300 bps, debugging can be performed during development.

[0049] The schematic diagram of the scalable multi-channel charge distribution controller is divided into several parts: the power supply circuit, the second MCU main control circuit (control module), the indicator circuit, the signal acquisition circuit, the charging channel output control circuit, and the communication and discharge circuits. Each part is briefly described below.

[0050] Power supply circuit ( Figure 4 ) To eliminate the need for an external power supply, this design draws power from the output of an external main charger (combined output port). Alternatively, it can draw power from a 4-channel battery button for short-term activation of the charge distribution controller (or in the event of a mains power outage). Because the charging cable doubles as a communication line when not charging, the voltage level is pulled low during communication. Therefore, a supercapacitor is included within the circuit to handle low-voltage conditions during communication and maintain power to the MCU. In the figure, VI+ represents the positive output of the upper charger (corresponding to the wiring of the combined input port), and GND represents the common ground. To prevent the communication bus from being pulled low during power draw, this circuit incorporates undervoltage protection. This function uses voltage division to determine if the bus voltage is greater than 6V, cutting off power and preventing communication errors. To maintain power, the circuit includes four large-capacity electrolytic capacitors (C5 / C6 / C7 / C8), as well as a 1F supercapacitor (C9) for the MCU power supply.

[0051] Second MCU main control circuit ( Figure 5 ) The MCU main control circuit corresponds to the control module part of the present invention, including various signal control pins, reset and burning / simulation debugging interfaces, and a button SW2 for forced start, stop or switching of a charging channel indicator light and other functions.

[0052] Indicator light circuit ( Figure 6 ) It includes working indicators for four charging channels, and two additional lights can be used to indicate system working status or communication status. The software can be set to light up continuously when charging, flash when in standby mode, and turn off when there is no battery.

[0053] Signal acquisition circuit ( Figure 7 ) It is used to collect information such as input voltage, output voltage of four charging channels and internal temperature, and feed it back to the control module as working status information to achieve automated management.

[0054] Charging channel output control circuit ( Figure 8 ) The circuit design for the four charging channels uses a pair of P-MOS transistors for each channel. Control pins PMOS1 through PMOS4 are connected to the MCU, and the control module outputs channel on / off signals. For high-power scenarios, the P-MOS transistors can be replaced with relays.

[0055] Communication and discharge circuit ( Figure 9 ) Low-speed single-wire communication control circuit and discharge loop. When in standby mode or when the charging bus is idle, the MCU uses the Load signal to pull down the external main charger output signal VI+, achieving a "low" signal for single-wire communication. To communicate when not charging, the charger's maximum output current is approximately 0.2A, which is used to simultaneously power the charge distribution controller and send communication signals. When a low level is required, the MCU sets the Load pin high, turning on MOSFET Q13 and simultaneously discharging the high-power discharge resistor group R68, pulling down VI+ to enable communication.

[0056] External main charger hardware architecture ( Figure 11 ) like Figure 11 As shown, it mainly includes power supply circuit, first main MCU, voltage regulation, voltage sampling, current sampling, temperature sampling, key processing, LED or LCD display, charging control, communication control and other parts. Figure 13 A more detailed circuit diagram is given. This design can be directly connected to the battery for charging, or connected to the charging distribution controller of the present invention for multi-channel extended charging.

[0057] External main charger circuit diagram (see Figure 13 ,correspond Figure 11 ) 1) The charger's control power supply module: Since the MCU's supply voltage is 3.3V, power is drawn from the auxiliary winding of the AC / DC transformer, which is filtered and converted into a DC auxiliary power source or the main power source for charging the battery. These two inputs are combined, and in actual use, the higher voltage source is used to power VCC. The HT7533 LDO linear regulator reduces the voltage to 3.3V to power the MCU and peripheral devices.

[0058] 2) High-precision sampling resistors R51, R43, R44, R32 and operational amplifier U4 form a current sampling amplifier circuit for sampling the output current.

[0059] 3) The first MCU is the domestically produced GD32E230C8T6, and its ADB, ADC, ADBT, and ADUT are used for battery voltage sampling, output current sampling, battery temperature sampling (optional), and internal temperature sampling, respectively.

[0060] 4) The voltage loop control signal PWV and the current loop control signal PWA output by the MCU are both PWM signals output by the MCU internal timer, with a frequency generally ranging from 1 to 6 kHz. After RC filtering, they form the control signals of the voltage loop and the current loop with the voltage and current sampling signals. The operational amplifiers U4-D and U4-B respectively compare them to realize voltage and current control.

[0061] 5) The MCU output signal ON, MOS tubes Q10~Q11 and transistor Q9 form a MOS tube drive control circuit for charging output control.

[0062] 6) S1 is a button. When the MCU detects that the button signal is low, it means the button is pressed. It is used to switch the battery type, or long press to cut off the current gear.

[0063] 7) LED1~LED6 are charging status and battery voltage status indicators.

[0064] 8) LOAD2 can be used as a discharge circuit and can also be used as a drive communication control signal during communication.

[0065] It's also worth mentioning that the key to this solution lies in the ability of the charging distribution controller to receive power and charging instructions via a single pair of wires and perform multi-channel automatic charging. Therefore, the key focus of this solution is how the control module (second MCU) and corresponding circuitry within this independent distribution controller are configured to achieve distribution and automatic control. Preferably, the external main charger also incorporates a control module (first MCU) and corresponding circuitry, and an appropriate handshake protocol, such as the VPW protocol, is configured between the external main charger and the charging distribution controller for communication.

[0066] Overall hardware architecture of the charging distribution controller ( Figure 12 ) like Figure 12 It mainly includes the second main MCU, power supply circuit, single-line communication control circuit, voltage sampling, temperature sampling, button and LED (or LCD) indication circuit, plus charging channel control circuit, etc. Figure 15 A detailed control circuit schematic is also provided. The MCU (control module) monitors the voltage of each channel output port and, based on the required charging voltage start conditions and in conjunction with digital control logic, can rotate charging of multiple batteries.

[0067] Schematic diagram of the charge distribution controller (see Figure 4-Figure 9 ,correspond Figure 12 ) 1) The power supply of the charging distribution controller comes from an external main charger or battery: When the external main charger connected has normal output or outputs a communication waveform, the charging distribution controller can directly draw power from the output part of the connected charger. Generally, the output current of the connected charger is 0.2A when charging is not started. When the charger outputs communication data, the power supply circuit of the distribution controller has a 6V undervoltage protection function, that is, when the communication level is above 6V, power will be supplied to the power supply part. Since this charging distribution controller is a low-power MCU, the power supply circuit has a large electrolytic capacitor and 3.3V converted by LDO, and is designed with a super capacitor to maintain normal power supply for the MCU. When the connected charger is not connected to the mains and has no output, the user can use the button ( Figure 4 SW1 in the ) draws power directly from the battery.

[0068] 2) The core controller (second MCU) U1 uses the domestic GigaDevice Innovation MCU GD32E230 (other MCUs can also be replaced), with multi-channel analog-to-digital conversion channels, including four channels ADVB1 to ADVB4 for battery voltage sampling, ADVIN for input voltage VI sampling, one channel for temperature signal sampling, as well as four charging indicator lights and two working or communication indicator lights.

[0069] 3) R4, R3, Q13, D2 and four high-power resistors R68, R70, R72, and R73 form a discharge circuit, which is used to lower the communication line VI during communication (during communication, the maximum current provided on the VI line is 0.2A).

[0070] 4) Signal Acquisition: R1 and R2 form a voltage divider sampling circuit for the external main charger input VI. A small capacitor C1 performs high-frequency filtering on the sampled signal to reduce interference. R7 also adds a bias voltage to protect against short circuits or reverse connection of the charger. Similarly, R17, R19, C17, and R18 form a battery voltage divider sampling circuit for channel CH1+. R11, R12, C16, and R13 form a battery voltage sampling circuit for channel CH2+. R15, R16, C14, and R14 form a battery voltage sampling circuit for channel CH3+. R9, R10, C13, and R8 form a battery voltage sampling circuit for channel CH4+. Furthermore, R5 and NTC resistor R67 form a temperature sampling circuit for internal temperature monitoring. If the temperature is too high, the input can be shut down to protect the device.

[0071] 5) Charging output control section: PMOS1 and PMOS4 signals are four output control pins, which work with corresponding Q1 and Q4 as level converters to drive four pairs of MOS tube groups (Q5 / Q6Q11 / Q12), which serve as controllable switches for the four charging channels CH1 and CH4 respectively. (For high power, relays can be used instead. This schematic diagram and document use MOS tubes as examples.)

[0072] Core Control: The core concept of this embodiment of the present invention is to use a control module, namely an MCU, to monitor the voltage of multiple channel output ports. In combination with the variable pulse width single-wire communication protocol (VPW), data is exchanged with an external main charger. This enables the main charger to obtain the real-time status of each charging channel. Without the need for independent communication lines or additional power lines, the control module schedules each controllable switch to achieve sequential charging and fault isolation of multiple batteries, thereby achieving the purpose of intelligent charging and management.

[0073] Variable pulse width (VPW) single-wire communication protocol ( Figure 10 , Figure 14 , Figure 15 ) See Figure 10 This protocol uses a variable pulse width (VPW) method, which uses only one line for transmission. The protocol rate range is 100-300 bps. Half-duplex communication mode. Figure 10 The VPW protocol transmits bits and start and end times. The main characteristic of VPW protocol transmission is the constant level flipping. Communication levels are defined as low below 1V and high above 5V. Each byte is an 8-bit binary number. The communication pin is VI+ (the positive output of the upper charger), and data is transmitted over a single wire. Transmission is based on the data bit as the basic unit, and a start frame (SOF) or end frame (EOF) is defined: The start bit is a low level jump to a high level and maintain for 3500uS "SOF / EOF" or a high level jump to a low level and maintain for 3500uS "SOF / EOF"; the data bit representation after the start bit can be considered as: the level is constantly flipping, and each flip generates a new data bit. This data bit is "0" or "1" determined by the duration of the level when flipping. The data bit "0" is represented by a low level of 1000us or a high level of 2500us, and the data bit "1" is represented by a high level of 1000us or a low level of 2500us. That is: A high level jump to a low level and maintain for 2500uS is "1" or a low high level jump to a high level and maintain for 1000uS is "1"; A high level jump to a low level and maintain for 1000uS is "0" or a low high level jump to a high level and maintain for 2500uS is "0".

[0074] This protocol stipulates that the high bit of the data to be sent should be in the front and the low bit should be in the back. As for the specific data application protocol of the application layer, this solution will not describe it in detail. This protocol uses a variable pulse width (VPW) method that uses only one line for transmission. The protocol rate range is 100-300 bps. This is a half-duplex communication method. The following two examples illustrate this communication protocol: See Figure 14 , is to send a byte 0x51 using the VPW protocol, the level of binary (0101 0001) high and low and the duration of the high and low levels. Taking the current level as the low starting instruction, a start signal is sent first, the level jumps to high and maintains for 3500uS, indicating that the data frame begins to be sent. The following is the process of sending 0101 0001: Send the first bit 0: After jumping to low level, maintain 1000uS, Send the second bit 1: After jumping to high level, maintain 1000uS, Send the third bit 0: After jumping to low level, maintain 1000uS, Send the 4th bit 1: After jumping to high level, maintain 1000uS, Send the 5th bit 0: After jumping to low level, maintain 1000uS, Send the 6th bit 0: After jumping to high level, maintain 2500uS, Send the 7th bit 0: After jumping to low level, maintain 1000uS, Send the 8th bit 1: After jumping to high level, maintain 1000uS, Send end frame mark: After jumping to low level, maintain 3500uS.

[0075] See Figure 15 , is to send a byte 0x51 using the VPW protocol, the level of binary (0101 0001) and the duration of the high and low levels. Taking the current level as the high start, a start signal is sent first, the level jumps to low and maintains for 3500uS, indicating that the data frame begins to be sent. The following is the process of sending 0101 0001: Send the first bit 0: After jumping to high level, maintain 2500uS, Send the second bit 1: After jumping to low level, maintain 2500uS, Send the third bit 0: After jumping to high level, maintain 2500uS, Send the 4th bit 1: After jumping to low level, maintain 2500uS, Send the 5th bit 0: After jumping to high level, maintain 2500uS, Send the 6th bit 0: After jumping to low level, maintain 1000uS, Send the 7th bit 0: After jumping to high level, maintain 2500uS, Send the 8th bit 1: After jumping to low level, maintain 2500uS, Send end frame mark: After jumping to high level, maintain 3500uS, The above two types of sending data waveforms both send data hexadecimal 0x51.

[0076] It can be seen from the waveform duration that the duration of sending a frame of data in this variable pulse width modulation method is different. Even if the same frame of data is sent, the sending duration is different under different starting levels.

[0077] The application layer protocol is defined in a master-slave mode and can be customized based on specific needs. Data such as battery type, charging current, voltage at each stage, and line loss compensation can be transmitted to notify the master charger.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can cross-reference or superimpose the various embodiments of this solution, which still falls within the original disclosure scope of this solution. In addition, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-channel automatic charging method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Connection steps: Connect the composite input port of the charge distribution controller to the composite output port of the external main charger through the same pair of wires; Power-on step: the external main charger outputs electric energy through the composite output port and sends a charging control instruction to the charging distribution controller; Status acquisition step: the control module of the charging distribution controller obtains the working status information of at least two charging channels and returns a channel status feedback signal to the external main charger; Channel selection step: according to the charging control instruction and the channel working status information, the control module of the charging distribution controller determines the target charging channel and outputs a channel conduction signal; Charging execution step: the controllable switch of the target charging channel is turned on, and the external main charger provides charging to the battery connected to the charging channel; Rotational charging step: When the charging of the target charging channel is completed or a fault occurs, the charging distribution controller turns off the controllable switch and executes the channel selection step again to charge the battery of the next target charging channel.

2. A charging distribution controller, characterized in that: including a composite input port, a control module, and at least two charging channels; A composite input port, connected by an external main charger, for receiving power and charging control instructions from the external main charger; a control module, electrically connected to the composite input port, configured to receive a charging control instruction transmitted from the external main charger, obtain operating status information of at least two charging channels and generate a channel status feedback signal received by the external main charger, select a target charging channel based on the charging control instruction and the operating status information, and output a channel conduction signal; At least two charging channels, each charging channel including a channel input, a controllable switch, and a channel status output; The channel input end is coupled to the composite input port and is used to receive power from the external main charger; the controllable switch is used to be turned on when receiving the channel conduction signal; and the channel status output end is used to send the working status information of the charging channel to the control module.

3. The charge distribution controller according to claim 2, characterized in that: A voltage stabilizing module for converting the electric energy received from the composite output port into a stable voltage is provided between the composite input port and the control module.

4. The charge distribution controller according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controllable switch is a MOS tube or a relay; The composite input port is used to connect to an external main charger through the same pair of wires, and simultaneously receive power and charging control instructions from the external main charger through the wires.

5. The charge distribution controller according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a detection unit, the input end of the detection unit is coupled to the channel input end of each charging channel, and the output end of the detection unit is connected to the control module, which is used to detect the voltage and / or current and / or temperature of the battery, and send the detection result to the control module as the working status information.

6. The charging distribution controller according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: After determining the target charging channel, the control module outputs an on signal to the corresponding controllable switch and outputs an off signal to other controllable switches.

7. The charge distribution controller according to claim 2, characterized in that: The charging distribution controller further includes: a single-wire communication control circuit connected to the composite input port for transmitting and receiving variable pulse width protocol signals on the same pair of wires; A supercapacitor unit is connected in parallel to the power input terminal of the control module and is used to maintain the operation of the control module when the communication cycle level is low; The controllable switch is correspondingly provided on the positive electrode line of each charging channel, and is used to provide a charging path for the corresponding battery when the control module outputs a channel conduction signal; The undervoltage protection circuit is coupled to the composite input port and is used to block the power supply path and avoid excessively lowering the communication bus level when it is detected that the input voltage is lower than a set threshold.

8. A charging distribution expansion system, characterized in that: include: an external main charger having a composite output port that simultaneously outputs power and sends charging control instructions through a single pair of wires; The charging distribution controller is the charging distribution controller according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 7, wherein the composite input port and the composite output port are connected through the same pair of wires.

9. The charging distribution expansion system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The external main charger further comprises: a communication module, configured to modulate or superimpose charging control instructions on the composite output port and receive channel status feedback signals; The power regulation module is used to regulate the output voltage or current according to the channel state feedback signal.

10. The charging distribution expansion system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The external main charger is further configured to automatically enter a standby mode or a low power consumption mode and maintain a low current output on the composite output port when detecting that each charging channel is fully charged or no battery is connected.

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