Power supply control method and device and electronic equipment
By detecting the interface status in electronic devices and providing the required or preset voltage to external devices, a power supply control method is developed, which solves the problem of electronic devices not being able to provide sufficient power, improves charging efficiency, and optimizes PCB board space utilization.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- LENOVO (BEIJING) LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
Smart Images
Figure CN121939769A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of control, and more particularly to a power supply control method, apparatus, and electronic device. Background Technology
[0002] Electronic devices are equipped with interfaces (ports) that enable data exchange and power supply, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) type-C interface and TBT (Thunderbolt) interface.
[0003] As interface protocols are updated, the amount of power that can be supplied to connected external devices through the interface is increasing. If each interface of an electronic device is designed to provide the required voltage for the external device, the electronic device itself may not be able to provide enough power due to the increasing voltage requirements of the external device and the limited power it can provide, resulting in a decrease in overall charging efficiency. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a power supply control method applied to electronic devices, comprising:
[0005] Based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, a first voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface, and the first voltage is the required voltage of the first external device;
[0006] A second voltage is provided to a second external device through a second interface. The second voltage is a preset voltage provided by the electronic device. The second voltage is different from the first voltage. The second interface is one of the at least two interfaces that is different from the first interface.
[0007] A second aspect of this application provides a power supply control device for use in electronic equipment, comprising:
[0008] A control unit and a power supply structure, wherein the power supply structure includes a first circuit and a second circuit;
[0009] The first circuit is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of at least two interfaces of an electronic device, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface.
[0010] The second circuit is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface, the second voltage being a preset voltage of the power supply structure, the second interface being connected to a second external device, and the second interface being an interface that is different from the first interface among the at least two interfaces;
[0011] The control unit is connected to the at least two interfaces and the power supply structure respectively. The control unit can control the interface to connect to the first circuit or the second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to the external device through the interface.
[0012] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device, comprising:
[0013] At least two interfaces and a power supply control device; the power supply control device includes a control unit and a power supply structure, the power supply structure including a first circuit and a second circuit;
[0014] The interface is used to connect external devices;
[0015] The first circuit is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of the at least two interfaces, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface;
[0016] The second circuit is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface, the second voltage being a preset voltage of the power supply structure, the second interface being connected to a second external device, and the second interface being an interface that is different from the first interface among the at least two interfaces;
[0017] The control unit is connected to the at least two interfaces and the power supply structure respectively. The control unit can control the interface to connect to the first circuit or the second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to the external device through the interface.
[0018] The fourth aspect of this application provides a computer program product including computer-readable instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to implement the power supply control method of the first aspect or any implementation thereof.
[0019] The fifth aspect of this application provides a computer storage medium carrying one or more computer programs, which, when executed by an electronic device, enable the electronic device to implement the power supply control method described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description
[0020] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic, and the originals and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the current electronic device structure;
[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a power supply control method provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a process provided in an embodiment of the present application, based on detecting that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, and providing a first voltage to a first external device through a first interface;
[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of providing a first voltage to a first external device through a first interface, provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a power supply control device provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0026] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of the power supply control device provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0027] Figure 7 This is another structural schematic diagram of the power supply control device provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device using a power supply control method provided in this application embodiment in an application scenario;
[0030] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a power supply control method provided in this application embodiment in an application scenario. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used in the implementation section of this application is for explaining specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.
[0032] The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, with technological advancements and the emergence of new scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.
[0033] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate; this is merely a way of distinguishing objects with the same attributes in the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not explicitly listed or inherent to those processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.
[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a current electronic device. In this diagram, the electronic device includes two interfaces 101-102, each interface corresponding to a voltage conversion circuit 103-104. The two voltage conversion circuits 103-104 can adopt the same structure. Each voltage conversion circuit (buck boost) provides power to the external device connected to its interface. When an external device is connected to interface 101, voltage conversion circuit 103 provides the required voltage to the external device; when an external device is connected to interface 102, voltage conversion circuit 104 provides the required voltage to the external device.
[0035] However, when each interface of this electronic device is designed to provide the required voltage for external devices, the increasing voltage requirements of these devices may lead to insufficient power supply from the electronic device, resulting in reduced overall charging efficiency. Furthermore, the voltage conversion circuit for each interface occupies considerable space on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board), further restricting the PCB layout and design due to the need for additional hardware structures.
[0036] Therefore, in the power supply control method, apparatus, and electronic device provided in this application, a first interface provides the required voltage to an external device, and a second interface provides a preset voltage to the external device. While ensuring the required voltage for one external device, the preset voltage that the electronic device can provide is provided to the remaining external devices connected to the interfaces. This allows the limited electrical energy of the electronic device to provide the required voltage to one external device and also provides charging energy to the remaining external devices. Furthermore, since only the required voltage needs to be provided to one external device, the space occupied on the PCB board can be reduced by setting a limited number of voltage conversion circuits.
[0037] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 2This is a flowchart illustrating a power supply control method provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the power supply control method provided in this application embodiment may include steps 201 to 202, which are described in detail below.
[0038] 201. Based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, a first voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface, wherein the first voltage is the required voltage of the first external device;
[0039] This power supply control method is applied to an electronic device that includes at least two interfaces, wherein a first interface is connected to a first external device and a second interface is connected to a second external device. The interfaces in this electronic device can be either USB Type-C or TBT interfaces; this application does not impose any restrictions.
[0040] This electronic device has multiple interfaces, and the status of each interface can be detected to determine whether an external device is connected.
[0041] As an example, when the interface is a USB Type-C interface, you can determine whether a device is connected to the interface by detecting whether there is current on the VBUS (Voltage Bus) line in the USB interface. If there is current on the VBUS line, it means that an external device is plugged into the interface; otherwise, no external device is plugged into the interface.
[0042] When at least two interfaces of the electronic device are connected to external devices, the first interface provides the required voltage for the first external device, thereby providing the first external device with the required voltage that meets its needs.
[0043] In one possible implementation, the first interface may be a subset of the interfaces in the electronic device; it may be one or a finite number of interfaces, such as half of the total number of interfaces in the electronic device.
[0044] For example, if the required voltage is 20V, then 20V of power is supplied to the first external device through the first interface.
[0045] 202. Provide a second voltage to a second external device through a second interface. The second voltage is a preset voltage provided by the electronic device. The second voltage is different from the first voltage. The second interface is an interface that is different from the first interface among at least two interfaces.
[0046] The second interface is an interface that is different from the first interface among multiple interfaces of the electronic device. When there is only one first interface, the second interface can be all the remaining interfaces among the multiple interfaces. When there is a finite number of first interfaces, the number of second interfaces can be the same as the number of first interfaces. The second interface and the first interface correspond one-to-one.
[0047] As an example, this electronic device has two interfaces: a first interface that provides the required voltage to an external device, and a second interface that provides a preset voltage to the external device. Since the required voltage of the external device differs from the preset voltage, a voltage conversion module can be included only in the structure corresponding to the first interface. Because the second interface provides the preset voltage to the external device, a voltage conversion module is not required; instead, a voltage conversion module can be placed on the PCB board of the electronic device.
[0048] As an example, this electronic device has four interfaces. One of them is designated as the first interface, providing the required voltage to external devices. The remaining three are designated as the second interfaces, providing a preset voltage to these external devices. Since the required voltage of the external devices differs from the preset voltage, a voltage conversion module can be installed only in the power supply structure corresponding to the first interface. Because the second interfaces provide the preset voltage, a voltage conversion module is not required in the power supply structure; instead, a single voltage conversion module can be installed on the PCB board of the electronic device. Compared to installing a voltage conversion module for each interface, this reduces the number of voltage conversion modules by three. This allows for providing the required voltage to the external device connected to the first interface while also providing partial power to the external devices connected to the remaining three interfaces.
[0049] As an example, this electronic device has four interfaces. Two of them are designated as the first interface, providing the required voltage to external devices. The remaining two are designated as the second interface, providing a preset voltage to external devices. Since the required voltage of the external device differs from the preset voltage, a voltage conversion module can be installed only in the power supply structure corresponding to the first interface. Because the second interface provides the preset voltage to the external device, a voltage conversion module is not required in the power supply structure. Two voltage conversion modules can be installed on the PCB board of the electronic device. Compared to installing a voltage conversion module for each interface, the number of voltage conversion modules required is reduced by half.
[0050] For example, the preset voltage that the electronic device can provide is 5V, and correspondingly, it provides 5V of power to the second external device through the second interface.
[0051] It should be noted that steps 101 and 102 are parallel steps, used to restrict the second interface from providing a second voltage to the connected external device while the first interface provides the required voltage to the connected external device. In the specific implementation, the order of the two steps is not restricted.
[0052] In this embodiment, based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, a first voltage is provided to a first external device through a first interface. This first voltage is the voltage required by the first external device. A second voltage is provided to a second external device through a second interface. This second voltage is a preset voltage provided by the electronic device and is different from the first voltage. The second interface is the interface that is different from the first interface among the at least two interfaces. When the electronic device is connected to multiple external devices through interfaces, it can provide the required voltage to the connected first external device through the first interface and provide the preset voltage to the connected second external device through the second interface. This utilizes the limited power of the electronic device, ensuring that the required voltage is provided to the first external device and charging power is also provided to the remaining external devices. This at least guarantees the power needs of the first external device and also meets at least part of the power needs of the other external devices. Moreover, since only the required voltage needs to be provided to one external device, the space occupied on the PCB board can be reduced by setting a limited number of voltage conversion circuits.
[0053] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a process provided by an embodiment of the present application, which is based on detecting that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, and providing a first voltage to a first external device through a first interface. It may include steps 301 to 303, which are described in detail below.
[0054] 301. Based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, determine the first external device among the at least two external devices;
[0055] An electronic device is provided with multiple interfaces, each of which can connect to an external device. When multiple external devices are connected to the sub-device, one of the connected external devices is selected as the first external device, which is the device that is subsequently powered according to the required voltage.
[0056] When an external device connects to an electronic device via an interface, the external device and the electronic device engage in a handshake process. During this process, the external device can transmit parameters required for the charging process, such as its required voltage, to the electronic device.
[0057] In one possible implementation, the first external device is determined among at least two external devices, including any one of the following:
[0058] 1. Based on the connection time of each external device, determine the first external device from at least two external devices, wherein the connection time of the first external device is earlier than the connection time of the second external device;
[0059] Based on the order in which external devices are connected, the external device that was connected earlier is designated as the first external device, and the external device that was connected later is designated as the second external device.
[0060] In one possible implementation, there is only one first external device among the multiple external devices. The earliest connected external device can be designated as the first external device, and all external devices connected at subsequent times can be designated as second external devices. If the earliest connected external device disconnects from the electronic device, the external device that connected earliest among the remaining connected external devices is designated as the new first external device, and so on, until all external devices connected to the electronic device disconnect from the electronic device.
[0061] As an example, when connecting an external device to an interface, the electronic device determines the number of external devices currently connected. If the number of external devices is 1, it is determined that only one external device is currently connected, and this external device is designated as the first external device. If the number of external devices is an integer greater than 1, it is determined that other external devices were connected before this external device was connected, and this external device is designated as the second external device.
[0062] In one possible implementation, there are multiple first external devices among the multiple external devices. For example, if two interfaces correspond to one voltage conversion module, the external device that is connected earlier to the two interfaces can be designated as the first external device, and the external device that is connected later can be designated as the second external device. If two interfaces correspond to the same voltage conversion module, the current first external device is disconnected from the electronic device, and the external device connected to the remaining interface is designated as the new first external device.
[0063] As an example, when an external device is connected to a certain interface, the number of external devices connected to the interface group to which the interface belongs is determined. An interface group contains 2 interfaces. If the number is 1, it is determined that there is only one external device currently connected to the interface group, and that external device is designated as the first external device. If the number of external devices is an integer of 2, it is determined that other external devices were connected before that external device was connected, and that external device is designated as the second external device.
[0064] 2. Based on the priority of each external device, determine the first external device from at least two external devices, with the priority of the first external device being higher than that of the second external device.
[0065] In electronic devices, priorities are set for external devices. When an external device connects to an electronic device through an interface, the priority of that external device is determined, and then the first external device is selected from the connected external devices based on that priority.
[0066] In one possible implementation, there is only one first external device among the multiple external devices. The highest priority external device among the connected external devices can be designated as the first external device, and the remaining external devices can be designated as second external devices. If the highest priority external device is disconnected from the electronic device, the highest priority external device among the remaining connected external devices is designated as the new first external device, and so on, until all external devices connected to the electronic device are disconnected from the electronic device.
[0067] As an example, when connecting external devices to an interface, the priority of each connected external device is determined. If the priority of the currently connected external device is lower, it is designated as the second external device. If the priority of the currently connected external device is higher than the priority of the other connected external devices, it is designated as the first external device, and the remaining connected external devices are designated as the second external devices.
[0068] In one possible implementation, there are multiple first external devices among the multiple external devices. For example, if two interfaces correspond to one voltage conversion module, the external device with the higher priority connected to the two interfaces can be designated as the first external device, and the external device with the lower priority can be designated as the second external device. If two interfaces correspond to the same voltage conversion module, the current first external device is disconnected from the electronic device, and the external device connected to the remaining interface is designated as the new first external device.
[0069] As an example, when connecting an external device to a certain interface, determine the number of external devices connected to the interface group to which that interface belongs. An interface group contains 2 interfaces. Determine the priority of the two external devices connected to that interface group, designating the external device with the higher priority as the first external device and the external device with the lower priority as the second external device.
[0070] 302. Select the interface corresponding to the first external device as the first interface;
[0071] After identifying the first external device, the interface in the electronic device to which the first external device is connected is designated as the first interface.
[0072] The number of first interfaces and first external devices is the same. If there are multiple first external devices determined in step 301, there are also multiple first interfaces determined accordingly; if there is only one first external device determined in step 301, there is also only one first interface determined accordingly.
[0073] 303. Provide a first voltage to the first external device through the first interface.
[0074] The first voltage is the required voltage of the first external device. This required voltage differs from the preset voltage that the electronic device can provide; generally, the required voltage is greater than the preset voltage. Accordingly, in order to provide the first voltage to the external device, the electronic device is equipped with a voltage conversion module, which converts the preset voltage into the required voltage.
[0075] Accordingly, after the first interface is determined, the power supply structure of the first external device and the electronic device is connected through the first interface. The power supply structure includes the voltage conversion module, which converts the preset voltage into the required voltage and provides the required voltage to the first external device through the first interface.
[0076] In this embodiment, based on the detection of at least two interfaces connected to external devices, a first external device is determined from the at least two external devices; the interface corresponding to the first external device is selected as the first interface; and a first voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface. When multiple external devices are connected to the interface of an electronic device, a first external device is determined from the multiple connected external devices, and the interface connected to the first external device is designated as the first interface. The required voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface, thereby achieving the purpose of providing the required voltage to the first external device among the multiple external devices connected to the electronic device.
[0077] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a process for providing a first voltage to a first external device through a first interface, provided in an embodiment of this application. It may include steps 401 to 403, which are described in detail below.
[0078] 401. Determine the first voltage based on the connection information of the first external device;
[0079] This connection information includes electrical connection-related information such as the required voltage and current of the external device.
[0080] When external devices and electronic devices connect, the connection information is transmitted to the electronic device. Specifically, when an external device connects to an electronic device through an interface, a handshake process is performed, during which the external device transmits the connection information to the electronic device.
[0081] When an external device and an electronic device are connected, the electronic device receives the connection information. By parsing the connection information, it can obtain the required voltage of the external device, which is used as the first voltage.
[0082] In one possible implementation, during the handshake process between the external device and the electronic device, the handshake process is implemented by the corresponding structure of the electronic device, such as an EC (Embedded Controller). After the handshake is completed, the connection information involved in the handshake process is stored in a preset storage space. The device executing the power supply control method in this embodiment obtains the connection information from the preset storage space to determine the first voltage.
[0083] In one possible implementation, the required voltage of each external device is determined during the connection process with the electronic device. When the external device is connected as the first external device, its required voltage can be used as the first voltage; if the external device is connected as the second external device, its required voltage can be recorded after it is determined, so that when the external device becomes the first external device later, its required voltage can be used as the first voltage.
[0084] 402. Control the first circuit to conduct, the first circuit comprising a voltage conversion module and a first interface;
[0085] After determining the first voltage required by the first external device, control the opening of the charging path for the first external device.
[0086] The charging path for the first external device is a first circuit, which includes a voltage conversion module and a first interface. The voltage conversion module can convert a preset voltage provided by the electronic device into the first voltage.
[0087] This voltage conversion module can employ a voltage conversion circuit.
[0088] In practical applications, the first circuit may also include other structures, which are not limited in this application.
[0089] 403. The control voltage conversion module generates a first voltage to provide the first voltage to the first external device through the first interface.
[0090] After the first circuit is turned on, the voltage conversion module is controlled to convert the preset voltage into the first voltage, and the first voltage is provided to the first external device connected to it through the first interface.
[0091] In one possible implementation, after the first control circuit is turned on, the voltage conversion module is enabled, and the value of the first voltage is used as the control parameter of the voltage conversion module to control the voltage conversion module to convert the preset voltage into the first voltage.
[0092] In this embodiment, a first voltage is determined based on the connection information of the first external device; a first circuit is controlled to conduct, the first circuit comprising a voltage conversion module and a first interface; the voltage conversion module is controlled to generate the first voltage to provide the first voltage to the first external device through the first interface. Based on the connection information uploaded by the first external device and the electronic device, the required voltage of the first external device is determined, and this required voltage is used as the first voltage that the electronic device needs to provide to the external device. The first circuit is then controlled to conduct, triggering the voltage conversion module in the first circuit to generate the first voltage. This first voltage is then provided to the first external device, thus automatically determining and providing the first voltage to the connected first external device, improving the charging efficiency of the first external device.
[0093] In one possible implementation, providing a second voltage to a second external device via a second interface includes:
[0094] The second circuit is controlled to be turned on. The second circuit includes a circuit consisting of a preset power module and a second interface. The preset power module is used to generate a second voltage to provide a second voltage to a second external device through the second interface.
[0095] After the second external device is connected to the electronic device through the second interface, the second circuit in the electronic device is turned on.
[0096] The second circuit includes a circuit consisting of a preset power supply module and the second interface. The preset power supply module is a module in an electronic device that can provide a preset voltage.
[0097] When the second circuit is turned on, the preset power module provides the preset voltage to the second external device connected to it through the second interface.
[0098] For example, the preset voltage provided by the preset power module of the electronic device is 5V. Accordingly, when the second circuit is turned on, the preset power module provides 5V of power to the external device connected to the second interface.
[0099] In practical applications, the second circuit may also include other structures, which are not limited in this application.
[0100] In this embodiment, the electronic device is provided with a second circuit, which includes a circuit consisting of a preset power module for generating a preset voltage and a second interface. After the second external device is connected to the second interface, the second circuit is controlled to be turned on, and the circuit between the preset power module in the second circuit and the external device is turned on. The preset power module outputs electrical energy of the preset voltage to provide a second voltage to the second external device. The automatic control of the second circuit can maintain the charging process of the second external device.
[0101] One possible implementation also includes:
[0102] A third external device is connected based on the third interface of at least two interfaces, and a third voltage is provided to the third external device through the third interface. The third voltage is the required voltage of the third external device or a preset voltage provided by the electronic device.
[0103] The third interface can be the only interface among all the interfaces of the electronic device that connects to an external device, and the external device connected to it is regarded as the third external device.
[0104] If only one of the interfaces of an electronic device is connected to an external device, the required voltage or a preset voltage can be provided to that external device according to the actual situation.
[0105] In one possible implementation, when an external device is connected to an interface, the electronic device determines the number of external devices currently connected. If the number of external devices is 1, the external device is designated as the third external device, and the interface connected to the external device is designated as the third interface.
[0106] During the connection process between the third external device and the electronic device, the required voltage of the third device can be determined through the connection information provided by the third device. If the required voltage is provided by the voltage conversion module in the electronic device, then the required voltage can be provided to the third external device through the third interface.
[0107] During the connection process between a third external device and an electronic device, if the required voltage of the third device cannot be determined based on the connection information provided by the third device, a preset voltage can be provided to the third external device through the third interface.
[0108] During the connection process between the third external device and the electronic device, the required voltage of the third device can be determined through the connection information provided by the third device. However, if the required voltage cannot be provided by the voltage conversion module in the electronic device, a preset voltage can be provided to the third external device through the third interface.
[0109] In one possible implementation, if a preset voltage is provided to charge a third external device, and another external device is subsequently connected via an interface, the process described in the previous embodiment can be followed to identify the first external device among the subsequently connected external devices and provide the required voltage to the first external device.
[0110] In this embodiment, a third external device is connected to a third interface among at least two interfaces. A third voltage is provided to the third external device through the third interface. This third voltage is either the required voltage of the third external device or a preset voltage provided by the electronic device. When a third external device is connected to a third interface among multiple interfaces of the electronic device, only one of the multiple interfaces is connected to the external device. This external device, acting as the third external device, can be provided with the required voltage or the preset voltage, enabling flexible provision of charging voltage to the external device and improving the compatibility of the electronic device.
[0111] The above describes a power supply control method provided by an embodiment of this application. The following describes an apparatus for performing the above power supply control method.
[0112] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a power supply control device provided in an embodiment of this application. This power supply control device is applied in electronic devices that serve as power sources. Figure 5 As shown, the power supply control device 500 includes:
[0113] The control unit 501 and the power supply structure 502, the power supply structure including a first circuit 5021 and a second circuit 5022;
[0114] The diagram shows two interfaces. These are only schematic representations; in a real implementation, there may be more interfaces. The number of interfaces shown in the diagram is not intended to limit the power supply control device.
[0115] The first circuit 5021 is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of at least two interfaces of an electronic device, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface.
[0116] The second circuit 5022 is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface. The second voltage is a preset voltage of the power supply structure. The second interface is connected to a second external device. The second interface is an interface that is different from the first interface among at least two interfaces.
[0117] The control unit 501 is connected to at least two interfaces and a power supply structure 502 respectively. The control unit can control the interface to connect to the first circuit or the second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to the external device through the interface.
[0118] Control unit 501 controls the connection method between the first circuit and the second circuit in the power supply structure and multiple interfaces in the electronic device. The control unit controls the first circuit to connect to the first interface and controls the second circuit to connect to the second interface.
[0119] For example, if the first external device requires a voltage of 20V, the control unit controls the first circuit to provide 20V power to the first external device through the first interface. If the electronic device can provide a preset voltage of 5V, the control unit controls the second circuit to provide 5V power to the second external device through the second interface.
[0120] The control unit can determine the first interface and the second interface according to the implementation method in the aforementioned power supply control method embodiments, and can provide the required voltage to the external device through the first interface and the preset voltage to the external device through the second interface according to the implementation method in the aforementioned power supply control method embodiments.
[0121] In practical applications, the power supply control device can be a power source in electronic equipment, such as a PSU (Power Supply Unit), or it can be an adapter used with electronic equipment. This application does not limit the actual application structure of the power supply control device.
[0122] In this embodiment, the power supply control device includes a control unit and a power supply structure, which includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit provides a first voltage to a first interface, which is the required voltage for a first external device connected to the first interface. The second circuit provides a second voltage to a second interface, which is a preset voltage. The first interface and the second interface are different. By controlling the two circuits in the power supply structure to connect to different interfaces through the control unit, automatic control can be achieved to provide the required voltage or preset voltage for the external device to the two different interfaces. The required voltage can be provided to the connected first external device through the first interface, and the preset voltage can be provided to the connected second external device through the second interface. This utilizes the limited power of electronic devices, ensuring that the required voltage is provided to the first external device and charging power is also provided to the remaining external devices. While ensuring the power needs of the first external device are met, the power needs of other external devices can also be partially met. Moreover, since only the required voltage needs to be provided to one external device, the space occupied on the PCB board can be reduced by setting a limited number of voltage conversion circuits.
[0123] Figure 6 This is another structural schematic diagram of the power supply control device provided in the embodiment of this application. The power supply control device 600 includes: a control unit 601 and a power supply structure 602. The power supply structure includes a first circuit 6021 and a second circuit 6022.
[0124] The structure and function of this control unit are explained in the foregoing device embodiments and will not be repeated here.
[0125] The first circuit 6021 includes a first switching element 60211 and a voltage conversion module 60212;
[0126] The first switching element 60211 is used to connect the first interface and the voltage conversion module 60212. When the first switching element is closed, the voltage conversion module is connected to the first interface and provides a first voltage to the first interface.
[0127] The first circuit includes a first switching element and a voltage conversion module. The first switching element is connected to the first interface and the voltage conversion module. By controlling the first switching element to close, the first interface and the voltage conversion module are turned on. After they are turned on, the voltage conversion module provides a first voltage to the first interface, thereby providing a first voltage to the first external device.
[0128] In one possible implementation, in conjunction with the switching state of the first switching element, the control unit can also control whether the voltage conversion module is enabled. When the first switching element is closed, the control unit 601 controls the voltage conversion module to be enabled, the voltage conversion module generates a first voltage, and provides the first voltage to a first external device connected to the first interface through the first interface.
[0129] In one possible implementation, the control unit 601 can control the switching state of the first switching element to control the connection or disconnection between the first interface and the voltage conversion module. Synchronously with controlling the switching state of the first switching element, the control unit controls the enabling state of the voltage conversion module. The control unit 601 controls the first switching element to close and enables the voltage conversion module; when the first switching element is opened, it disables the voltage conversion module.
[0130] The second circuit 6022 includes a second switching element 60221 and a preset power module 60222;
[0131] The second switching element 60221 is used to connect the second interface and the preset power module 60222. When the second switching element is closed, the preset power module is connected to the second interface and provides a second voltage to the second interface.
[0132] The second circuit includes a second switching element and a preset power module. The second switching element is connected to the second interface and the voltage conversion module. By controlling the second switching element to close, the second interface and the preset power module are turned on. After they are turned on, the preset power module provides a second voltage to the second interface, thereby providing a second voltage to the second external device.
[0133] In one possible implementation, the control unit 601 can control the switching state of the second switching element to control the connection or disconnection between the second interface and the preset power module.
[0134] The switching element can be a state-controllable element such as an electromagnetic switch, and this application does not impose any restrictions on the hardware implementation of the switching element.
[0135] In this embodiment, the first circuit includes a first switching element and a voltage conversion module. The first switching element connects the first interface and the voltage conversion module. When the first switching element is closed, the voltage conversion module is connected to the first interface and provides a first voltage to the first interface. The second circuit includes a second switching element and a preset power supply module. The second switching element connects the second interface and the preset power supply module. When the second switching element is closed, the preset power supply module is connected to the second interface and provides a second voltage to the second interface. By controlling the switching elements in the first and second circuits, the control interface can be connected to either the first or second circuit. This allows the voltage conversion module in the first circuit to provide the required voltage to the first external device connected to the first interface, and the preset power supply module in the second circuit to provide a preset voltage to the second external device connected to the second interface, resulting in a simple circuit structure.
[0136] Figure 7 This is another structural schematic diagram of the power supply control device provided in the embodiments of this application. The power supply control device 700 includes: a control unit 701 and a power supply structure 702. The power supply structure 702 includes a first circuit 7021, a second circuit 7022, a third switching element 7023 and a fourth switching element 7024.
[0137] The first circuit 7021 includes a first switching element 70211 and a voltage conversion module 70212, and the second circuit 7022 includes a second switching element 70221 and a preset power supply module 70222.
[0138] The structure and function of this control unit are explained in the foregoing device embodiments and will not be repeated here.
[0139] The third switching element 7023 is connected to the first interface and the preset power module 70222. The switching states of the third switching element 7023 and the first switching element 70211 cannot be closed at the same time. The switching states include closed and open.
[0140] The fourth switching element 7024 is connected to the second interface and the voltage conversion module 70212. The switching states of the fourth switching element 7024 and the second switching element 70221 cannot be closed at the same time.
[0141] The state of the third switching element and the switching state of the first switching element cannot be closed simultaneously. When the first switching element is closed, the third switching element is open; when the first switching element is open, the third switching element is closed. By switching the states of the third and first switching elements, the first circuit is transformed into the second circuit. When the first switching element is closed and the third switching element is open, the voltage conversion module 70212 is connected to interface 703, providing the required voltage to the external device through interface 703; when the third switching element is closed and the first switching element is open, the voltage conversion module 70212 is connected to interface 704, providing the required voltage to the external device through interface 704. Alternatively, both the third and first switching elements are open, the first interface is not connected to the external device, and there is no electrical connection between it and the preset power module and the voltage conversion module.
[0142] Similarly, the state of the fourth switching element and the switch of the second switching element cannot be closed simultaneously. When the second switching element is closed, the fourth switching element is open; when the second switching element is open, the fourth switching element is closed. By switching the states of the fourth and second switching elements, the second circuit becomes the first circuit. When the second switching element is closed and the fourth switching element is open, the preset power module 70222 is connected to the interface 704, providing a preset voltage to the external device through the interface 704; when the fourth switching element is closed and the second switching element is open, the preset power module 70212 is connected to the interface 703, providing a preset voltage to the external device through the interface 703. Alternatively, both the second and fourth switching elements are open, the second interface is not connected to the external device, and there is no electrical connection between it and the preset power module and the voltage conversion module.
[0143] The first, second, third, and fourth switching elements cooperate to control the voltage conversion module 70212 to connect to interface 703 when the first and second switching elements are closed and the third and fourth switching elements are open, so as to provide the required voltage to the external device through interface 703, and control the preset power supply module 70222 to connect to interface 704, so as to provide the preset voltage to the external device through interface 704; when the second and second switching elements are open and the third and fourth switching elements are closed, the voltage conversion module 70212 to connect to interface 704, so as to provide the required voltage to the external device through interface 704, and control the preset power supply module 70222 to connect to interface 703, so as to provide the preset voltage to the external device through interface 703.
[0144] In one possible implementation, the control unit is connected to the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element, respectively;
[0145] The control unit is used to control the switching states of the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element.
[0146] The control unit controls the switching state of each switching element in the power supply structure to automatically control the first interface to connect to the voltage conversion module and the second interface to connect to the preset power supply module, or to control the first interface to connect to the preset power supply module and the second interface to connect to the voltage conversion module.
[0147] The control unit can also control the circuit conduction of any interface and voltage conversion module, and enable the voltage conversion module so that the voltage conversion module provides the required voltage to the external device connected to the corresponding interface.
[0148] In this embodiment, the power supply structure further includes a third switching element and a fourth switching element. The third switching element connects the first interface and the preset power module. The switching states of the third switching element and the first switching element cannot be closed simultaneously; the switching states include closed and open. The fourth switching element connects the second interface and the voltage conversion module. The switching states of the fourth switching element and the second switching element cannot be closed simultaneously. The preset power module is connected to the first interface via the third switching element and to the second interface via the second switching element. The voltage conversion module is connected to the first interface via the first switching element and to the second interface via the fourth switching element. By controlling the switching states of the first, second, third, and fourth switching elements, it is possible to control whether the first interface is connected to the voltage conversion module and the second interface is connected to the preset power module, or vice versa. The four switching elements enable switching between the connections of the first and second interfaces, facilitating the control of whether the interface is connected to the preset power module or the voltage conversion module based on the external device connected to it. This achieves automatic control of the first external device and its connection structure switching, providing strong adaptability.
[0149] The above describes a power supply control method provided by an embodiment of this application. The following will describe an electronic device that performs the above power supply control method.
[0150] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. This electronic device serves as a power supply terminal device that provides power to external devices. Figure 8 As shown, the power supply control device 800 includes:
[0151] At least two interfaces 801 and a power supply control device 802;
[0152] The power supply control device 802 includes: a control unit 8021 and a power supply structure 8022, the power supply structure including a first circuit 80221 and a second circuit 80222;
[0153] The diagram shows two interfaces. These are only schematic representations; in a real implementation, there may be more interfaces. The number of interfaces shown in the diagram is not intended to limit the power supply control device.
[0154] This interface 801 is used to connect external devices;
[0155] The first circuit is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of at least two interfaces, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface.
[0156] The second circuit is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface. The second voltage is a preset voltage of the power supply structure. The second interface is connected to a second external device. The second interface is an interface that is different from the first interface among at least two interfaces.
[0157] The control unit is connected to at least two interfaces and a power supply structure respectively. The control unit can control the interfaces to connect to a first circuit or a second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to external devices through the interfaces.
[0158] It should be noted that the composition and structure of the power supply control device and its corresponding explanations can be found in the explanations in the aforementioned power supply control device embodiments, and will not be repeated here.
[0159] The electronic device can be a PC (Personal Computer), such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, all-in-one computer, handheld computer, embedded computer, etc., which can be equipped with multiple interfaces. This application does not limit the specific form of the electronic device.
[0160] In this embodiment, the electronic device includes at least two interfaces and a power supply control device. The interfaces are used to connect external devices. The power supply control device includes a control unit and a power supply structure, which includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit provides a first voltage to the first interface, which is the required voltage for the first external device connected to the first interface. The second circuit provides a second voltage to the second interface, which is a preset voltage. The first and second interfaces are different. By controlling the two circuits in the power supply structure to connect to different interfaces through the control unit, automatic control can be achieved to provide the required voltage or preset voltage for the external device to the two different interfaces. The first interface can provide the required voltage to the connected first external device, and the second interface can provide the preset voltage to the connected second external device. This utilizes the limited power of the electronic device, ensuring that the required voltage is provided to the first external device and charging power is also provided to the remaining external devices. This at least guarantees the power needs of the first external device and also meets at least part of the power needs of other external devices. Moreover, since only one external device needs to be provided with the required voltage, a limited number of voltage conversion circuits can be used to reduce the space occupied on the PCB board.
[0161] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device using a power supply control method provided in this application scenario. The electronic device includes: two interfaces (interface 1 and interface 2), a control unit 901, a preset power module 902, a voltage conversion module 903, and four switching elements LS1-LS4. The preset power module 901 can provide 5V voltage, and the voltage conversion module 903 can generate multi-stage power supplies of 5V / 9V / 15V / 20V. The interface can be a USB-C interface using the USB protocol or an interface using the TBT4 protocol; both interfaces use the USB Type-C physical interface.
[0162] The control unit 901 is connected to two interfaces, a preset power module 902, a voltage conversion module 903, and four switching elements LS1-LS4. LS1 connects interface 1 and the preset power module 902; when LS1 is active, it provides 5V to interface 1. LS2 connects interface 1 and the voltage conversion module 903; when LS2 is active, it provides one of multiple voltages to interface 1. LS3 connects interface 2 and the voltage conversion module 903; when LS3 is active, it provides one of multiple voltages to interface 2. LS4 connects interface 2 and the preset power module 902; when LS4 is active, it provides 5V to interface 2. The control unit 901 controls the conduction of any switching element LS by sending an enable signal. If no enable signal is received, the switching element is not active. LS1 and LS2 cannot be active simultaneously, and LS3 and LS4 cannot be active simultaneously. Furthermore, to prevent crosstalk between different voltages, LS1 and LS3 cannot be active simultaneously.
[0163] Interfaces 1 and 2 communicate with the control unit via USB / CC (USB Type-C Configuration Channel). The control unit performs a handshake with the external device connected to the interface. The information transmitted via USB / CC may include connection information required by the handshake protocol, such as the required voltage of the external device connected to the interface. Based on the required voltage, the control unit determines the corresponding voltage level of the voltage conversion module and sends information to the voltage conversion module via an I2C bus. This information controls the voltage conversion module to switch to the corresponding voltage level and provide the appropriate power.
[0164] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a power supply control method provided in this application embodiment in an application scenario, including the following steps:
[0165] 1001. Connect an external device to interface 1;
[0166] 1002. The control unit determines whether interface 2 is supplying power externally and whether the voltage is greater than 5V;
[0167] In this application scenario, the voltage conversion module provides the required voltage to the earliest connected external device. This required voltage is generally greater than 5V. Therefore, after a device is inserted into interface 1, it checks whether the other interface (interface 2) is supplying power and whether the voltage is greater than 5V to determine whether the required voltage has been supplied to the device connected to interface 2.
[0168] If the judgment result is yes, proceed to steps 1003-1005; otherwise, proceed to steps 1006-1008.
[0169] 1003. The control unit determines that the power supply capability is 5V.
[0170] Since the electronic device has already provided a higher voltage for charging the external device through interface 2, it can only provide a preset voltage of 5V to the external device.
[0171] 1004. The control unit and the external device establish a handshake, with the unified charging voltage set to 5V, and control LS1 to open and LS2 to close.
[0172] Once the control unit determines that it can provide 5V voltage, it will handshake with the external device connected to interface 1 to ensure that the charging voltage is 5V with the external device.
[0173] A preset power supply module is used to power the external device connected to interface 1. LS2 is closed to control the circuit between interface 1 and the preset power supply module 902 to conduct. LS1 is opened to disconnect the circuit between interface 1 and the voltage conversion module 903.
[0174] 1005. The control unit enables the preset power module;
[0175] After controlling the LS2 to close and realize the circuit between the preset power module 902 and the interface 1, the preset power module is also enabled so that the preset power module outputs 5V power to provide 5V power to external devices through the interface 1.
[0176] 1006. The control unit determines that the power supply capability is 5V~20V voltage, and controls LS1 to close and LS2 to open;
[0177] Since the electronic device does not provide a high power supply voltage for charging the external device through interface 2, the corresponding voltage of 5V~20V that the voltage conversion module can provide can be used to provide the external voltage through this interface.
[0178] The voltage conversion module 903 is used to power the external device connected to interface 1. The control LS2 is disconnected to disconnect the circuit between interface 1 and the preset power module 902. The control LS1 is closed to make the circuit between interface 1 and voltage conversion module 903 connected.
[0179] 1007. The control unit and external device communicate with each other to unify the charging level;
[0180] The controller, after confirming that it can provide a voltage of 5V~20V, will handshake with the external device connected to interface 1 to achieve a unified charging level with the external device. This charging level can be the voltage required by the external device.
[0181] For example, if the external device connected to interface 1 requires a voltage of 20V (not 5V), the charging level is determined to be 20V.
[0182] 1008. The control unit enables the voltage conversion module and outputs the required voltage.
[0183] After controlling the LS1 to close and realize the circuit between the voltage conversion module 903 and the interface 1, the voltage conversion module 903 is also enabled so that the voltage conversion module 903 outputs 20V power to provide 20V power to external devices through the interface 1.
[0184] This application also provides a computer program product including computer-readable instructions, which, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to implement any of the power supply control methods provided in this application.
[0185] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium that carries one or more computer programs. When the one or more computer programs are executed by an electronic device, the electronic device can implement any of the power supply control methods provided in this application.
[0186] It is understood that before using the technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of the present invention, users should be informed of the types, scope of use, and usage scenarios of the personal information involved in the present invention and their authorization should be obtained in accordance with relevant laws and regulations through appropriate means.
[0187] It is understood that the data involved in this technical solution (including but not limited to the data itself, the acquisition or use of the data) shall comply with the requirements of relevant laws, regulations and related provisions.
[0188] It should also be noted that the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, in the device embodiment drawings provided in this application, the connection relationship between modules indicates that they have a communication connection, which can be implemented as one or more communication buses or signal lines.
[0189] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware, or it can be implemented by special-purpose hardware including application-specific integrated circuits, special-purpose CPUs, special-purpose memory, special-purpose components, etc. Generally, any function performed by a computer program can be easily implemented by corresponding hardware, and the specific hardware structure used to implement the same function can also be diverse, such as analog circuits, digital circuits, or special-purpose circuits. However, for this application, software program implementation is more often the preferred implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable storage medium, such as a computer floppy disk, USB flash drive, mobile hard disk, ROM, RAM, magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, training equipment, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.
[0190] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product.
[0191] The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, training device, or data center to another website, computer, training device, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can store or a data storage device such as a training device or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)).
Claims
1. A power supply control method, applied to electronic equipment, comprising: Based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, a first voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface, and the first voltage is the required voltage of the first external device; A second voltage is provided to a second external device through a second interface. The second voltage is a preset voltage provided by the electronic device. The second voltage is different from the first voltage. The second interface is one of the at least two interfaces that is different from the first interface.
2. The power supply control method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a first voltage to a first external device through a first interface based on detecting that at least two interfaces are connected to an external device includes: Based on the detection that at least two interfaces are connected to external devices, the first external device is determined among the at least two external devices; Select the interface corresponding to the first external device as the first interface; The first voltage is provided to the first external device through the first interface.
3. The power supply control method according to claim 2, wherein the first external device is determined among at least two external devices, including any one of the following: Based on the connection time of each external device, a first external device is determined from at least two external devices, wherein the connection time of the first external device is earlier than the connection time of the second external device; Based on the priority of each external device, a first external device is determined from at least two external devices, wherein the priority of the first external device is higher than the priority of the second external device.
4. The power supply control method according to claim 1, wherein providing a first voltage to the first external device through the first interface comprises: Based on the connection information of the first external device, determine the first voltage; The first circuit is controlled to be turned on, and the first circuit includes a circuit consisting of a voltage conversion module and the first interface. The voltage conversion module is controlled to generate a first voltage to provide the first voltage to the first external device through the first interface.
5. The power supply control method according to claim 1, wherein providing a second voltage to a second external device through a second interface comprises: The second circuit is controlled to be turned on, and the second circuit includes a circuit composed of a preset power module and the second interface; The preset power module is used to generate a second voltage to provide a second voltage to the second external device through the second interface.
6. The power supply control method according to claim 1 further includes: A third external device is connected to the third interface among at least two interfaces, and a third voltage is provided to the third external device through the third interface. The third voltage is the required voltage of the third external device or a preset voltage provided by the electronic device.
7. A power supply control device, applied to electronic equipment, comprising: A control unit and a power supply structure, wherein the power supply structure includes a first circuit and a second circuit; The first circuit is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of at least two interfaces of an electronic device, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface. The second circuit is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface, the second voltage being a preset voltage of the power supply structure, the second interface being connected to a second external device, and the second interface being an interface that is different from the first interface among the at least two interfaces; The control unit is connected to the at least two interfaces and the power supply structure respectively. The control unit can control the interface to connect to the first circuit or the second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to the external device through the interface.
8. The power supply control device according to claim 7, The first circuit includes a first switching element and a voltage conversion module; in, The first switching element is used to connect the first interface and the voltage conversion module. When the first switching element is closed, the voltage conversion module is connected to the first interface and provides a first voltage to the first interface. The second circuit includes a second switching element and a preset power supply module; The second switching element is used to connect the second interface and the preset power module. When the second switching element is closed, the preset power module is connected to the second interface, and the preset power module provides a second voltage to the second interface.
9. The power supply control device according to claim 8, wherein the power supply structure further comprises: The third and fourth switching elements; The third switching element is connected to the first interface and the preset power module. The switching states of the third switching element and the first switching element cannot be closed at the same time. The switching states include closed and open. The fourth switching element is connected to the second interface and the voltage conversion module. The switching states of the fourth switching element and the second switching element cannot be closed simultaneously.
10. An electronic device, comprising: At least two interfaces and a power supply control device; The power supply control device includes a control unit and a power supply structure, the power supply structure including a first circuit and a second circuit; The interface is used to connect external devices; The first circuit is used to provide a first voltage to a first interface, which is any one of the at least two interfaces, and the first voltage is the required voltage of a first external device connected to the first interface; The second circuit is used to provide a second voltage to the second interface, the second voltage being a preset voltage of the power supply structure, the second interface being connected to a second external device, and the second interface being an interface that is different from the first interface among the at least two interfaces; The control unit is connected to the at least two interfaces and the power supply structure respectively. The control unit can control the interface to connect to the first circuit or the second circuit so as to provide a first voltage or a second voltage to the external device through the interface.