Integrated circuit device, voltage regulating method, power supply system and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to an integrated circuit (IC) device, a voltage regulating method, a power supply system and electronic equipment. A first input end (101) of the IC device (10) is used for being connected with a power supply input end (203) of the host (20), a voltage output end (102) of the IC device (10) is used for being connected with a first voltage feedback end (3015) of a first power module (301) in the first slave (30), and the first power module is used for supplying power to the host. Wherein the IC device is used for obtaining a power supply voltage of a host through a first input end; obtaining a first feedback voltage according to first voltage regulation data configured by the host and the power supply voltage of the host; and outputting the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback end through the voltage output end, so that the first power supply module adjusts the output voltage of the first power supply module according to the first feedback voltage. According to the scheme, the output voltage of the power supply module can be changed, so that the power supply voltage of the host is adjusted, and the working voltage of the chip can be optimized according to the design of an actual product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of terminal technology, and more specifically, to an integrated circuit (IC) device, a voltage regulation method, a power supply system, and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the System Power Management Interface (SPMI) is a hardware interface standard implemented as a two-wire serial interface, designed to provide advanced power management technology. SPMI is primarily used in terminal devices, and the SPMI bus can connect multiple masters and multiple slaves. Existing SPMI-based power management systems control power supply voltage based on the SPMI protocol. The master can instruct slaves to provide a specific voltage, and the specific voltage control strategy within the master is not disclosed to the equipment manufacturer. Therefore, equipment manufacturers cannot interfere with the master's voltage control strategy, and currently cannot actively adjust the master's supply voltage. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an IC device, voltage regulation method, power supply system, and electronic device that can regulate the power supply voltage of the host without changing the host's voltage control strategy.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides an IC device, wherein a first input terminal of the IC device is used to connect to the power supply input terminal of a host, and a voltage output terminal of the IC device is used to connect to the first voltage feedback terminal of a first power module in a first slave device, the first power module being used to supply power to the host. Wherein, the IC device is used for:

[0005] The power supply voltage of the host is obtained through the first input terminal;

[0006] Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host and the power supply voltage of the host, a first feedback voltage is obtained; and

[0007] The first feedback voltage is output to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal, so that the first power module adjusts the output voltage of the first power module according to the first feedback voltage.

[0008] The above technical solution adds an IC device to the power supply system that powers the host, adjusting the host's supply voltage before transmitting it to the first voltage feedback terminal of the first power module. This allows the first power module to control its output voltage based on the first feedback voltage received at the first voltage feedback terminal. This differs from related technologies where the power module directly receives the host's supply voltage at its voltage feedback terminal and uses it as the feedback voltage to control its output voltage. This allows for adjustment of the host's supply voltage without altering its voltage control strategy, enabling adjustments to raise or lower the host's supply voltage. In some cases, lowering the host's supply voltage reduces unnecessary energy waste; in others, raising it enhances the user experience. This disclosed solution optimizes the host's operating voltage according to the actual product design and does not occupy the communication lines between the host and slave devices, nor does it affect their communication interaction.

[0009] Optionally, the second input terminal of the IC device is used to connect to the first output terminal of the host;

[0010] The IC device is also used for:

[0011] The second input terminal receives a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host through the first output terminal, the voltage regulation configuration command including the first voltage regulation data; and

[0012] The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

[0013] In this embodiment, the host can send a voltage regulation configuration command to the IC device to transmit the first voltage regulation data. This ensures good real-time transmission of the first voltage regulation data, eliminating the need for the IC device to pre-store the first voltage regulation data. Furthermore, when the host sends the voltage regulation configuration command to the IC device, different first voltage regulation data can correspond to different usage scenarios, allowing for more flexible adjustment.

[0014] Optionally, the IC device includes a monitoring module and a voltage regulating module connected to the monitoring module;

[0015] The monitoring module is used to determine the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data, and transmit the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module;

[0016] The voltage regulation module is connected to the first input terminal and the voltage output terminal, and is used to obtain the first feedback voltage according to the second voltage regulation data and the power supply voltage, and output the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal.

[0017] In this embodiment, the function of the IC device can be divided into two parts, executed by a monitoring module and a voltage regulation module respectively. The monitoring module can perform logic processing according to a pre-set strategy and send a voltage regulation command to the voltage regulation module. The voltage regulation module can perform the actual voltage conversion to obtain the first feedback voltage. In this way, dividing the logic device and the voltage conversion device into two parts improves the reliability of the implementation.

[0018] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module;

[0019] The monitoring module is connected to the first input terminal and is used to determine the first voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the power supply voltage, and to determine the first voltage as the second voltage regulation data.

[0020] The voltage regulation module includes a first voltage source connected to the monitoring module and a first voltage divider module connected to the first voltage source;

[0021] The first voltage source is used to output the first voltage to the first voltage divider module;

[0022] The first voltage divider module is connected to the first input terminal and the voltage output terminal, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage, and output the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal.

[0023] In this embodiment, by controlling the output of the first voltage source to determine the first voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude, a suitable voltage difference is made between the first feedback voltage and the supply voltage using a simple voltage divider circuit. The method is simple, easy to implement, and has good reliability.

[0024] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module; the monitoring module is used to determine the first voltage regulation amplitude as the second voltage regulation data;

[0025] The voltage regulation module includes a second voltage source, which is connected to the monitoring module, the first input terminal, and the voltage output terminal. The second voltage source is used to obtain the first feedback voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the power supply voltage, and to output the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal.

[0026] In this embodiment, the second voltage source directly outputs a voltage with a fixed voltage difference from the supply voltage as the first feedback voltage, which simplifies the circuit structure.

[0027] Optionally, the third input terminal of the IC device is used to connect to the system power management interface SPMI bus;

[0028] The monitoring module is connected to the third input terminal and is used for:

[0029] Before determining the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data, the third input terminal is used to listen for the power supply command sent by the host to the first slave through the SPMI bus. The power supply command includes the address of the first slave and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module.

[0030] The address of the first slave device and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0031] When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

[0032] In this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the first power module needs to perform a voltage regulation operation by comparing the address data in the voltage regulation configuration command and the power supply command. The data processing speed is fast, which improves the reliability of voltage regulation. Furthermore, when a voltage regulation operation is not required, the IC device can be set to operate at low power to save power consumption.

[0033] Optionally, the power supply command further includes an indication voltage corresponding to the first power module; and

[0034] The monitoring module is used to parse the power supply command to obtain the indicated voltage; when the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module according to the indicated voltage; and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module.

[0035] In this embodiment, the timing for initiating the regulation operation is determined by monitoring the indicated voltage obtained from the power supply command, thus ensuring the high efficiency of voltage regulation.

[0036] Optionally, the monitoring module is used for:

[0037] If no new indication voltage is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the date of obtaining the indicated voltage, it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module will be initiated.

[0038] In this embodiment, the monitoring module determines whether the target operating frequency is stable based on the analyzed indicator voltage, and only starts adjusting the voltage when it is stable, so as to avoid frequent voltage adjustment in a short period of time.

[0039] Optionally, the fourth input terminal of the IC device is used to connect to the voltage output terminal of the first power module;

[0040] The monitoring module is connected to the fourth input terminal and is used to obtain the current output voltage of the first power module through the fourth input terminal; when the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module based on the current output voltage of the first power module; and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module.

[0041] In this embodiment, the timing of starting the adjustment operation is determined by the current output voltage of the first power module, which avoids interference with the transmission of power supply commands and avoids energy waste caused by voltage adjustment when the first power module stops working due to a fault.

[0042] Optionally, the monitoring module is used for:

[0043] If, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change in the output voltage of the first power module exceeds a first threshold, the change in the output voltage of the first power module is always less than or equal to the first threshold, then it is determined that an adjustment operation on the output voltage of the first power module will be initiated, wherein the change in the change is the absolute value of the difference between the current output voltage and the previous output voltage of the first power module.

[0044] In this embodiment, the monitoring module determines whether the power supply command is stable based on the output voltage of the first power module, thereby determining whether to start the adjustment operation. In this way, the judgment of the stability of the power supply command is more accurate, avoiding unnecessary adjustments.

[0045] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module, and the IC device includes a third voltage source and a second voltage divider module connected to the third voltage source;

[0046] The third voltage source is used to obtain a second voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and output the second voltage to the second voltage divider module;

[0047] The second voltage divider module is connected to the first input terminal and the voltage output terminal, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the second voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; the first feedback voltage is output to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal, wherein the reference ground terminal of the third voltage source is used to connect to the supply input terminal.

[0048] In this embodiment, the voltage difference between the second voltage output by the third voltage source and the reference ground terminal remains constant. Therefore, regardless of how the supply voltage fluctuates, there is always a fixed voltage difference between the first feedback voltage and the supply voltage, making the voltage regulation scheme simple.

[0049] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power supply module, and the IC device includes a fourth voltage source, a third voltage divider module, and a fourth voltage divider module connected to the fourth voltage source; the voltage output terminal of the third voltage divider module is connected to the reference ground terminal of the fourth voltage source;

[0050] The fourth voltage source is used to obtain a third voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude, and output the third voltage to the fourth voltage divider module;

[0051] The third voltage divider module is connected to the first input terminal and is used to output the fourth voltage obtained by dividing the power supply voltage through the voltage output terminal of the third voltage divider module.

[0052] The fourth voltage divider module is connected to the first input terminal and is used to divide the voltage difference between the third voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; the first feedback voltage is output to the first voltage feedback terminal through the voltage output terminal.

[0053] In this embodiment, a third voltage divider module is added between the reference ground terminal of the voltage source and the power supply input terminal. Therefore, the voltage division ratio in the third voltage divider module can be configured according to actual needs, making the voltage regulation strategy more flexible.

[0054] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first proportional relationship corresponding to the first power module, and the IC device includes a fifth voltage source, a fifth voltage divider module and a first proportional variable voltage divider module. The first proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output from the voltage output terminal of the fifth voltage source to the feedback voltage received from the voltage feedback terminal.

[0055] The fifth voltage source is used to obtain a fifth voltage based on the first proportional relationship and the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal;

[0056] The fifth voltage divider module is used to divide the voltage difference between the fifth voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage;

[0057] The first proportional variable voltage divider module is used to divide the output voltage of the fifth voltage source to obtain a sixth voltage and output it to the voltage feedback terminal. The voltage division ratio of the first proportional variable voltage divider module changes with the supply voltage.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first proportional variable voltage divider module has different voltage division ratios corresponding to different supply voltages, so that the voltage difference between the first feedback voltage and the supply voltage can change with the change of the supply voltage to meet different voltage regulation requirements.

[0059] Optionally, the first proportional variable voltage divider module includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOS transistor) Q1, a resistor R11, and a resistor R12; the gate of the MOS transistor Q1 is connected to the first input terminal, the first terminal of the resistor R11 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the fifth voltage source, the second terminal of the resistor R11 is connected to the drain of the MOS transistor Q1, the source of the MOS transistor Q1 is connected to the first terminal of the resistor R12, and the second terminal of the resistor R12 is grounded.

[0060] In this embodiment, a MOSFET is used as a variable impedance device, which makes the circuit simple, easy to select, and reliable.

[0061] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a second proportional relationship corresponding to the first power supply module, and the IC device includes a sixth voltage source, a sixth voltage divider module, a seventh voltage divider module, and a second proportional variable voltage divider module. The second proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output from the voltage output terminal of the sixth voltage source to the feedback voltage received from the voltage feedback terminal.

[0062] The sixth voltage source is used to obtain the seventh voltage according to the second proportional relationship and the voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal;

[0063] The seventh voltage divider module is used to divide the voltage difference between the seventh voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage;

[0064] The sixth voltage divider module is used to transmit the eighth voltage obtained by dividing the supply voltage to the second proportional variable voltage divider module;

[0065] The second proportional variable voltage divider module is used to output the ninth voltage obtained by dividing the seventh voltage to the voltage feedback terminal, wherein the voltage division ratio of the second proportional variable voltage divider module changes with the change of the eighth voltage.

[0066] In this embodiment, a sixth voltage divider module is added between the proportional variable voltage divider module and the power supply input terminal. This allows the voltage division ratio in the sixth voltage divider module to be configured according to actual needs, making the voltage regulation strategy more flexible.

[0067] Optionally, the second proportional variable voltage divider module includes a MOSFET Q2, a resistor R17, and a resistor R18. The gate of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the sixth voltage divider module. The first terminal of the resistor R17 is connected to the voltage output terminal. The second terminal of the resistor R17 is connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q2. The source of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the first terminal of the resistor R18. The second terminal of the resistor R18 is grounded.

[0068] In this embodiment, a MOSFET is used as a variable impedance device, which makes the circuit simple, easy to select, and reliable.

[0069] This disclosure also provides a voltage regulation method applied to an IC device, the IC device being connected to a host and a first slave device, the first slave device including a first power supply module for supplying power to the host. The voltage regulation method includes:

[0070] Obtain the power supply voltage of the host;

[0071] Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host and the power supply voltage of the host, a first feedback voltage is obtained; and

[0072] The first feedback voltage is output to the first power module in the first slave device, so that the first power module adjusts its output voltage according to the first feedback voltage.

[0073] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0074] Receive a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host, the voltage regulation configuration command including the first voltage regulation data; and

[0075] The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

[0076] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module, and obtaining the first feedback voltage based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host and the power supply voltage of the host includes:

[0077] The first voltage is obtained based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the supply voltage;

[0078] The first feedback voltage is obtained by dividing the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage.

[0079] Optionally, before obtaining the power supply voltage of the host, the method further includes:

[0080] Listen for the power supply command sent by the host to the first slave via the SPMI bus. The power supply command includes the address of the first slave and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module.

[0081] The address of the first slave device and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0082] When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

[0083] Optionally, the power supply command further includes an indication voltage corresponding to the first power module, and the step of obtaining the power supply voltage of the host when the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled includes:

[0084] The indicated voltage is obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0085] When the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module based on the indicated voltage; and

[0086] If it is determined that the operation of adjusting the output voltage of the first power module is started, the power supply voltage of the host is obtained.

[0087] Optionally, determining whether to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module based on the indicated voltage includes:

[0088] If no new indication voltage is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the date of obtaining the indicated voltage, it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module will be initiated.

[0089] Optionally, obtaining the power supply voltage of the host when the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled includes:

[0090] Obtain the current output voltage of the first power module;

[0091] When the voltage regulation function of the IC device is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module based on the current output voltage of the first power module; and

[0092] If it is determined that the operation of adjusting the output voltage of the first power module is started, the power supply voltage of the host is obtained.

[0093] Optionally, determining whether to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module based on the current output voltage of the first power module includes:

[0094] If, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change in the output voltage of the first power module exceeds a first threshold, the change in the output voltage of the first power module is always less than or equal to the first threshold, then it is determined that an adjustment operation on the output voltage of the first power module will be initiated, wherein the change in amplitude is the absolute value of the difference between the current output voltage and the previous output voltage of the first power module.

[0095] This disclosure also provides a power supply system, which includes a host, a first slave, and at least one IC device provided in this disclosure. The first slave includes at least one power module, and the at least one IC device corresponds one-to-one with the at least one power module. The first input terminal of each IC device is connected to the power input terminal of the host, and the voltage output terminal of each IC device is connected to the voltage feedback terminal of the corresponding power module.

[0096] The power supply system provided in this disclosure can optimize the operating voltage of the host according to the actual product design, and will not occupy the communication line between the host and the slave, nor affect the communication interaction between the host and the slave.

[0097] This disclosure also provides an electronic device including a power supply system as provided in this disclosure, the power supply system being used to power a host in the electronic device.

[0098] The electronic device disclosed herein allows for the configuration and adjustment of the host's operating voltage according to the actual product design without altering the host's voltage control strategy. Lowering the host's power supply voltage reduces unnecessary energy waste; raising the host's power supply voltage enhances the user experience.

[0099] The above technical solution adds an IC device to the power supply system that powers the host, adjusting the host's supply voltage before transmitting it to the first voltage feedback terminal of the first power module. This allows the first power module to control its output voltage based on the first feedback voltage received at the first voltage feedback terminal. This differs from related technologies where the power module directly receives the host's supply voltage at its voltage feedback terminal and uses it as the feedback voltage to control its output voltage. This allows for adjustment of the host's supply voltage without altering its voltage control strategy, enabling adjustments to raise or lower the host's supply voltage. In some cases, lowering the host's supply voltage reduces unnecessary energy waste; in others, raising it enhances the user experience. This disclosed solution optimizes the host's operating voltage according to the actual product design and does not occupy the communication lines between the host and slave devices, nor does it affect their communication interaction.

[0100] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0101] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0102] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an SPMI power supply system in related technologies.

[0103] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a host power supply control scheme in related technologies.

[0104] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an SPMI power supply system provided as an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0105] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0106] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0107] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0108] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0109] Figure 8A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0110] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the process for enabling the voltage regulation function, provided as an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0111] Figure 10 for Figure 7 and Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating the process of initiating the adjustment operation.

[0112] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0113] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0114] Figure 13 for Figure 11 and Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating the process of initiating the adjustment operation.

[0115] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0116] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0117] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0118] Figure 17 Provided as an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure Figure 16 A schematic diagram showing the voltage regulation amplitude variation of an IC device.

[0119] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0120] Figure 19 A flowchart of a voltage regulation method provided for an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0121] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0122] 10 IC devices 20 host

[0123] 30 First Slave 40 SPMI Bus

[0124] 50-board PDN, 60 first IC devices

[0125] 61 Second IC Device 101 First Input Terminal of IC Device

[0126] 102 Voltage output terminal of IC device 103 Second input terminal of IC device

[0127] 104 Monitoring Module 105 Voltage Regulating Module

[0128] The third input terminal of the 106 IC device; the fourth input terminal of the 107 IC device.

[0129] 108 Third voltage source 109 Second voltage divider module

[0130] 110 Fourth voltage source 111 Third voltage divider module

[0131] 112 Fourth voltage divider module; 113 Fifth voltage source

[0132] 114 Fifth voltage divider module; 115 First proportional variable voltage divider module

[0133] 116 Sixth Voltage Source 117 Sixth Voltage Divider Module

[0134] 118 Seventh voltage divider module; 119 Second proportional variable voltage divider module

[0135] 201 CPU 202 Voltage Decision Module

[0136] 203 Power input terminal; 204 First output terminal of the host computer

[0137] 301 First Power Supply Module 3011 Power Supply

[0138] 3012 Voltage Feedback Control Module; 3013 Voltage Command Receiving Module

[0139] 3014 Voltage output terminal of the first power supply module; 3015 First voltage feedback terminal

[0140] 3016 Command Receiver 1051 First Voltage Source

[0141] 1052 First voltage divider module; 1053 Second voltage source

[0142] 1111 Voltage output terminal of the third voltage divider module; 1131 Voltage output terminal of the fifth voltage source.

[0143] 1132 Voltage feedback terminal of the fifth voltage source 1161 Voltage output terminal of the sixth voltage source

[0144] 1162 Voltage feedback terminal of the sixth voltage source; 1171 Voltage output terminal of the sixth voltage divider module.

[0145] 100 First host 200 Second host

[0146] 300 Third Master Unit 31 Second Slave Unit Detailed Implementation

[0147] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B; the word "and / or" in the text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0148] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0149] In this disclosure, the reference to "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this disclosure can be combined with other embodiments.

[0150] In related technologies, the SPMI bus is generally used for power management. It can be used to accurately monitor and control the processor performance level required for a given workload or application, and dynamically control various power supply voltages in real time based on the performance level. The SPMI bus is an asynchronous bus that can connect multiple masters and multiple slaves. The master refers to the device that initiates transmission, generates clock signals, and terminates transmission; the slave refers to the device addressed by the master. It can be understood that the SPMI bus is a bidirectional transmission bus; therefore, both the master and slave connected to the SPMI bus can be data senders and receivers.

[0151] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of an SPMI power supply system in related technologies. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the SPMI power supply system includes an SPMI bus 40 and its connected first master 100, second master 200, third master 300, first slave 30, second slave 31 and multiple other slaves.

[0152] In an SPMI power supply system, the master device can be a system-on-chip (SoC) in the terminal device, and the slave device can be a power management unit (PMU).

[0153] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a host power supply control scheme in related technologies. Figure 2 In this configuration, host 20 can represent any host in the SPMI power supply system, and first slave 30 can be any slave capable of supplying power to host 20. First slave 30 may include one or more power modules. Host 20 includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 201, a voltage decision module 202, and a power input terminal 203. CPU 201 receives the power supply voltage provided by slave 30 through power input terminal 203. Voltage decision module 202 determines the required power supply voltage based on the current needs of the terminal device (e.g., the needs of the current application scenario of the terminal device), and this decision-making process is not disclosed to the device manufacturer. Voltage decision module 202 can send a power supply command to SPMI bus 40. The power supply command may include the address of the target slave for power supply, the address of the power register corresponding to the target power module in the target slave, and an indication voltage Vset. Indication voltage Vset indicates the voltage at which the target power module in the target slave supplies power to host 20.

[0154] Figure 2 In this configuration, the first slave device 30 is the target slave device, and the first power module 301 within the first slave device 30 is the target power module. That is, the host 20 instructs the first power module 301 in the first slave device 30 to supply power to the CPU 201 in the host 20. The first power module 301 includes a power supply 3011, a voltage feedback control module 3012, a voltage command receiving module 3013, a voltage output terminal 3014, a first voltage feedback terminal 3015, and a command receiving terminal 3016. The power supply 3011 can be, for example, a BUCK power supply. The voltage command receiving module 3013 receives the power supply command sent by the host 20 from the SPMI bus 40 via the command receiving terminal 3016, parses the indicated voltage Vset from it, and transmits it to the voltage feedback control module 3012. The voltage feedback control module 3012 controls the power supply 3011 to provide an output voltage Vout. The output voltage Vout is transmitted via the board-level PDN 50 to the power input terminal 203 of the host 20, serving as the host 20's power supply voltage Vin.

[0155] Meanwhile, the power input terminal 203 is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015. The voltage feedback control module 3012 receives the power supply voltage Vin through the first voltage feedback terminal 3015, and controls the output voltage Vout of the power supply 3011 according to the received power supply voltage Vin and the indication voltage Vset, so that the power supply voltage Vin reaches the indication voltage Vset.

[0156] CPUs typically operate at a certain frequency. There is an approximately linear relationship between the operating voltage of the logic circuits within the CPU chip and its operating frequency. The higher the operating frequency, the higher the operating voltage required to maintain normal performance; conversely, the lower the operating frequency, the lower the operating voltage required to maintain normal performance.

[0157] When chip manufacturers set voltage regulation algorithms (setting operating voltages corresponding to different operating frequencies), they pre-assume the impedance characteristics of the board-level PDN. However, the impedance of the board-level PDN in the products designed by equipment manufacturers may differ significantly from the impedance assumed by the chip manufacturers. If the actual impedance of the board-level PDN in the device is lower than the PDN impedance assumed by the chip manufacturer, the actual operating voltage required for functional modules such as the CPU in the host can be lower than the indicated voltage Vset. Conversely, if the actual impedance of the board-level PDN in the device is higher than the impedance assumed by the chip manufacturer, the actual operating voltage required for functional modules such as the CPU needs to be higher than the indicated voltage Vset. Since the voltage regulation algorithms set by chip manufacturers are not disclosed to equipment manufacturers, the current practice of using the indicated voltage Vset to power the CPU in terminal devices results in unnecessary energy waste of the chip or insufficient voltage supply, affecting the user experience.

[0158] This disclosure provides an SPMI power supply system, in which a new IC device is added for regulating the output voltage of the power module in the slave device. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a power supply system provided for an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The power supply system includes multiple slave devices such as a first master device 100, a second master device 200, a third master device 300, a first slave device 30, and a second slave device 31, as well as multiple IC devices such as a first IC device 60 and a second IC device 61. The master and slave devices are connected via an SPMI bus 40, and each IC device can correspond one-to-one with a slave device. If the slave devices include multiple power modules, multiple IC devices can also be configured to correspond one-to-one with each power module.

[0159] Each IC device can be connected to the power input terminal of the corresponding host and the voltage feedback terminal of the corresponding power module. Figure 3(Not shown in the image). The IC device can obtain a feedback voltage based on the first voltage regulation data configured by the host and the host's power supply voltage; and output the feedback voltage to the power module in the corresponding slave device, so that the power module can adjust its own output voltage according to the feedback voltage to supply power to the host.

[0160] The following section uses the example of the first power module 301 in the first slave device 30 supplying power to the master device 20 to describe the working principle of the IC device. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided for an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 4 As shown, the first input terminal 101 of the IC device 10 is used to connect to the power supply input terminal 203 of the host 20, and the voltage output terminal 102 of the IC device 10 is used to connect to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 of the first power module 301 in the first slave device 30. The first power module 301 is used to supply power to the host 20. The IC device 10 is used for:

[0161] The power supply voltage Vin of the host 20 is obtained through the first input terminal 101;

[0162] Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in host 20 and the power supply voltage Vin of host 20, the first feedback voltage Vfed is obtained; and

[0163] The first feedback voltage Vfed is output to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102, so that the first power module 301 adjusts the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 according to the first feedback voltage Vfed.

[0164] The first voltage feedback terminal and the first feedback voltage are respectively the voltage feedback terminal and the feedback voltage corresponding to the first power module 301. When the host 20 indicates that it is powered by the second power module, the voltage feedback terminal and the feedback voltage corresponding to the second power module can be the second voltage feedback terminal and the second feedback voltage.

[0165] The first voltage regulation data is used to characterize the voltage regulation of the supply voltage Vin at the power input terminal 203. This may include, for example, the direction of regulation (boost / buck) and the magnitude of the regulation. Based on the supply voltage Vin, a first feedback voltage Vfed obtained after voltage regulation according to the first voltage regulation data is used to replace the supply voltage Vin and input to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015, such that the first feedback voltage Vfed received by the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 is greater than or less than the supply voltage Vin. The first voltage regulation data may be stored in the IC device 10 after the host 20 is configured and before the device is powered on, or it may be obtained by the IC device 10 through communication with the host 20 after the device is powered on.

[0166] According to this embodiment, the first feedback voltage Vfed received by the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 of the first power module 301 is not the power supply voltage Vin of the power supply input terminal 203 of the host 20, but rather the voltage obtained by the IC device 10 after adjusting the power supply voltage Vin according to the first voltage regulation data. This first feedback voltage Vfed can be greater than or less than the power supply voltage Vin. The voltage feedback control module 3012 controls the output of the power supply 3011 until the first feedback voltage Vfed reaches the indicated voltage Vset. Therefore, the difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the power supply voltage Vin is the voltage regulation amplitude of the power supply voltage Vin.

[0167] The first voltage regulation data can indicate the need for boost processing (increasing the supply voltage Vin based on the indicated voltage Vset). At this time, IC device 10 can process the supply voltage Vin so that the resulting first feedback voltage Vfed is less than the supply voltage Vin. In this case, the voltage feedback control module 3012 controls the output of the power supply 3011 so that when the first feedback voltage Vfed reaches the indicated voltage Vset, the supply voltage Vin of the host 20 is greater than the indicated voltage Vset, thus achieving the boost of the supply voltage Vin. This provides the chip with more sufficient power, improving the user experience.

[0168] The first voltage regulation data can also indicate a step-down process (reducing the supply voltage Vin from the indicated voltage Vset). In this case, IC device 10 can process the supply voltage Vin so that the resulting first feedback voltage Vfed is greater than the supply voltage Vin. Under these circumstances, the voltage feedback control module 3012 controls the output of the power supply 3011 so that when the first feedback voltage Vfed reaches the indicated voltage Vset, the supply voltage Vin of the host 20 is less than the indicated voltage Vset, thus achieving a step-down of the supply voltage Vin. This reduces the chip's operating voltage and minimizes unnecessary power consumption.

[0169] The above technical solution adds an IC device to the power supply system that powers the host, adjusting the host's supply voltage before transmitting it to the first voltage feedback terminal of the first power module. This allows the first power module to control its output voltage based on the first feedback voltage received at the first voltage feedback terminal. This differs from related technologies where the power module directly receives the host's supply voltage at its voltage feedback terminal and uses it as the feedback voltage to control its output voltage. This allows for adjustment of the host's supply voltage without altering its voltage control strategy, enabling adjustments to raise or lower the host's supply voltage. In some cases, lowering the host's supply voltage reduces unnecessary energy waste; in others, raising it enhances the user experience. This disclosed solution optimizes the host's operating voltage according to the actual product design and does not occupy the communication lines between the host and slave devices, nor does it affect their communication interaction.

[0170] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 5 As shown, the second input terminal 103 of the IC device 10 is used to connect to the first output terminal 204 of the host 20. The IC device 10 is also used for:

[0171] The second input terminal 103 receives a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host 20 through the first output terminal 204. The voltage regulation configuration command includes first voltage regulation data; and

[0172] The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

[0173] In this embodiment, the host 20 can send a voltage regulation configuration command to the IC device 10 to transmit the first voltage regulation data, thus ensuring good real-time performance of the first voltage regulation data transmission. The host 20 can send the voltage regulation configuration command in various ways. For example, the CPU 201 of the host 20 can send the voltage regulation configuration command to the IC device 10 each time the device starts up, or the CPU 201 can send the voltage regulation configuration command to the IC device 10 when the device's usage scenario changes. Different usage scenarios can correspond to different first voltage regulation data. Usage scenarios can include using different types of applications. For example, compared to game applications, the first voltage regulation data indicates a larger boost amplitude when using browser-type applications, thus allowing for flexible adjustment to meet different scenario requirements.

[0174] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 6 As shown, the IC device 10 includes a monitoring module 104 and a voltage regulating module 105 connected to the monitoring module 104.

[0175] The monitoring module 104 is used to determine the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data and transmit the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105.

[0176] The voltage regulation module 105 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and the voltage output terminal 102, and is used to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed according to the second voltage regulation data and the power supply voltage Vin, and output the first feedback voltage Vfed to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0177] In this embodiment, the function of IC device 10 can be divided into two parts, which are executed by monitoring module 104 and voltage regulation module 105 respectively. Voltage regulation module 105 is used to perform voltage conversion to obtain a first feedback voltage Vfed. Voltage regulation module 105 may include, for example, a circuit capable of boosting / buckling voltage, or a power supply, such as a configurable constant voltage source.

[0178] The monitoring module 104 can be used to: receive a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host 20 through the first output terminal 204 via the second input terminal 103, the voltage regulation configuration command including first voltage regulation data; and parse the voltage regulation configuration command to obtain the first voltage regulation data.

[0179] After acquiring the first voltage regulation data, the monitoring module 104 can process the first voltage regulation data according to a pre-set strategy to obtain the second voltage regulation data, include the second voltage regulation data in the voltage regulation command, and send it to the voltage regulation module 105. The monitoring module 104 can be implemented using a programmable logic device.

[0180] The strategy of obtaining the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data in the monitoring module 104 can be set according to the voltage regulation principle and circuit structure of the voltage regulation module 105, so that the voltage regulation module 105 outputs the first feedback voltage Vfed based on the second voltage regulation data and the power supply voltage Vin. After the first power supply module 301 provides the output voltage Vout based on the first feedback voltage Vfed, the power supply voltage Vin can meet the first voltage regulation data.

[0181] For example, if the voltage regulation module 105 includes a voltage divider circuit that divides the supply voltage Vin to obtain a first feedback voltage Vfed, then the monitoring module 104 can calculate the second voltage regulation data based on the resistance values ​​in the voltage divider circuit. The second voltage regulation data can include a voltage value or a voltage regulation amplitude. The voltage regulation module 105 can obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed based on this voltage value or voltage regulation amplitude.

[0182] The monitoring module 104 and the voltage regulation module 105 can be integrated together or set up separately.

[0183] In this embodiment, the required voltage data is first determined according to the circuit structure for voltage conversion in the IC device 10, and then the determined voltage data is implemented in the circuit for voltage conversion to output a first feedback voltage Vfed that can meet the first voltage regulation data to the first power module, which has good reliability.

[0184] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an IC device provided for yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 7 In this embodiment, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power supply module 301. The monitoring module 104 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and is used to determine the first voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the supply voltage Vin, and to determine the first voltage as the second voltage regulation data.

[0185] The voltage regulation module 105 includes a first voltage source 1051 connected to the monitoring module 104 and a first voltage divider module 1052 connected to the first voltage source 1051. The first voltage source 1051 is used to output a first voltage to the first voltage divider module 1052; the first voltage divider module 1052 is connected to a first input terminal 101 and a voltage output terminal 102, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage Vin to obtain a first feedback voltage Vfed, and output the first feedback voltage Vfed to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0186] Figure 7 In this embodiment, the first voltage divider module 1052 includes resistors R1 and R2. The power supply input terminal 203 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the first voltage source 1051 via resistors R1 and R2. The node between resistors R1 and R2 is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015. Thus, a voltage difference generated across resistor R1 exists between the power supply input terminal 203 and the first voltage feedback terminal 3015; that is, this voltage difference exists between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the power supply voltage Vin.

[0187] The first voltage regulation amplitude can be the difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin. For example, a first voltage regulation amplitude of 200mV means that the voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin is 200mV, in which case the supply voltage Vin can be reduced by 200mV. A first voltage regulation amplitude of -100mV means that the voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin is -100mV, in which case the supply voltage Vin can be increased by 100mV.

[0188] The monitoring module 104 can determine the first voltage V1 that the first voltage source 1051 should output based on the circuit structure of the first voltage divider module 1052, so that the voltage difference across the resistor R1 is the first voltage regulation amplitude.

[0189] When it is necessary to adjust the supply voltage Vin to reduce its voltage, the first voltage adjustment amplitude is greater than zero, and the first voltage V1 is greater than the supply voltage Vin. The first voltage V1 and the supply voltage Vin have the following relationship:

[0190] ΔV=Vfed-Vin=(V1-Vin) R1 / (R1+R2) (1)

[0191] Where ΔV is the first voltage regulation amplitude. R1 and R2 represent the resistance values ​​of resistors R1 and R2, respectively. The monitoring module 104 can calculate the first voltage V1 according to the above formula (1) and transmit it to the first voltage source 1051. In this way, a supply voltage Vin that can meet the first voltage regulation amplitude can be obtained.

[0192] The first voltage source 1051 may include a low dropout regulator (LDO), a DC-to-DC converter, a switching power supply, etc.

[0193] Figure 7 and the following description Figure 8 , 11 In embodiments 1 and 2, the monitoring module 104 is connected to the first output terminal 204 of the host 20 and is used to receive the voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host 20 through the first output terminal 204 via the second input terminal 103.

[0194] In this embodiment, by controlling the output of the first voltage source to determine the first voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude, a suitable voltage difference is made between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin using a simple voltage divider circuit. The method is simple, easy to implement, and has good reliability.

[0195] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See diagram below.) Figure 8 As shown, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power supply module 301; the monitoring module 104 is used to determine the first voltage regulation amplitude as the second voltage regulation data.

[0196] The voltage regulation module 105 includes a second voltage source 1053, which is connected to the monitoring module 104, the first input terminal 101 and the voltage output terminal 102. It is used to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and the supply voltage Vin, and output the first feedback voltage Vfed to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0197] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 104 can directly send the parsed first voltage regulation amplitude as the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105.

[0198] like Figure 8 As shown, one end of the second voltage source 1053 is connected to the first input terminal 101 to obtain the supply voltage Vin, and the other end is connected to the voltage output terminal 102 to output the first feedback voltage Vfed. In this way, the second voltage source 1053 is connected between the supply input terminal 203 and the first voltage feedback terminal 3015.

[0199] After obtaining the first voltage regulation amplitude, the second voltage source 1053 can boost or buck the supply voltage Vin according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and output a first feedback voltage Vfed. The second voltage source 1053 may include a differential operational amplifier. The first input terminal of the differential operational amplifier is connected to the first input terminal 101 for inputting the supply voltage Vin, the second input terminal of the differential operational amplifier is connected to the monitoring module 104 for obtaining the first voltage regulation amplitude, and the output terminal of the differential operational amplifier is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015. The differential operational amplifier outputs the first feedback voltage Vfed according to the supply voltage Vin and the first voltage regulation amplitude to adjust the boost or buck of the supply voltage Vin.

[0200] For example, when it is necessary to adjust the supply voltage Vin by stepping down, the first feedback voltage Vfed is greater than the supply voltage Vin. The first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin have the following relationship: ΔV = Vfed - Vin. Wherein, ΔV is the first voltage regulation amplitude.

[0201] In this embodiment, a voltage source is used to directly output a voltage with a fixed voltage difference from the supply voltage Vin, which simplifies the circuit structure.

[0202] In another embodiment, before determining the second voltage regulation data, the monitoring module 104 may first determine whether to enable the voltage regulation function of the IC device 10. For example... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the third input terminal 106 of IC device 10 is used to connect to SPMI bus 40. The monitoring module 104 is connected to the third input terminal 106 and is used for:

[0203] Before determining the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data, the third input terminal 106 listens for the power supply command sent by the host 20 to the first slave 30 via the SPMI bus 40. The power supply command includes the address of the first slave 30 and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301.

[0204] The address of the first slave device 30 and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0205] When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device 30 and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the IC device 10 is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

[0206] The monitoring module 104 may have an SPMI interface for monitoring power supply commands sent by the host 20 to the first slave 30 via the SPMI bus 40. When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave 30 and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301, it indicates that the first power module 301 needs to be used to perform voltage regulation on the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20.

[0207] After determining that a voltage regulation operation will be performed on the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, the monitoring module 104 can begin to acquire the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, and determine the second voltage regulation data based on the power supply voltage Vin and the first voltage regulation amplitude, such as... Figure 7 The embodiment shown. Alternatively, after determining that a voltage regulation operation is to be performed on the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, the monitoring module 104 can determine the first voltage regulation amplitude as the second voltage regulation data and send it to the voltage regulation module 105, such as... Figure 8 The example shown.

[0208] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of enabling the voltage regulation function according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 9 As shown, the steps to enable the voltage regulation function of IC device 10 are as follows:

[0209] S11. Receive voltage regulation configuration commands transmitted by host 20. Host 20 can send voltage regulation configuration commands when the device is powered on, or send different voltage regulation configuration commands according to different usage scenarios (e.g., game interface or audio playback only interface) when the device usage scenario changes. Figure 7 In this embodiment, the monitoring module 104 is connected to the first output terminal 204 of the host 20 and receives the voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host 20 through the first output terminal 204 via the second input terminal 103.

[0210] S12. Parse the voltage regulation configuration instruction to obtain the first voltage regulation data. The first voltage regulation data in the voltage regulation configuration instruction can be matched with the circuit structure in the voltage regulation module. For example, the first voltage regulation data may include the voltage regulation amplitude, or the ratio between the output and feedback voltages of the voltage source, etc. The first voltage regulation data may also include the address of the power register corresponding to the power supply module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power supply module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

[0211] S13. Listen for power supply commands. The listening module may have an SPMI interface to listen for power supply commands sent by the master to the first slave via the SPMI bus.

[0212] S14. Parse the power supply command. The power supply command may include the address of the slave device to which power is supplied, the address of the power register corresponding to the power module in the slave device, and the magnitude of the voltage. That is, the power supply command can indicate which power module in which slave device will supply the master with how much voltage.

[0213] S15. Determine whether the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device 30. If yes, proceed to S16; otherwise, return to S13. The address of the first slave device 30 can be matched one by one with all slave device addresses included in the first voltage regulation data to determine whether the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device 30. For example, the matching rule can be a complete match, i.e., the addresses are exactly the same.

[0214] S16. Determine whether the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301. If yes, proceed to S17; otherwise, return to S13. The address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301 can be matched one by one with the addresses of all power registers included in the first voltage regulation data to determine whether the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301. For example, a complete match can be used, where the addresses are exactly the same.

[0215] S17. Enable the voltage regulation function of IC device 10.

[0216] In this embodiment, the first power module 301 is determined to perform a voltage regulation operation by comparing the address data in the voltage regulation configuration command and the power supply command, and the data processing speed is fast.

[0217] When it is necessary to change the operating frequency of the master unit 20, the voltage decision module 202 can send a power supply command to the first slave unit 30 via the SPMI bus 40. Alternatively, the voltage decision module 202 can periodically repeat the same power supply command. The indicated voltage Vset included in the power supply command corresponds to the target operating frequency. When it is necessary to change the operating frequency of the master unit 20, the indicated voltage Vset sent may be different from the current indicated voltage Vset.

[0218] In another embodiment, after the voltage regulation function of IC device 10 is enabled, the monitoring module 104 can determine whether the target operating frequency is stable based on the analyzed indicator voltage Vset. If it is stable, the voltage regulation will start to avoid frequent voltage regulation in a short period of time.

[0219] In this embodiment, the power supply command also includes an indication voltage Vset corresponding to the first power module 301.

[0220] The monitoring module 104 is used to parse the power supply command to obtain the indicated voltage Vset; when the voltage regulation function of the IC device 10 is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the indicated voltage Vset; and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105.

[0221] like Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, the monitoring module 104 can be connected to the SPMI bus 40 via the third input terminal 106 to monitor power supply commands, thereby parsing the indicated voltage Vset. Based on the stability of the parsed indicated voltage Vset, it determines whether to transmit the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105. For example, if the obtained indicated voltage Vset changes significantly within a short period of time, the regulation operation will not be performed temporarily. This avoids unnecessary data processing and unnecessary energy consumption caused by frequent regulation.

[0222] In another embodiment, the monitoring module 104 is configured to: determine to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 if no new indication voltage Vset is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the date of obtaining the indication voltage Vset.

[0223] Listening can continue for a first predetermined period of time. If no new power supply command is received, then no new indication voltage is received; or, if a new power supply command is received, but the indication voltage obtained from parsing the new power supply command is the same as the current indication voltage, then no new indication voltage is received. Wherein, if the difference between the indication voltage obtained from parsing the new power supply command and the current indication voltage is less than a predetermined threshold, it can be indicated that the indication voltage obtained from parsing the new power supply command is the same as the current indication voltage.

[0224] Figure 7 and Figure 8 In one embodiment, the indicator voltage Vset can be used to determine whether the adjustment operation is enabled. Figure 10 for Figure 7 and Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating the process of initiating the adjustment operation. Figure 10 As shown, the steps to enable voltage regulation of IC device 10 are as follows:

[0225] S21. Listen for power supply commands. The listening module may have an SPMI interface to listen for power supply commands sent by the master to the first slave via the SPMI bus.

[0226] S22. Parse the power supply command to obtain the indicated voltage. The power supply command may include the address of the slave device indicating power supply, the address of the power register corresponding to the power module in the slave device indicating power supply, and may also include the indicated voltage, that is, the power supply command can indicate how much voltage to provide to the master.

[0227] S23. Save the indicated voltage to the voltage register. The monitoring module can be configured with a dedicated voltage register for storing the indicated voltage. During the process of determining whether to enable the adjustment operation, the parsed indicated voltage is temporarily stored.

[0228] S24. Reset and start the timer. A timer can be set in the monitoring module to keep track of the duration the indicated voltage is stored in the voltage register.

[0229] S25. Determine if a new power supply command has been detected. If yes, proceed to S26; otherwise, proceed to S27. The host can transmit a new power supply command to the SPMI bus only when the operating frequency needs to be adjusted, or it can transmit the same power supply command periodically. In both cases, the monitoring module can receive the new power supply command.

[0230] S26. Determine if a new indicator voltage has been parsed. If yes, return to S23; otherwise, proceed to S27. The monitoring module can be equipped with logic devices to perform logical judgments on the parsed indicator voltage. If the indicator voltage obtained from the monitored power supply command is inconsistent with the indicator voltage currently stored in the voltage register, a new indicator voltage can be determined.

[0231] S27. Determine if the timer duration is greater than the first predetermined duration. If yes, proceed to S28; otherwise, return to S25. If no new indication voltage is obtained within the first predetermined duration, it can be determined that the indication voltage stored in the current voltage register has stabilized, and the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power supply module can be started.

[0232] S28. Enable voltage regulation operation of IC device 10.

[0233] In this embodiment, by listening to new power supply commands and judging new indicator voltages, the indicator voltage Vset is used to determine whether to start the adjustment operation, which makes the judgment on stability more accurate.

[0234] When the first power module 301 receives the indication voltage Vset, the power supply 3011 is controlled to output the output voltage Vout at the voltage output terminal 3014. Although there is a certain delay between receiving the indication voltage Vset and the output voltage Vout, there is a close correlation between the indication voltage Vset and the output voltage Vout. When the target operating frequency of the chip increases, the indication voltage Vset increases, and the output voltage Vout also increases; conversely, when the target operating frequency decreases, the indication voltage Vset decreases, and the output voltage Vout also decreases. Therefore, in another embodiment, the stability of the target operating frequency can also be determined by the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301.

[0235] In this embodiment, such as Figure 11 , Figure 12 As shown, the fourth input terminal 107 of the IC device 10 is used to connect to the voltage output terminal 3014 of the first power module 301.

[0236] The monitoring module 104 is connected to the fourth input terminal 107 and is used to obtain the current output voltage of the first power module 301 through the fourth input terminal 107; when the voltage regulation function of the IC device 10 is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the current output voltage of the first power module 301; and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105.

[0237] The monitoring module 104 can be connected to the voltage output terminal 3014 via the fourth input terminal 107 to obtain the output voltage Vout. Based on the stability of the obtained output voltage Vout, it determines whether to transmit the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module 105. For example, if the output voltage Vout changes significantly within a predetermined period of time, the regulation operation will not be performed temporarily. This avoids unnecessary data processing and unnecessary energy consumption caused by frequent regulation.

[0238] Figure 11 and Figure 7 The difference lies in the determination of whether to perform an adjustment operation. Figure 7 The determination is made by monitoring the indicator voltage Vset obtained from the power supply command on the SPMI bus 40, and... Figure 11 The determination is made by obtaining the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301.

[0239] Figure 12 and Figure 8 The difference lies in the determination of whether to perform an adjustment operation. Figure 8The determination is made by monitoring the indicator voltage Vset obtained from the power supply command on the SPMI bus 40, and... Figure 12 The determination is made by obtaining the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301.

[0240] Since the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 usually experiences a large jump when switching the chip frequency, and then gradually adjusts to a stable voltage with small amplitude, this characteristic can be used to determine the stability of the power supply command.

[0241] In another embodiment, the monitoring module 104 is configured to: determine to initiate an adjustment operation on the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 if, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change amplitude of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is greater than the first threshold, the change amplitude is always less than or equal to the first threshold, wherein the change amplitude is the absolute value of the difference between the current output voltage and the previous output voltage of the first power module 301.

[0242] The change in output voltage Vout refers to the absolute value of the difference between two consecutive detected output voltages Vout. When the frequency of the regulating chip decreases, the indicator voltage Vset decreases, and the output voltage Vout decreases accordingly; conversely, when the frequency of the regulating chip increases, the indicator voltage Vset increases, and the output voltage Vout increases accordingly. Therefore, the output voltage Vout increases or decreases with the indicator voltage Vset. If the change in output voltage Vout is greater than a first threshold, it can be considered that the host 20 has indicated a new indicator voltage Vset. If, during the subsequent second predetermined time period, the change in output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is consistently less than or equal to the first threshold, it can be considered that the indicator voltage Vset has stabilized, and the regulation operation can be initiated.

[0243] Figure 11 and Figure 12 In one embodiment, the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 can be used to determine whether the adjustment operation is enabled. Figure 13 for Figure 11 and Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating the process of initiating the adjustment operation. (Example) Figure 13 As shown, the steps to enable voltage regulation of IC device 10 are as follows:

[0244] S31. Detect the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301. The monitoring module can be connected to the output terminal of the first power module 301 to directly obtain the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301.

[0245] S32. Determine if the output voltage Vout has changed. If yes, proceed to S33; otherwise, return to S31. The monitoring module can compare the absolute value of the difference between the current output voltage of the first power supply module 301 and the previous output voltage to determine if the output voltage Vout has changed.

[0246] S33. Determine whether the change in output voltage exceeds a first threshold. If yes, proceed to S34; otherwise, return to S31. The monitoring module can pre-store the first threshold. When the absolute value of the difference between two adjacent detected output voltages Vout exceeds the first threshold, it can be determined that the host has sent a new indication voltage. Only then will the output voltage controlled by the first power supply module 301 change to a value greater than the first threshold.

[0247] S34. Reset and start the timer. That is, start timing from the moment a new indicator voltage is detected.

[0248] S35. Determine whether the change in output voltage exceeds the first threshold. If not, proceed to S36; if yes, return to S31. During the period before the second duration is reached, the monitoring module continuously determines whether the change in output voltage exceeds the first threshold.

[0249] S36. Determine if the timing has reached the second duration. If yes, proceed to S37; otherwise, return to S35. The second duration is pre-stored in the monitoring module. When the change in output voltage is not greater than the first threshold and the timing has reached the second duration, it is determined that the output voltage of the first power module 301 has stabilized, reflecting that the indicator voltage has stabilized, and the voltage regulation operation of IC device 10 can be enabled.

[0250] S37. Enable voltage regulation operation of IC device 10.

[0251] In this embodiment, the stability of the power supply command is determined by the change characteristics of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 when the frequency of the switching chip is used, thereby determining whether to start the adjustment operation. In this way, the judgment of the stability of the power supply command is more accurate and unnecessary adjustment is avoided.

[0252] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 14 In one embodiment, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module 301, and the IC device 10 includes a third voltage source 108 and a second voltage divider module 109 connected to the third voltage source 108.

[0253] The third voltage source 108 is used to obtain the second voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and output the second voltage to the second voltage divider module 109.

[0254] The second voltage divider module 109 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and the voltage output terminal 102, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the second voltage and the supply voltage Vin to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed; the first feedback voltage Vfed is output to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102, wherein the reference ground terminal of the third voltage source 108 is used to connect to the power supply input terminal 203.

[0255] Since the reference ground terminal of the third voltage source 108 is connected to the power supply input terminal 203, the input to the reference ground terminal of the third voltage source 108 is the power supply voltage Vin. After obtaining the first voltage regulation amplitude, the third voltage source 108 can output a second voltage V2 corresponding to the first voltage regulation amplitude. For example, if the first voltage regulation amplitude is -0.5V, it means that the power supply voltage Vin is reduced by 0.5V. The third voltage source 108 can output the second voltage V2 to the second voltage divider module 109, so that after voltage division by the second voltage divider module 109, the first feedback voltage Vfed is 0.5V higher than the power supply voltage Vin.

[0256] exist Figure 14 In this embodiment, the second voltage divider module 109 includes resistors R3 and R4. The power supply input terminal 203 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the third voltage source 108 via resistors R3 and R4. The node between resistors R3 and R4 is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015. Thus, there is a voltage difference generated across resistor R3 between the power supply input terminal 203 and the first voltage feedback terminal 3015, i.e., there is this voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the power supply voltage Vin.

[0257] When it is necessary to adjust the supply voltage Vin to be reduced, the second voltage V2 is greater than the supply voltage Vin. The second voltage V2 and the supply voltage Vin have the following relationship:

[0258] ΔV=Vfed-Vin=(V2-Vin) R3 / (R3+R4) (2)

[0259] Where ΔV is the first voltage regulation amplitude. R3 and R4 represent the resistance values ​​of resistors R3 and R4, respectively. The third voltage source 108 can output the second voltage V2 according to the above formula (2).

[0260] In this embodiment, the voltage difference between the second voltage V2 output by the third voltage source 108 and the reference ground terminal is fixed, that is, V2-Vin is fixed. Therefore, no matter how Vin fluctuates, there is always a fixed voltage difference ΔV between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin, and the voltage regulation scheme is simple.

[0261] The third voltage source 108 can be a configurable voltage source, including an LDO, a DC-DC converter, a switching power supply, etc. All voltage sources in this disclosure can be equipped with an I2C interface to communicate with the monitoring module 104 or the host 20 through the I2C communication interface circuit.

[0262] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 15 In the embodiment, the first voltage regulation data includes the first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power supply module 301. The IC device 10 includes a fourth voltage source 110, a third voltage divider module 111 and a fourth voltage divider module 112 connected to the fourth voltage source 110. The voltage output terminal 1111 of the third voltage divider module 111 is connected to the reference ground terminal of the fourth voltage source 110.

[0263] The fourth voltage source 110 is used to obtain the third voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and output the third voltage to the fourth voltage divider module 112.

[0264] The third voltage divider module 111 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and is used to output the fourth voltage obtained after dividing the supply voltage Vin through the voltage output terminal 1111 of the third voltage divider module 111.

[0265] The fourth voltage divider module 112 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and is used to divide the voltage difference between the third voltage and the supply voltage Vin to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed; the first feedback voltage Vfed is output to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0266] and Figure 14 Compared to the previous embodiment, in Figure 15 In this embodiment, a voltage divider module (third voltage divider module 111) is added between the reference ground terminal of the voltage source and the power supply input terminal 203. That is, the power supply voltage Vin is input to the reference ground terminal of the fourth voltage source 110 after being divided. In this embodiment, the voltage division ratio in the third voltage divider module 111 can be configured according to actual needs, making the voltage regulation strategy more flexible.

[0267] like Figure 15 As shown, the third voltage divider module 111 includes resistors R5 and R6. The power input terminal 203 is connected to the ground wire through resistors R5 and R6 in sequence. The node between resistors R5 and R6 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1111.

[0268] The fourth voltage divider module 112 includes resistors R7 and R8. The power input terminal 203 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the fourth voltage source 110 through resistors R7 and R8 in sequence. The node between resistors R7 and R8 is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015.

[0269] Thus, there is a voltage difference generated across resistor R7 between the power supply input terminal 203 and the first voltage feedback terminal 3015, that is, there is this voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the power supply voltage Vin.

[0270] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 16 In the embodiment, the first voltage regulation data includes a first proportional relationship corresponding to the first power module 301. The IC device 10 includes a fifth voltage source 113, a fifth voltage divider module 114 connected to the fifth voltage source 113, and a first proportional variable voltage divider module 115 connected to the fifth voltage source 113. The first proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output by the voltage output terminal 1131 of the fifth voltage source 113 to the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1132 of the fifth voltage source 113.

[0271] The fifth voltage source 113 is used to obtain the fifth voltage according to the first proportional relationship and the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1132, and output the fifth voltage to the fifth voltage divider module 114 through the voltage output terminal 1131.

[0272] The fifth voltage divider module 114 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and the voltage output terminal 102, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the fifth voltage and the supply voltage Vin to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed; and outputs the first feedback voltage Vfed to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0273] The first proportional variable voltage divider module 115 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and to the voltage output terminal 1131 and voltage feedback terminal 1132 of the fifth voltage source 113. It is used to divide the output voltage of the fifth voltage source 113 to obtain the sixth voltage and output it to the voltage feedback terminal 1132. The voltage division ratio of the first proportional variable voltage divider module 115 changes with the supply voltage Vin.

[0274] The fifth voltage source 113 controls the voltage output by the voltage output terminal 1131 based on the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1132, so that the two have a first proportional relationship configured by the host 20.

[0275] The first variable voltage divider module 115 may include a voltage divider device with variable impedance, which has different impedances when the supply voltage Vin is different, and thus can have different voltage division ratios corresponding to different supply voltages Vin. The position of the variable impedance voltage divider device can be set so that the ratio of the voltage output at the voltage output terminal 1131 to the feedback voltage received at the voltage feedback terminal 1132 increases or decreases with the supply voltage Vin.

[0276] Taking the increase in ratio as an example, when the supply voltage Vin increases, the voltage division ratio between the voltage output terminal 1131 and the voltage feedback terminal 1132 increases, and the ratio of the voltage output by the voltage output terminal 1131 to the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1132 increases. At this time, the fifth voltage source 113 outputs according to the configured first ratio relationship. After the voltage output by the voltage output terminal 1131 is divided by the fifth voltage divider module 114, the voltage difference between the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 and the first input terminal 101 increases.

[0277] In this embodiment, by setting a proportional variable voltage divider module, the voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin can change with the change of the supply voltage Vin to meet different voltage regulation requirements.

[0278] Figure 17 Provided as an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure Figure 16 A schematic diagram illustrating the voltage regulation amplitude variation of an IC device. (See diagram below.) Figure 17 As shown, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents voltage. Curve C represents the supply voltage Vin, curve A represents the first feedback voltage Vfed, and curve B represents the difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the supply voltage Vin, i.e., the absolute value of the first voltage regulation amplitude. It can be seen that when the supply voltage Vin increases, the absolute value of the first voltage regulation amplitude also increases.

[0279] exist Figure 16 In one embodiment, the first proportional variable voltage divider module 115 includes a MOSFET Q1, a resistor R11, and a resistor R12; the gate of the MOSFET Q1 is connected to the first input terminal 101, the first end of the resistor R11 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1131 of the fifth voltage source 113, the second end of the resistor R11 is connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q1, the source of the MOSFET Q1 is connected to the first end of the resistor R12, and the second end of the resistor R12 is grounded.

[0280] In this embodiment, MOSFET Q1 can be an N-type MOSFET. The variable impedance in the first proportional variable voltage divider module 115 is achieved by using a MOSFET, resulting in simple components and easy selection. Specifically, according to the above connection relationship, when the supply voltage Vin increases, the impedance of MOSFET Q1 decreases, the voltage at the input voltage feedback terminal 1132 decreases, and the voltage output at the voltage output terminal 1131 increases.

[0281] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of an IC device provided as yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 18In this embodiment, the first voltage regulation data includes a second proportional relationship corresponding to the first power module 301. The IC device 10 includes a sixth voltage source 116, a sixth voltage divider module 117, a seventh voltage divider module 118 connected to the sixth voltage source 116, and a second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 connected to the sixth voltage source 116 and the sixth voltage divider module 117. The second proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output by the voltage output terminal 1161 of the sixth voltage source 116 to the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1162 of the sixth voltage source 116.

[0282] The sixth voltage source 116 is used to obtain the seventh voltage according to the second proportional relationship and the voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal 1162, and output the seventh voltage to the seventh voltage divider module 118 through the voltage output terminal 1161.

[0283] The sixth voltage divider module 117 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and is used to transmit the eighth voltage obtained after dividing the supply voltage Vin to the second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 through the voltage output terminal 1171 of the sixth voltage divider module 117.

[0284] The seventh voltage divider module 118 is connected to the first input terminal 101 and the voltage output terminal 102, and is used to divide the voltage difference between the seventh voltage and the supply voltage Vin to obtain the first feedback voltage Vfed; and outputs the first feedback voltage Vfed to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015 through the voltage output terminal 102.

[0285] The second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1171 of the sixth voltage divider module 117, and is also connected to the voltage output terminal 1161 and the voltage feedback terminal 1162 of the sixth voltage source 116. It is used to output the ninth voltage obtained by dividing the seventh voltage to the voltage feedback terminal 1162. The voltage division ratio of the second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 changes with the change of the eighth voltage.

[0286] and Figure 16 Compared to the previous embodiment, in Figure 18 In this embodiment, a voltage divider module (sixth voltage divider module 117) is added between the proportional variable voltage divider module and the power supply input terminal 203. That is, the power supply voltage Vin is input to the second proportional variable voltage divider module after being divided. This allows the voltage division ratio in the sixth voltage divider module 117 to be configured according to actual needs, making the voltage regulation strategy more flexible.

[0287] like Figure 18 As shown, the sixth voltage divider module 117 includes resistors R13 and R14. The power input terminal 203 is connected to the ground wire through resistors R13 and R14 in sequence. The node between resistors R13 and R14 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1171.

[0288] The seventh voltage divider module 118 includes resistors R15 and R16. The power input terminal 203 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1161 of the sixth voltage source 116 via resistors R15 and R16. The node between resistors R15 and R16 is connected to the first voltage feedback terminal 3015.

[0289] Thus, there is a voltage difference generated across resistor R15 between the power supply input terminal 203 and the first voltage feedback terminal 3015, that is, there is this voltage difference between the first feedback voltage Vfed and the power supply voltage Vin.

[0290] exist Figure 18 In this embodiment, the second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 includes a MOSFET Q2, a resistor R17, and a resistor R18. The gate of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1171 of the sixth voltage divider module 117. The first terminal of the resistor R17 is connected to the voltage output terminal 1161, the second terminal of the resistor R17 is connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q2, the source of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the first terminal of the resistor R18, and the second terminal of the resistor R18 is grounded.

[0291] In this embodiment, MOSFET Q2 can be an N-type MOSFET. The variable impedance in the second proportional variable voltage divider module 119 is achieved by using a MOSFET, resulting in simple components and easy selection. Specifically, according to the above connection relationship, when the supply voltage Vin increases, the impedance of MOSFET Q2 decreases, the voltage at the input voltage feedback terminal 1162 decreases, and the voltage output at the voltage output terminal 1161 increases.

[0292] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a voltage regulation method applied to an IC device 10. The IC device 10 is connected to a host 20 and a first slave 30, the first slave 30 including a first power module 301 for supplying power to the host 20. Figure 19 A flowchart illustrating a voltage regulation method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 19 As shown, the voltage regulation method includes the following steps:

[0293] In S41, the power supply voltage Vin of host 20 is obtained;

[0294] In S42, based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host 20 and the supply voltage Vin of the host 20, the first feedback voltage Vfed is obtained; and

[0295] In S43, a first feedback voltage Vfed is output to the first power module 301 in the first slave device 30, so that the first power module 301 adjusts its output voltage Vout according to the first feedback voltage Vfed.

[0296] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 4The description.

[0297] The above technical solution adds an IC device to the power supply system that powers the host, adjusting the host's supply voltage before transmitting it to the first voltage feedback terminal of the first power module. This allows the first power module to control its output voltage based on the first feedback voltage received at the first voltage feedback terminal. This differs from related technologies where the power module directly receives the host's supply voltage at its voltage feedback terminal and uses it as the feedback voltage to control its output voltage. This allows for adjustment of the host's supply voltage without altering its voltage control strategy, enabling adjustments to raise or lower the host's supply voltage. In some cases, lowering the host's supply voltage reduces unnecessary energy waste; in others, raising it enhances the user experience. This disclosed solution optimizes the host's operating voltage according to the actual product design and does not occupy the communication lines between the host and slave devices, nor does it affect their communication interaction.

[0298] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0299] Receives a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by host 20, the voltage regulation configuration command including first voltage regulation data; and

[0300] The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

[0301] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 5 , Figure 6 The description.

[0302] Optionally, the first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module 301. Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host 20 and the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, the first feedback voltage Vfed is obtained, including:

[0303] The first voltage is obtained based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the supply voltage Vin;

[0304] The first feedback voltage Vfed is obtained by dividing the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage Vin.

[0305] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 7 , Figure 11 The description.

[0306] Optionally, before obtaining the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, the method further includes:

[0307] The monitoring host 20 sends a power supply command to the first slave 30 through the SPMI bus 40. The power supply command includes the address of the first slave 30 and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module 301.

[0308] The address of the first slave device 30 and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0309] When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device 30 and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the control IC device 10 is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

[0310] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 9 The description.

[0311] Optionally, the power supply command also includes an indication voltage Vset corresponding to the first power module 301, and, when the voltage regulation function of the IC device 10 is enabled, obtaining the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20, including:

[0312] The indicated voltage Vset is obtained by parsing the power supply command;

[0313] When the voltage regulation function of IC device 10 is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the indicated voltage Vset; and

[0314] When it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is started, the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20 is obtained.

[0315] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 7 , Figure 8 The description.

[0316] Optionally, determining whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the indicated voltage Vset includes:

[0317] If no new indication voltage Vset is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the time the indication voltage Vset is obtained, it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is started.

[0318] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 10 The description.

[0319] Optionally, when the voltage regulation function of IC device 10 is enabled, the power supply voltage Vin of host 20 is obtained, including:

[0320] Obtain the current output voltage of the first power module 301;

[0321] When the voltage regulation function of IC device 10 is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the current output voltage of the first power module 301; and

[0322] When it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is started, the power supply voltage Vin of the host 20 is obtained.

[0323] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 11 , Figure 12 The description.

[0324] Optionally, determining whether to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 based on the current output voltage of the first power module 301 includes:

[0325] If, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change in the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 exceeds the first threshold, the change in the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 is always less than or equal to the first threshold, it is determined that an adjustment operation on the output voltage Vout of the first power module 301 will be initiated, wherein the change in the change is the absolute value of the difference between the current output voltage and the previous output voltage of the first power module 301.

[0326] This embodiment can be referred to the above regarding... Figure 13 The description.

[0327] Regarding the methods in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each step is performed has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the IC device, and will not be elaborated here.

[0328] This disclosure also provides a power supply system, which includes a host 20, a first slave 30 and at least one IC device 10 as provided in this disclosure, wherein the first slave 30 includes at least one power module, and at least one IC device 10 corresponds one-to-one with at least one power module. The first input terminal 101 of each IC device 10 is connected to the power input terminal 203 of the host 20, and the voltage output terminal 102 of each IC device 10 is connected to the voltage feedback terminal of the corresponding power module.

[0329] This disclosure also provides an electronic device including a power supply system as provided in this disclosure, the power supply system being used to supply power to a host 20 in the electronic device.

[0330] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0331] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0332] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) device (10), characterized in that, The first input terminal (101) of the IC device (10) is used to connect to the power supply input terminal (203) of the host (20), and the voltage output terminal (102) of the IC device (10) is used to connect to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) of the first power module (301) in the first slave device (30), wherein the first power module (301) is used to supply power to the host (20); wherein, the IC device (10) is used for: The power supply voltage of the host (20) is obtained through the first input terminal (101); Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host (20) and the power supply voltage of the host (20), a first feedback voltage is obtained; and The first feedback voltage is output to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102) so that the first power module (301) adjusts the output voltage of the first power module (301) according to the first feedback voltage.

2. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second input terminal (103) of the IC device (10) is used to connect to the first output terminal (204) of the host (20); The IC device (10) is also used for: The second input terminal (103) receives a voltage regulation configuration command transmitted by the host (20) through the first output terminal (204), the voltage regulation configuration command including the first voltage regulation data; and The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

3. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The IC device (10) includes a monitoring module (104) and a voltage regulating module (105) connected to the monitoring module (104); The monitoring module (104) is used to determine the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data, and transmit the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module (105); The voltage regulation module (105) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and the voltage output terminal (102), and is used to obtain the first feedback voltage according to the second voltage regulation data and the power supply voltage, and output the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102).

4. The IC device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module (301); The monitoring module (104) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and is used to determine the first voltage based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the power supply voltage, and to determine the first voltage as the second voltage regulation data; The voltage regulating module (105) includes a first voltage source (1051) connected to the monitoring module (104) and a first voltage divider module (1052) connected to the first voltage source (1051); The first voltage source (1051) is used to output the first voltage to the first voltage divider module (1052); The first voltage divider module (1052) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and the voltage output terminal (102) to divide the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage, and outputs the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102).

5. The IC device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module (301); the monitoring module (104) is used to determine the first voltage regulation amplitude as the second voltage regulation data; The voltage regulation module (105) includes a second voltage source (1053), which is connected to the monitoring module (104), the first input terminal (101), and the voltage output terminal (102). It is used to obtain the first feedback voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and the power supply voltage, and output the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102).

6. The IC device (10) according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The third input terminal (106) of the IC device (10) is used to connect to the system power management interface SPMI bus (40); The monitoring module (104) is connected to the third input terminal (106) and is used for: Before determining the second voltage regulation data based on the first voltage regulation data, the third input terminal (106) listens for the power supply command sent by the host (20) to the first slave (30) through the SPMI bus (40). The power supply command includes the address of the first slave (30) and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module (301). The address of the first slave device (30) and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command; When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device (30) and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

7. The IC device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power supply command also includes an indication voltage corresponding to the first power module (301); and The monitoring module (104) is used to parse the power supply command to obtain the indicated voltage; when the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) according to the indicated voltage; and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module (105).

8. The IC device (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The monitoring module (104) is used for: If no new indication voltage is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the date of obtaining the indicated voltage, it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) will be initiated.

9. The IC device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fourth input terminal (107) of the IC device (10) is used to connect to the voltage output terminal (3014) of the first power module (301); The monitoring module (104) is connected to the fourth input terminal (107) and is used to obtain the current output voltage of the first power module (301) through the fourth input terminal (107); when the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled, it determines whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) based on the current output voltage of the first power module (301); and when it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) is enabled, it transmits the second voltage regulation data to the voltage regulation module (105).

10. The IC device (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The monitoring module (104) is used for: If, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change in the output voltage of the first power module (301) exceeds the first threshold, the change in the output voltage of the first power module (301) is always less than or equal to the first threshold, it is determined that an adjustment operation on the output voltage of the first power module (301) will be initiated, wherein the change in ...

11. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module (301), and the IC device (10) includes a third voltage source (108) and a second voltage divider module (109) connected to the third voltage source (108); The third voltage source (108) is used to obtain a second voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and output the second voltage to the second voltage divider module (109); The second voltage divider module (109) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and the voltage output terminal (102) to divide the voltage difference between the second voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; the first feedback voltage is output to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102), wherein the reference ground terminal of the third voltage source (108) is used to connect to the supply input terminal (203).

12. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module (301). The IC device (10) includes a fourth voltage source (110), a third voltage divider module (111), and a fourth voltage divider module (112) connected to the fourth voltage source (110). The voltage output terminal (1111) of the third voltage divider module (111) is connected to the reference ground terminal of the fourth voltage source (110). The fourth voltage source (110) is used to obtain a third voltage according to the first voltage regulation amplitude and output the third voltage to the fourth voltage divider module (112); The third voltage divider module (111) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and is used to output the fourth voltage obtained after dividing the power supply voltage through the voltage output terminal (1111) of the third voltage divider module (111). The fourth voltage divider module (112) is connected to the first input terminal (101) and is used to divide the voltage difference between the third voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; and outputs the first feedback voltage to the first voltage feedback terminal (3015) through the voltage output terminal (102).

13. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first proportional relationship corresponding to the first power module (301). The IC device (10) includes a fifth voltage source (113), a fifth voltage divider module (114), and a first proportional variable voltage divider module (115). The first proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output by the voltage output terminal (1131) of the fifth voltage source (113) to the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal (1132). The fifth voltage source (113) is used to obtain a fifth voltage based on the first proportional relationship and the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal (1132); The fifth voltage divider module (114) is used to divide the voltage difference between the fifth voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; The first proportional variable voltage divider module (115) is used to output the sixth voltage obtained by dividing the output voltage of the fifth voltage source (113) to the voltage feedback terminal (1132), wherein the voltage division ratio of the first proportional variable voltage divider module (115) changes with the change of the supply voltage.

14. The IC device (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first proportional variable voltage divider module (115) includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOS transistor) Q1, a resistor R11, and a resistor R12; the gate of the MOS transistor Q1 is connected to the first input terminal (101), the first end of the resistor R11 is connected to the voltage output terminal (1131) of the fifth voltage source (113), the second end of the resistor R11 is connected to the drain of the MOS transistor Q1, the source of the MOS transistor Q1 is connected to the first end of the resistor R12, and the second end of the resistor R12 is grounded.

15. The IC device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a second proportional relationship corresponding to the first power module (301). The IC device (10) includes a sixth voltage source (116), a sixth voltage divider module (117), a seventh voltage divider module (118), and a second proportional variable voltage divider module (119). The second proportional relationship is the ratio of the voltage output by the voltage output terminal (1161) of the sixth voltage source (116) to the feedback voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal (1162). The sixth voltage source (116) is used to obtain the seventh voltage according to the second proportional relationship and the voltage received by the voltage feedback terminal (1162); The seventh voltage divider module (118) is used to divide the voltage difference between the seventh voltage and the supply voltage to obtain the first feedback voltage; The sixth voltage divider module (117) is used to transmit the eighth voltage obtained by dividing the supply voltage to the second proportional variable voltage divider module (119); The second proportional variable voltage divider module (119) is used to output the ninth voltage obtained by dividing the seventh voltage to the voltage feedback terminal (1162), wherein the voltage division ratio of the second proportional variable voltage divider module (119) changes with the change of the eighth voltage.

16. The IC device (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that, The second proportional variable voltage divider module (119) includes a MOSFET Q2, a resistor R17, and a resistor R18. The gate of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the voltage output terminal (1171) of the sixth voltage divider module (117). The first end of the resistor R17 is connected to the voltage output terminal (1161). The second end of the resistor R17 is connected to the drain of the MOSFET Q2. The source of the MOSFET Q2 is connected to the first end of the resistor R18. The second end of the resistor R18 is grounded.

17. A voltage regulation method, characterized in that, The voltage regulation method is applied to an IC device (10), which is connected to a host (20) and a first slave device (30), the first slave device (30) including a first power supply module (301) for supplying power to the host (20), the voltage regulation method including: Obtain the power supply voltage of the host (20); Based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host (20) and the power supply voltage of the host (20), a first feedback voltage is obtained; and The first feedback voltage is output to the first power module (301) in the first slave device (30) so that the first power module (301) adjusts the output voltage of the first power module (301) according to the first feedback voltage.

18. The voltage regulation method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the voltage regulation configuration instruction transmitted by the host (20), the voltage regulation configuration instruction including the first voltage regulation data; and The first voltage regulation data is obtained by parsing the voltage regulation configuration command.

19. The voltage regulation method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first voltage regulation data includes a first voltage regulation amplitude corresponding to the first power module (301). The step of obtaining the first feedback voltage based on the first voltage regulation data configured in the host (20) and the power supply voltage of the host (20) includes: The first voltage is obtained based on the first voltage regulation amplitude and the supply voltage; The first feedback voltage is obtained by dividing the voltage difference between the first voltage and the supply voltage.

20. The voltage regulation method according to any one of claims 17-19, characterized in that, Before obtaining the power supply voltage of the host (20), the method further includes: Listen to the power supply command sent by the host (20) to the first slave (30) through the SPMI bus (40). The power supply command includes the address of the first slave (30) and the address of the first power register corresponding to the first power module (301). The address of the first slave device (30) and the address of the first power register are obtained by parsing the power supply command; When the first voltage regulation data includes the address of the first slave device (30) and the address of the first power register, the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled. The first voltage regulation data includes the address of the power register corresponding to the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation and the address of the slave device where the power module that needs to perform the voltage regulation operation is located.

21. The voltage regulation method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The power supply command also includes an indication voltage corresponding to the first power module (301), and the step of obtaining the power supply voltage of the host (20) when the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled includes: The indicated voltage is obtained by parsing the power supply command; When the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) based on the indicated voltage; and When it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) is started, the power supply voltage of the host (20) is obtained.

22. The voltage regulation method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) based on the indicated voltage includes: If no new indication voltage is obtained within a first predetermined time period from the date of obtaining the indicated voltage, it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) will be initiated.

23. The voltage regulation method according to claim 20, characterized in that, When the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled, obtaining the power supply voltage of the host (20) includes: Obtain the current output voltage of the first power module (301); When the voltage regulation function of the IC device (10) is enabled, it is determined whether to enable the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) based on the current output voltage of the first power module (301); and When it is determined that the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) is started, the power supply voltage of the host (20) is obtained.

24. The voltage regulation method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to initiate the adjustment operation of the output voltage of the first power module (301) based on the current output voltage of the first power module (301) includes: If, within a second predetermined time period starting from when the change in the output voltage of the first power module (301) exceeds the first threshold, the change in the output voltage of the first power module (301) is always less than or equal to the first threshold, it is determined that an adjustment operation on the output voltage of the first power module (301) will be initiated, wherein the change in ...

25. A power supply system, characterized in that, The power supply system includes a host (20), a first slave (30), and at least one IC device (10) as described in any one of claims 1-16, wherein the first slave (30) includes at least one power module, and the at least one IC device (10) corresponds one-to-one with the at least one power module. The first input terminal (101) of each IC device (10) is connected to the power input terminal (203) of the host (20), and the voltage output terminal (102) of each IC device (10) is connected to the voltage feedback terminal of the corresponding power module.

26. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a power supply system as described in claim 25, the power supply system being used to power a host (20) in the electronic device.

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