Multi-power switching circuit, electronic device and multi-power switching method

Abstract

According to the multi-power-supply switching circuit, the priorities of the power supplies of the corresponding power supply loops are judged through the multiple different power supply loops, and when the multiple power supplies are input at the same time, the priorities of the power supplies are judged through the power supply control circuits arranged in the corresponding power supply loops; and when the power supply switching circuit is switched on, the power supply of the corresponding power supply loop is transmitted to the power supply output end.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a power switching circuit, electronic device, and power switching method, and particularly to a multi-power switching circuit, electronic device, and multi-power switching method that can simultaneously connect to multiple input power sources. Background Technology

[0002] In existing power technologies, taking USB power solutions as an example, when transmitting data through a single USB port, only the power specifications originally supported can be used, and other power specifications not originally supported cannot be supported. Therefore, when there is a need for other power specifications not originally supported, expansion can only be achieved by adding other power transmission ports, and the power specifications used by these newly added power transmission ports are not compatible with the original power management circuitry. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-power switching circuit, electronic device and multi-power switching method to address the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0004] One technical solution adopted in this invention is to provide a multi-power switching circuit, comprising: a first power switching circuit receiving a first power supply and outputting the first power supply through a power output terminal; a first power control circuit controlling the first power switching circuit to output the first power supply through its power output terminal when receiving the first power supply; a second power switching circuit receiving a second power supply and outputting the second power supply through its power output terminal; and a second power control circuit controlling the second power switching circuit according to the first power supply and the second power supply. Specifically, when the second power control circuit receives the first power supply, it controls the second power switching circuit to stop outputting the second power supply to the power output terminal. When the second power supply is received but the first power supply is not received, the second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to output the second power supply to the power output terminal.

[0005] One technical solution adopted in this invention is to provide an electronic device, including: a multi-power switching circuit; a power management circuit receiving an output power provided by the multi-power switching circuit at its power output terminal, and controlling the output power to charge a battery and provide a system power required for the operation of the electronic device; a control circuit starting operation according to the system power and controlling the multi-power switching circuit. The output power is one of a first power supply and a second power supply.

[0006] One of the technical solutions adopted in this embodiment of the invention is to provide a multi-power switching method, comprising: when a first power switching circuit receives a first power supply, a first power control circuit controls the first power switching circuit to output the first power supply to a power output terminal; when a second power switching circuit receives a second power supply and the first power switching circuit does not receive the first power supply, a second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to output the second power supply to a power output terminal; and when the second power switching circuit receives the second power supply and the first power switching circuit receives the first power supply, the second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to stop outputting the second power supply to a power output terminal.

[0007] In summary, the multi-power switching circuit, electronic device, and multi-power switching method provided in the embodiments of the present invention enable automatic switching of multiple power inputs through hardware, without relying on software control.

[0008] To further understand the features and technical content of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, the drawings provided are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit architecture of a multi-power switching circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a multi-power supply switching method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a control flowchart of a multi-power supply switching circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of the present invention from the content provided in this specification. The present invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the concept of the present invention. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings of the present invention are for simple illustrative purposes only and are not depictions of actual dimensions; this is stated in advance. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of the present invention in detail, but the content provided is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0015] It should be understood that while terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used in this document to describe various components or signals, these components or signals should not be limited by these terms. These terms are primarily used to distinguish one component from another, or one signal from another. Furthermore, the term "or" as used herein may, depending on the context, include any combination of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0016] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This electronic device 6 includes, for example, a multi-power switching circuit 1, a power management circuit 40, a control circuit 50, and a battery B. The multi-power switching circuit 1 includes, for example, a first circuit 10 for receiving a first power source 101, a second circuit 20 for receiving a second power source 201, and a third circuit 30 for receiving a third power source 301. The hardware circuitry switches priorities for each power source through the interconnection between the first circuit 10, the second circuit 20, and the third circuit 30. This priority switching assigns different priority levels to different input power sources, and for the multi-power switching circuit 1, only the single power source with the highest priority level is allowed to input at any given time.

[0017] On the other hand, when the power management circuit 40 receives power from any one of the first circuit 10, the second circuit 20, and the third circuit 30, the power management circuit 40 inputs the obtained power to the control circuit 50 and the battery B. Furthermore, when the control circuit 50 is operating normally (e.g., after the electronic device 6 is powered on), the control circuit 50 in the electronic device 6 can control the power supply to be specified from any one of the first circuit 10, the second circuit 20, and the third circuit 30; this is a priority switching controlled by software.

[0018] Accordingly, the multi-power switching circuit 1 provides a priority switching circuit based on pure hardware circuitry. When the electronic device 6 is successfully powered on, any power supply circuit can be controlled by software through the control circuit 50 of the electronic device 6. For specific embodiments, please refer to the following description.

[0019] Furthermore, the first circuit 10 includes, for example, a first power supply 101, a first power control circuit 102, and a first power switching circuit 103; the second circuit 20 includes, for example, a second power supply 201, a second power control circuit 202, and a second power switching circuit 203; and the third circuit 30 includes, for example, a third power supply 301, a third power control circuit 302, and a third power switching circuit 303.

[0020] For more detailed information on the connection relationships and operating principles of the first circuit 10, the second circuit 20, and the third circuit 30, please refer to the subsequent explanations.

[0021] [Example of the first loop]

[0022] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit architecture of a multi-power switching circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention. The first power switching circuit 103 in the first loop 10 is electrically connected to the first power supply 101, the first power control circuit 102, and the power management circuit 40. The first power switching circuit 103 is driven and controlled by the first power control circuit 102. When the first loop 10 determines that it has obtained input from the first power supply 101, the first power control circuit 102 outputs a first turn-on signal. Here, the first loop 10 is described as having the highest priority. Therefore, in circuit design, the first power control circuit 102 can control the first power switching circuit 103 to immediately output the first power supply 101 as soon as it obtains input from the first power supply 101.

[0023] Furthermore, when the first power control circuit 102 outputs a first conduction signal to the first power switching circuit 103, the first power switching circuit 103 transmits the first power supply 101 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. This power output terminal POWER_OUP is connected to the power management circuit 40, meaning the power management circuit 40 can obtain the first power supply 101 through the power output terminal POWER_OUP. It should be noted that in other embodiments, when the first circuit 10 does not receive the first power supply 101 input, the first power control circuit 102 can also output a first disconnect signal. For example, when the first power control circuit 102 outputs a first disconnect signal to the first power switching circuit 103, the first power switching circuit 103 can disconnect the first power supply 101 from the power management circuit 40.

[0024] It should be noted that when the first circuit 10 determines that it has received the first power supply 101 input, the first circuit 10 will also send the first power supply 101 as a cutoff signal to other power supply circuits electrically connected to the first circuit 10. These other power supply circuits can be the second circuit 20, the third circuit 30, etc. This example uses three power supply circuits, but in other embodiments, more power supply circuits may be included depending on power requirements. When other power supply circuits receive the first power supply 101, the other power supply circuits receiving the first power supply 101 will be in a non-conductive state.

[0025] For example, the first power supply 101 sends power to other power supply circuits with lower priority than the first circuit 10, so that when other power supply circuits with lower priority than the first circuit 10 are connected to the power supply at the same time as the first circuit 10, only the first circuit 10 provides power.

[0026] In some embodiments, in the first circuit 10, the first power switching circuit 103 is illustrated by a power switching element U1, which includes a control terminal EN, an input terminal IN, an output terminal OUP, and a ground terminal GND. The power switching element U1 is illustrated as follows: when the control terminal EN is at a low potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are connected. When the control terminal EN is at a high potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are not connected (open circuit). The first power control circuit 102 is electrically connected to the control terminal EN of the power switching element U1, and the output terminal OUP of the power switching element U1 is electrically connected to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. This connection point S1 indicates whether the first power supply 101 has an input, which can also be understood as whether the first circuit 10 outputs the first power supply 101 to other circuits. For example, when the first circuit 10 receives the first power supply 101 as input, the first power supply 101 (i.e., the first power supply 101 at a high level) can be output to other circuits through the connection point S1. When the first circuit 10 does not receive the first power supply 101 as input, there is no first power supply 101 that can be output to other circuits through the connection point S1.

[0027] It should be noted that the first circuit 10 is illustrated using the highest priority example. Therefore, a low-potential signal is input to the control terminal EN of the power switch element U1 via resistor R1, making the input terminal IN and output terminal OUP of the power switch element U1 conductive. When the first power supply 101 is at a high potential (i.e., the first circuit 10 receives the first power supply 101 input), the power output terminal POWER_OUP can receive the first power supply 101 because of the conductive relationship between the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of the power switch element U1. When the first power supply 101 is at a low potential (i.e., the first circuit 10 does not receive the first power supply 101 input), the power output terminal POWER_OUP does not receive the first power supply 101.

[0028] [Example of the second loop]

[0029] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2The second power switching circuit 203 in the second circuit 20 is electrically connected to the first circuit 10, the second power supply 201, the second power control circuit 202, and the power management circuit 40. The second power switching circuit 203 is driven and controlled by the second power control circuit 202. When the second circuit 20 receives input from the second power supply 201 and does not receive input from the first power supply 101, the second power control circuit 202 outputs a second on signal. When the second circuit 20 receives input from the second power supply 201 and receives input from the first power supply 101, the second power control circuit 202 outputs a second off signal.

[0030] Furthermore, when the second power control circuit 202 outputs a second conduction signal to the second power switching circuit 203, the second power switching circuit 203 transmits the second power supply 201 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. This power output terminal POWER_OUP is connected to the power management circuit 40, meaning the power management circuit 40 can obtain the second power supply 201 through the power output terminal POWER_OUP. When the second power control circuit 202 outputs a second disconnection signal to the second power switching circuit 203, the second power switching circuit 203 can disconnect the second power supply 201 from the power management circuit 40.

[0031] It should be noted that when the second circuit 20 determines that it has obtained the input of the second power supply 201, the second circuit 20 will also send the second power supply 201 as a cutoff signal to other power supply circuits with lower priority that are electrically connected to the second circuit 20. The other power supply circuits may be the third circuit 30. When the other power supply circuits receive the second power supply 201, the other power supply circuits that receive the second power supply 201 will be in a non-conducting state.

[0032] For example, the second power source 201 sends power to other power supply circuits with lower priority than the second circuit 20, so that when other power supply circuits with lower priority than the second circuit 20 are connected to the power source at the same time as the second circuit 20, only the second circuit 20 provides power.

[0033] In some embodiments, in the second circuit 20, the second power switching circuit 203 is illustrated by a power switching element U2, which includes a control terminal EN, an input terminal IN, an output terminal OUP, and a ground terminal GND. The power switching element U2 is illustrated as follows: when the control terminal EN is at a low potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are connected. When the control terminal EN is at a high potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are not connected. The second power control circuit 202 connects the first power supply 101, the second power supply 201, and the input terminal IN and control terminal EN of the power switching element U2. The output terminal OUP of the power switching element U2 is electrically connected to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. This connection point S2 indicates whether the second power supply 201 has an input, which can also be understood as whether the second circuit 20 outputs the second power supply 201 to other circuits. For example, when the second circuit 20 receives the second power supply 201 as input, the second power supply 201 (i.e., the high-level second power supply 201) can be output to other circuits through the connection point S2. When the second circuit 20 does not receive the second power supply 201 as input, there is no second power supply 201 that can be output to other circuits through the connection point S2.

[0034] In some implementations, the second power control circuit 202 includes, for example, a first control line T1 and a second control line T2. When the first control line T1 receives the first power supply 101, it can output a cutoff signal to the second control line T2. When the second control line T2 receives the second power supply 201, it can output a second on signal to the second power switching circuit 203. The second power switching circuit 203 then outputs the second power supply 201 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP based on the second on signal.

[0035] However, it should be noted that when the first control line T1 obtains the first power supply 101, the cut-off signal will be output to the second control line T2, and the second control line T2 will stop outputting the second conduction signal to the second power switching circuit 203 according to the cut-off signal, so that the second power switching circuit 203 stops outputting the second power supply 201 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0036] For example, Figure 2 The second control circuit T2 in the second power supply control circuit 202 includes resistors R7 and R8, transistor Q2 and capacitor C1, and the first control circuit T1 includes resistors R4, R5, and R6 and transistor Q5.

[0037] The operation mode of the second control circuit T2 is described as follows. Here, it is assumed that the connection point S1 does not receive the input of the first power supply 101, and the second control circuit T2 receives the input of the second power supply 201 at a high level. At this time, the transistor Q2 is turned on, and when the control terminal EN of the power switch element U2 is at a low potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of the power switch element U2 are connected, that is, the second power supply 201 can be output to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0038] The operation of the first control circuit T1 is described as follows. Here, it is assumed that the connection point S1 receives a high-level first power supply 101 input, and the second control circuit T2 receives a high-level second power supply 201 input. At this time, transistor Q5 is turned on and outputs a cut-off signal to transistor Q2, causing transistor Q2 to be turned off, and causing the control terminal EN of the power switch element U2 to be at a high potential. Therefore, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of the power switch element U2 are not connected, that is, the second power supply 201 cannot be output to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0039] Understandably, under the control of the first control circuit T1 and the second control circuit T2, when the first power supply 101 has no input and the second power supply 201 has input, the second power supply switching circuit 203 can output the second power supply 201 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. However, when both the first power supply 101 and the second power supply 201 have input, since the first power supply 101 has higher priority than the second power supply 201, the second power supply switching circuit 203 stops outputting the second power supply 201 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0040] [Example of the third loop]

[0041] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The third power switching circuit 303 in the third circuit 30 is electrically connected to the first circuit 10, the second circuit 20, the third power supply 301, the third power supply control circuit 302 and the power management circuit 40 respectively. The third power switching circuit 303 is driven and controlled by the third power supply control circuit 302.

[0042] When the third circuit 30 receives input from the third power supply 301, and the third circuit 30 does not receive input from the first power supply 101 or the second power supply 201, the third power supply control circuit 302 outputs a third conduction signal. When the third circuit 30 receives input from the third power supply 301, and the third circuit 30 receives input from either the first power supply 101 or the second power supply 201, the third power supply control circuit 302 outputs a third disconnection signal.

[0043] Furthermore, when the third power control circuit 302 outputs a third conduction signal to the third power switching circuit 303, the third power switching circuit 303 transmits the third power supply 301 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP. This power output terminal POWER_OUP is connected to the power management circuit 40, meaning the power management circuit 40 can obtain the third power supply 301 through the power output terminal POWER_OUP. When the third power control circuit 302 outputs a third disconnection signal to the third power switching circuit 303, the third power switching circuit 303 disconnects the third power supply 301 from the power management circuit 40.

[0044] It should be noted that when the third circuit 30 receives the third power supply 301 input, the third circuit 30 will also send a third power supply 301 as a cutoff signal to other power supply circuits electrically connected to the third circuit 30. This example uses three power supply circuits; therefore, this part of the third power supply 301 does not need to be input to other power supply circuits. However, if there are other power supply circuits in other embodiments, this part of the third power supply 301 can be input to other power supply circuits with lower priority. This ensures that when other power supply circuits with lower priority than the third circuit 30 are simultaneously connected to the power supply along with the third circuit 30, only the third circuit 30 provides power.

[0045] In some embodiments, in the third circuit 30, the third power switching circuit 303 is illustrated by a power switching element U3, which includes a control terminal EN, an input terminal IN, an output terminal OUP, and a ground terminal GND. The power switching element U3 is illustrated as follows: when the control terminal EN is at a low potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are connected. When the control terminal EN is at a high potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP are not connected (open circuit). The third power control circuit 302 is electrically connected to the first power supply 101, the second power supply 201, the third power supply 301, and the input terminal IN and the control terminal EN of the power switching element U3. The output terminal OUP of the power switching element U3 is electrically connected to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0046] In some embodiments, the third power control circuit 302 includes, for example, a first control line T1a, a second control line T2a, and a third control line T3. When the first control line T1a receives the first power supply 101, it can output a cutoff signal to the third control line T3. When the second control line T2a receives the second power supply 201, it can output a cutoff signal to the third control line T3. When the third control line T3 receives the third power supply 301, it can output a third on signal to the third power switching circuit 303, which outputs the third power supply 301 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP according to the third on signal.

[0047] However, it should be noted that when the first control line T1a obtains the first power supply 101 or the second control line T2a obtains the second power supply 201, the cutoff signal will be output to the third control line T3. The third control line T3 stops outputting the third conduction signal to the third power switching circuit 303 according to the cutoff signal, so that the third power switching circuit 303 stops outputting the third power supply 301 to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0048] For example, Figure 2 The first control line T1a in the third power supply control circuit 302 includes resistor R14 and transistor Q6, the second control line T2a includes resistor R15, resistor R16 and transistor Q7, and the third control line T3 includes resistor R12, transistor Q4 and capacitor C2.

[0049] The operation of the third control circuit T3 is described as follows. Here, it is assumed that the connection points S1 and S2 do not receive the input of the first power supply 101 and the second power supply 201, and the third control circuit T3 receives the input of the third power supply 301 at a high level. At this time, the transistor Q4 is turned on, and when the control terminal EN of the power switch element U3 is at a low potential, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of the power switch element U3 are connected, that is, the third power supply 301 can be output to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0050] The operation of the second control circuit T2a is described as follows. Here, it is assumed that the second power supply 201 input at connection point S2 is at a high level, and the third power supply 301 input at the third control circuit T3 is at a high level. At this time, transistor Q7 is turned on and outputs a cutoff signal to transistor Q4, causing transistor Q4 to be turned off, and causing the control terminal EN of power switch element U3 to be at a high potential. Therefore, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of power switch element U3 are not connected, that is, the third power supply 301 cannot be output to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0051] The operation of the first control circuit T1a is described as follows. Here, it is assumed that the first power supply 101 is input at connection point S1 with a high level, and the third control circuit T3 is input at a high level at the third power supply 301. At this time, transistor Q6 is turned on by obtaining the high-level voltage of the first power supply 101 after voltage division by resistors R5 and R6 through connection point S11. When transistor Q6 is turned on, it can output a cutoff signal to transistor Q4, causing transistor Q4 to be turned off, and making the control terminal EN of power switch element U3 high. Therefore, the input terminal IN and the output terminal OUP of power switch element U3 are not connected, that is, the third power supply 301 cannot be output to the power output terminal POWER_OUP.

[0052] In addition, resistors R10 and R11 are used to stabilize the signal. For example, when the second power supply 201 is not input, resistor R11 is used as a pull-down resistor to prevent the level between resistors R10 and R11 from being in a floating state.

[0053] [Example of Control Circuit]

[0054] As described above, the multi-power switching circuit 1 uses multiple control circuits (such as the first power control circuit 102, the second power control circuit 202, and the third power control circuit 302) to switch the output of multiple power supplies (such as the first power supply 101, the second power supply 201, and the third power supply 301) in hardware, so that only the power supply with the highest priority can be output to the power management circuit 40 at any given time. Therefore, when the power management circuit 40 obtains power, it can charge the battery B, and after the battery B is charged to the power-on voltage that allows the electronic device 6 to be turned on normally, the electronic device 6 can be turned on smoothly, and the control circuit 50 can then switch the output of multiple power supplies (such as the first power supply 101, the second power supply 201, and the third power supply 301) using software control.

[0055] In some embodiments, the control circuit 50 is electrically connected to the first power control circuit 102 in the first circuit 10, the second power control circuit 202 in the second circuit 20, and the third power control circuit 302 in the third circuit 30, respectively. The control circuit 50 can control the power supply status of the first power control circuit 102, the second power control circuit 202, and the third power control circuit 302, respectively. For example, the control circuit 50 can individually detect the input status of each power supply through multiple reading circuits to determine which power supplies are currently being input simultaneously. Furthermore, the control circuit 50 can individually control the input status of each power supply through multiple trigger circuits to achieve software-based control of the input operation of any one of the power supplies.

[0056] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 The example further illustrates the first reading circuit 205, the second reading circuit 306, the third reading circuit 307, the first trigger circuit 104, the second trigger circuit 204, and the third trigger circuit 304.

[0057] When the first trigger circuit 104 in the first power control circuit 102 receives the first trigger signal from the control circuit 50, the first power control circuit 102 outputs a first disconnect signal. When the first trigger circuit 104 in the first power control circuit 102 does not receive the first trigger signal from the control circuit 50, the first power control circuit 102 outputs a first conduction signal.

[0058] Furthermore, the first input terminal SW_IN1 of the first trigger circuit 104 is electrically connected to the control terminal EN of the control circuit 50 and the power switch element U1. That is, the control circuit 50 provides a first trigger signal through the first input terminal SW_IN1, which is exemplified here as a high potential. The first power control circuit 102 is exemplified here by connecting the control terminal EN of the power switch element U1 and the ground terminal through a pull-down resistor R1, to ensure that the power switch element U1 is in a pre-converted state when there is no signal at the first input terminal SW_IN1.

[0059] When the second trigger circuit 204 in the second power control circuit 202 receives the second trigger signal from the control circuit 50, it will force the second power control circuit 202 to output a second disconnect signal. When the second trigger circuit 204 in the second power control circuit 202 does not receive the second trigger signal from the control circuit 50, the second power control circuit 202 will determine whether to output a second conduction signal or a second disconnect signal to the second power switching circuit 203 according to the aforementioned embodiment.

[0060] Furthermore, the second trigger circuit 204 includes a resistor R2 and a transistor Q1. The second input terminal SW_IN2 is electrically connected to the control circuit 50 and is used to receive the second trigger signal, which is exemplified as a high potential. When the second input terminal SW_IN2 receives the high potential of the second trigger signal, transistor Q1 is turned on and transistor Q2 is turned off, forcing the second power control circuit 202 to output a second disconnect signal to the second power switching circuit 203.

[0061] The first reading circuit 205 includes a resistor R9 and a transistor Q9. The control circuit 50 can obtain the power supply status of the first power supply 101 through the first output terminal SW_OUP1. For example, when the first power supply 101 is indeed receiving power, the transistor Q9 obtains voltage through the connection point S11 and is turned on, and the first output terminal SW_OUP1 is at a low potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the first circuit 10 has received power from the first power supply 101. Conversely, when the first power supply 101 is not receiving power, the transistor Q9 cannot obtain voltage through the connection point S11 and is therefore turned off, and the first output terminal SW_OUP1 is at a high potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the first circuit 10 has not received power from the first power supply 101.

[0062] When the third trigger circuit 304 in the third power control circuit 302 receives the third trigger signal from the control circuit 50, the third power control circuit 302 will output the third cut-off signal. When the third trigger circuit 304 in the third power control circuit 302 does not receive the third trigger signal from the control circuit 50, the third power control circuit 302 will determine and output the third conduction signal or the third disconnection signal to the third power switching circuit 303 in accordance with the aforementioned embodiment.

[0063] Furthermore, the third trigger circuit 304 includes a resistor R3 and a transistor Q3. The third input terminal SW_IN3 is electrically connected to the control circuit 50 and is used to receive the third trigger signal, which is exemplified here as a high potential. When the third input terminal SW_IN3 receives the high potential of the third trigger signal, transistor Q3 is turned on and transistor Q4 is turned off, forcing the third power supply control circuit 302 to output a third cutoff signal to the third power supply switching circuit 303.

[0064] The second reading circuit 306 includes a resistor R17 and a transistor Q8. The control circuit 50 can obtain the power supply status of the second power supply 201 through the second output terminal SW_OUP2. For example, when the second power supply 201 is indeed receiving power, the transistor Q8 is turned on, and the second output terminal SW_OUP2 is at a low potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the second circuit 20 has received power from the second power supply 201. Conversely, when the second power supply 201 is not receiving power, the transistor Q8 is turned off, and the second output terminal SW_OUP2 is at a high potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the second circuit 20 has not received power from the second power supply 201.

[0065] The third reading circuit 307 includes a resistor R13 and a transistor Q10. The control circuit 50 can obtain the power supply status of the third power supply 301 through the third output terminal SW_OUP3. For example, when the third power supply 301 is indeed receiving power, the transistor Q10 is turned on, and the third output terminal SW_OUP3 is at a low potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the third circuit 30 has received power from the third power supply 301. Conversely, when the third power supply 301 is not receiving power, the transistor Q10 is turned off, and the third output terminal SW_OUP3 is at a high potential. At this time, the control circuit 50 can determine that the third circuit 30 has not received power from the third power supply 301.

[0066] [Example of a multi-power supply switching method]

[0067] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a multi-power switching method according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this multi-power switching method... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The architecture is illustrated with an example. Figure 3The process shown includes the following steps.

[0068] In step S301, the power supply is determined by the multi-power switching circuit 1. Furthermore, when the multi-power switching circuit 1 is connected to a power source (e.g., the first power source 101, the second power source 201, or the third power source 301), the multi-power switching circuit 1 can determine whether to supply power from one of the multiple power sources, and the power management circuit 40 of the electronic device 6 can then perform subsequent control of charging and power-on based on the power supply provided by the multi-power switching circuit 1.

[0069] In step S302, the control circuit 50 determines the power supply. After the electronic device 6 is successfully powered on, the control circuit 50 can further control one of the multiple power sources to supply power according to the user's settings.

[0070] It should be noted that even if the electronic device 6 is not powered on, the multi-power switching circuit 1 can still achieve automatic switching of multiple power inputs through pure hardware circuitry. Furthermore, the multi-power switching circuit 1 can, according to a pre-set priority, allow the power supply with higher priority to unconditionally shut down the power path with lower priority to avoid conflicts between different power supplies, thereby achieving multi-power input control.

[0071] On the other hand, when the electronic device 6 is turned on, the power path of the multi-power switching circuit 1 can be directly controlled by the control circuit 50 through software control means according to the usage requirements, thereby allowing the user to define and switch all power paths, providing convenience and flexibility in use.

[0072] In one embodiment, steps S301 and S302 can be further defined by... Figure 4 and Figure 5 Further explanation.

[0073] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a control flowchart of a multi-power supply switching circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 The process shown includes the following steps.

[0074] In step S3011, the device is powered off and the battery is protected against low voltage. The control method of the multiple power supply switching circuit 1 is illustrated here using the electronic device 6 as an example when it is powered off.

[0075] In step S3012, all power paths are preset to be on. Figure 1 In terms of architecture, when no power is input, the first power control circuit 102, the second power control circuit 202 and the third power control circuit 302 in the multi-power switching circuit 1 are all preset to be in the conducting state of the first power switching circuit 103, the second power switching circuit 203 and the third power switching circuit 303.

[0076] In step S3013, it is determined whether a power supply is connected. The presence of any power input can be determined through the power control circuits. If no power supply is connected, the process returns to step S3011; if a power supply is connected, step S3014 is executed.

[0077] In step S3014, the power supply with lower priority is turned off. For example, the priority order is: first power supply 101 is greater than second power supply 201, and second power supply 201 is greater than third power supply 301. Therefore, when at least two of the first power supply 101, second power supply 201, and third power supply 301 are input, under the control of the first power supply control circuit 102, the second power supply control circuit 202, and the third power supply control circuit 302, only the single power supply with higher priority can be output to the power management circuit 40, and at the same time, the power supply with lower priority will be turned off from the power management circuit 40.

[0078] In step S3015, the battery B is charged by the power management circuit 40. After the multi-power switching circuit 1 determines the output power, the power management circuit 40 can obtain the output power of the multi-power switching circuit 1 (such as one of the first power supply 101, the second power supply 201 and the third power supply 301), and can further charge the battery B according to the obtained output power, while also providing the system power required for the operation of the electronic device 6.

[0079] In step S3016, it is confirmed whether the low-voltage protection for battery B has been released. If the low-voltage protection for battery B has not been released, the process returns to step S3013; if the low-voltage protection for battery B has been released, the process can proceed. Figure 5 For example, when battery B is charging, the power management circuit 40 can further determine whether the voltage of battery B exceeds the power-on voltage. If the voltage of battery B exceeds the power-on voltage, the low-voltage protection can be considered to be released.

[0080] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The process shown includes the following steps.

[0081] In step S3021, the device is powered on. Once the low-voltage protection of battery B in electronic device 6 is released, electronic device 6 can be successfully powered on and used. After electronic device 6 is powered on, control circuit 50 can obtain system power from power management circuit 40 to start operation and can control multi-power switching circuit 1.

[0082] In step S3022, the user settings are queried. For example, the electronic device 6 can obtain a power setting command input based on the user settings, and the control circuit 50 can control the multi-power switching circuit 1 according to this power setting command.

[0083] In step S3023, it is determined whether other power supplies need to be turned off. The control circuit 50 determines whether a power setting command has been received. If received, step S3024 is executed; otherwise, step S3025 is executed.

[0084] In step S3024, the power path that needs to be turned off is shut down. Here, the control circuit 50 can generate a corresponding trigger signal according to the power setting command. For example, when the first power supply 101 and the second power supply 201 are simultaneously input, the multi-power switching circuit 1 will output the first power supply 101 to the power management circuit 40. The control circuit 50 can then determine through the first reading circuit 205 and the second reading circuit 306 that the first power supply 101 and the second power supply 201 are currently input simultaneously. If it is desired to switch the input to the power management circuit 40 to the second power supply 201, the control circuit 50 can generate a first trigger signal to the first trigger circuit 104 according to the power setting command, thereby forcibly shutting down the first power switching circuit 103 to stop the output of the first power supply 101, and switching the second power switching circuit 203 to output the second power supply 201 to the power management circuit 40.

[0085] In step S3025, charging continues. The power management circuit 40 continuously receives the output power from the multi-power switching circuit 1 and continuously charges the battery B.

[0086] [Beneficial Effects of the Examples]

[0087] The multi-power switching circuit, electronic device, and multi-power switching method provided by this invention can achieve automatic switching of multiple power inputs through hardware via the multi-power switching circuit, so that the multi-power switching circuit does not rely on software control. Furthermore, through circuit design, the multiple input power supplies of the multi-power switching circuit can prioritize the input of power supplies with higher priority.

[0088] The above-described content is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent technical changes made based on the description and drawings of the present invention are included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-power supply switching circuit, characterized in that, include: A first power switching circuit receives a first power supply and outputs the first power supply through a power output terminal. A first power supply control circuit controls the first power supply switching circuit to output the first power supply from the power supply output terminal; A second power switching circuit receives a second power supply and outputs the second power supply through the power supply output terminal; and A second power supply control circuit controls the second power supply switching circuit based on the first power supply and the second power supply. When the second power supply receives the first power supply, the second power supply control circuit controls the second power supply switching circuit to stop outputting the second power supply to the power supply output terminal. When the second power supply receives the second power supply but does not receive the first power supply, the second power supply control circuit controls the second power supply switching circuit to output the second power supply to the power output terminal.

2. The multi-power supply switching circuit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second power supply control circuit includes: A first control line receives the first power supply and outputs a cutoff signal; A second control circuit receives the second power supply and outputs a conduction signal to the second power supply switching circuit. The second power supply switching circuit outputs the second power supply to the power supply output terminal according to the conduction signal. When the first control line obtains the first power supply, the cut-off signal is output to the second control line. The second control line stops outputting the conduction signal to the second power switching circuit according to the cut-off signal, so that the second power switching circuit stops outputting the second power supply to the power output terminal.

3. The multi-power supply switching circuit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A third power supply switching circuit receives a third power supply and outputs the third power supply through the power supply output terminal. A third power supply control circuit controls the third power supply switching circuit based on the first power supply, the second power supply and the third power supply. When the third power supply control circuit receives the first power supply or the second power supply, the third power supply control circuit controls the third power supply switching circuit to stop outputting the third power supply to the power supply output terminal. When the third power supply control circuit receives the third power supply but does not receive the first power supply or the second power supply, the third power supply control circuit controls the third power supply switching circuit to output the third power supply to the power output terminal.

4. The multi-power supply switching circuit as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The third power supply control circuit includes: A first control line receives the first power supply and outputs a cutoff signal; A second control line receives the second power supply and outputs the cut-off signal; A third control circuit receives the third power supply and outputs a conduction signal to the third power supply switching circuit. The third power supply switching circuit outputs the third power supply to the power supply output terminal according to the conduction signal. When the first control line obtains the first power supply or the second control line obtains the second power supply, the cut-off signal is output to the third control line. The third control line stops outputting the conduction signal to the third power switching circuit according to the cut-off signal, so that the third power switching circuit stops outputting the third power supply to the power output terminal.

5. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A circuit having the multi-power supply switching circuit as described in claim 1; A power management circuit receives an output power supplied by the multi-power switching circuit at the power output terminal, and controls the output power to charge a battery and provide a system power supply required for the operation of the electronic device; and A control circuit is used to start and operate the system based on the power supply, and to control the multi-power supply switching circuit. The output power supply is one of the first power supply and the second power supply.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A first reading circuit detects the first power supply; A second reading circuit detects the second power supply; The control circuit determines the input status of the first power supply and the second power supply based on the detection results of the first reading circuit and the second reading circuit.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A first trigger circuit provides a first trigger signal to the first power control circuit, and the first power control circuit controls the first power switching circuit to stop outputting the first power to the power output terminal according to the first trigger signal. A second trigger circuit provides a second trigger signal to the second power control circuit, and the second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to stop outputting the second power to the power output terminal according to the second trigger signal; The control circuit controls the first trigger circuit to generate the first trigger signal or controls the second trigger circuit to generate the second trigger signal according to a power setting command.

8. A method for switching multiple power sources, characterized in that, include: When a first power switching circuit receives a first power supply, a first power control circuit controls the first power switching circuit to output the first power supply to a power output terminal. When a second power switching circuit receives a second power supply, and the first power switching circuit does not receive the first power supply, a second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to output the second power supply to the power output terminal; and When the second power switching circuit receives the second power supply and the first power switching circuit receives the first power supply, the second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to stop outputting the second power supply to the power output terminal.

9. The multi-power supply switching method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: When a third power switching circuit receives a third power supply, and the first power switching circuit does not receive the first power supply and the second power switching circuit does not receive the second power supply, a third power control circuit controls the third power switching circuit to output the second power supply to the power output terminal; and When the third power switching circuit receives the first power or the second power, the third power control circuit controls the third power switching circuit to stop outputting the third power to the power output terminal.

10. The multi-power supply switching method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: When a power management circuit of an electronic device obtains an output power through the power output terminal, the power management circuit charges a battery and provides a system power to the electronic device based on the output power. When the battery does not meet the power-on voltage, the power management circuit stops outputting system power, and when the battery meets the power-on voltage, the power management circuit outputs system power to the electronic device to power it on. A control circuit of the electronic device detects the input status of the first power supply and the second power supply through a detection circuit; The control circuit generates a first trigger signal to a first power control circuit or a second trigger signal to a second power control circuit according to a power setting command. The first power control circuit controls the first power switching circuit to stop outputting the first power to the power output terminal according to the first trigger signal, and the second power control circuit controls the second power switching circuit to stop outputting the second power to the power output terminal according to the second trigger signal.

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