Current detection circuit, chip and data line

Abstract

The utility model discloses a current detection circuit, a chip and a data line. The current detection circuit comprises a micro-control unit and a voltage acquisition unit which are arranged in the chip. An on-chip impedance is arranged in the micro-control unit, and the on-chip impedance is arranged between the first pin and the second pin of the chip; the voltage obtaining unit is used for obtaining the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin, and the voltage difference and the on-chip impedance are used for determining the working current of the chip. The size of the working current of the chip is detected according to the internal impedance characteristic of the chip, and the use of external circuits and elements can be reduced, so that the circuit area and the chip space are saved, the cost is reduced, and the overall performance of a product is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of circuit technology, specifically to a current detection circuit, a chip, and a data line. Background Technology

[0002] Smart devices such as mobile phones and tablets often require data cables for charging and / or data transfer. These data cables contain microchips such as microcontrollers to assist them in performing these functions.

[0003] Current sensing of the microchips within data lines is a crucial step in monitoring the operational safety of these microchips or their corresponding data lines. The inventors' research into current sensing schemes for these microchips revealed that current methods often require a significant area, which can pose design challenges in chip designs or related products with high integration requirements. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a current detection circuit, chip, and data line to solve the problem that traditional chip current detection schemes often require a large area.

[0005] This application provides a current detection circuit, which includes a microcontroller unit and a voltage acquisition unit disposed inside a chip;

[0006] The microcontroller unit has an on-chip impedance, which is located between the first and second pins of the chip.

[0007] The voltage acquisition unit is used to acquire the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin, and the voltage difference and the on-chip impedance are used to determine the operating current of the chip.

[0008] Optionally, the voltage acquisition unit includes an amplifier, an ADC, and a voltage detector; the amplifier is used to acquire the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin; the ADC is used to convert the voltage difference into a digital signal; and the voltage detector is used to acquire the voltage parameters represented by the digital signal.

[0009] Optionally, the microcontroller unit is further configured to acquire the voltage difference and calculate the chip's operating current based on the voltage difference and the on-chip impedance.

[0010] Optionally, the microcontroller unit is also used to pre-store the current correction parameters of the chip and correct the operating current according to the current correction parameters.

[0011] Optionally, the microcontroller unit is also used to pre-store the current overload value of the chip, and output an alarm signal when the operating current or the corrected operating current is greater than the current overload value.

[0012] Optionally, the current detection circuit further includes a display unit and a control unit; the display unit is connected to the microcontroller and is used to display the alarm signal, the operating current and / or the corrected operating current; the control unit is connected to the microcontroller and is used to receive the alarm signal and control the operating state of the chip according to the alarm signal.

[0013] Optionally, the current detection circuit further includes a switching unit; the switching unit is used to turn on the power supply of the chip when receiving a high-level enable signal, and to turn off the power supply of the chip when receiving a low-level enable signal; the control unit is also used to output a low-level enable signal to the switching unit when receiving the alarm signal.

[0014] Optionally, the resistance value of the on-chip impedance is in the range of 0.001-0.1Ω.

[0015] This application also provides a chip including any of the above-described current detection circuits.

[0016] This application also provides a data cable, including any of the chips described above.

[0017] The current detection circuit, chip, and data line described in this application detect the operating current of the chip based on its internal impedance characteristics. This reduces the use of external circuits and components, thereby saving circuit area and chip space, reducing costs, and improving the overall performance of the product. Furthermore, the chip can be internally calibrated to reduce the impact of differences in internal impedance between different individual chips, accurately detect changes in the current flowing through the chip, and provide precise indications or controls to the outside world through the chip pins, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the product. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a current detection circuit structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the current detection circuit structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the current detection circuit structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the current detection circuit structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the current detection circuit structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and their technical features can be combined with each other.

[0026] The first aspect of this application provides a current detection circuit that can detect the operating current of the chip.

[0027] refer to Figure 1 As shown, the aforementioned current detection circuit includes a microcontroller unit 110 and a voltage acquisition unit 120 located inside the chip 100. The microcontroller unit 110 has an internal impedance 111, which is positioned between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2 of the chip 100. The voltage acquisition unit 120 acquires the voltage difference between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2. The voltage difference and the internal impedance 111 are used to determine the operating current of the chip 100. This allows the operating current of the chip 100 to be acquired through the internal structure of the chip 100, enabling the detection of the chip 100's operating current to be completed solely by acquiring the internal signal from the internal structure. This avoids reliance on structures outside the chip 100, reducing the circuit area occupied by the current detection circuit, decreasing the number of physical solder joints and connections, reducing the risk of physical disconnection or poor contact, and preventing failure of inter-chip and / or external connections due to temperature changes, mechanical vibration, or other factors under extreme environments. Therefore, this provides greater reliability for the chip current detection solution.

[0028] In some embodiments, the on-chip impedance 111 can be implemented using impedance units such as internal chip resistors and / or switching transistor impedances that can provide a preset resistance value inside the chip.

[0029] Optionally, the on-chip impedance 111 includes an internal chip resistance, which is formed using chip fabrication processes to create the on-chip impedance 111 simultaneously with the chip formation, enabling integrated design and fabrication.

[0030] Optionally, the on-chip impedance 111 includes the switching transistor impedance to simplify the structure of the on-chip impedance 111 and reduce its size.

[0031] Specifically, the internal impedance 111 has a resistance range of 0.001-0.1Ω. For example, the internal impedance 111 can be 0.001Ω, 0.005Ω, 0.008Ω, or 0.1Ω. This resistance range allows for more stable current flow. Preferably, the internal impedance 111 has a resistance range of 0.003-0.005Ω. For example, the internal impedance 111 can be 0.003Ω, 0.004Ω, or 0.005Ω. This resistance range minimizes heat generation and makes it easier for the voltage acquisition unit 120 to detect the voltage difference between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2. Therefore, an internal impedance 111 between 0.003-0.005Ω achieves low heat generation and high detection sensitivity.

[0032] In some embodiments, the voltage difference between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2 is relatively small, and some voltage acquisition units 120 may have difficulty directly detecting this small voltage difference signal. To address this situation, refer to... Figure 2 As shown, the voltage acquisition unit 120 includes an amplifier 121, an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) 122, and a voltage detector 123. The input terminals of the amplifier 121 are connected to the first pin P1 and the second pin P2, respectively, and the output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the voltage detector 123 through the amplifier. The output terminal of the voltage detector 123 is used to output the voltage parameter corresponding to the voltage difference. Specifically, the amplifier 121 is used to acquire the voltage difference between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2, which can be an analog signal. The ADC 122 is used to convert the voltage difference into a digital signal. The voltage detector 123 is used to acquire the voltage parameter represented by the digital signal to realize the voltage detection between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2.

[0033] In some embodiments, after the voltage acquisition unit 120 acquires the voltage difference or corresponding voltage parameter between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2, it can also send the voltage difference or voltage parameter to the microcontroller unit 110. The microcontroller unit 110 is also used to acquire the voltage difference or voltage parameter and calculate the operating current of the chip 100 based on the voltage parameter and the resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111. Specifically, if the voltage parameter between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2 is Vp23 and the resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111 is Rp23, then the process of determining the operating current I of the chip 100 includes: I = Vp23 / Rp23.

[0034] In this embodiment, the chip's operating current can be detected by the on-chip impedance 111, the microcontroller unit 110, and the voltage acquisition unit 120 located within the chip. This reduces the use of external circuits and components, thereby saving space, reducing costs, and improving the overall performance of the corresponding product.

[0035] In some examples, the microcontroller unit 110 is also used to pre-store the current correction parameters of the chip and correct the operating current according to the current correction parameters to realize the chip's built-in current calibration function, so that the calibrated operating current is more accurate.

[0036] Optionally, the current correction parameter can be determined through testing and analysis of the chip at the factory. Optionally, the current correction parameter can be characterized as a correction coefficient used to reduce or increase the operating current. Optionally, the current correction parameter can also include a current parameter, a first weight corresponding to the current parameter, and a second weight corresponding to the operating current; wherein the first weight and the second weight can be followed by 1. In this case, the corrected current can be obtained by weighted summing the current parameter and the operating current using the first weight and the second weight respectively, thereby achieving current correction.

[0037] Specifically, the process of obtaining the current correction parameter may include: applying a reference current to the chip, obtaining the voltage between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2 at this time, calculating the current test resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111 based on the voltage between the first pin P1 and the second pin P2 and the reference current, and calculating the current correction parameter based on the original resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111 and the test resistance value. The reference current can be a pulse current. The original resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111 is the resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111 configured during chip design or fabrication. When the current detection circuit detects the chip's operating current, it uses the original resistance value of the on-chip impedance 111.

[0038] This example enables built-in chip calibration, which reduces the impact of differences in internal impedance between individual chips, accurately detects changes in the current flowing through the chip, and provides precise indication or control to the outside world through the chip pins, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the product.

[0039] In some embodiments, the microcontroller unit 110 is also used to pre-store the current overload value of the chip 100. When the operating current or the corrected operating current is greater than the current overload value, an alarm signal is output to indicate that the chip 100 is currently experiencing an overcurrent condition, and to inform relevant components or users to take appropriate measures in a timely manner, so as to improve the safety of the chip 100 during operation.

[0040] In some examples, reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 4 and Figure 5The voltage acquisition unit 120 is not shown. The current detection circuit also includes a display unit 140. The display unit 140 is connected to the microcontroller unit 110 and is used to display an alarm signal to indicate that the chip 100 is currently experiencing an overcurrent condition. Optionally, the display unit 140 can also display the operating current and / or the corrected operating current to display the real-time current of the chip 100.

[0041] In some examples, such as Figure 5 As shown, the current detection circuit also includes a control unit 130 and a switching unit 150. The switching unit 150 is used to turn on the power supply of the chip 100 when a high-level enable signal is received (e.g., ...). Figure 5 The power supply (VIN) is used to power chip 100, enabling it to operate normally; when a low-level enable signal is received, the power supply to chip 100 is disconnected, causing chip 100 to suspend operation. Control unit 130 is connected to microcontroller unit 110 and is used to output a low-level enable signal to switch unit 150 when an alarm signal is received, causing switch unit 150 to disconnect the power supply to chip 100, suspending chip 100 operation and ensuring safety during chip operation.

[0042] Optionally, the control unit 130 can also output a high-level enable signal to the switching unit 150 during the operating time of the chip 100, provided that no alarm signal is received. This enables the switching unit 150 to connect the power supply to the chip 100, allowing the chip 100 to operate normally. The enable signal output by the control unit 130 (including a high-level enable signal and a low-level enable signal) can be... Figure 5 The EN symbol indicates that EN=1 represents a high-level enable signal and EN=0 represents a low-level enable signal. Specifically, the switching unit 150 can be implemented using a PMOS transistor, and the gate of the PMOS transistor is used to receive the enable signal EN output by the control unit 130.

[0043] Optionally, chip 100 also includes other pins such as a power supply pin VCC. The power supply pin VCC can be used to connect to a power source or to a corresponding power source via the switching unit 150. Optionally, a load can also be connected between the relevant pins of chip 100, for example... Figure 5 As shown, a load is connected between the power supply pin VCC and the first pin P1.

[0044] In some examples, the display unit 140, control unit 130, and switch unit 150 can be located outside the chip 100 to improve the flexibility in configuring them. In other examples, at least some of the display unit 140, control unit 130, and switch unit 150 can be located inside the chip 100. For example, the switch unit 150 can be located inside the chip 100, and a pin can be provided on the chip 100 to connect to the corresponding enable signal EN, etc., to further enhance the corresponding chip functions.

[0045] The above current detection circuit can detect the working current of the chip based on the internal impedance characteristics of the chip, which can reduce the use of external circuits and components, thereby saving circuit area and chip space, reducing costs, and improving the overall performance of the product; it can also be built into the chip 100 for calibration, which can reduce the influence of the internal impedance difference of different individual chips, accurately detect the change of current flowing through the chip, and make accurate indications or controls to the outside through the chip pins, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the product. It can be seen that the above current detection circuit can give the corresponding chip the following advantages: (1) High reliability, reducing the number of physical solder joints and connections, reducing the risk of physical disconnection or poor contact; avoiding the failure of these connections due to temperature changes, mechanical vibration and other factors in extreme environments. (2) Simplified manufacturing process, because the number of external components is reduced, the production process can be simplified, production efficiency can be improved and manufacturing costs can be reduced. (3) Improved product integration, and the product size has been optimized to a certain extent.

[0046] A second aspect of this application provides a chip, which includes the current detection circuit described in any of the above embodiments; the current detection circuit can detect the current magnitude of the chip in real time.

[0047] The aforementioned chip can be a microcontroller chip such as the EN10ZDD. This chip has internal impedance. By utilizing its internal impedance characteristics and detecting the voltage difference between the impedance terminals (i.e., between the first and second pins), combined with the chip's internal impedance calibration function, the influence of internal impedance differences between different individual chips can be reduced, achieving the purpose of accurately detecting and analyzing the current magnitude. Optionally, the EN10ZDD chip can be referenced... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6The EN10ZDD shown only illustrates the pins related to current detection. Pin G1 corresponds to pin P1, and pin G2 corresponds to pin P2. An internal impedance is provided between pins G1 and G2. During chip operation, the internal microcontroller unit can acquire the voltage parameters between pins G1 and G2 to calculate the chip's operating current, enabling real-time current monitoring. The EN10ZDD also includes an enable pin PA2, which can be connected to the enable signal EN. This enable signal EN can be used to control the on / off state of the chip's power supply. The EN10ZDD also features a voltage detection pin PB2, which can be connected to a relevant voltage detection unit. PB2 outputs the chip voltage to the voltage detection unit, allowing it to detect any abnormalities in the chip's voltage signal.

[0048] The chip described above includes the current detection circuit described in any of the above embodiments and has all the beneficial effects of the current detection circuit described in any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0049] A third aspect of this application provides a data cable, which includes the chip described in any of the above embodiments. The chip can assist the data cable in data transmission and / or charging between multiple devices.

[0050] The data line described above includes the chip described in any of the above embodiments and has all the beneficial effects of the chip described in any of the aforementioned embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0051] Although this application has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art based on a reading and understanding of this specification and the accompanying drawings. This application includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the aforementioned components, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (unless otherwise indicated) that performs the specified function of said component (e.g., is functionally equivalent to it), even if structurally not equivalent to the disclosed structure performing the functions in the exemplary implementations of this specification shown herein.

[0052] That is, the above description is only an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural changes made using the content of this application’s specification and drawings, such as the combination of technical features between embodiments, or direct or indirect application in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

[0053] Furthermore, it should be understood that in the description of this application, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Additionally, for structural elements with the same or similar characteristics, this application may use the same or different reference numerals for identification. Moreover, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0054] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. This application has been provided above to enable any person skilled in the art to implement and use it. Various details have been set forth in the above description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be implemented without using these specific details. In other embodiments, well-known structures and processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A current detection circuit, characterized in that, The current detection circuit includes a microcontroller unit and a voltage acquisition unit located inside the chip. The microcontroller unit has an on-chip impedance, which is located between the first and second pins of the chip. The voltage acquisition unit is used to acquire the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin, and the voltage difference and the on-chip impedance are used to determine the operating current of the chip.

2. The current detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage acquisition unit includes an amplifier, an ADC, and a voltage detector; The amplifier is used to acquire the voltage difference between the first pin and the second pin; The ADC is used to convert the voltage difference into a digital signal; The voltage detector is used to acquire the voltage parameters represented by the digital signal.

3. The current detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microcontroller unit is also used to acquire the voltage difference and calculate the chip's operating current based on the voltage difference and the on-chip impedance.

4. The current detection circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The microcontroller unit is also used to pre-store the current correction parameters of the chip and correct the operating current according to the current correction parameters.

5. The current detection circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The microcontroller unit is also used to pre-store the current overload value of the chip, and output an alarm signal when the operating current or the corrected operating current is greater than the current overload value.

6. The current detection circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The current detection circuit also includes a display unit and a control unit; The display unit is connected to the microcontroller unit and is used to display the alarm signal, the operating current and / or the corrected operating current. The control unit is connected to the microcontroller unit and is used to receive the alarm signal and control the working state of the chip according to the alarm signal.

7. The current detection circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The current detection circuit also includes a switching unit; The switching unit is used to turn on the power supply of the chip when receiving a high-level enable signal, and to turn off the power supply of the chip when receiving a low-level enable signal. The control unit is also configured to output a low-level enable signal to the switching unit when receiving the alarm signal.

8. The current detection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal impedance ranges from 0.001 to 0.1 Ω.

9. A chip, characterized in that, Includes the current detection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A data cable, characterized in that, Includes the chip described in claim 9.

Images