Docking station

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a docking station, and belongs to the technical field of docking stations. The docking station comprises a USB interface which is used for being connected with a keyboard and mouse device and can obtain a control signal of the keyboard and mouse device; the USB signal transmission channel is connected with the USB interface and is used for transmitting a control signal; the power supply unit is used for supplying power to the docking station; the control unit is connected with the USB signal transmission channel and the power supply unit; under the condition that the docking station is in a shutdown state, the control unit receives a control signal transmitted through the USB signal transmission channel and performs startup identification on the control signal to obtain a docking station startup signal; and the control unit controls the power supply unit to supply power to the docking station according to the docking station power-on signal, so that the docking station is switched from the power-off state to the power-on state. According to the embodiment of the invention, the use convenience of the dock can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of docking station technology, and more particularly to a docking station. Background Technology

[0002] When the docking station is powered off, users who wish to continue using its functions, such as connecting external devices or transferring data, need to manually press the power button on the docking station to restart it. However, this process adds steps for the user, especially when the docking station's functions are urgently needed, thus affecting its ease of use. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main objective of this application is to propose a docking station that aims to improve the ease of use of the docking station.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this application provides a docking station, the docking station comprising:

[0005] The USB interface is used to connect keyboard and mouse devices and can obtain control signals from the keyboard and mouse devices.

[0006] The USB signal transmission channel is connected to the USB interface and is used to transmit the control signal;

[0007] A power supply unit is used to supply power to the docking station;

[0008] The control unit is connected to the USB signal transmission channel and the power supply unit.

[0009] When the docking station is powered off, the control unit receives the control signal transmitted through the USB signal transmission channel and performs power-on identification on the control signal to obtain the docking station power-on signal;

[0010] The control unit controls the power supply unit to supply power to the docking station according to the docking station's power-on signal, so that the docking station switches from the power-off state to the power-on state.

[0011] In some embodiments, the docking station further includes a docking station data processing unit for data communication with a computer, the computer being communicatively connected to the docking station;

[0012] The USB signal transmission channel includes a channel switching switch, a target USB communication interface, a first USB channel, a second USB channel, and a switching signal receiving interface;

[0013] The target USB communication interface is connected to the USB interface and is used to obtain the control signal from the USB interface;

[0014] The first USB channel is connected to the control unit and is used to transmit the control signal to the control unit;

[0015] The second USB channel is connected to the docking station data processing unit and is used to process the control signal through the docking station data processing unit and transmit it to the computer.

[0016] The switching signal receiving interface is connected to the control unit and the channel switching switch, and is used to receive the docking station power-on / off signal sent by the control unit, and send the docking station power-on / off signal to the channel switching switch;

[0017] The channel switching switch is used to connect the target USB communication interface to the first USB channel or the second USB channel according to the docking station power-on / off signal.

[0018] In some embodiments, when the docking station switches from a powered-off state to a powered-on state, the docking station power-on signal is a docking station power-on signal, and the channel switching switch connects the target USB communication interface to the second USB channel according to the docking station power-on signal.

[0019] In some embodiments, when the dock switches from a powered-on state to a powered-off state, the dock power-on / off signal is a dock power-off signal, and the channel switching switch connects the target USB communication interface to the first USB channel according to the dock power-off signal.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control unit includes a control signal receiving unit, a control signal parsing unit, and a power on / off signal sending unit;

[0021] The control signal receiving unit is used to receive the control signal transmitted through the first USB channel;

[0022] The control signal parsing unit is used to perform power-on trigger detection on the control signal to obtain the power-on signal of the docking station.

[0023] The power on / off signal sending unit is used to send the docking station power-on signal to the switching signal receiving interface.

[0024] In some embodiments, the docking station further includes a power button connected to the control unit, which is used to generate a power on / off signal for the docking station based on button operation.

[0025] In some embodiments, the docking station further includes a video display interface and an audio interface, wherein the video display interface is used to connect a display device and the audio interface is used to connect an audio playback device.

[0026] In some embodiments, the docking station also includes a charging interface for charging devices connected to the charging interface.

[0027] In some embodiments, the docking station also includes a network access interface.

[0028] In some embodiments, the docking station also includes a PD interface.

[0029] The docking station proposed in this application transmits control signals for keyboard and mouse devices via a USB signal transmission channel connected to a USB interface. When the docking station is powered off, the control signals are transmitted to the control unit via the USB signal transmission channel. The control unit then recognizes the control signals to generate a power-on signal for the docking station. Based on the power-on signal, the control unit controls the power supply unit to supply power to the docking station, enabling the docking station to switch from a powered-off state to a powered-on state without pressing the power button on the docking station. This improves the convenience of using the docking station and enhances the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the expansion dock provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a docking station provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the USB signal transmission channel provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a docking station provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0034] Reference numerals: 1010-Control unit, 1011-Control signal receiving unit, 1012-Control signal parsing unit, 1013-Power on / off signal sending unit, 1020-USB signal transmission channel, 1021-Channel switching switch, 1022-Target USB communication interface, 1023-First USB channel, 1024-Second USB channel, 1025-Switching signal receiving interface, 1030-USB interface, 1040-Power supply unit, 1050-Dock data processing unit, 1060-Power on / off button, 1070-Video display interface, 1080-Audio interface, 1090-Charging interface, 1100-Network access interface, 1110-PD interface, 1120-Computer equipment interface. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application. The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0037] First, let's analyze some of the terms used in this application:

[0038] A docking station, also known as a port replicator, is an external device designed specifically for computers, including laptops, general-purpose computers (such as mainframes, mid-range computers, minicomputers, microcomputers, and microcontrollers). A docking station is a multi-functional expansion dock integrating multiple interfaces. By replicating or even expanding the ports of a computer, it allows for convenient one-stop connection to various accessories or external devices (such as USB devices, network cables, audio playback devices, power adapters, external monitors, printers, scanners, drives, keyboards, etc.). Docking stations not only solve the problem of insufficient computer interfaces but also allow for interface customization, greatly improving flexibility and convenience. Furthermore, docking stations typically have a data processing chip independent of the motherboard, providing more stable and efficient data transmission.

[0039] Currently, when using a docking station, the computer's CPU accesses the docking station's HUB chip and enumerates it via the USB protocol to mount the HUB chip into the computer's device tree, thereby establishing a signal path between the docking station and the computer.

[0040] When users are off work or resting and not using the docking station, the computer's CPU will continuously access the HUB chip, preventing the computer from entering sleep mode. Therefore, by adding a power button (1060), users can press and hold the power button to disable the HUB chip while retaining the charging function.

[0041] However, when the docking station is powered off, users who wish to continue using its functions, such as connecting external devices or transferring data, need to manually press the power button on the docking station to restart it. This process increases the number of steps required for the user, especially when the docking station's functions are urgently needed, thus affecting its ease of use.

[0042] Based on this, this application provides a docking station designed to improve the ease of use of the docking station.

[0043] The expansion dock provided in this application is specifically described through the following embodiments.

[0044] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a docking station provided in an embodiment of this application. The docking station includes a USB interface 1030, a USB signal transmission channel 1020, a power supply unit 1040, and a control unit 1010.

[0045] Specifically,

[0046] The USB interface 1030 can be either a USB 2.0 interface or a USB 3.0 interface. The USB interface 1030 is used to connect keyboard and mouse devices and can obtain control signals from the keyboard and mouse devices. The keyboard and mouse devices include a keyboard and a mouse. Specifically, a keyboard and a mouse can be connected at the same time, or a keyboard or a mouse can be connected separately, and it is not limited to these.

[0047] In addition, the USB interface 1030 can also be used to power / charge devices connected to the USB interface 1030.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, the USB interface 1030 is a USB 2.0 interface.

[0049] USB signal transmission channel 1020 is connected to USB interface 1030 and is used to transmit control signals for keyboard and mouse devices.

[0050] The power supply unit 1040 is used to supply power to the docking station. Specifically, in the power-on state, it supplies power to all components of the entire docking station; in the power-off state, it supplies power to the control unit 1010, the USB interface 1030, and the USB signal transmission channel 1020.

[0051] The control unit 1010 is connected to the USB signal transmission channel 1020 and the power supply unit 1040. When the docking station is in the off state, the control unit 1010 receives the control signal transmitted through the USB signal transmission channel 1020 and performs power-on identification on the control signal to obtain the docking station power-on signal. The control unit 1010 controls the power supply unit 1040 to supply power to all components of the entire docking station according to the docking station power-on signal, so that the docking station switches from the off state to the power-on state.

[0052] In some embodiments, the docking station further includes a docking station data processing unit 1050, i.e., a HUB chip, which is used to communicate with a computer, and the computer is communicatively connected to the docking station.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the docking station data processing unit 1050 is a VL822 chip, but is not limited thereto.

[0054] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another expansion dock provided in an embodiment of this application. The expansion dock includes a USB interface 1030, a USB signal transmission channel 1020, a power supply unit 1040, a control unit 1010, and an expansion dock data processing unit 1050.

[0055] Specifically, the USB signal transmission channel 1020 includes a channel switching switch 1021, a target USB communication interface 1022, a first USB channel 1023, a second USB channel 1024, and a switching signal receiving interface 1025. Specifically, the target USB communication interface 1022 is connected to the USB interface 1030 to obtain control signals from the USB interface 1030; the first USB channel 1023 is connected to the control unit 1010 to transmit control signals to the control unit 1010; the second USB channel 1024 is connected to the docking station data processing unit 1050 to process control signals through the docking station data processing unit 1050 and transmit them to the computer; the switching signal receiving interface 1025 is connected to the control unit 1010 and the channel switching switch 1021 to receive the docking station power-on / off signal sent by the control unit 1010 and send the docking station power-on / off signal to the channel switching switch 1021; the channel switching switch 1021 is used to connect the target USB communication interface 1022 to the first USB channel 1023 or the second USB channel 1024 according to the docking station power-on / off signal.

[0056] When the docking station is powered off, the target USB communication interface 1022 is connected to the first USB channel 1023; when the docking station is powered on, the target USB communication interface 1022 is connected to the second USB channel 1024.

[0057] It should be noted that the docking station power-on signal includes a docking station power-on signal and a docking station power-off signal. When the docking station switches from the power-off state to the power-on state, the docking station power-on signal is the docking station power-on signal, and the channel switching switch 1021 connects the target USB communication interface 1022 to the second USB channel 1024 according to the docking station power-on signal. When the docking station switches from the power-on state to the power-off state, the docking station power-on signal is the docking station power-off signal, and the channel switching switch 1021 connects the target USB communication interface 1022 to the first USB channel 1023 according to the docking station power-off signal.

[0058] The control unit 1010 includes a control signal receiving unit 1011, a control signal parsing unit 1012, and a power-on / off signal sending unit 1013. The control signal receiving unit 1011 receives control signals transmitted via the first USB channel 1023 of the USB signal transmission channel 1020; the control signal parsing unit 1012 performs power-on trigger detection on the control signals when the docking station is powered off to obtain a docking station power-on signal; and the power-on / off signal sending unit 1013 sends the docking station power-on signal to the switching signal receiving interface 1025 of the USB signal transmission channel 1020.

[0059] Specifically, the control signal of the keyboard and mouse device is a D+ / D- signal. When the keyboard and mouse device is used, a D+ / D- signal is generated. The control signal parsing unit 1012 reverses the polarity of the control signal based on a preset duration to determine whether there is a keyboard and mouse action, that is, whether the user has clicked the keyboard / mouse. If the user needs to use the computer, the system can determine whether to turn on the computer based on the keyboard and mouse action.

[0060] In one embodiment, the control signal parsing unit 1012 determines whether there is keyboard and mouse action by reversing the polarity of the control signal for 20ms.

[0061] In another embodiment, the control signal parsing unit 1012 determines whether there is keyboard and mouse action by reversing the polarity of the control signal for 25ms.

[0062] In this embodiment, when the docking station is powered off, the control unit 1010 receives and detects whether the keyboard and mouse devices connected to the USB interface 1030 are triggered to determine whether the user needs to use the docking station. Then, a docking station power-on signal is generated to intelligently control the docking station to turn on. There is no need to use the power button 1060 to control the power-on, which improves the convenience of using the docking station and enhances the user experience.

[0063] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the USB signal transmission channel 1020 provided in this application embodiment. The USB signal transmission channel 1020 includes 10 pins. Pins 1 and 2 constitute the target USB communication interface 1022, pins 4 and 5 constitute the second USB channel 1024, pins 6 and 7 constitute the first USB channel 1023, pin 10 is the switching signal receiving interface 1025, pin 9 is the power input interface connected to the power supply unit 1040, pin 3 is the ground pin, and pin 8 is the enable pin of the channel switching switch 1021, used to connect the target USB communication interface 1022 to the first USB channel 1023 or the second USB channel 1024 according to the docking station power-on / off signal received by the channel switching switch 1021.

[0064] When the docking station is powered off, pins 1 and 7 are connected, pins 2 and 6 are connected, pins 1 and 5 are disconnected, and pins 2 and 4 are disconnected. This allows the control signals of the keyboard and mouse devices to be sent to the control unit 1010 for power-on recognition even when the dock is powered off.

[0065] When the docking station is powered on, pins 1 and 5 are connected, pins 2 and 4 are connected, pins 1 and 7 are disconnected, and pins 2 and 6 are disconnected. This enables the control signals of the keyboard and mouse devices to be sent to the control signal parsing unit 1012 when the docking station is powered on, so that the control signals can be sent to the connected computer.

[0066] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 , Figure 4This is another schematic diagram of the expansion dock provided in this application embodiment. The expansion dock also includes a power button 1060, a video display interface 1070, an audio interface 1080, a charging interface 1090, a network access interface 1100, a PD interface 1110, and a computer device interface 1120. The power button 1060 is connected to the control unit 1010, the video display interface 1070, the audio interface 1080, the charging interface 1090, the network access interface 1100, the PD interface 1110, and the computer device interface 1120 are connected to the expansion dock data processing unit 1050, and the power button 1060 is connected to the control unit 1010.

[0067] The power button 1060 is used to generate a power on / off signal for the docking station based on button operation. The docking station allows users to power on / off the device by pressing and holding the power button 1060.

[0068] The video display interface 1070 is used to connect to a display device, and the audio interface 1080 is used to connect to an audio playback device. The video display interface 1070 can be an HDMI interface, a DP interface, a VGA interface, etc., and the audio interface 1080 can be a 3.5mm audio interface, but is not limited to these.

[0069] The charging port 1090 is used to charge devices connected to the charging port 1090. It can be a USB-A port, a USB-B port, a USB-C port, etc. In addition, the charging port 1090 can also be a wireless charging panel for wirelessly charging devices (such as mobile phones, watches, etc.) placed on the wireless charging panel, and is not limited to this.

[0070] The network access interface 1100 can be an RJ45 interface for connecting twisted-pair network cables, enabling network data transmission for computers. Alternatively, the network access interface 1100 can also be a USB interface for connecting USB network cables. The specific configuration depends on the actual usage scenario and is not limited to this.

[0071] The PD interface 1110 is used for data transmission and charging of user-connected electronic devices.

[0072] Computer device interface 1120 is used to realize the communication connection between the expansion dock and the electronic computer.

[0073] In some other embodiments, the computer device interface 1120 may be a USB-C interface, a Thunderbolt interface, or something similar, and is not limited thereto.

[0074] It should be noted that when the docking station is powered on, the power supply unit 1040 will supply power to all components of the entire docking station, including but not limited to the control unit 1010, USB interface 1030, USB signal transmission channel 1020, docking station data processing unit 1050, power button 1060, video display interface 1070, audio interface 1080, charging interface 1090, network access interface 1100, PD interface 1110, and computer device interface 1120.

[0075] When the docking station is powered off, the power supply unit 1040 provides power to some components of the docking station, including but not limited to the control unit 1010, USB interface 1030, USB signal transmission channel 1020, power button 1060, and charging interface 1090.

[0076] In some embodiments, when the docking station switches from a power-off state to a power-on state, in addition to the power supply unit 1040 supplying power to all components of the entire docking station, it also sends a wake-up command to the computer (if the computer is in a sleep state), and obtains screen display data from the computer and sends it to the display device connected to the video display interface 1070 through the docking station data processing unit 1050 for screen projection, thereby improving the user's convenience.

[0077] In some embodiments, the docking station provided in this application may further include:

[0078] The indicator light is used to indicate whether the docking station is powered on or off. Specifically, when the indicator light is on, it indicates that the docking station is powered on, and when the indicator light is off, it indicates that the docking station is powered off.

[0079] The data card interface is used to connect a data card for read and write operations. This interface can be an SD card slot or a TF card slot. Common data card types include SD cards and microSD cards (TF cards), but are not limited to these.

[0080] The embodiments described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of technology and the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0081] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0082] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0083] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0084] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of the units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. The coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between the shown or discussed units may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between the apparatus or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0085] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0086] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0087] The preferred embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the scope of the claims of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and substance of the embodiments of the present application shall be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A docking station, characterized in that, The expansion dock includes: The USB interface is used to connect keyboard and mouse devices and can obtain control signals from the keyboard and mouse devices. The USB signal transmission channel is connected to the USB interface and is used to transmit the control signal; A power supply unit is used to supply power to the docking station; A control unit, which is connected to the USB signal transmission channel and the power supply unit; When the docking station is powered off, the control unit receives the control signal transmitted through the USB signal transmission channel and performs power-on identification on the control signal to obtain the docking station power-on signal; The control unit controls the power supply unit to supply power to the docking station according to the docking station's power-on signal, so that the docking station switches from the power-off state to the power-on state.

2. The expansion dock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The expansion dock also includes an expansion dock data processing unit, which is used to communicate with a computer, and the computer is communicatively connected to the expansion dock. The USB signal transmission channel includes a channel switching switch, a target USB communication interface, a first USB channel, a second USB channel, and a switching signal receiving interface; The target USB communication interface is connected to the USB interface and is used to obtain the control signal from the USB interface; The first USB channel is connected to the control unit and is used to transmit the control signal to the control unit; The second USB channel is connected to the docking station data processing unit and is used to process the control signal through the docking station data processing unit and transmit it to the computer. The switching signal receiving interface is connected to the control unit and the channel switching switch, and is used to receive the docking station power-on / off signal sent by the control unit, and send the docking station power-on / off signal to the channel switching switch; The channel switching switch is used to connect the target USB communication interface to the first USB channel or the second USB channel according to the docking station power-on / off signal.

3. The expansion dock according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the dock switches from a powered-off state to a powered-on state, the dock power-on signal is the dock power-on signal, and the channel switching switch connects the target USB communication interface to the second USB channel according to the dock power-on signal.

4. The expansion dock according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the dock switches from the power-on state to the power-off state, the dock power-on signal is the dock power-off signal, and the channel switching switch connects the target USB communication interface to the first USB channel according to the dock power-off signal.

5. The expansion dock according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit includes a control signal receiving unit, a control signal parsing unit, and a power on / off signal sending unit; The control signal receiving unit is used to receive the control signal transmitted through the first USB channel; The control signal parsing unit is used to perform power-on trigger detection on the control signal to obtain the power-on signal of the docking station. The power on / off signal sending unit is used to send the docking station power-on signal to the switching signal receiving interface.

6. The expansion dock according to claim 2, characterized in that, The docking station also includes a power button, which is connected to the control unit and is used to generate a power on / off signal for the docking station based on button operation.

7. The expansion dock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The docking station also includes a video display interface and an audio interface. The video display interface is used to connect to a display device, and the audio interface is used to connect to an audio playback device.

8. The expansion dock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The docking station also includes a charging interface for charging devices connected to the charging interface.

9. The expansion dock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The docking station also includes a network access interface.

10. The expansion dock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The docking station also includes a PD interface.

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