Internet of things gateway and building automation system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an Internet of Things gateway and a building automation system. The Internet of Things gateway comprises: a first voltage conversion circuit and a second voltage conversion circuit, wherein a first input end of the first voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected with an external power supply, and a first output end of the first voltage conversion circuit outputs a first voltage within a preset voltage range when the first voltage conversion circuit is in a normal working state; a detection circuit configured to detect an output voltage of the first output end and send a detection result to a switching circuit; the switching circuit is configured to control a working state of the second voltage conversion circuit according to the detection result; and a main control circuit configured to work by using a second voltage output by a second output end, wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of power control technology, and in particular to an Internet of Things gateway and a building automation system. Background Technology

[0002] The Internet of Things (IoT) gateway is a core component of building automation systems. It is responsible for collecting, processing, and transmitting data from various sensors and actuators, and also handles communication with servers. The power module of an IoT gateway typically employs a multi-stage voltage conversion scheme, such as converting from 24V to 12V to power one part of the circuitry, and then converting from 12V to 5V to power another part, thus meeting the power supply needs of different electronic devices within the IoT gateway. Utility Model Content

[0003] The inventors noted that in related technologies, for power modules employing multi-stage voltage conversion schemes, the first-stage voltage conversion circuit is often most easily damaged under the influence of external interference factors, causing subsequent voltage conversion circuits to lose power, thus preventing the entire IoT gateway from functioning properly.

[0004] Accordingly, this disclosure provides an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway that can dynamically adjust the topology of the power supply circuit, thereby improving the IoT gateway's anti-interference capability and reliability.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway is provided, comprising: a first voltage conversion circuit and a second voltage conversion circuit, wherein a first input terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to an external power supply, and when the first voltage conversion circuit is in normal operating condition, a first voltage output from a first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit is within a preset voltage range; a detection circuit configured to detect the output voltage of the first output terminal and send the detection result to a switching circuit; a switching circuit configured to control the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit according to the detection result, wherein if the detection result indicates that the first output terminal has voltage output, the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to the first output terminal, and if the detection result indicates that the first output terminal has no voltage output, the second input terminal is electrically connected to an external power supply; and a main control circuit configured to operate using a second voltage output from the second output terminal, wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

[0006] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a first switch and a second switch, wherein the first switch is configured to electrically connect the second input terminal to the first output terminal in a first state; the second switch is configured to, in an open state, give the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit a first resistance value; the switching circuit is configured to control the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit by controlling the states of the first switch and the second switch, wherein when there is a voltage output at the first output terminal, the states of the first switch and the second switch are detected, and if the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in the open state, the states of the first switch and the second switch are maintained unchanged.

[0007] In some embodiments, the second voltage conversion circuit is configured to convert the output voltage of the first output terminal using a voltage divider network with a first resistance value when the first switch is in a first state and the second switch is in an open state, so that the second output terminal outputs a second voltage.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first switch is configured to connect the second input terminal to the external power supply in a second state; the second switch is configured to, in a closed state, give the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit a second resistance value; the switching circuit is configured to, if the first switch is in the second state and the second switch is in the closed state, switch the first switch from the second state to the first state and switch the second switch from the closed state to the open state after a predetermined delay.

[0009] In some embodiments, the switching circuit is configured to detect the state of the first switch and the second switch when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal. If the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in the open state, then after a predetermined delay, the first switch is switched from the first state to the second state, and the second switch is switched from the open state to the closed state.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second voltage conversion circuit is configured to convert the external power supply using a voltage divider network with a second resistance value when the first switch is in the second state and the second switch is in the closed state, so that the second output terminal outputs a second voltage.

[0011] In some embodiments, the switching circuit is configured to maintain the states of the first switch and the second switch unchanged if the first switch is in the second state and the second switch is in the closed state.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first terminal of the first switch is connected to the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit, the second terminal of the first switch is connected to the external power supply, and the common terminal of the first switch is connected to the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit. In a first state, the first terminal of the first switch is electrically connected to the common terminal so that the second input terminal is electrically connected to the first output terminal. In a second state, the second terminal of the first switch is electrically connected to the common terminal so that the second input terminal is electrically connected to the external power supply. The voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit includes a first voltage divider branch and a second voltage divider branch connected in parallel with the first voltage divider branch. A first voltage divider resistor is provided on the first voltage divider branch, and a second voltage divider resistor and a second switch are provided on the second voltage divider branch. When the second switch is in an open state, it disconnects the second voltage divider branch, giving the voltage divider network a first resistance value. When the second switch is in a closed state, it connects the second voltage divider resistor in parallel with the first voltage divider resistor, giving the voltage divider network a second resistance value.

[0013] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a boost circuit and peripheral circuitry, wherein the boost circuit is configured to boost the second voltage to obtain a third voltage within a preset voltage range when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal; and the peripheral circuitry is configured to operate using the first voltage when there is voltage output at the first output terminal, and to operate using the third voltage when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal.

[0014] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a third switch, wherein the third switch disconnects the electrical connection between the second output terminal and the boost circuit when it is in an open state, and connects the second output terminal to the boost circuit when it is in a closed state; the switching circuit is configured to detect the state of the third switch when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal, and if the third switch is in an open state, switch the third switch from the open state to the closed state after a predetermined delay, and if the third switch is in the closed state, maintain the state of the third switch unchanged.

[0015] In some embodiments, the switching circuit is configured to detect the state of the third switch when there is a voltage output at the first output terminal; if the third switch is in the open state, the state of the third switch is maintained unchanged; if the third switch is in the closed state, the third switch is switched from the closed state to the open state after a predetermined delay.

[0016] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a reset circuit, wherein the detection circuit is configured to send a trigger signal to the reset circuit when the output voltage at the first output terminal is not within a preset voltage range; the reset circuit is configured to send a reset signal to the main control circuit after receiving the trigger signal; the main control circuit is configured to perform a reset operation according to the reset signal, calculate the reset duration after completing the reset, compare the reset duration with a predetermined duration, and send diagnostic information corresponding to the comparison result to the server.

[0017] In some embodiments, the main control circuit is configured to send first diagnostic information to the server indicating an abnormality in the first voltage conversion circuit when the reset duration is less than a predetermined duration, and to send second diagnostic information to the server indicating damage to the first voltage conversion circuit when the reset duration is greater than or equal to the predetermined duration.

[0018] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a third voltage conversion circuit, wherein the third voltage conversion circuit is configured to convert the second voltage to output a fourth voltage, wherein the fourth voltage is less than the second voltage; and the main control circuit is configured to operate using the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a building automation system is provided, comprising: a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) gateways as described in any of the above embodiments; and a server configured to receive diagnostic information corresponding to comparison results sent by the plurality of IoT gateways.

[0020] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0025] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a building automation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0029] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0030] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to actual scale.

[0031] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0032] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0033] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the IoT gateway includes a first voltage conversion circuit 11, a second voltage conversion circuit 12, a detection circuit 13, a switching circuit 14, and a main control circuit 15.

[0035] The first input terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is electrically connected to the external power supply 10. When the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is in normal operating condition, the first voltage output from the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is within a preset voltage range.

[0036] The second output terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is used to output the second voltage.

[0037] The detection circuit 13 is configured to detect the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 and send the detection result to the switching circuit 14.

[0038] The switching circuit 14 is configured to control the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit based on the detection result. Specifically, if the detection result indicates that there is voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is electrically connected to the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11. If the detection result indicates that there is no voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is electrically connected to the external power supply 10.

[0039] The main control circuit 15 is configured to operate using a second voltage output from the second output terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12. The first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

[0040] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can dynamically adjust the topology of the power supply circuit. Even when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit, the main control circuit 15 can still work normally, thereby improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0041] For example, the voltage of the external power supply 10 is 24V, and the preset voltage range of the first voltage is 11V-13V. When the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is in normal working condition, the first voltage output from the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 can be 12V.

[0042] For example, when the voltage output by the first output terminal is 0V, 10V, or 15V, the output voltage of the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range. When the voltage output by the first output terminal is 11V, 12V, or 13V, the output voltage of the first output terminal is within the preset voltage range.

[0043] It should be noted that the detection circuit 13 monitors the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 in real time and sends the detection result to the switching circuit. The detection result includes whether there is voltage output at the first output terminal or not. When the output voltage at the first output terminal changes, the switching circuit can respond promptly.

[0044] For example, when the voltage output from the first output terminal is 10V, 12V, or 15V, the detection result is that there is voltage output from the first output terminal. When the voltage output from the first output terminal is 0V, the detection result is that there is no voltage output from the first output terminal. If there is no voltage output from the first output terminal, it indicates that the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is damaged.

[0045] It should be noted that when there is voltage output from the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is electrically connected to the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, and the second voltage conversion circuit 12 converts the first voltage output from the first output terminal into a second voltage. When there is no voltage output from the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, the second input terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is directly electrically connected to the external power supply 10, and directly converts the external power supply 10 into a second voltage.

[0046] For example, the second voltage can be 5V.

[0047] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can adjust the electrical connection state of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 in a timely manner according to the detection results of the detection circuit 13, so as to ensure the normal operation of the main control circuit 15.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to another embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the IoT gateway includes a first output terminal 112 of a first voltage conversion circuit, a second voltage conversion circuit 12, a detection circuit 13, a switching circuit 14, a first switch S1, and a second switch S2.

[0049] The second voltage conversion circuit 12 includes a second input terminal 121, a second output terminal 122, a voltage conversion chip 123, and a voltage divider network.

[0050] The switching circuit 14 includes a delay chip 141 and a supercapacitor 142.

[0051] In its first state, the first switch S1 electrically connects the second input terminal 121 of the second voltage conversion circuit to the first output terminal 112 of the first voltage conversion circuit. In its second state, the first switch S1 electrically connects the second input terminal 121 of the second voltage conversion circuit to the external power supply 10.

[0052] When the second switch S2 is open, it causes the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to have a first resistance value. When the second switch S2 is closed, it causes the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to have a second resistance value.

[0053] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the first switch S1 and the second switch S2.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first switch S1 includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a common terminal. The second switch S2 is located in the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12.

[0055] The first terminal of the first switch S1 is connected to the first output terminal 112 of the first voltage conversion circuit, the second terminal of the first switch S1 is connected to the external power supply 10, and the common terminal of the first switch S1 is connected to the second input terminal 121 of the second voltage conversion circuit 12. In the first state, the first terminal of the first switch S1 is electrically connected to the common terminal, so that the second input terminal 121 is electrically connected to the first output terminal 112. In the second state, the second terminal of the first switch S1 is electrically connected to the common terminal, so that the second input terminal 121 is electrically connected to the external power supply 10.

[0056] The voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 includes a first voltage divider branch and a second voltage divider branch connected in parallel with the first voltage divider branch. A first voltage divider resistor is provided on the first voltage divider branch, and a second voltage divider resistor and a second switch S2 are provided on the second voltage divider branch. When the second switch S2 is in the open state, it disconnects the second voltage divider branch, thus giving the voltage divider network a first resistance value. When the second switch S2 is in the closed state, it connects the second voltage divider resistor in parallel with the first voltage divider resistor, thus giving the voltage divider network a second resistance value.

[0057] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can change the input voltage of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the first switch S1, and can adjust the resistance value of the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the second switch S2, thereby adjusting the input-output ratio of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 and thus controlling the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit 12. It should be noted that the switching circuit 14 can control the operating state of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the first switch S1 and the second switch S2.

[0058] For example, when there is voltage output at the first output terminal 112, the switching circuit 14 controls the first switch S1 to the first state, so that the second voltage conversion circuit 12 uses the output voltage of the first output terminal as the input voltage, and simultaneously controls the second switch S2 to the open state, so that the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can output a second voltage using a voltage divider network with a first resistance value. When there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112, the switching circuit 14 controls the first switch S1 to the second state, so that the second voltage conversion circuit 12 uses the external power supply 10 as the input voltage, and simultaneously controls the second switch S2 to the closed state, so that the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can output a second voltage using a voltage divider network with a second resistance value.

[0059] For example, the first switch S1 can be a single-pole double-throw switch.

[0060] It should be noted that the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is used to adjust the input-output ratio of the second voltage conversion circuit 12, that is, the ratio of the input voltage to the output voltage. The switching circuit 14 changes the input voltage of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the first switch S1. The switching circuit 14 can adjust the resistance value of the voltage divider network of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 by controlling the second switch S2, thereby adjusting the input-output ratio of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 so that the output voltage of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is always maintained at the second voltage.

[0061] For example, when the second switch S2 is open, the input-output ratio of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is 12:5, at which time the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can convert 12V voltage to a second voltage of 5V. When the second switch S2 is closed, the input-output ratio of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is 24:5, at which time the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can convert 24V voltage to a second voltage of 5V.

[0062] For example, a voltage divider network includes a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, a third resistor R3, and a first inductor L1.

[0063] It should be noted that the voltage conversion chip 123 of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is used to convert the input voltage.

[0064] It should be noted that the delay chip 141 in the switching circuit 14 can send a control signal to the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 after a predetermined delay. The supercapacitor 142 can store electricity when there is voltage output at the first output terminal 112, so as to power the delay chip 141 when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112.

[0065] By controlling the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 through the delay chip 141, false triggering caused by signal jitter can be avoided, and the repeated opening and closing of the switch during signal fluctuations can be prevented, thereby avoiding the ping-pong effect.

[0066] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to detect the state of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 when there is a voltage output at the first output terminal 112. If the first switch S1 is in the first state and the second switch S2 is in the open state, the states of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 are kept unchanged.

[0067] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to maintain its working state when there is voltage output at the first output terminal 112, thus ensuring that the main control circuit 15 can work normally.

[0068] In some embodiments, the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is configured to convert the output voltage of the first output terminal 112 using a voltage divider network with a first resistance value when the first switch S1 is in the first state and the second switch S2 is in the open state, so that the second output terminal 122 outputs a second voltage.

[0069] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments enables the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to convert the first voltage output from the first output terminal 112 into a second voltage using a voltage divider network with a first resistance value.

[0070] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to, if the first switch S1 is in the second state and the second switch S2 is in the closed state, switch the first switch S1 from the second state to the first state and switch the second switch S2 from the closed state to the open state after a predetermined delay.

[0071] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to switch its topology when there is voltage output at the first output terminal 112, enabling the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to output a second voltage and ensuring that the main control circuit 15 can operate normally. Simultaneously, the delay function of the switching circuit 14 can avoid the ping-pong effect, further improving the reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0072] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to detect the state of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112. If the first switch S1 is in the first state and the second switch S2 is in the open state, then after a predetermined delay, the first switch S1 is switched from the first state to the second state, and the second switch S2 is switched from the open state to the closed state.

[0073] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can dynamically adjust the topology of the power supply circuit. When there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112, the second voltage conversion circuit 12 uses the external power supply 10 as its input voltage and outputs a second voltage, ensuring that the main control circuit 15 can operate normally, thereby improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the IoT gateway. Simultaneously, the delay function of the switching circuit 14 can avoid the ping-pong effect, further improving the reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0074] In some embodiments, the second voltage conversion circuit 12 is configured to convert the external power supply 10 using a voltage divider network with a second resistance value when the first switch S1 is in the second state and the second switch S2 is in the closed state, so that the second output terminal 122 outputs a second voltage.

[0075] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments enables the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to convert the external power supply 10 into a second voltage using a voltage divider network with a second resistance value.

[0076] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to maintain the states of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2 unchanged if the first switch S1 is in the second state and the second switch S2 is in the closed state.

[0077] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to maintain its working state when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112, so as to output the second voltage and ensure that the main control circuit 15 can work normally.

[0078] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, the IoT gateway includes a first voltage conversion circuit 11, a second voltage conversion circuit 12, a detection circuit 13, a switching circuit 14, a main control circuit 15, a boost circuit 16, and peripheral circuits.

[0079] The boost circuit 16 is configured to boost the second voltage when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, so as to obtain a third voltage within a preset voltage range.

[0080] The peripheral circuit includes a first peripheral circuit 171 and a second peripheral circuit 172. The first peripheral circuit 171 is configured to operate using a first voltage when there is a voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, and to operate using a third voltage when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal.

[0081] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can ensure power supply to the peripheral circuits regardless of whether there is voltage output at the first output terminal, thereby ensuring that the IoT gateway can realize its business functions and improving the reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0082] It should be noted that, due to the different power supply requirements of different components, the first peripheral circuit 171 operates using a first voltage, while the second peripheral circuit 172 operates using a second voltage. When there is no voltage output at the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11, although the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can continue to output the second voltage through the switching circuit 14, allowing the second peripheral circuit 172 to operate normally, the first voltage within the preset voltage range is still lacking. Therefore, the first peripheral circuit 171 loses power and cannot operate normally. Thus, the second voltage output by the second voltage conversion circuit 12 needs to be boosted by the boost circuit 16 to obtain a third voltage within the preset voltage range, enabling the first peripheral circuit 171 to operate using the third voltage.

[0083] For example, the third input terminal of the boost circuit 16 is connected to the second output terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12, and the third output terminal of the boost circuit 16 is connected to the first peripheral circuit 171. The boost circuit 16 boosts the second voltage to obtain a third voltage within a preset voltage range, so that when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal, the third voltage can replace the first voltage to power the first peripheral circuit 171.

[0084] It should be noted that the third output terminal of the boost circuit 16 can also be connected to the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11. In addition to powering the first peripheral circuit 171, the third voltage can also power the detection circuit 13 and the switching circuit 14.

[0085] In some embodiments, the IoT gateway further includes a third voltage conversion circuit 18.

[0086] The third voltage conversion circuit 18 is configured to convert the second voltage to output a fourth voltage, wherein the fourth voltage is less than the second voltage.

[0087] The main control circuit 15 is configured to operate using the second voltage and the fourth voltage.

[0088] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can provide multiple different voltages to the main control circuit and other devices to meet the power supply requirements of different devices.

[0089] For example, the second voltage is 5V, and the third voltage conversion circuit 18 converts the second voltage to a fourth voltage, which is 3.3V. The main control circuit 15 operates using both 5V and 3.3V voltages simultaneously.

[0090] It should be noted that IoT gateways can also include other voltage conversion circuits to output different voltages to meet the power supply needs of different devices.

[0091] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 4 and Figure 2 The difference is that, for example Figure 4 As shown, the IoT gateway also includes a boost circuit 16 and a third switch S3.

[0092] When the third switch S3 is in the open state, it disconnects the electrical connection between the second output terminal 122 of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 and the boost circuit 16. When the third switch S3 is in the closed state, it connects the second output terminal 122 of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to the boost circuit 16.

[0093] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the boost circuit 16 to boost the second voltage by controlling the third switch S3.

[0094] It should be noted that, based on the detection result sent by the detection circuit 13, the switching circuit 14 can control the boost circuit 16 to boost the second voltage by controlling the third switch S3.

[0095] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to detect the state of the third switch S3 when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112. If the third switch S3 is in the open state, it is switched from the open state to the closed state after a predetermined delay. If the third switch S3 is in the closed state, its state is maintained unchanged.

[0096] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the third switch S3 when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112, so that the boost circuit 16 boosts the second voltage, thereby ensuring power supply to the peripheral circuit and improving the reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0097] In some embodiments, the switching circuit 14 is configured to detect the state of the third switch S3 when there is a voltage output at the first output terminal 112. If the third switch S3 is in the open state, the state of the third switch S3 is maintained unchanged; if the third switch S3 is in the closed state, the third switch S3 is switched from the closed state to the open state after a predetermined delay.

[0098] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can control the third switch S3 when there is voltage output at the first output terminal 112, so that the boost circuit 16 is disconnected from the second output terminal 122, thereby avoiding a conflict between the voltage output by the first voltage conversion circuit 11 and the voltage output by the boost circuit 16.

[0099] It should be noted that the switching circuit 14 controls the first switch S1, the second switch S2, and the third switch S3 synchronously based on the detection results sent by the detection circuit 13.

[0100] For example, when there is no voltage output at the first output terminal 112, the switching circuit 14 controls the first switch S1 to be in the second state and controls the second switch S2 to be in the closed state, so that the second voltage conversion circuit 12 converts the external power supply 10 into the second voltage. At the same time, the switching circuit 14 controls the third switch S3 to be in the closed state, so that the boost circuit 16 converts the second voltage output by the second voltage conversion circuit 12 into the third voltage.

[0101] By controlling the second voltage conversion circuit 12 and the boost circuit 16 to work together through the switching circuit 14, the normal function of the IoT gateway can be maintained.

[0102] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an IoT gateway according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, the IoT gateway includes a first voltage conversion circuit 11, a second voltage conversion circuit 12, a detection circuit 13, a switching circuit 14, a main control circuit 15, and a reset circuit 19.

[0103] The detection circuit 13 is configured to send a trigger signal to the reset circuit 19 when the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is not within the preset voltage range.

[0104] The reset circuit 19 is configured to send a reset signal to the main control circuit 15 after receiving a trigger signal.

[0105] The main control circuit 15 is configured to perform a reset operation based on a reset signal, calculate the reset duration after the reset is completed, compare the reset duration with a predetermined duration, and send diagnostic information corresponding to the comparison result to the server 20.

[0106] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can diagnose the fault type of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 and feed it back to the server 20 by calculating the reset time of the main control circuit when the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is not within the preset voltage range. This enables the server 20 to determine whether the IoT gateway needs to be repaired, thereby further improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0107] It should be noted that server 20 can be a server located in the cloud.

[0108] It should be noted that the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is not within the preset voltage range, including the case where there is no output voltage at the first output terminal.

[0109] For example, suppose the preset voltage range of the first voltage is 11V-13V. When the output voltage of the first output terminal is 0V, there is no output voltage at the first output terminal, and the output voltage of the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range.

[0110] For example, when the output voltage of the first output terminal is 10V, the first output terminal has an output voltage, but the output voltage of the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range.

[0111] For example, when the output voltage of the first output terminal is 15V, the first output terminal has an output voltage, but the output voltage of the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range.

[0112] For example, when the output voltage of the first output terminal is 12V, the first output terminal has an output voltage, and the output voltage of the first output terminal is within the preset voltage range.

[0113] It should be noted that the predetermined duration is the time required for the main control circuit 15 to restart when it is operating using the second voltage.

[0114] In some embodiments, the main control circuit 15 is configured to send first diagnostic information to the server 20 indicating an abnormality in the first voltage conversion circuit 11 if the reset duration is less than a predetermined duration. If the reset duration is greater than or equal to the predetermined duration, it sends second diagnostic information to the server 20 indicating damage to the first voltage conversion circuit 11.

[0115] The IoT gateway described in the above embodiments can accurately diagnose abnormalities in the first voltage conversion circuit 11 and report them to the server 20, so that the server 20 can determine whether the IoT gateway needs to be repaired, thereby improving the reliability of the IoT gateway.

[0116] It should be noted that when the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is not within the preset voltage range, the detection circuit 13 sends a trigger signal to the reset circuit 19, thereby controlling the main control circuit 15 to reset. There are two possibilities when the output voltage of the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range: no voltage output at the first output terminal, or voltage output at the first output terminal.

[0117] For example, if the preset voltage range of the first voltage is 11V-13V, then the output voltage of the first output terminal not falling within the preset voltage range includes output voltages greater than 13V or output voltages less than 11V. Specifically, if the output voltage of the first output terminal is 0V, then there is no voltage output from the first output terminal. If the output voltage of the first output terminal is not 0V, then there is voltage output from the first output terminal.

[0118] It should be noted that when the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is not within the preset voltage range, and there is no voltage output at the first output terminal, the detection circuit 13 sends a detection result to the switching circuit 14 so that the switching circuit 14 controls the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to switch its topology. Simultaneously, the detection circuit 13 sends a trigger signal to the reset circuit 19 to control the main control circuit 15 to reset. Since the switching circuit 14 needs a predetermined delay before switching the states of the first switch S1 and the second switch S2, the second voltage conversion circuit 12 needs a certain amount of time to complete the topology switching. After receiving the reset signal, the main control circuit 15 must wait for the second voltage conversion circuit 12 to complete the topology switching and for power to be restored before resetting. At this time, the reset time of the main control circuit 15 will be greater than or equal to the predetermined time.

[0119] It should be noted that when the output voltage of the first output terminal of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is outside the preset voltage range, and there is voltage output at the first output terminal, the detection circuit 13 sends the detection result to the switching circuit 14. Simultaneously, the detection circuit 13 sends a trigger signal to the reset circuit 19. Since there is voltage output at the first output terminal, the second output terminal of the second voltage conversion circuit 12 can also have voltage output. Therefore, the main control circuit 15 can directly reset after receiving the reset signal. In this case, the reset time of the main control circuit 15 will be less than the predetermined time.

[0120] It should be noted that if there is no voltage output at the first output terminal, i.e., the output voltage at the first output terminal is 0V, it indicates that the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is damaged. If there is voltage output at the first output terminal, i.e., the output voltage at the first output terminal is not 0V, but the output voltage at the first output terminal is not within the preset voltage range, it indicates that the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is malfunctioning. Therefore, by comparing the reset time of the main control circuit 15 with the preset time, the fault condition of the first voltage conversion circuit 11 can be diagnosed.

[0121] It should be noted that the subsequent repair plan proposed by the server 20 will vary depending on the specific fault condition of the first voltage conversion circuit 11. If the first voltage conversion circuit 11 only exhibits an abnormality, the repair requirement is not high and repair can be postponed. If the first voltage conversion circuit 11 is damaged, it needs to be repaired as soon as possible to restore the full functionality of the IoT gateway.

[0122] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a building automation system according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the building automation system includes multiple IoT gateways 611, 612, ..., 61n and a server 62.

[0123] Each of the multiple IoT gateways 611, 612, ..., 61n is an IoT gateway for... Figures 1 to 5 The IoT gateway shown in any of the embodiments.

[0124] Server 62 is configured to receive diagnostic information corresponding to the comparison results sent by multiple IoT gateways 611, 612, ..., 61n.

[0125] The building automation system described in the above embodiments can dynamically adjust the topology of the power circuit in the IoT gateway, thereby improving the gateway's anti-interference capability and reliability. Simultaneously, it can promptly diagnose power circuit faults and report them to the server for maintenance of the IoT gateway.

[0126] It should be noted that server 62 can be a server located in the cloud.

[0127] It should be noted that, based on the diagnostic information sent by multiple IoT gateways 611, 612, ..., 61n, the server 62 can determine a maintenance plan for each IoT gateway so that the IoT gateway can work properly.

[0128] In some embodiments, the functional units described above may be implemented as general-purpose processors, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, or any suitable combination thereof for performing the functions described herein.

[0129] The description in this disclosure is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to its forms. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical application of this disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to understand this disclosure and to design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular purpose.

Images