Power Conversion Card

Abstract

To provide a power conversion card capable of supplying various operating voltages required by a multi-rail motherboard. [Solution] The power conversion card (1) includes at least one input port (11), a step-down control unit (12), a first switching circuit (13), a second switching circuit (14), and an output port (15). The input port includes a first voltage pin (11a) configured to receive a first DC voltage signal from a power supply (5), and the first voltage pin transmits only 12 volts. The step-down control unit includes an input terminal (12a), a first output terminal (12b), and a second output terminal (12c) and is configured to convert the first DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal. The first and second switching circuits are electrically connected to the first and second output terminals, respectively, and are controlled to transmit or not transmit the second and third DC voltage signals. The output port includes a second voltage pin (15a) and a third voltage pin (15b) and is configured to output the second DC voltage signal and the third DC voltage signal, respectively.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power conversion card, and more particularly to a power conversion card applicable to a power supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] In personal computer (PC) power systems, the ATX12V multi-rail power supply architecture is commonly used to meet multiple voltage supply requirements on the motherboard. However, this architecture has relatively low power conversion efficiency at low power operation. For example, at an output power of 10 watts, the efficiency of an ATX12V multi-rail power supply unit compliant with 80+Gold certification is approximately 54%.

[0003] In recent years, with the increasing demand for energy conservation, the industry has introduced the ATX12VO single-rail power supply architecture, which simplifies the power supply path and reduces power loss. Under similar conditions, the ATX12VO single-rail power supply unit that meets the 80+Gold certification standard can achieve approximately 78% efficiency at 10 watts output, demonstrating significant advantages in low-power operation.

[0004] However, the majority of personal computers and motherboards on the market still use the traditional ATX12V multi-rail design, making it difficult to directly enjoy the efficiency benefits of an ATX12VO single-rail power supply. As a result, it remains difficult to improve overall system power efficiency while maintaining compatibility and system stability without redesigning or replacing the motherboard. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a power (supply) conversion card.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a power conversion card applicable to a power supply device includes at least one input port, a step-down control unit, a first switching circuit, a second switching circuit, and an output port. The at least one input port includes a first voltage pin configured to receive a first direct current (DC) voltage signal from the power supply device, and the first voltage pin of the at least one input port transmits only a 12-volt voltage. The step-down control unit includes an input terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal. The input terminal is electrically connected to the first voltage pin of the at least one input port, and the step-down control unit is configured to convert the first DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal. The first switching circuit is electrically connected to the first output terminal and controls whether to transmit the second DC voltage signal. The second switching circuit is electrically connected to the second output terminal and controls whether to transmit the third DC voltage signal. The output port includes a second voltage pin and a third voltage pin, the second voltage pin is electrically connected to the first switching circuit and configured to output a second DC voltage signal, and the third voltage pin is electrically connected to the second switching circuit and configured to output a third DC voltage signal.

[0007] From the above description, it can be seen that the power conversion card can accommodate a single-rail power supply that provides only 12V DC output through at least one input port, and can provide various operating voltages required by a conventional multi-rail motherboard by converting the 12V DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal using a step-down control unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are presented by way of illustration and example and not by way of limitation of the disclosure.

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a power conversion card according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and its application environment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing the connection relationship of multiple pins at an input port and an output port of a power conversion card according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a circuit schematic diagram illustrating a switching circuit of a power conversion card according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a circuit schematic diagram illustrating a switching circuit of a power conversion card according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a circuit schematic diagram showing a step-down circuit (buck circuit) of a power conversion card according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a circuit schematic diagram showing a step-down circuit (buck circuit) of a power conversion card according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. Based on the description, claims, and drawings disclosed in the specification, those skilled in the art will be able to easily understand the concepts and features of the present disclosure. The following embodiments are intended to further clarify various aspects of the present disclosure, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0011] The power conversion card described below is applicable to ATX12VO single-rail power supplies (including ATX12VO2 and ATX12VO3) and motherboards designed with ATX12V multi-rail architecture.

[0012] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a functional block diagram illustrating an approximate application environment of a power conversion card according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the power conversion card 1 includes at least one input port 11, a step-down control unit 12, a first switching circuit 13, a second switching circuit 14, and an output port 15. The input port 11 includes a first voltage pin 11a electrically connected to the power supply device 2. The step-down (buck) control unit 12 includes an input terminal 12a, a first output terminal 12b, and a second output terminal 12c. The input terminal 12a is electrically connected to the first voltage pin 11a of the input port 11, the first output terminal 12b is electrically connected to the first switching circuit 13, and the second output terminal 12c is electrically connected to the second switching circuit 14. The output port 15 includes a second voltage pin 15a and a third voltage pin 15b, where the second voltage pin 15a is electrically connected to the first switching circuit 13 and the third voltage pin 15b is electrically connected to the second switching circuit 14.

[0013] The first voltage pin 11a of the at least one input port 11 is configured to receive a first direct current (DC) voltage signal from the power supply 2, and the first voltage pin 11a of the at least one input port 11 transmits only 12 volts. For example, the at least one input port 11 may be at least one ATX12VO connector, and the at least one ATX12VO connector may include an ATX12VO2 connector and an ATX12VO3 connector, and the first voltage pin 11a is the +12 volt pin of the ATX12VO2 connector or the ATX12VO3 connector. Furthermore, because the at least one input port 11 does not include any pins transmitting voltages other than 12 volts, the voltage pin of the at least one input port is guaranteed to receive only the fixed 12 volts, preventing input of excessively high or low voltage signals and reducing the risk of circuit damage due to overvoltage or undervoltage.

[0014] The buck control unit 12 is configured to convert the first DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal. For example, the second DC voltage signal may be 3.3 volts, and the third DC voltage signal may be 5 volts. Specifically, the buck control unit 12 may employ a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controlled buck power conversion architecture (buck converter), which converts an input 12-volt DC voltage into outputs of 5 volts and 3.3 volts by controlling the on / off of multiple metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) to regulate the charging and discharging of inductors and capacitors.

[0015] The first switching circuit 13 controls whether to output the second DC voltage signal, and the second switching circuit 14 controls whether to output the third DC voltage signal. For example, the first switching circuit 13 and the second switching circuit 14 can be controlled to selectively turn on or off their corresponding output voltage paths. Specifically, when the motherboard issues a power-on control signal (e.g., a signal that pulls the P_ON pin low), the first switching circuit 13 switches on and can output the second DC voltage signal (e.g., 3.3 V DC voltage) to the corresponding voltage pin. Meanwhile, in standby mode, the first switching circuit 13 switches off, preventing continuous output of the 3.3 V DC voltage. Similarly, the second switching circuit 14 can also be selectively turned on or off in response to a control signal to control whether to output or stop the third DC voltage signal (e.g., 5 V DC voltage).

[0016] A second voltage pin 15a of output port 15 is configured to output a second DC voltage signal, and a third voltage pin 15b of output port 15 is configured to output a third DC voltage signal. For example, output port 15 may be a standard ATX 24-pin connector, with second voltage pin 15a being a 3.3 volt pin of the standard ATX 24-pin connector and third voltage pin 15b being a 5 volt output pin of the standard ATX 24-pin connector.

[0017] In one embodiment, the power conversion card 1 includes a DC-DC voltage conversion function. For example, the power conversion card 1 receives only a 12-volt DC voltage output from the power supply 2 through the input port 11. The power conversion card 1 then performs DC-DC voltage conversion using a step-down control unit 12 within the voltage conversion card to generate the 5-volt and 3.3-volt DC voltages required by an ATX12V multi-rail motherboard. Because the power conversion card 1 of this embodiment does not include an AC-DC voltage conversion function, it only needs to process the 12V DC input voltage from the power supply 2 and perform DC-DC step-down conversion (back conversion). This configuration allows for simplified circuitry, miniaturization, cost reduction, and improved reliability. Furthermore, because DC-DC step-down conversion has low energy loss, it is possible to maintain the high efficiency characteristics of the power supply while reducing power loss. The power conversion card 1 does not require additional AC design and works seamlessly with existing ATX12VO single-rail power supplies, making it widely compatible with conventional ATX12V multi-rail motherboards. As a result, the power efficiency of ATX12V multi-rail motherboards can be improved while also complying with increasingly stringent energy regulations. In one embodiment, the power conversion card 1 also has built-in overcurrent and overvoltage protection functions to prevent damage to the motherboard and power conversion card in the event of an abnormal condition.

[0018] Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a functional block diagram illustrating the connection relationships between multiple pins of input and output ports of a power conversion card according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, a power conversion card 1′ may include input ports 11A and 11B, a step-down control unit 12, a first switching circuit 13, a second switching circuit 14, an output port 15, a step-down circuit 16, and a voltage adjustment circuit 17. The input port 11A includes multiple first voltage pins 11A1, a standby pin 11A2, and a power stable signal pin 11A3. The input port 11B includes multiple first voltage pins 11B1. The step-down control unit 12 has an input terminal 12a, a first output terminal 12b, a second output terminal 12c, and a power good signal terminal 12d. The output port 15 includes a second voltage pin 15a, multiple third voltage pins 15b, a standby pin 15c, a power stable signal pin 15d, and a fourth voltage pin 15e. The step-down circuit 16 is electrically connected to the standby pin 11A2 of the input port 11A and the standby pin 15c of the output port 15. The step-down circuit 16 and / or the voltage adjustment circuit 17 are optional components.

[0019] The power good signal terminal 12d of the step-down control unit 12 is electrically connected to the power stable signal pin 15d of the output port 15. For example, the power good signal terminal 12d of the step-down control unit 12 may be connected to the power stable signal pin 15d of the output port 15 via a voltage regulation circuit 17. The voltage regulation circuit 17 receives a +12V_VSB input from the standby power supply and controls the conduction state of a P-channel MOSFET using a bias circuit consisting of a voltage divider resistor and a Zener diode D1. When the input voltage is normal and stable, the transistor turns on and outputs a high-level ATX_PWR_OK signal. This signal is transmitted as an enable signal to the power good signal terminal 12d of the step-down control unit 12 and / or the power stable signal pin 11A3 of the input port 11A, and is also output from the power stable signal pin 15d of the output port 15 to notify connected devices that the power supply has reached a stable state. A capacitor may also be provided to filter out high-frequency noise from the output signal, ensuring signal stability. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and in one embodiment, the power good signal terminal 12d of the step-down control unit 12 may be directly connected to the power stable signal pin 15d of the output port 15.

[0020] In FIG. 2, at least one input port is implemented as multiple ports connected in series to accommodate various types of power supplies. Input port 11A may be, for example, an ATX12VO2 connector, and input port 11B may be, for example, an ATX12VO3 connector. As shown in FIG. 2, first voltage pins 11A1 and 11B1 may be "+12V-1," "+12V-2," and "+12V-3," and standby pin 11A2 may be "12VSB."

[0021] In one embodiment, the fourth voltage pin 15e of the output port 15 is electrically connected to the first voltage pin 11A1 of the input port 11A and the first voltage pin 11B1 of the input port 11B. For example, the fourth voltage pin 15e of the output port 15 is configured to output a 12V DC voltage signal from an ATX12VO2 or ATX12VO3 power supply for use by a motherboard or an external module, thereby realizing multi-source input and stable power supply functions.

[0022] The step-down circuit 16 is configured to switch the power supply of the first DC voltage signal to output a standby voltage. For example, the step-down circuit 16 may be a synchronous step-down circuit configured with a MOSFET and an inductor, or a switching step-down regulator such as a commercially available step-down DC-DC module, which efficiently converts a high DC voltage to the required standby voltage and provides a stable output.

[0023] Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a circuit schematic diagram illustrating a switching circuit of a power conversion card according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4 is a circuit schematic diagram illustrating a switching circuit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, switching circuit 18 may include a plurality of transistors 131-135, a control unit 136, terminals T1-T7, and at least one inductor L1 and L2. Switching circuit 19 shown in FIG. 4 similarly includes a plurality of transistors 131-135, a control unit 136, inductors L1 and L2, and terminals T1A, T1B, T2A, T2B, T3′, and T3-T7. Switching circuit 18 of FIG. 3 and switching circuit 19 of FIG. 4 may be applied to first switching circuit 13 and / or second switching circuit 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0024] In this embodiment, multiple transistors 131-135 may switch the output of the second DC voltage signal and the third DC voltage signal. As shown in FIG. 3, the multiple transistors 131-135 may be switching MOSFETs. The transistor 135 is turned on and off by a control signal output from a control unit 136 to control the current flow and achieve the desired step-down conversion. Terminals T1 and T2 are connected to the step-down control unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 or 2. Terminal T3 is an input terminal connected to the input port 11 shown in FIG. 1 or 2, and terminal T4 is an output terminal connected to the output port 15 shown in FIG. 1 or 2. Terminal T5 is a 12V voltage input, terminal T6 may be connected to a standby voltage of 3.3V or 5V, and terminal T7 may be connected to a voltage of 3.3V or 5V. Inductors L1 and L2 are configured for energy storage and filtering. Inductor L1 is connected between input terminal T3 and switching circuit 18, and inductor L2 is located on the output terminal side to stabilize the output voltage. Additionally, switching circuit 18 may include a capacitor COUT1 to reduce voltage ripple.

[0025] Please refer to FIG. 4. The multiple transistors 131-135, inductors L1 and L2, and terminals T3-T7 in the switching circuit 19 in FIG. 4 have the same circuit / device configuration, function, and connections as the switching circuit 18 in FIG. 3, and therefore will not be described again here. In FIG. 4, the control unit 136 in the switching circuit 19 may include a resistor R245 and a capacitor C280. These resistors R245 and C280 form a signal filter and bias circuit, and the conduction timing of the entire switching element is adjusted by a control signal, thereby optimizing the output voltage stability and system control logic. Furthermore, terminals T1A and T1B are configured to receive input control signals and drive the switching transistors 131 and 132 via resistors R4-R6 and capacitor C18. Terminals T2A and T2B provide another set of control signals and control the transistors 133 and 134 via resistor R10. Terminal T3' is connected to a bias circuit within control unit 136, which may drive transistor Q60 via a control signal from terminal T3', providing feedback and bias control to further enhance switching timing and output voltage stability. Transistor Q60 is also connected to resistor R239 and capacitor C266. Resistor R239 and capacitor C266 provide, for example, overvoltage protection and output voltage regulation functions, stabilizing the overall buck output and protecting the system under abnormal voltage conditions. In one embodiment, switching circuit 19 may also include capacitor COUT1 to reduce voltage ripple.

[0026] Please refer to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a circuit schematic diagram showing a step-down circuit of a power conversion card according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 6 is a circuit schematic diagram showing a step-down circuit of a power conversion card according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, step-down circuit 16 may include step-down control unit 161, output control unit 162, terminals 16A and 16B, inductor L3, resistors R1 to R3, and capacitors C1 and C2. As shown in FIG. 6, step-down circuit 16′ may include step-down control unit 161, terminals 16A and 16B, inductor L3, resistors (e.g., R1, R34, R38), and capacitors (e.g., C2, C38, C42). The step-down circuit 16 shown in FIG. 5 or the step-down circuit 16′ shown in FIG. 6 may be applied to the step-down circuit 16 shown in FIG. 2.

[0027] In this embodiment, terminal 16A is connected to standby pin 11A2 of input port 11A, as shown in FIG. 2, and terminal 16B is connected to standby pin 15c of output port 15, as shown in FIG. 2. The step-down control unit 161 may be a step-down power conversion chip employing pulse-width modulation control, such as a synchronous rectification step-down converter architecture, and may use built-in MOSFET and inductor filtering components to control and modulate the 12V DC input voltage to a 5V DC output voltage. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the step-down circuit 16 may include an output control unit 162. The output control unit 162 may be a low-power voltage regulator chip or a power control circuit that switches the standby power supply. The output control unit 162 controls the 5V standby voltage (5VSB) according to the system's standby / startup state, thereby meeting the standby power requirements of various ATX12VO version specifications.

[0028] As can be seen from the above description, the power conversion card of the present disclosure can be adapted to a single-rail power supply that provides only a 12-volt DC output through at least one input port, and can provide multiple operating voltages required by a conventional multi-rail motherboard by converting the 12-volt DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal through a step-down control unit. Furthermore, by integrating the first and second switching circuits into the power conversion card, the power conversion card of an embodiment of the present disclosure can control the conduction states of multiple outputs, realize switching in an abnormal situation, and save space on the motherboard.

Claims

1. A power conversion card applicable to a power supply device, at least one input port having a first voltage pin, the first voltage pin receiving a first DC voltage signal from the power supply, the first voltage pin of the at least one input port transmitting only 12 volts; a step-down control unit having an input terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal, the input terminal being electrically connected to the first voltage pin of the at least one input port, the step-down control unit being configured to convert the first DC voltage signal into a second DC voltage signal and a third DC voltage signal; a first switching circuit electrically connected to the first output terminal and configured to control whether or not to transmit the second DC voltage signal; a second switching circuit electrically connected to the second output terminal and configured to control whether or not to transmit the third DC voltage signal; an output port including a second voltage pin and a third voltage pin, the second voltage pin electrically connected to the first switching circuit and configured to output the second DC voltage signal, and the third voltage pin electrically connected to the second switching circuit and configured to output the third DC voltage signal. Power conversion card.

2. the step-down control unit further includes a power good signal terminal; the output port further comprises a power stable signal pin; the power good signal terminal is electrically connected to the power stable signal pin; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

3. each of the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit includes a plurality of transistors; the plurality of transistors convert the output of the second DC voltage signal and the third DC voltage signal; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

4. the at least one input port is at least one ATX12VO connector; the at least one ATX12VO connector includes at least one of an ATX12VO2 connector and an ATX12VO3 connector; the first voltage pin is the +12 volt pin of the ATX12VO2 connector or the ATX12VO3 connector; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

5. the output port further comprises a fourth voltage pin; the fourth voltage pin is electrically connected to the first voltage pin of the at least one input port; The power conversion card according to claim 4 .

6. a step-down circuit electrically connected to a standby pin of the ATX12VO2 connector and a standby pin of the output port; The power supply of the first DC voltage signal is switched to output a standby voltage. The power conversion card according to claim 4 .

7. further comprising at least one inductor; the at least one inductor is electrically connected between the at least one input port and the output port; or disposed within the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

8. the second DC voltage signal is 3.3 volts and the third DC voltage signal is 5 volts; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

9. The output port is a standard ATX 24-pin connector, the second voltage pin is a 3.3 volt pin of the connector; the third voltage pin is a 5 volt pin of the connector; The power conversion card of claim 1 .

10. The power conversion card has a DC-DC voltage conversion function. The power conversion card of claim 1 .

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