Power supply having detection control for connection status of 12V-2x6 connector and protection technology

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit to detect the connection or coupling status between an add-in card and a power supply unit so that a user can check it in real time, and to prevent overheating, fire hazards, and device damage caused by abnormal connection between the add-in card and the power supply unit.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply having a 12V-2x6 connector connection state detection control and protection function. More specifically, the present invention relates to a power supply equipped with a protection circuit to detect the connection or connection state between an add-in card and a power supply so that a user can check it in real time, and to prevent overheating, fire hazards, and device damage caused by abnormal connection between the add-in card and the power supply. Background Technology

[0002] With the increase in performance of computer systems, add-in cards are being applied by connecting them separately to the motherboard. Since these add-in cards must receive power separately from the Power Supply Unit (PSU), an accurate and robust connection between the connectors of the two devices is essential for stable and efficient power supply.

[0003] In the conventional PCI Express CEM (Card Electromechanical) Revision 5.0 standard, sideband signals are utilized through the connection of four side pins provided in the connector to check the connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit. However, since the length of the side pins is longer than the pins of the power line terminals, the connection of the side pins can remain normal even when the connection of the pins of the power line terminals is abnormal, which has a problem in that it is difficult to detect abnormal connection of the power line terminals.

[0004] Abnormally connected connectors can increase contact resistance, leading to various problems. Overheating and overcurrent caused by increased contact resistance can pose a fire hazard, while signal distortion or power loss can degrade electrical stability, ultimately increasing the likelihood of component failure in the computer system. Although some add-in cards are designed to detect whether a connector is properly connected via specific pins, there is a limitation in that it is difficult for the average user to check this status in real time.

[0005] Therefore, in the PCI Express CEM Revision 5.1 specification, compared to the PCIe 5.0 specification, the length of the side pins is changed to be shorter and the pins of the power line terminals are changed to be longer, so that if the connection of the pins of the power line terminals is abnormal, the connection of the side pins is also abnormally connected to detect whether the power line terminals are abnormally connected. However, in order for the power supply unit to stop supplying power to the add-in card when the power line terminals are abnormally connected, a signal regarding the abnormal connection state must be transmitted to the power supply unit through the sideband signal line. Since the length of the side pins is shortened, a problem occurs where the side pins do not make contact in the event of an abnormal connection, resulting in a structural error where the signal cannot be transmitted.

[0006] To address these issues, a function that detects the connection status between the add-in card and the power supply in real time and provides this information to the user visually is important; at the same time, there is an urgent need to introduce a power supply capable of preventing overheating, fire hazards, and system damage caused by abnormal connections. The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit to prevent overheating, fire hazards, and device damage caused by abnormal connection between an add-in card and a power supply unit, and to detect the connection or connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit so that the user can check it in real time. means of solving the problem

[0008] To solve the above problem, the present invention,

[0009] A power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit comprises: a connector that is electrically connected to an input port provided in an add-in card, and includes a power terminal that supplies power from the power supply unit to the add-in card via a power line and a signal terminal that transmits and receives a signal between the add-in card and the power supply unit via a signal line; and a control unit equipped with a protection circuit that detects the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card using a signal transmitted through the signal terminal of the connector, and cuts off the power supply from the power supply unit to the add-in card when the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card is abnormal.

[0010] Herein, the power supply is provided, characterized in that the control unit further includes at least one LED element that is turned on or off depending on the connection status between the power supply and the add-in card.

[0011] In addition, the power supply unit further comprises a control switch capable of ON or OFF control for selectively blocking the cable connection status detection and protection functions.

[0012] Furthermore, the power supply is characterized in that the signal terminal of the connector comprises a pair of ground signal pins; and a first signal pin and a second signal pin that transmit a signal changing according to the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card, thereby selectively performing a connection state detection and protection function of the power supply in the control unit and controlling the LED element to be on or off.

[0013] Herein, a power supply is provided characterized in that when the control switch is in the ON state, a first signal and a second signal, which are different from each other, are transmitted to the protection circuit side through a first signal pin and a second signal pin provided in the connector of the power supply.

[0014] In addition, the present invention provides a power supply device characterized in that when the connection state between the power supply device and the add-in card is normal, the first signal is a High signal and the second signal is a Low signal, and when the connection state between the power supply device and the add-in card is abnormal, the first signal is a Low signal and the second signal is a High signal.

[0015] In addition, the first signal and the second signal in the protection circuit are characterized by illuminating the LED element when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is normal, and turning off the LED element when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is abnormal.

[0016] Meanwhile, the first signal and the second signal in the protection circuit output a protection signal that cuts off the power supply of the power supply when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is abnormal, and does not generate a protection signal that cuts off the power supply of the power supply when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is normal. The present invention provides a power supply.

[0017] In addition, the present invention provides a power supply unit characterized in that, when the control switch is OFF, the LED element of the protection circuit is turned off regardless of the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card, and the connection status detection and protection functions of the control unit are blocked.

[0018] In addition, the power supply is provided, characterized in that the connector is detachably mounted to the PCI Express (PCIe) 5.1 standard input port of the add-in card.

[0019] Furthermore, the power terminal constituting the above connector is characterized by supplying 12V power divided into 12 pins arranged in two rows, thereby providing a power supply device. Effects of the invention

[0020] According to the power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention, the protection circuit constituting the power supply unit operates to selectively light up an LED element provided in the protection circuit when the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card is detected to be normal, thereby allowing the user to intuitively visually check the connection or connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit.

[0021] In addition, according to the power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention, the protection circuit constituting the power supply unit outputs a protection signal that blocks the power supply function of the power supply unit when the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card is detected to be abnormal, thereby preventing overheating, fire hazards, and device damage that may occur due to an abnormal connection between the add-in card and the power supply unit.

[0022] In addition, according to the power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention, the user can set the circuit of the power supply unit to operate only when compatible with a specific PCIe standard by operating a switch provided in the protection circuit of the power supply unit, thereby preventing electrical damage by maintaining system compatibility. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system configured to include a power supply and an add-in card. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a connector provided in a power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a circuit configuration diagram provided in a power supply equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosed content is thorough and complete, and to ensure that the spirit of the invention is sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals indicate the same components.

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system configured including a power supply and an add-in card, and FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a connector provided in a power supply equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention.

[0026] The computer system (1000) illustrated in FIG. 1 may be configured to include an add-in card and a power supply unit (PSU) that are separately connected to the motherboard, wherein the power supply unit (PSU) serves to supply power to the add-in card.

[0027] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the power supply unit (PSU) is shown as being connected to an add-in card, but the power supply unit (PSU) supplies power not only to the add-in card but also to the motherboard of the computer system (1000), and the add-in card processes graphics displayed on the computer screen and plays a role in improving the performance of high-resolution video and games.

[0028] Add-in cards are typically connected to the motherboard via a PCIe slot, through which they can receive power. However, for high-performance add-in cards, the power provided by the PCIe slot alone may not be sufficient; in such cases, a Power Supply Unit (PSU) acts to supply additional power. This allows the PSU to provide sufficient power to ensure the high-performance add-in card operates properly.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, a connector (100) provided at the end of a power line supplying power in a power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention is mounted on an input port of an add-in card, which is a power supply target device, so as to supply power to the add-in card and transmit and receive signals.

[0030] The above connector (100) can be electrically connected by being fastened to the input port of the add-in card. Through this, the power supply unit (PSU) can supply power to the add-in card, and at this time, the power terminal (110) can transmit power through the power line. In addition, a signal terminal (120) that transmits and receives signals through a signal line may be included between the add-in card and the power supply unit (PSU).

[0031] Additionally, the power terminal (110) may be composed of a power pin (111) made of a conductor and a housing (110h) surrounding it, and the signal terminal (120) may be composed of a signal pin (121, 122, 123) made of a conductor and a housing (120h) surrounding it. Specifically, the signal terminal (120) may be positioned below the power terminal (110), and compared to the PCIe 5.0 standard, the signal pin (121, 122, 123) may be formed short and the power pin (111) may be formed long.

[0032] The power terminal (110) constituting the connector (100) of the power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention may adopt a 12V-2x6 connector structure in which 12 power pins (111) for supplying 12V power are arranged in two rows to supply additional power required by a high-performance add-in card. In this case, the connector (100) can supply up to 600W of power to the add-in card by connecting the power terminal (110) to the PCIe 5.1 standard port of the add-in card.

[0033] And, the signal terminal (120) constituting the connector (100) may be configured to include a first signal pin (121), a second signal pin (122), and third and fourth signal pins (123), so that a total of four signal pins may be provided.

[0034] A cable unit (200) may be connected to the rear of the connector (100), and the cable unit (200) may include a plurality of power lines (210) for power supply, a pair of signal lines (220, 230) for signal transmission, and a wire (240) connected to each of the third and fourth signal pins.

[0035] A plurality of power lines (210) are connected to respective power pins (111) provided in the power terminals (110) of the connector (100) and serve to transmit power supplied from the power supply unit (PSU) to the add-in card side. These power lines (210) may include a DC+ power line and a GND, and each power line (210) may be composed of a conductor and an insulating layer surrounding the conductor. The conductor of the power line (210) may be in the form of a solid conductor or a composite conductor composed of a plurality of small conductors, and the material may be composed of copper or a copper alloy with excellent conductivity.

[0036] Of the pair of signal lines (220, 230), the first signal line (220) may be connected to the first signal pin (121), and the second signal line (230) may be connected to the second signal pin (122). The pair of signal lines (220, 230) may transmit and receive a detection signal to detect the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card. Additionally, the pair of signal lines (220, 230) may each be configured to include a signal transmission conductor and an insulating layer surrounding the conductor.

[0037] The wires (240) connected to each of the third and fourth signal pins can transmit GND and open signals that determine the output capacity by being connected to the third and fourth signal pins (123) of the connector (100).

[0038] In conventional computer systems (1000), it was difficult to accurately detect the connection status (whether connected or not) between the add-in card and the power supply unit (PSU). If the connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit (PSU) is inaccurate or unstable and an abnormal situation is not detected, the risk of fire may increase or the system may be damaged.

[0039] Accordingly, the present invention uses a power supply unit (PSU) equipped with a protection circuit to detect the connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit (PSU) in real time at the control unit (300) of the power supply unit (PSU) and to allow the user to identify it. When an abnormal connection status is detected, the control unit (300) cuts off the power supply function of the power supply unit (PSU) to prevent overheating, fire hazards, and device damage.

[0040] A power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention may be configured to include a control unit (300) capable of controlling whether to supply power based on a signal transmitted through a pair of signal lines (220, 230).

[0041] The control unit (300) serves to prevent damage to the system (1000) due to connection errors or electrical abnormalities, as well as the risk of fire due to overheating and overcurrent. To this end, the control unit (300) uses a protection circuit (300c) to detect the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card, and if the connection status is detected to be abnormal, it can cut off the power supply to the power supply unit (PSU).

[0042] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, a protection circuit (300c) provided in the control unit (300) of the power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention will be examined in detail.

[0043] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a circuit configuration diagram of a power supply equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention.

[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a protection circuit (300c) provided in a power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention may be configured to include at least one LED element (310) that is turned on or off depending on the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card, and a control switch (320) capable of ON or OFF control to selectively block the operation of the protection circuit (300c).

[0045] The LED element (310) provided in the protection circuit (300c) can be configured to light up according to the operation of the protection circuit (300c) when the connection between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is maintained in a solid and stable state and is normal. On the other hand, if the connection between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is unstable or only some terminals are connected and is in an abnormal state, the LED element (310) can be configured to turn off by the operation of the protection circuit (300c).

[0046] Here, at least one LED element (310) can be mounted so that it is easily identifiable from outside the power supply unit (PSU) when illuminated to visually indicate the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card. Through this, the user can easily visually check the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card via the LED element (310), thereby enabling a quick check of the connection status between PC component devices.

[0047] The control switch (320) provided in the protection circuit (300c) can be configured to be ON or OFF by user operation. For example, if the slot and 12V-2x6 connector specifications of the add-in card are PCIe 5.1, the control switch (320) can be set to the ON state to operate the protection circuit (300c), and if the slot and connector specifications are incompatible, the control switch (320) can be set to the OFF state to disable the operation of the protection circuit (300c).

[0048] The power supply unit (PSU) according to the present invention can transmit and receive four different sideband signals (S1~S4), including signals (S3, S4) that determine capacity between the add-in card and the power supply unit (PSU), through a signal terminal (120) provided in the connector (100).

[0049] The first signal (S1) can be transmitted via a first signal line (220) connected to a first signal pin (121), and the second signal (S2) can be transmitted via a second signal line (230) connected to a second signal pin (122). The first signal (S1) and the second signal (S2) are signals that change according to the connection status between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card. The control unit (300) can selectively perform the connector connection detection and protection function of the power supply unit (PSU) and control the LED element (310) to be on or off.

[0050] For example, when the control switch (320) provided in the protection circuit (300c) is in the ON state, and the connection state between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is maintained normally, the second signal pin (122) transmits a Low signal as the second signal (S2) through the second signal line (230), and the first signal pin (121) transmits a High signal as the first signal (S1) through the first signal line (220), so that the LED element (310) is lit and the power supply unit (PSU) operates normally and can perform the power supply function as usual.

[0051] On the other hand, if the connection state between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is abnormal, the second signal pin (122) transmits a High signal as a second signal (S2) through the second signal line (230), and the first signal pin (121) transmits a Low signal as a first signal (S1) through the first signal line (220), thereby turning off the LED element (310) and the power supply unit (PSU) may be designed to stop supplying power to the add-in card.

[0052] Specifically, when the connection between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is normal, the Low signal transmitted through the second signal pin (122) in the protection circuit (300c) passes through the RP11 resistor and reaches FET (field-effect transistor) 1. The FET (field-effect transistor) is designed so that paths 2 and 3 are connected only when a High signal is transmitted, so that paths 2 and 3 are blocked when a Low signal is transmitted. Additionally, the High signal transmitted through the first signal pin (121) passes through the control switch (320) and diode (DIODE) 1 and reaches FET 2, thereby connecting paths 2 and 3, so that a voltage of +3.3V and ground are connected to each end of the LED element (310), causing it to light up.

[0053] Meanwhile, if the connection between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is abnormal, the Low signal transmitted through the first signal pin (121) in the protection circuit (300c) passes through the control switch (320) and diode (DIODE) 1 and reaches FET 2. Since it is a Low signal, the paths 2 and 3 in FET 2 are not connected, and as a result, the LED element (310) is not connected to ground, causing it to turn off.

[0054] Additionally, when the connection between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is normal, the High signal transmitted through the first signal pin (121) in the protection circuit (300c) passes through the RP9 resistor and reaches FET3, connecting paths 2 and 3, and a Low signal is transmitted to FET4 by the +3.3V standby voltage (SB) and ground, so paths 2 and 3 are not connected, and thus the protection signal unit (330) cannot generate a protection signal.

[0055] Meanwhile, if the connection state between the power supply unit (PSU) and the add-in card is abnormal, the Low signal transmitted through the first signal pin (121) in the protection circuit (300c) passes through the RP9 resistor and reaches FET3, but the paths 2 and 3 are not connected, and the High signal is transmitted from the +3.3V standby voltage (SB) through the RP10 resistor to FET4, thereby connecting the paths 2 and 3, so that the +3.3V standby voltage (SB) and ground are connected to each end of the protection signal unit (330), thereby generating a protection signal and transmitting it to the power supply unit (PSU) so that the power supply unit (PSU) can stop supplying power to the add-in card.

[0056] Thus, the power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention operates to selectively light up an LED element provided in the protection circuit when the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card is detected to be normal, thereby allowing the user to intuitively and visually check the connection or connection status between the add-in card and the power supply unit.

[0057] In addition, a power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit according to the present invention can prevent heat generation, fire hazards, and device damage that may occur due to an abnormal connection between an add-in card and a power supply unit by outputting a protection signal that cuts off the power supply function of the power supply unit when an abnormal connection status between the power supply unit and an add-in card is detected.

[0058] Although this specification has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art may modify and change the present invention in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in the claims below. Therefore, if a modified embodiment basically includes the components of the claims of the present invention, it should be considered to be included within the technical scope of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0059] 100 : Connector 200 : Cable unit 300: Control Unit

Claims

Claim 1 A power supply unit equipped with a protection circuit, comprising: a connector that is electrically connected to an input port provided in an add-in card and includes a power terminal that supplies power from the power supply unit to the add-in card via a power line and a signal terminal that transmits and receives a signal between the add-in card and the power supply unit via a signal line; and a control unit equipped with a protection circuit that detects the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card using a signal transmitted through the signal terminal of the connector, and blocks the power supply from the power supply unit to the add-in card when the connection status between the power supply unit and the add-in card is abnormal. Claim 2 A power supply according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises at least one LED element that is turned on or off depending on the connection status between the power supply and the add-in card. Claim 3 A power supply unit according to paragraph 2, characterized in that the control unit further includes a control switch capable of ON or OFF control for selectively blocking cable connection status detection and protection functions. Claim 4 A power supply according to paragraph 3, wherein the signal terminal of the connector comprises a pair of ground signal pins; and a first signal pin and a second signal pin that transmit a signal changing according to the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card, thereby selectively performing a connection state detection and protection function of the power supply in the control unit and controlling the LED element to be on or off. Claim 5 A power supply according to claim 4, characterized in that when the control switch is in the ON state, a first signal and a second signal that are different from each other are transmitted to the protection circuit side through a first signal pin and a second signal pin provided in the connector of the power supply. Claim 6 A power supply according to claim 5, characterized in that when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is normal, the first signal is a High signal and the second signal is a Low signal, and when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is abnormal, the first signal is a Low signal and the second signal is a High signal. Claim 7 A power supply according to claim 5, wherein the first signal and the second signal in the protection circuit are characterized by illuminating the LED element when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is normal, and turning off the LED element when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is abnormal. Claim 8 A power supply according to claim 5, wherein the first signal and the second signal in the protection circuit output a protection signal that cuts off the power supply of the power supply when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is abnormal, and does not generate a protection signal that cuts off the power supply of the power supply when the connection state between the power supply and the add-in card is normal. Claim 9 A power supply according to paragraph 3, characterized in that, when the control switch is OFF, the LED element of the protection circuit is turned off regardless of the connection status between the power supply and the add-in card, and the connection status detection and protection function of the control unit is blocked. Claim 10 A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connector is detachably mounted to a PCI Express (PCIe) 5.1 standard input port of the add-in card. Claim 11 A power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the power terminal constituting the connector supplies 12V power divided into 12 pins arranged in 2 rows.

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