Interface circuit and connector

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are an interface circuit and a connector. The interface circuit comprises a male connector end, a female connector end and a control module; the male connector end is provided with a first male connector pin and a second male connector pin; the female connector end is provided with a first female connector pin and a second female connector pin; when determining that a second device supports data communication, the control module is used for controlling a target male connector pin to be connected to a first device on the basis of a target female connector pin connected to the second device, the target female connector pin being one of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin, and the target male connector pin corresponding to the target female connector pin.

Description

Interface circuits and connectors

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411796614.5, filed on December 9, 2024, entitled "Interface Circuit and Connector", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of interface technology, specifically to an interface circuit and connector. Background Technology

[0003] On August 11, 2014, the Universal Serial Bus Association (USB Association) released a new interface type for Universal Serial Bus, Type-C, also known as USB Type-C. It is smaller than Type-A and Type-B and can be used in both PCs (master devices) and external devices (slave devices, such as mobile phones). With the introduction of the Type-C interface, more and more consumer electronics products are adopting it as standard, and more and more products support screen mirroring via Type-C. Consequently, many Type-C electronic accessories supporting screen mirroring applications have appeared on the market.

[0004] For electronic components with dual Type-C interfaces, in order to ensure that the wiring sequence of the high-speed signal lines of the two Type-C interfaces meets the requirements of high-speed signal transmission, related technologies add a multiplexer to the electronic components to adapt the high-speed signal lines to the reversible insertion of the Type-C interface, thus ensuring successful communication and screen projection of the device.

[0005] However, the addition of multiplexers to related technologies has led to increased costs and increased design complexity. Technical issues

[0006] This application provides an interface circuit and connector to solve the problem of excessively high design costs for high-speed signal transmission by ensuring the wiring sequence of two Type-C interfaces meets the requirements of high-speed signal transmission. Technical solutions

[0007] The technical solution of this application is as follows:

[0008] In a first aspect, this application provides an interface circuit, the interface circuit comprising:

[0009] A male connector for connecting to a first device, the male connector being configured with a first male pin and a second male pin;

[0010] The female connector is used to connect to the second device. The female connector is configured with a first female connector pin and a second female connector pin, wherein the first female connector pin corresponds to the first male connector pin and the second female connector pin corresponds to the second male connector pin.

[0011] The control module is used to control the target male connector pin to connect to the first device according to the target female connector pin connected to the second device when it is determined that the second device supports data communication. The target female connector pin is one of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin, and the target male connector pin corresponds to the target female connector pin.

[0012] The interface circuit uses a control module to control the target male connector pin corresponding to the target female connector pin to connect to the first device, so that the positive and negative insertion relationship between the male connector end and the female connector end remains consistent. Even without adding a multiplexer, the first device and the second device can successfully communicate and achieve screen projection. The circuit structure is simple and the cost is low.

[0013] Secondly, this application also provides a connector, including a connector body and the aforementioned interface circuit disposed on the connector body.

[0014] These or other aspects of this application will become more apparent in the following description of the embodiments. Beneficial effects

[0015] The interface circuit provided in this application has a male connector with a first male pin and a second male pin, and a corresponding female connector with a first female pin and a second female pin. When the control module determines that the second device connected to the female connector supports data communication, it controls the target male pin corresponding to the target female pin connected to the second device to be connected to the first device, so that the reversible insertion relationship between the male connector and the female connector remains consistent. Even without a multiplexer, it can still ensure that the wiring sequence of high-speed signals meets the requirements, enabling the first device and the second device to communicate successfully and realize screen projection. Compared with related technologies that use multiplexers to adapt to reversible insertion, this greatly reduces the design complexity of the circuit, simplifies the circuit structure, and reduces costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a Type-C electronic accessory provided in the related technology;

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the interface circuit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an interface circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a control module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the control module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the interface circuit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a charging and discharging module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the charging and discharging module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the interface circuit provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Implementation methods of this application

[0027] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of this application, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] In the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that an article or device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such an article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the article or device that includes said element.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the words "example" or "for example" are used to indicate exemplification, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "example" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application is not to be construed as being more preferred or having more advantages than another embodiment or design. The use of the words "example" or "for example" is intended to present relative concepts in a clear manner.

[0032] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, "multiple" refers to two or more. Therefore, in the embodiments of this application, "multiple" can also be understood as "at least two". "At least one" can be understood as one or more, such as one, two, or more. For example, including at least one means including one, two, or more, and is not limited to which ones are included. For example, including at least one of A, B, and C, then it could include A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C.

[0033] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, "connection" can be understood as electrical connection. The connection between two electrical components can be a direct or indirect connection between the two electrical components. For example, the connection between A and B can be a direct connection between A and B, or an indirect connection between A and B through one or more other electrical components.

[0034] Before introducing the interface circuit and connector of this application, we will first introduce the relevant background information of the embodiments of this application.

[0035] The USB Type-C interface offers high-speed data transfer of up to 10Gb / s and power consumption of up to 100W, making it widely used in smartphones, mobile devices, and other terminal devices. As the adoption rate of Type-C interface products increases, more and more products, especially mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, support screen mirroring. Consequently, many Type-C electronic accessories supporting screen mirroring applications have appeared on the market.

[0036] For electronic accessories with dual Type-C interfaces, since the Type-C interface can be flipped, there is a problem of reversible insertion. In order to ensure that the wiring sequence of the high-speed signal lines of the two Type-C interfaces meets the requirements of high-speed signal transmission, related technologies add a multiplexer to the electronic accessories to adapt the high-speed signal lines to the reversible insertion of the Type-C interface, so as to ensure that the device can communicate successfully and perform screen projection.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a structural schematic diagram of a Type-C electronic accessory provided in the related art. The Type-C electronic accessory includes a Type-C male connector, a Type-C female connector, a multiplexer, and a power delivery (PD) controller. The Type-C male connector and the Type-C female connector each have a DP pin, a DM pin, a TX1+ / - pin, an RX1+ / - pin, a TX2+ / - pin, an RX2+ / - pin, and two channel configuration (CC) pins (CC1 pin and CC2 pin).

[0038] The DP and DM pins are differential pairs used for USB 2.0 connections. The TX1+ / - and TX2+ / - pins are two sets of TX differential pairs, and the RX1+ / - and RX2+ / - pins are two sets of RX differential pairs. The DP, DM, TX1+ / -, RX1+ / -, TX2+ / -, and RX2+ / - pins of the Type-C male connector are connected to the DP, DM, TX1+ / -, RX1+ / -, TX2+ / -, and RX2+ / - pins of the Type-C female connector via a multiplexer. To ensure successful communication, a PD controller is used to control the multiplexer to select the pins, ensuring that the high-speed communication pins between the Type-C male and Type-C female connectors meet the requirements for high-speed signal transmission.

[0039] The CC1 and CC2 pins can be used for cable connection and removal detection, socket / plug orientation detection (i.e., reversible insertion detection), etc. As shown in Figure 1, only the CC1 pin of the Type-C male connector is connected to the PD controller, while both the CC1 and CC2 pins of the Type-C female connector are connected to the PD controller. Thus, the PD controller can perform reversible insertion detection based on the CC pins of the Type-C male and Type-C female connectors, and control the multiplexer to select between the pins.

[0040] However, the addition of multiplexers to related technologies has led to increased costs and design complexity, making the structure of Type-C electronic components more complicated.

[0041] Based on this, the embodiments of this application provide an interface circuit and a connector, which will be described in detail below.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of the interface circuit provided in the embodiment of this application. The interface circuit 100 can be disposed on the connector 200. The interface circuit 100 can be connected to the first device 300 and the second device 400 respectively through data lines to realize data communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400, so that the first device 300 can project the screen to the second device 400.

[0043] The first device 300 can be a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch, and the second device 400 can be a display device such as a conference screen, display screen, or television.

[0044] Those skilled in the art will understand that the application environment shown in Figure 1 is merely one application scenario adapted to the solution of this application, and does not constitute a limitation on the application scenario of the solution of this application. The interface circuit 100 of this application or the connector 200 integrating the interface circuit 100 can be applied in application scenarios such as communication, power supply equipment, and screen projection interaction, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0045] First, this application provides an interface circuit. Please refer to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the interface circuit provided in this application. The interface circuit 100 may include a male connector 110, a female connector 120, and a control module 130.

[0046] The male connector 110 can be used to connect to the first device 300, and the male connector 110 can be configured with a first male connector pin and a second male connector pin; the female connector 120 can be used to connect to the second device 400, and the female connector 120 can be configured with a first female connector pin and a second female connector pin, wherein the first female connector pin corresponds to the first male connector pin, and the second female connector pin corresponds to the second male connector pin.

[0047] The control module 130 can be used to control the target male connector pin to be connected to the first device 300 according to the target female connector pin connected to the second device 400 when it is determined that the second device 400 supports data communication. The target female connector pin is one of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin, and the target male connector pin corresponds to the target female connector pin.

[0048] In this embodiment, the interface circuit 100 can be a Type-C interface circuit. The first device 300 can be connected to the male connector 110 via a male data cable, and the second device 400 can be connected to the female connector 120 via a female data cable. The first device 300 can be a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch, and the second device 400 can be a display device such as a conference screen, display screen, or television. Since the Type-C interface can transmit power, in other application scenarios, the female connector 120 can also be connected to electronic accessories such as chargers or power adapters. In this case, the second device 400 can be a charger or power adapter.

[0049] The first male pin and the second male pin configured in the male connector 110 can be the CC1 pin and the CC2 pin of the male connector 110, respectively.

[0050] Similarly, the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin configured in the female connector terminal 120 can also be the CC1 pin and the CC2 pin of the female connector terminal 120, respectively.

[0051] In this embodiment, the control module 130 can be connected to the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin respectively, thereby detecting the target female connector pin to which the second device 400 is connected. It is understood that when the second device 400 connects to the female connector terminal 120, it will only connect to one of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin. The control module 130 can determine the target female connector pin based on the connection status of the second device 400 with the first and second female connector pins, thus determining whether the insertion direction of the female connector terminal 120 is forward or reverse.

[0052] For example, if the second device 400 is connected to the first female connector pin, the first female connector pin can be considered as the target female connector pin, and the corresponding insertion direction is positive insertion; conversely, if the second device 400 is connected to the second female connector pin, the second female connector pin can be considered as the target female connector pin, and the corresponding insertion direction is negative insertion.

[0053] If the second device 400 is a display device capable of data communication, the first device 300 can project its screen onto the second device 400 through the interface circuit 100. At this time, after determining the target female connector pin, the control module 130 can determine the pin corresponding to the target female connector pin among the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin as the target male connector pin, thereby controlling the target male connector pin to establish a connection with the first device 300, so that the insertion direction of the male connector connection end 110 is the same as the insertion direction of the female connector connection end 120.

[0054] For example, if the first female connector pin is the target female connector pin, then the first male connector pin corresponding to the first female connector pin is determined to be the target male connector pin, thereby controlling the first male connector pin to connect with the first device 300, so that the insertion direction of the male connector 110 is also positive; conversely, if the second female connector pin is the target female connector pin, then the second male connector pin corresponding to the second female connector pin is determined to be the target male connector pin, thereby controlling the second male connector pin to connect with the first device 300, so that the insertion direction of the male connector 110 is also negative.

[0055] Understandably, when data communication uses the USB communication protocol, the male connector 110 can also be configured with multiple male communication pins. These multiple male communication pins can be high-speed communication pins for data communication, such as the DP pin, DM pin, TX1+ / - pin, RX1+ / - pin, TX2+ / - pin, and RX2+ / - pin shown in Figure 3. Correspondingly, the female connector 120 can also be configured with multiple female connector communication pins for data communication, such as the DP pin, DM pin, TX1+ / - pin, RX1+ / - pin, TX2+ / - pin, and RX2+ / - pin shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment, these multiple female connector communication pins can be connected one-to-one with the multiple male connector communication pins.

[0056] When the male connector 110 and the female connector 120 are inserted in the same direction, the first device 300 can communicate with the second device 400 via high-speed communication pins such as DP pin, DM pin, TX1+ / - pin, RX1+ / - pin, TX2+ / - pin, and RX2+ / - pin connected to the male connector 110 and the female connector 120, such as USB communication, thereby realizing screen projection.

[0057] The interface circuit 100 provided in this application embodiment has a male connector 110 configured with a first male pin and a second male pin, and a corresponding female connector 120 configured with a first female pin and a second female pin. When the control module 130 determines that the second device 400 connected to the female connector 120 supports data communication, it controls the target male pin corresponding to the target female pin connected to the second device 400 to be connected to the first device 300, so that the reversible insertion relationship between the male connector 110 and the female connector 120 remains consistent. Even without a multiplexer, the wiring sequence of high-speed signals can still meet the requirements, enabling the first device 300 and the second device 400 to perform USB communication and realize screen projection. Compared with related technologies that add a multiplexer to adapt to reversible insertion, this greatly reduces the design complexity of the circuit, simplifies the circuit structure, and reduces costs.

[0058] Next, we will continue to elaborate on each module shown in Figure 3 and the specific implementation methods that may be used in practical applications.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments of this application, the control module 130 may include a control unit 1301. The control unit 1301 may be connected to the first female connector pin, the second female connector pin, the first male connector pin, and the second male connector pin, respectively. The control unit 1301 may be used to: when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector terminal 110, determine the current connection pin connected to the first device 300 based on the current voltage of the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin; and when the second device 400 is connected to the female connector terminal 120, determine the target female connector pin based on the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin; if the target female connector pin corresponds to the current connection pin, then the current connection pin is determined to be the target male connector pin, and the connection between the current connection pin and the first device 300 is maintained; otherwise, the other pin that is not currently connected is determined to be the target male connector pin, the current connection pin is controlled to disconnect from the first device 300, and the target male connector pin is controlled to connect to the first device 300.

[0060] In this embodiment, the control unit 1301 can be any existing PD controller. For example, the control unit 1301 can be a PD chip configured with four CC lines, so that the control unit 1301 can be connected to the first female connector pin, the second female connector pin, the first male connector pin, and the second male connector pin respectively. The control unit 1301 can monitor the current voltage of the first female connector pin, the second female connector pin, the first male connector pin, and the second male connector pin in real time, so as to determine the target female connector pin and the current connection pin based on the monitored current voltage.

[0061] As an example, suppose that when the first male pin and the second male pin are floating, they are at a low potential, that is, when the first device 300 is not connected, both the first male pin and the second male pin are at a low potential. If the first device 300 is connected to the first male pin, the first male pin is pulled up to a high potential by the pull-up resistor, while the second male pin remains at a low potential. Based on this, the control unit 1301 can determine that the currently connected pin is the first male pin. Conversely, if the first device 300 is connected to the second male pin, the second male pin is pulled up to a high potential by the pull-up resistor, while the first male pin remains at a low potential. Thus, the control unit 1301 can determine that the currently connected pin is the second male pin.

[0062] Similarly, assuming that the first and second female connector pins are at a low potential when they are floating, that is, when the second device 400 is not connected, both the first and second female connector pins are at a low potential. If the second device 400 is connected to the first female connector pin, the first female connector pin will be pulled up to a high potential by the pull-up resistor, while the second female connector pin will remain at a low potential. Based on this, the control unit 1301 can determine that the target female connector pin is the first female connector pin. Conversely, if the second device 400 is connected to the second female connector pin, the second female connector pin will be pulled up to a high potential by the pull-up resistor, while the first female connector pin will remain at a low potential. Thus, the control unit 1301 can determine that the target female connector pin is the second female connector pin.

[0063] If the target female connector pin corresponds to the current connection pin, that is, the target female connector pin is the first female connector pin and the current connection pin is the first male connector pin, then the first male connector pin can be determined as the target male connector pin. Maintaining the connection between the first male connector pin and the first device 300 will enable communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400. Alternatively, if the target female connector pin is the second female connector pin and the current connection pin is the second male connector pin, then the second male connector pin can be determined as the target male connector pin. Maintaining the connection between the second male connector pin and the first device 300 will enable communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400.

[0064] If the target female connector pin does not correspond to the current connection pin (i.e., the target female connector pin is the first female connector pin, but the current connection pin is the second male connector pin), then the first male connector pin can be determined as the target male connector pin. In this case, the second male connector pin can be left floating, and a pull-up resistor can be applied to the first male connector pin to establish a connection between the first male connector pin and the first device 300, thus enabling communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400. Alternatively, if the target female connector pin is the second female connector pin, but the current connection pin is the first male connector pin, then the second male connector pin can be determined as the target male connector pin. In this case, the first male connector pin can be left floating, and a pull-up resistor can be applied to the second male connector pin to establish a connection between the second male connector pin and the first device 300, thus enabling communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400.

[0065] It is understood that the control unit 1301 in this embodiment may integrate functional devices such as memory and kernel to better store, process and control information and pins. The specific implementation can be determined according to the actual application scenario and is not limited here.

[0066] In some embodiments of this application, the control unit 1301 may also be used to: when the second device 400 is connected to the female connector 120, perform device identification communication with the second device 400 based on the target female connector pin, and determine whether the second device 400 supports data communication based on the received device identification communication data.

[0067] In this embodiment, when the control unit 1301 detects that the second device 400 is connected to the female connector 120, it can perform device identification communication with the second device 400 based on the target female connector pin. During the device identification communication process, the second device 400 can send a device identification communication data packet to the control unit 1301 through the target female connector pin. One or more bits of data in the device identification communication data packet can characterize whether the second device 400 supports data communication. It can be understood that the type of the second device 400 can be determined based on whether the second device 400 supports data communication. Thus, the PD control unit 1301 can determine the type of the second device 400 based on the one or more bits of data.

[0068] For example, if the device identifies communication using PD communication, then the device identifies the communication data packet as a PD communication data packet. The second bit of this PD communication data packet is used to characterize whether the second device 400 supports data communication. A "0" indicates that the second device 400 does not support data communication, and a "1" indicates that the second device 400 supports data communication. When the second bit of the PD communication data packet received by the control unit 1301 is "0", the control unit 1301 can determine that the second device 400 does not support data communication and identify the second device 400 as a charger or power adapter. When the second bit of the PD communication data packet received by the control unit 1301 is "1", the control unit 1301 can determine that the second device 400 supports data communication and identify the second device 400 as a display device. Thus, the screen projection can be achieved by adjusting the male connector pins connected to the first device 300.

[0069] It is understandable that when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector 110, the control unit 1301 can also perform device identification communication with the first device 300 based on the current connection pin. The specific principle and process of device identification communication can be referred to the description of the existing PD communication protocol. This application does not involve any improvement to the device identification communication, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0070] As shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments of this application, the control module 130 may include a first control unit 1302, a second control unit 1303, and a main control unit 1304. The first control unit 1302 may be connected to the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin respectively, and is used to determine the current connection pin connected to the first device 300 based on the current voltage of the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector terminal 110, and output a male connector pin signal to the main control unit 1304. The male connector pin signal can be used to characterize the current connection pin. The second control unit 1303 may be connected to the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin respectively, and is used to determine the target female connector pin based on the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin when the second device 400 is connected to the female connector terminal 120, and output a female connector pin signal to the main control unit 1304. The female connector pin signal can be used to characterize the target female connector pin.

[0071] The main control unit 1304 can be used to determine whether the current connection pin is the target male pin based on the male pin signal and the female pin signal. If it is, the current connection pin is maintained to the first device 300. Otherwise, a toggle signal is output to the first control unit 1302 so that the first control unit 1302 controls the current connection pin to disconnect from the first device 300 in response to the toggle signal, and controls the target male pin to connect to the first device 300.

[0072] In this embodiment of the application, the first control unit 1302 and the second control unit 1303 can be any existing PD controller. For example, the first control unit 1302 and the second control unit 1303 can be PD chips respectively configured with two CC lines. The two CC lines of the first control unit 1302 can be connected to the first male pin and the second male pin respectively, so as to monitor the current voltage of the first male pin and the second male pin in real time, determine the current connection pin according to the monitored current voltage, and generate a male pin signal output to the main control unit 1304.

[0073] The first control unit 1302 determines the current connection pin based on the current voltage of the first male pin and the second male pin, which is the same principle as the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment that determines the current connection pin based on the current voltage of the first male pin and the second male pin. For details, please refer to the description of the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0074] It is understood that the first control unit 1302 can generate a male pin signal based on the current connection pin. The male pin signal can carry a unique identifier of the current connection pin, so that the main control unit 1304 can determine whether the current connection pin is the first male pin or the second male pin based on the unique identifier.

[0075] Similarly, the two CC lines of the second control unit 1303 can be connected to the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin respectively, so as to monitor the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin in real time, determine the target female connector pin based on the monitored current voltage, and generate a female connector pin signal output to the main control unit 1304.

[0076] The second control unit 1303 determines the target female connector pin based on the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin. This is the same principle as the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment, which determines the target female connector pin based on the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin. For details, please refer to the description of the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment. It will not be repeated here.

[0077] It is understood that the second control unit 1303 can generate a female connector pin signal based on the target female connector pin. The female connector pin signal can carry a unique identifier of the target female connector pin, so that the main control unit 1304 can determine whether the currently connected pin is the first female connector pin or the second female connector pin based on the unique identifier.

[0078] In this embodiment, the main control unit 1304 can be a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a system on chip (SOC) or other control unit. Specifically, the main control unit 1304 can compare the received target female pin with the current connection pin. If the two correspond, it can determine that the current connection pin currently connected to the first device 300 is the target male pin. Thus, by maintaining the connection between the second male pin and the first device 300, communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400 can be performed.

[0079] If the target female pin does not correspond to the current connection pin, the other male pin can be identified as the target male pin. In this case, a flip signal can be output to flip the pin. For example, the current connection pin can be left floating, a pull-up resistor can be applied to the other male pin, and the other male pin can be connected to the first device 300 to enable communication between the first device 300 and the second device 400.

[0080] In some embodiments of this application, the second control unit 1303 may also be used to: when the second device 400 is connected to the female connector 120, perform device identification communication with the second device 400 based on the target female connector pin, and determine whether the second device 400 supports data communication based on the received device identification communication data.

[0081] In this embodiment, when the second control unit 1303 detects that the second device 400 is connected to the female connector 120, it can perform device identification communication with the second device 400 based on the target female connector pin. During the device identification communication process, the second device 400 can send a device identification communication data packet to the second control unit 1303 through the target female connector pin. One or more bits of data in the device identification communication data packet can characterize whether the second device 400 supports data communication. It can be understood that the type of the second device 400 can be determined based on whether the second device 400 supports data communication, and thus the second control unit 1303 can determine the type of the second device 400 based on the one or more bits of data.

[0082] The second control unit 1303 determines the type of the second device 400 through device identification communication in the same way that the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment determines the type of the second device 400 through device identification communication. For details, please refer to the description of the control unit 1301 in the previous embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0083] Similarly, when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector 110, the first control unit 1302 can also perform device identification communication with the first device 300 based on the current connection pin, which will not be elaborated here.

[0084] Understandably, USB PD is a power transfer concept proposed after USB 3.2 Gen2, which can expand the charging capability by 10 times, up to 100W. In some embodiments of this application, the interface circuit 100 can also be used to charge the first device 300.

[0085] Referring to Figure 6, the male connector 110 may also be configured with a male power pin. The interface circuit 100 also includes a charging / discharging module 140, which can be connected to the male power pin and the control module 130 respectively. The control module 130 can be used to output a first control signal kz_1 to the charging / discharging module 140 when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector and the second device 400 is not connected to the female connector 120 or the connected second device 400 supports data communication. The charging / discharging module 140 can be used to generate a first voltage signal adapted to the first device 300 and output it to the male power pin in response to the first control signal kz_1 to charge the first device 300. The male power pin is connected to the power supply terminal of the first device 300.

[0086] As an example, when the control module 130 detects that the first device 300 is connected to the male connector 110, it can perform device identification communication, such as PD communication, with the first device 300 to obtain the power parameters of the first device 300, such as voltage parameters. If the control module 130 does not detect the second device 400 being connected, the first device 300 can act as a power receiver. The control module 130 outputs a first control signal kz_1 to the charging and discharging module 140, so that the charging and discharging module 140 can respond to the first control signal kz_1 and output a first voltage signal to the male power pin. It can be understood that the first voltage signal can be adapted to the obtained voltage parameters of the first device 300, so that the male power pin can transmit the first voltage signal to the power supply terminal of the first device 300 to charge the first device 300 based on the first voltage signal.

[0087] As another example, when the control module 130 detects that the first device 300 is connected to the male connector 110, it can perform PD communication with the first device 300 to obtain the voltage parameters of the first device 300. The control module 130 also detects that the second device 400 is connected to the female connector 120, and determines through PD communication that the second device 400 is a display device that supports data communication. In this scenario, the first device 300 can also act as a power receiver. The control module 130 outputs a first control signal kz_1 to the charging and discharging module 140, so that the charging and discharging module 140 can respond to the first control signal kz_1 and output a first voltage signal to the male power pin. The first voltage signal is then transmitted to the power supply terminal of the first device 300 through the male power pin to charge the first device 300.

[0088] Referring to Figure 7, in some embodiments of this application, the charging and discharging module 140 may include a battery unit 1401 and a voltage conversion unit 1402; the voltage conversion unit 1402 may be connected to the control module 130, the battery unit 1401 and the male power pin respectively, and is used to convert the battery voltage signal from the battery unit 1401 into a first voltage signal and output it to the male power pin in response to the first control signal kz_1.

[0089] In this embodiment of the application, the battery unit 1401 may include one or more rechargeable batteries connected in series. The one or more rechargeable batteries connected in series can generate a battery voltage signal and output it to the voltage conversion unit 1402. The amplitude of the battery voltage signal can be determined according to the voltage parameters of the rechargeable batteries and the number of batteries connected in series, such as 3V, 12V, 18V, etc.

[0090] The voltage conversion unit 1402 can be a DC-DC converter. The first control signal kz_1 can be a digital signal output from the Inter-Integrated Circuit (IIC) port of the control module 130, or an analog signal output from the Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) port of the control module 130. The specific type of the first control signal kz_1 can be determined according to the actual application scenario, and is not limited here.

[0091] The voltage conversion unit 1402 responds to the first control signal kz_1 and can boost or buck the battery voltage signal to convert the battery voltage signal into a first voltage signal that is compatible with the first device 300. The voltage signal is then output to the power supply terminal of the first device 300 through the male power supply pin to charge the first device 300.

[0092] Referring to Figure 8, in some embodiments of this application, the female connector 120 may also be configured with a female power supply pin, which may be connected to the voltage conversion unit 1402; the control module 130 may also be used to output a second control signal kz_2 to the voltage conversion unit 1402 when the first device 300 is not connected to the male connector 110 and the second device 400 connected to the female connector 120 does not support data communication; the voltage conversion unit 1402 may also be used to convert the power supply voltage signal from the second device 400 into a charging voltage signal adapted to the battery unit 1401 in response to the second control signal kz_2, so as to charge the battery unit 1401, wherein the female power supply pin is connected to the power supply voltage output terminal of the second device 400.

[0093] In this embodiment, when the control module 130 does not detect the first device 300 being connected, and determines through device identification communication, such as PD communication, that the second device 400 connected to the female connector 120 is a charger or power adapter that does not support data communication, the second device 400 can be used as a source. At this time, the control module 130 can output the second control signal kz_2 to the voltage conversion unit 1402. Thus, the voltage conversion unit 1402 can boost or buck the power supply voltage signal output from the female connector power pin according to the voltage parameters of the battery unit 1401, thereby converting the power supply voltage signal into a charging voltage signal adapted to the battery unit 1401 and outputting it to the battery unit 1401 to charge the battery unit 1401.

[0094] As shown in Figure 9, in some embodiments of this application, the interface circuit 100 may further include a switch module 150, which may be connected to the male power pin, the female power pin, and the control module 130 respectively. The control module 130 may also be used to output a switch enable signal EN_s to the switch module 150 when the first device 300 is connected to the male connector 110 and the second device connected to the female connector 120 does not support data communication. The switch module 150 may be used to conduct in response to the switch enable signal EN_s to make the female power pin and the male power pin electrically connected.

[0095] In this embodiment of the application, based on the embodiment corresponding to FIG8, when the control module 130 detects that the first device 300, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, or laptop computer, is connected to the male connector 110, the first device 300 can act as a power receiver. At this time, the control module 130 can output a switch enable signal EN_s to the switch module 150 through the general-purpose input / output port (GPIO).

[0096] It is understood that the switch enable signal EN_s can be a high-level signal or a low-level signal, and the specific configuration can be determined according to the configuration of the switch module 150. No limitation is made here.

[0097] When the switch module 150 is turned on in response to the switch enable signal EN_s, the female power supply pin and the male power supply pin are electrically connected. The power supply voltage signal output by the second device 400 to the female power supply pin can be directly bypassed and output to the male power supply pin. The first device 300 can be fast-charged through the male power supply pin. That is, at this time, the second device 400 can fast-charge the first device 300 through the turned-on switch module 150, and can also charge the battery unit 1401 through the voltage conversion unit 1402.

[0098] In this embodiment, the switching module 150 may include a switching transistor or a switching circuit composed of a switching transistor. The switching transistor may be any existing controllable transistor, including but not limited to transistors, such as NPN BJT and PNP BJT in bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), and N-type MOS transistors and P-type MOS transistors in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The specific transistor can be selected according to the actual application scenario, and is not limited here.

[0099] As an example, switch module 150 is configured to be enabled at a high level. The enable terminal of switch module 150 is connected to a GPIO port of control module 130. The first terminal of switch module 150 is connected to the female power supply pin, and the second terminal is connected to the male power supply pin. When control module 130 does not detect the first device 300 being connected, the GPIO port remains at a low level. When the first device 300 is detected being connected to the male connection terminal 110, the GPIO port of control module 130 outputs a high-level switch enable signal EN_s to switch module 150 to drive switch module 150 to conduct, thereby electrically connecting the female power supply pin and the male power supply pin, realizing fast charging of the first device 300.

[0100] As another example, switch module 150 is configured to be low-level enabled. The enable terminal of switch module 150 is connected to a GPIO port of control module 130. The first terminal of switch module 150 is connected to the female power supply pin, and the second terminal is connected to the male power supply pin. When control module 130 does not detect the first device 300 being connected, the GPIO port remains at a high level. When the first device 300 is detected being connected to the male connection terminal 110, the GPIO port of control module 130 outputs a low-level switch enable signal EN_s to switch module 150 to drive switch module 150 to conduct, thereby electrically connecting the female power supply pin and the male power supply pin, realizing fast charging of the first device 300.

[0101] Based on the above embodiments, this application also provides a connector, which may include a connector body and an interface circuit as shown in any of the embodiments of FIG2 to FIG9.

[0102] The connector can be a Type-C electronic accessory, including but not limited to back clips, phone holders, etc.

[0103] Because the connector is equipped with the interface circuit of the above embodiments, it has all the beneficial effects of the interface circuit in any of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0104] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application in any way. Although this application has disclosed preferred embodiments as above, it is not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. An interface circuit, comprising: A male connector for connecting to a first device, the male connector being configured with a first male pin and a second male pin; A female connector for connecting a second device, the female connector being configured with a first female connector pin and a second female connector pin, wherein the first female connector pin corresponds to the first male connector pin and the second female connector pin corresponds to the second male connector pin; The control module is used to control a target male connector pin to connect to the first device according to the target female connector pin connected to the second device when it is determined that the second device supports data communication, wherein the target female connector pin is one of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin, and the target male connector pin corresponds to the target female connector pin.

2. The interface circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module includes a control unit, which is connected to the first female connector pin, the second female connector pin, the first male connector pin, and the second male connector pin, respectively. The control unit is used for: When the first device is connected to the male connector, the current connection pin connected to the first device is determined based on the current voltage of the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin; and when the second device is connected to the female connector, the target female connector pin is determined based on the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin. If the target female connector pin corresponds to the current connection pin, then the current connection pin is determined to be the target male connector pin, and the connection between the current connection pin and the first device is maintained; Conversely, if the other pin that is not currently connected is identified as the target male pin, the currently connected pin is disconnected from the first device, and the target male pin is connected to the first device.

3. The interface circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control unit is also used for: When the second device is connected to the female connector, device identification communication is performed between the second device and the target female connector pin, and the data communication data received determines whether the second device supports the data communication.

4. The interface circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module includes a first control unit, a second control unit, and a main control unit; The first control unit is connected to the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin respectively. When the first device is connected to the male connector terminal, it determines the current connection pin connected to the first device based on the current voltage of the first male connector pin and the second male connector pin, and outputs a male connector pin signal to the main control unit. The male connector pin signal is used to characterize the current connection pin. The second control unit is connected to the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin respectively. When the second device is connected to the female connector connection terminal, it determines the target female connector pin according to the current voltage of the first female connector pin and the second female connector pin, and outputs a female connector pin signal to the main control unit. The female connector pin signal is used to characterize the target female connector pin. The main control unit is used to determine whether the current connection pin is the target male pin based on the male pin signal and the female pin signal. If so, the current connection pin is maintained to the first device; otherwise, a toggle signal is output to the first control unit so that the first control unit responds to the toggle signal to control the current connection pin to disconnect from the first device and control the target male pin to connect to the first device.

5. The interface circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second control unit is also used for: When the second device is connected to the female connector, device identification communication is performed between the second device and the target female connector pin, and the data communication data received determines whether the second device supports the data communication.

6. The interface circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The male connector is also equipped with a male power pin, and the interface circuit also includes a charging and discharging module, which is connected to the male power pin and the control module respectively. The control module is configured to output a first control signal to the charging and discharging module when the first device is connected to the male connector and the second device is not connected to the female connector or the connected second device supports the data communication. The charging and discharging module is used to respond to the first control signal, generate a first voltage signal adapted to the first device, and output it to the male power pin to charge the first device, wherein the male power pin is connected to the power supply terminal of the first device.

7. The interface circuit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The charging and discharging module includes a battery unit and a voltage conversion unit; The voltage conversion unit is connected to the control module, the battery cell, and the male power pin, respectively, and is used to convert the battery voltage signal from the battery cell into the first voltage signal and output it to the male power pin in response to the first control signal.

8. The interface circuit according to claim 7, characterized in that, The female connector is also equipped with a female power pin, which is connected to the voltage conversion unit. The control module is further configured to output a second control signal to the voltage conversion unit when the first device is not connected to the male connector and the second device connected to the female connector does not support the data communication. The voltage conversion unit is further configured to, in response to the second control signal, convert the power supply voltage signal from the second device into a charging voltage signal adapted to the battery cell to charge the battery cell, wherein the female power supply pin is connected to the power supply voltage output terminal of the second device.

9. The interface circuit according to claim 8, characterized in that, The interface circuit also includes a switch module, which is connected to the male power pin, the female power pin, and the control module respectively. The control module is further configured to output a switch enable signal to the switch module when the first device is connected to the male connector and the second device connected to the female connector does not support the data communication. The switch module is configured to conduct in response to the switch enable signal, thereby electrically connecting the female power pin and the male power pin.

10. A connector comprising a connector body and an interface circuit disposed on the connector body as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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