KR102636343B1 - Ultra low power operation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ultra-low power operation device, which includes a main system, a battery power unit, and an interrupt IC. When the main system is turned off, the main system sets power management authority to the interrupt IC and turns the power “off” to standby. mode, the interrupt IC is characterized in that when power management authority is set and an external interrupt is detected, it supplies startup power to the main system through the power supply unit.

Description

Ultra low power operation device {ULTRA LOW POWER OPERATION APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to ultra-low-power operation technology, and more specifically, to an ultra-low-power operation device that detects the occurrence of an external interrupt while the engine is turned off and performs a booting operation of the main system in a short time with low current. It's about.

Systems that use battery power, such as cars and robots, operate in low-power mode to save power.

Existing low-power modes require the CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MCU (Microcontroller Unit) to be alive or operate in sleep mode.

As a result, even when the starting power of a car or robot is turned off, the dark current supplied to devices operating using battery power increases, resulting in large battery consumption and an expensive circuit configuration.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1512493 (April 9, 2015) relates to a low-power system-on-chip, which includes a power-off domain block in a power-down state, and a power-off domain block that is externally operated while the power-off domain block is in the power-down state. A power-on domain block that analyzes transmitted data, wherein, depending on the analysis result, the power-on domain block performs the operation of the power-off domain block instead, or the power-off domain block performs a wake-up process. We proceed with a low-power system-on-chip that can prevent power consumption because the wake-up procedure is performed according to data transmitted from the outside.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1989492 (2019.06.10) relates to an MCU wake-up device and method in sleep mode, including an MCU power generation unit, a first switching unit, and a second MCU power generator that supplies power to the MCU of the battery management system. 2 An external power supply that is connected to a switching unit and applies a predetermined voltage to the first switching unit and the second switching unit, a first switching unit that controls the connection between the external power supply and the MCU power generation unit, and the first switching unit is turned on or It is configured to include a second switching unit that controls OFF, and when the external power is applied to the first switching unit and the second switching unit at the same time, the first switching unit is turned on, and after a predetermined time, the second switching unit is turned on to turn the first switching unit off. Disclosed is an MCU wake-up device of a battery management system that can supply wake-up power from the MCU power generation unit to the MCU only while the first switching unit is turned on.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1512493 (2015.04.09) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1989492 (2019.06.10)

One embodiment of the present invention seeks to provide an ultra-low-power operation device that can quickly perform a booting operation of the main system with low current by detecting the occurrence of an external interrupt while the engine is turned off.

One embodiment of the present invention seeks to provide an ultra-low-power operation device that can extend battery life by minimizing power consumption by ensuring that power is supplied only to an interrupt IC that runs at ultra-low power, lower than that of a CPU or MCU, in low-power mode.

One embodiment of the present invention seeks to provide an ultra-low-power operation device that can quickly return to an operation mode by immediately starting the main system by supplying power to the main system when an external interrupt is detected.

Among the embodiments, the ultra-low power operation device includes a main system, a battery power unit, and an interrupt IC, and when the main system is turned off, the main system sets power management authority to the interrupt IC and turns the power “off” to enter standby mode. When the power management authority is set and an external interrupt is detected, the interrupt IC supplies startup power to the main system through the power supply unit.

The main system is characterized in that it returns to the operation mode when startup power is supplied from the standby mode with the power “OFF” and performs a specified operation in response to the generated external interrupt.

When the engine is turned off, the power unit cuts off the power applied to the main system and switches to a deactivated state, and when an enable signal is applied from the interrupt IC with power management authority set, it is activated to provide power for starting the main system. It is characterized by including a main system power module that supplies power, and an interrupt IC power module that supplies power for starting the interrupt IC.

The power supply unit cuts off power applied to the interrupt IC to prevent discharging of the battery when the remaining battery power is below a set value.

The interrupt IC operates at ultra-low power, which is lower than the starting power of the main system, and includes a sensor that detects an external interrupt.

The interrupt IC is characterized in that it operates by receiving dark current that exists when the starting power is turned off.

The disclosed technology can have the following effects. However, since it does not mean that a specific embodiment must include all of the following effects or only the following effects, the scope of rights of the disclosed technology should not be understood as being limited thereby.

The ultra-low power operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention can detect the occurrence of an external interrupt while the engine is turned off and perform a booting operation of the main system in a short time with low current.

The ultra-low-power operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention can extend battery life by minimizing power consumption by supplying power only to an interrupt IC that runs at ultra-low power than the CPU or MCU in low-power mode.

The ultra-low power operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention can quickly return to the operation mode by immediately starting the main system by supplying power to the main system when an external interrupt is detected.

Figure 1 is a diagram for explaining an ultra-low power operating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the ultra-low power operation process of the ultra-low power operation device in FIG. 1.

Since the description of the present invention is only an example for structural or functional explanation, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as limited by the examples described in the text. In other words, since the embodiments can be modified in various ways and can have various forms, the scope of rights of the present invention should be understood to include equivalents that can realize the technical idea. In addition, the purpose or effect presented in the present invention does not mean that a specific embodiment must include all or only such effects, so the scope of the present invention should not be understood as limited thereby.

Meanwhile, the meaning of the terms described in this application should be understood as follows.

Terms such as “first” and “second” are used to distinguish one component from another component, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component.

When a component is referred to as being “connected” to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to the other component, but that other components may exist in between. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being “directly connected” to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Meanwhile, other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "immediately between" or "neighboring" and "directly neighboring" should be interpreted similarly.

Singular expressions should be understood to include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and terms such as “comprise” or “have” refer to implemented features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or them. It is intended to specify the existence of a combination, and should be understood as not excluding in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

For each step, identification codes (e.g., a, b, c, etc.) are used for convenience of explanation. The identification codes do not explain the order of each step, and each step clearly follows a specific order in context. Unless specified, events may occur differently from the specified order. That is, each step may occur in the same order as specified, may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may be performed in the opposite order.

The present invention can be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium, and the computer-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices that store data that can be read by a computer system. . Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage devices. Additionally, the computer-readable recording medium can be distributed across computer systems connected to a network, so that computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

All terms used herein, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the field to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the related technology, and cannot be interpreted as having an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless clearly defined in the present application.

Figure 1 is a diagram for explaining an ultra-low power operating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the ultra-low power operating device 100 may include a main system 110, a power supply unit 130, and an interrupt IC 150.

The main system 110 may correspond to a CPU, Micro Controller Unit (MCU), and application processor (AP) that generally controls the operation of electronic controllers mounted on cars, robots, etc. In one embodiment, the main system 110 may set power management permissions to the interrupt IC 150 before turning the system power “OFF” when the vehicle or robot is turned off. Here, the main system 110 may grant power management authority to the interrupt IC 150 by applying a setting signal ( _{SET_INT-IC} ) to the interrupt IC 150. The main system 110 sets the power management authority to the interrupt IC 150 and then notifies the power supply unit 130 to turn the system power “off” and enter standby mode.

In the power standby mode, the main system 110 can be activated and return to the operation mode when power ( _{PWR_MS} ) is applied from the power supply unit 130. In one embodiment, the main system 110 may perform an operation corresponding to an external interrupt detected by the interrupt IC 150 when returning to the operation mode. For example, the main system 110 can store the status of vehicles and robots and directly transmit data.

The power unit 130 may include a main system power module 131 that supplies power required for the operation of the main system 110 and an interrupt IC power module 133 that supplies power required for the operation of the interrupt IC 150. there is. For example, if the power required to operate the main system 110 is 2 to 3 mA, the power required to operate the interrupt IC 150 may correspond to 0.2 mA of ultra-low power, which is lower than the operating power of the main system 110. there is. In one embodiment, the power supply unit 130 may use battery power.

When the engine is turned off, the main system power module 131 may cut off the power applied to the main system 110 and enter a deactivated state. The main system power module 131 is activated when an enable signal ( _{ENB_MSP} ) is applied from the interrupt IC 150 with power management authority set, and can supply power ( _{PWR_MS} ) for operation of the main system 110. .

The interrupt IC power module 133 can supply power (PWR_INT _-IC ) to operate the interrupt IC 150 according to the instructions of the main system 110 with power management authority set when the engine is turned on. The interrupt IC power module 133 can be switched to a disabled state in the ignition-off state, and at this time, when an enable signal ( _{ENB_PWR} ) is applied from the interrupt IC 150 with power management authority set, it is activated and the interrupt IC 150 ) operation power (PWR_ _INT-IC ) can be supplied. In one embodiment, the interrupt IC power module 133 may block power applied to the interrupt IC 150 depending on the battery status. Here, when the remaining battery power is below a set value, the power supply unit 130 may “turn off” all power sources, including the interrupt IC 150, to prevent battery discharge.

The interrupt IC 150 operates at ultra-low power and may correspond to a sensor that detects an external interrupt. In one embodiment, the interrupt IC 150 may include an impact sensor, a communication sensor, etc. The interrupt IC 150 may include an impact sensor capable of detecting an impact applied to a vehicle or robot. The interrupt IC 150 may include a communication sensor that can detect communication between devices within a vehicle or robot, such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LTE, or with external devices. In addition to shock sensors and communication sensors, the interrupt IC 150 may include various sensors that can detect external interrupt situations such as emergency situations, abnormalities in the vehicle, or external commands.

When the power management authority is set from the main system 110, the interrupt IC 150 applies an enable signal (ENB_ _INT-IC ) to the interrupt IC power module 133 to enable the interrupt IC power module 133 even in power standby mode. Through this, ultra-low power startup power can be supplied and the operation of detecting the occurrence of an external interrupt can be performed. When the occurrence of an external interrupt is detected, the interrupt IC 150 applies an enable signal ( _{ENB_MSP} ) to the main system power module 131 so that startup power to the main system 110 can be supplied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the ultra-low power operation process of the ultra-low power operation device in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, the ultra-low power operation device 100 determines whether the ignition is “off” (step S210). In one embodiment, the ultra-low power operation device 100 may determine whether the starting power is switched from the “ON” state to the “OFF” state through the main system 110.

The ultra-low power operation device 100 sets the power management authority to the interrupt IC 150 and enters the power standby mode with the ignition power turned off (step S220). In one embodiment, the ultra-low power operation device 100 sets the power management authority to the interrupt IC 150 before turning off the entire system in the startup “OFF” state through the main system 110 to Power can be supplied only to the interrupt IC 150, which operates at low power, and the main system 110 power can be turned “off.”

The ultra-low power operation device 100 determines whether an external interrupt occurs in the power standby mode (step S230). In one embodiment, the ultra-low power operation device 100 may detect the occurrence of an external interrupt through the interrupt IC 150. The interrupt IC 150 can operate by receiving power for startup from the power supply unit 130 with power management authority set in the power standby mode.

When an external interrupt occurs, the ultra-low power operation device 100 enables the main system power module 131 to supply starting power to the main system 110 and returns to the operation mode (step S240). In one embodiment, the ultra-low power operation device 100 applies an enable signal from the interrupt IC 150 to the main system power module 131 of the power supply unit 130 when an external interrupt is detected through the interrupt IC 150. Thus, the main system power module 131 can be activated to supply startup power to the main system 110. Here, the main system 110 is started when power is supplied from the power standby mode, can return to the operation mode, and can process external interrupts.

The ultra-low power operation device 100 determines whether the battery state is below the set value in the operation mode of the main system 110 (step S250).

The ultra-low power operation device 100 prevents battery discharge by turning off all power sources, including the interrupt IC 150, when the battery condition is poor or below a set value through the power supply unit 130 (step S260).

An ultra-low-power operation device according to an embodiment can prevent battery discharge by minimizing the dark current that exists in a battery-powered car, robot, etc. when the engine is turned off, and can respond to interrupts generated from an interrupt IC that operates at ultra-low power. Battery consumption can be reduced by starting the system based on the system and returning it to operation mode.

Although the present application has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art may modify the present invention in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. and that it can be changed.

100: Ultra-low power operation device
110: main system
130: power unit
131: Main system power module 133: Interrupt IC power module
150: Interrupt IC

Claims (6)

main system;
Battery power unit; and
Contains interrupt IC,
The main system is
When the engine is turned off, a setting signal is applied to the interrupt IC to grant power management authority to the interrupt IC, and the power supply is notified so that power is supplied only to the interrupt IC. Then, the power is “off” to enter standby mode. ,
The interrupt IC is
An ultra-low power operation device characterized in that when power management authority is set and an external interrupt is detected, startup power is supplied to the main system through the power supply unit.
The method of claim 1, wherein the main system is
An ultra-low-power operation device that returns to the operation mode when the starting power is supplied from the standby mode of the power “OFF” and performs a specified operation in response to the generated external interrupt.
The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit
When the engine is turned off, the power applied to the main system is cut off and converted to a disabled state, and when an enable signal is applied from the interrupt IC with power management authority set, the main system is activated and supplies power for starting the main system. power module; and
An ultra-low power operation device comprising an interrupt IC power module that supplies power to start the interrupt IC.
The method of claim 3, wherein the power supply unit
An ultra-low power operation device characterized in that when the remaining battery capacity is below a set value, the power applied to the interrupt IC is cut off to prevent discharge of the battery.
The method of claim 1, wherein the interrupt IC is
An ultra-low-power operation device that operates at ultra-low power lower than the starting power of the main system and includes a sensor that detects an external interrupt.
The method of claim 5, wherein the interrupt IC is
An ultra-low-power operation device that operates by receiving dark current that exists when the starting power is turned off.