TW201308061A - USB charging devices, and methods thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An USB charging device, includes an USB interface; a detection unit for detecting whether an external USB device connects to the USB interface, when the external USB device connects to the USB interface is detected, outputting a detection signal, wherein the external USB device has a classification information; a charging control unit when operating in a standby mode, the charging control unit switch to operation mode according to the detection signal, reading the classification information of the external USB device, and determining whether outputting a enable charging signal according to the classification information; and a power supply unit providing power to the external USB device according to the enable charging signal.

Description

Universal serial bus (USB) charging device and method

The invention is mainly a USB charging device, in particular to a USB charging device capable of charging in a shutdown or sleep state.

With the popularization of Universal Serial Bus or USB (USB) devices, the charging of USB devices has become increasingly important. Many computer host devices or notebook computers now have the function of USB charging. In addition, the computer host device or the notebook computer can charge the connected external USB device when the computer is turned on, and when these computer systems are turned off or on standby, the settings can be continued to the outside. USB device charging.

The USB interface of the computer host device that can charge the external USB device continuously supplies power, and continuously outputs a large current. Since the external USB device connected to the USB interface continuously supplies power to the host device, the loss is equivalent. More unnecessary power, unable to effectively manage the power configuration.

A USB charging device according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a USB interface; a detecting unit configured to detect whether an external USB device is coupled to the USB interface, and when the external USB device is detected When the USB interface is coupled to the USB interface, a detection signal is output, wherein the external USB device has a category information; and a charging control unit, when the charging control unit is operating in a standby mode, the charging control unit is configured according to the detection signal Switching to an operation mode to read the above-mentioned category information of the external USB device, and determining whether to output a chargeable signal according to the category information; and a power supply unit that supplies power to the external USB device according to the chargeable signal.

A USB charging method according to an embodiment of the invention includes: detecting whether an external USB device is coupled to a USB interface, wherein the external USB device has a category information; and when detecting the external USB device coupling When the USB interface is connected to the USB interface, a detection signal is output; when a charging control unit is operated in a standby mode, switching to an operation mode according to the detection signal, and reading one category information of the external USB device; The above category information determines whether to output a chargeable signal; and supplies power to the external USB device according to the above chargeable signal.

The following description shows many embodiments that have been completed by the present invention. The description of the basic concepts of the invention is not intended to be limiting. The scope of the invention is best defined in the scope of the appended claims.

1 is a block diagram showing a USB charging device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The USB charging device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention includes a USB interface 110, a detecting unit 120, a charging control unit 130, and a power supply unit 140. The detecting unit 120 is coupled to the USB interface 110 to detect whether the external USB device 150 is connected to the USB interface 110. The charging control unit 130 has a memory unit 132 for storing an external USB device category (for example, audio, communication, display, human interface, storage device ( Mass storage), image device, printer, power, physical interface, and its corresponding type of charge (for example, a type of charge that communicates in advance) Set to "Rechargeable" and set the charging type of the manual interface to "Not Rechargeable"). In addition, although the USB device category and the charging type are as above, but are not limited thereto, for example, the user can still add a new USB device category or subdivide the charging type into a current amount to be charged. Wait. The charging control unit 130 is also coupled to the USB interface 110 to read the category information info of the external USB device 150 to further determine its category and charging type. For example, the charging control unit 130 can be a personal computer or a notebook computer. The main operating system is completed, so the charging control unit 130 can have an operation mode, a standby mode, or a shutdown mode. The power supply unit 140 is configured to provide power to the USB charging device 100, and can charge the external USB device 150 according to the result of the category information info determination of the external USB device 150 by the charging control unit 130.

In some embodiments of the present invention, when the detecting unit 120 detects that the external USB device 150 is connected to the USB interface 110, the detecting signal Sd is sent to the charging control unit 130, and the original charging control unit 130 operates in the standby mode or In the shutdown mode, the operation is switched to the operation mode. In other words, the detection unit 120 can activate the charging control unit 130 by the detection signal Sd to further obtain the category information info of the external USB device 150, so The category information info is used to determine whether it is necessary to charge the external USB device 150. In more detail, after the charging control unit 130 switches to the operation mode, the charging control unit 130 can read the category information info of the external USB device 150, and according to the external USB device category pre-stored in the memory unit 132 and its phase Corresponding charging type determines whether the external USB device 150 needs to be charged. When it is determined that the charging type corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is chargeable, the chargeable signal Sa is sent to the power supply unit 140, and then the power supply unit 140 The external USB device 150 is charged through the USB interface 110. Thereby, it can be avoided that when the external USB device 150 does not need to be charged, the USB charging device 100 continuously supplies the charged power to the external USB device 150. For example, the external USB device 150 does not need to be charged for the keyboard or the mouse. The device can reduce the unnecessary power consumption and achieve energy saving. In other embodiments of the present invention, the power supply unit 140 can also transmit power to the USB interface 110 through the detecting unit 120, and then charge the external USB device 150.

In some embodiments of the present invention, if the charging control unit 130 is in the shutdown or standby mode before determining the charging type of the external USB device 150, after the determination is completed, the switching to the shutdown or standby mode may be further switched to reduce the power consumption. For example, when the charging control unit 130 determines that the charging type corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is chargeable, the charging signal Sa is sent to the power supply unit 140, and then the charging control unit 130 is turned off or enters again. In the standby mode, when the charging control unit 130 determines that the charging type corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is not chargeable, it directly shuts down or enters the standby mode. In addition, in some embodiments of the present invention, the charging control unit 130 is implemented by a main operating system of a personal computer or a notebook computer. Since these operating systems generally have not only the external USB device 150 but also other functions, Starting these operating systems may still be time consuming or power efficient, so in some embodiments, the functionality of a portion of the operating system may be activated to perform the operations of the charging control unit 130 of the present invention without requiring the operating system to be fully booted. This reduces the time or power consumption required to determine the category of external USB device 150.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a method of the USB charging device 100 shown in Fig. 1 of the present invention. In step S202, the detecting unit 120 continuously detects whether the USB interface 110 is coupled to the external USB device 150. When the external USB device 150 is not connected to the USB interface 110, the detecting unit 120 continues to detect in step S202 until the detecting unit When detecting that the external USB device 150 is coupled to the USB interface 110, the process proceeds to step S204, and the detecting unit 120 outputs the detection signal Sd to the charging control unit 130 to activate the charging control unit 130, and the charging control unit 130 operates originally. In the standby mode or the shutdown mode, the operation is switched to the operation mode by the trigger of the detection signal Sd. Next, in step S206, the charging control unit 130 reads the category information info of the external USB device 150, and in step S208, determines whether it is necessary according to the type of the external USB device stored in the memory unit 132 and its corresponding charging type. Charging the external USB device 150. When it is determined that the type of charging corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is chargeable, then proceeding to step S210A, and vice versa when determining that the type of charging corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is not chargeable. Then, the process proceeds to step S210B.

In step S210A, the charging control unit 130 sends the chargeable signal Sa to the power supply unit 140, and then in step S212A, the charging control unit 130 switches to the standby or shutdown mode to save power consumption, and then in step S214A, the power supply unit The external USB device 150 is charged through the USB interface 110. It should be noted that the sequence of steps of step S212A and step S214A can also be exchanged.

When it is determined that the charging type corresponding to the category of the external USB device 150 is not chargeable, then proceeding to step S210B, the charging control unit 130 directly switches to the standby or shutdown mode to save power consumption.

In addition, it should be understood that although the external USB device 150 is detected to be coupled to the USB interface 110 in the above embodiment, the charging control unit 130 is switched from the standby mode to the operating mode, but in some embodiments, if the charging control unit When 130 is already in the operation mode, step S204 may be skipped and step S206 may be directly continued to read the category information info of the external USB device 150. Similarly, if the original charging control unit 130 is in the operation mode, the charging control unit 130 may not be turned off or set to the standby mode, and step S212A and step S210B may be omitted.

The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it should be understood that the above description is not intended to limit the embodiments of the invention. Conversely, it encompasses a variety of variations and similar configurations (as will be apparent to those skilled in the art). In addition, the broadest interpretation is to be construed in accordance with the appended claims

100. . . USB charging device

110. . . USB interface

120. . . Detection unit

130. . . Charging control unit

132. . . Memory unit

140. . . Power supply unit

150. . . External USB device

Info. . . Category information

Sa. . . Rechargeable signal

Sd. . . Detection signal

The disclosure of the present invention can be more completely understood by reading the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing a USB charging device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a method of the USB charging device 100 shown in Fig. 1 of the present invention.

100. . . USB charging device

110. . . USB interface

120. . . Detection unit

130. . . Charging control unit

132. . . Memory unit

140. . . Power supply unit

150. . . External USB device

Info. . . Category information

Sa. . . Rechargeable signal

Sd. . . Detection signal

Claims (10)

A USB charging device includes: a USB interface; a detecting unit configured to detect whether an external USB device is coupled to the USB interface, and output an output when detecting that the external USB device is coupled to the USB interface Detecting a signal, wherein the external USB device has a category information; a charging control unit, when the charging control unit is operating in a standby mode, the charging control unit switches to an operation mode according to the detection signal to read The above-mentioned category information of the external USB device determines whether to output a chargeable signal according to the category information; and a power supply unit that supplies power to the external USB device according to the chargeable signal. The USB charging device of claim 1, wherein the charging control unit determines to output the chargeable signal, and then enters the standby mode after outputting the chargeable signal, and when the charging control unit determines not to output The chargeable signal goes directly to the above standby mode. The USB charging device of claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing a plurality of external USB device categories and corresponding charging types, wherein the charging type is divided into rechargeable and non-rechargeable. The USB charging device of claim 3, wherein the charging control unit determines whether to charge the external USB device according to the external USB device category and the corresponding charging type corresponding to the category information. The USB charging device of claim 4, wherein the charging control unit transmits the chargeable signal to the power supply unit when the charging type corresponding to the category information of the external USB device is chargeable. A USB charging method includes: detecting whether an external USB device is coupled to a USB interface, wherein the external USB device has a category information; and when detecting that the external USB device is coupled to the USB interface, outputting a Detecting a signal; when a charging control unit operates in a standby mode, switching to an operation mode according to the detection signal, and reading one type information of the external USB device; determining whether to output a chargeable according to the category information And providing a power source to the external USB device according to the chargeable signal. The USB charging method of claim 6, further comprising: when the charging control unit determines to output the chargeable signal, switching the charging control unit to the standby mode after outputting the chargeable signal, when When the charging control unit decides not to output the chargeable signal, the charging control unit directly switches the standby mode described above. The USB charging method of claim 6, further comprising: storing a plurality of external USB device categories and corresponding charging types, wherein the charging type is divided into rechargeable and non-rechargeable. The USB charging method of claim 8, further comprising: determining whether to charge the external USB device according to the external USB device category corresponding to the category information and the corresponding charging type. The USB charging method of claim 9, wherein the charging control unit transmits the chargeable signal to the power supply unit when the charging type corresponding to the category information of the external USB device is chargeable.