Current limiter, method of operating the same, and hotswap module

A method of operating a current limiter, wherein the current limiter comprises i) a current limiting module having an input terminal, an output terminal, and a control terminal, and configured to limit a current, which is input via its input terminal, within a current limiting range and ii) a range controlling module having a control terminal coupled to the control terminal of the current limiting module and a sensing terminal coupled to the output terminal of the current limiting module, and configured to generate a control signal at least based on the current which is output via the output terminal of the current limiting module and which is sensed at the sensing terminal, and output the control signal via its control terminal, such that the current limiting range is dynamically adjustable based on the control signal, the method comprising:

• at a first stage, inputting a first signal into the current limiter, such that the first signal has a current level limited into a first current limiting range;
• and at a second stage after a first preset time period elapses since the first signal is received via the input terminal of the current limiter, inputting a second signal into the current limiter, such that the second signal has a current level limited into a second current limiting range, wherein the second current limiting range is different from the first current limiting range, and the range controlling module comprises:
• a charging completion indicating module having an input terminal and an output terminal, and configured to output a charging completion indicating signal via the output terminal after the first preset time period elapses since a first trigger signal is received via the input terminal;
• and a range selecting module having an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the charging completion indicating module and an output terminal, and configured to initially output a first range selection signal via its output terminal, and output a second range selection signal via its output terminal when the charging completion indicating signal is received via its input terminal, the second range selection signal being associated with a different current limiting range than that associated with the first range selection signal.