# US 9,882,372 B2 · Electronic device and power protection method

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- Number: US 9,882,372 B2
- Document ID: US9882372B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/856,572
- Filed: 2015-09-17
- Published: 2016-05-05
- Granted: 2018-01-30
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-30
- Assignees: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
- Applicants: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
- Inventors: Xiao-Feng Zhou; Wei Han; Ching-Ji Liang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882372B2

## CPC

- H02H 9/001: {limiting speed of change of electric quantities, e.g. soft switching on or off (progressive control of electronic switches for eliminating interferences H03K17/16)}
- H02H 3/207: {also responsive to under-voltage (window comparators for indication G01R19/165)}
- H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H)

## Abstract

An electronic device and a power protection method are provided. The electronic device includes a transfer port, a switch, a first detecting unit and a second detecting unit. The transfer port provides a driving voltage to an external device. The switch is coupled between the transfer port and a supply power source, and the switch is selectively turned off according to at least one of a first control signal and a second control signal. The first detecting unit generates the first control signal when a voltage drop of the driving voltage exceeds a threshold voltage. The second detecting unit generates a sampling voltage by detecting the driving voltage and generates the second control signal when the sampling voltage is lower than a first reference voltage. The electronic device can provide a power protection when an external device is plugged in/out the transfer port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device, comprising:
a transfer port providing a driving voltage to an external device;
a first switch coupled between the transfer port and a supply power source, wherein the first switch is selectively turned off according to at least one of a first control signal and a second control signal;
a first detecting unit including:
a comparator configured to compare a second reference voltage with a bias voltage; and
a capacitor including a first terminal configured to receive the driving voltage and a second terminal configured to receive the bias voltage,
wherein when a voltage drop of the driving voltage exceeds a threshold voltage the first detecting unit generates a first control signal, and the threshold voltage is a difference between the second reference voltage and the bias voltage; and
a second detecting unit detecting the driving voltage and generating a sampling voltage and generating the second control signal when the sampling voltage is lower than a first reference voltage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first detecting unit includes:
a resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal receives a system voltage, and the second terminal generates the bias voltage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second detecting unit includes:
a voltage division circuit dividing the driving voltage to generate the sampling voltage; and
a comparator comparing the sampling voltage with the first reference voltage, wherein the second control signal is generated when the sampling voltage is lower than the first reference voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a triggering unit generating a protection signal according to at least one of the first control signal and the second control signal, wherein the first switch is selectively turned off according to the protection signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the triggering unit includes:
an OR gate generating a triggering signal according to the first control signal and the second control signal; and
an one-shot timer connected to OR gate for generating a protection signal of a preset pulse width time according to the triggering signal, wherein the first switch is turned off within the preset pulse width time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the triggering unit further includes:
a switch control circuit connected to the one-shot timer for generating a first switching signal according to the protection signal; and
a second switch connected to the one-shot timer, wherein the second switch is turned on according to the first switching signal to transmit the protection signal to the first switch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the switch control circuit further generates a second switching signal according to the protection signal, and the triggering unit further includes a third switch, the electronic device further includes:
a soft starting unit generating a soft starting signal according to the protection signal to turn on the first switch which is turned off by the protection signal, wherein the third switch is turned on according to the second switching signal to transmit the protection signal to the soft starting unit.

### Claim 8

A power protection method, applied to an electronic device including a transfer port, wherein the transfer port provides a driving voltage to an external device, and the electronic device includes a first switch coupled between the transfer port and a supply power source and a second switch, wherein the power protection method includes:
detecting the driving voltage via a capacitor and generating a first control signal when a voltage drop of the driving voltage is greater than a threshold voltage;
generating a sampling voltage by that the voltage division circuit divides the driving voltage, and generating a second control signal when the sampling voltage is lower than a first reference voltage;
generating a protection signal by triggering a one-shot timer according to at least one of the first control signal and the second control signal;
generating a first switching signal according to the protection signal by a switch control circuit and
turning the second switch via the first switching signal to transmit the protection signal to turn off the first switch.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The power protection method according to claim 8, further comprising:
turning the first switch via a soft starting signal after the first switch is turned off.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The power protection method according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device further includes a third switch, and the step of reconducting the first switch further includes:
generating a second switching signal according to the protection signal via the switch control circuit;
conducting the third switch after the second switch is turned off via the second switching signal to transmit the protection signal to a soft starting unit; and
generating the soft starting signal according to the protection signal via the soft starting unit.