Multi-channel circuit

1 . A multi-channel circuit, comprising:

a plurality of channel circuits, configured to output a plurality of sensing signals associated with a plurality of channel output signals, wherein each channel circuit comprises a channel output circuit for outputting a channel output signal and one of the plurality of sensing signals is associated with the channel output signal of the channel output circuit of the each channel circuit, wherein each of plurality of channel circuits comprise a power switch and all power switches of pluralit of channel circuits are pull-up circuits or pull-down circuit; and

an overcurrent protection circuit, comprising:

a selection circuit, coupled to the plurality of channel circuits, and configured to receive the plurality of sensing signals associated with the plurality of channel output signals and select a sensing signal having a first specified voltage value, which is the minimum voltage value when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-up circuits or is the maximum voltage value when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-down circuits, from the plurality of sensing signals associated with the plurality of channel output signals acting as a target sensing signal, comprising:

a plurality of first stage voltage selectors for comparing each pair of the plurality of sensing signals and accordingly generating a plurality of first selected sensing signals, such that the selection circuit selects the target sensing signal from the plurality of first selected sensing signals, wherein the plurality of sensing signals comprises a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal, one of the plurality of first stage voltage selectors compares the first sensing signal with the second sensing signal and selects one from the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal that has a second specific voltage value, which is the lower voltage value when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-up circuits or is the higher voltage value when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-down circuits, for acting as a first selected sensing signal;

a current sensing circuit, coupled to the selection circuit and configured into convert the target sensing signal into a target sensing voltage; and

a comparator, coupled to the current sensing circuit and configured to compare the target sensing voltage with a reference voltage to generate a comparison result indicating an overcurrent situation of the plurality of channel circuits.

2 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of channel circuits comprises:

the channel output circuit, configured to output the channel output signal;

the power switch, comprising a control terminal for receiving an enable signal, a first terminal coupled to the channel output circuit for receiving the channel output signal, and a second terminal; and

a transfer switch, comprising a control terminal for receiving the enable signal, a first terminal coupled to the channel output circuit for receiving the channel output signal, and a second terminal coupled to the selection circuit and configured to output the sensing signal associated with the channel output signal of the channel output circuit of the each channel circuit in response to the enable signal.

3 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the selection circuit further comprises a plurality of second stage voltage selectors for comparing each pair of the plurality of first selected sensing signals and accordingly and generating a plurality of second selected sensing signals, such that the selection circuit selects the target sensing signal from the plurality of second selected sensing signals.

4 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the comparator comprises a first input terminal coupled to the current sensing circuit for receiving the target sensing voltage, a second input terminal for receiving the reference voltage, and an output terminal, wherein when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-up circuits, the output terminal of the comparator is configured to output the determination result indicating an occurrence of overcurrent situation for the plurality of channel circuits based on determining that the reference voltage is greater than the target sensing voltage.

5 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the channel output circuit of the each channel circuit is a level shifter.

6 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , the overcurrent protection circuit further comprises:

a first resistor, comprising a first terminal coupled to the current sensing circuit and the comparator, and a second terminal coupled to a power supply terminal.

7 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , the overcurrent protection circuit further comprises:

a reference voltage generator, comprising:

a current source, coupled to the comparator and configured to output a reference current generate the reference voltage; and

a second resistor, comprising a first terminal coupled to the current source and the comparator for outputting the reference voltage, and a second terminal coupled to a power supply terminal.

8 . The multi-channel circuit of claim 1 , wherein the comparator comprises a first input terminal coupled to the current sensing circuit for receiving the target sensing voltage, a second input terminal for receiving the reference voltage, and an output terminal, wherein when the power switches of plurality of channel circuits are pull-down circuits, the output terminal of the comparator is configured to output the determination result indicating an occurrence of overcurrent situation for the plurality of channel circuits based on determining that the target sensing voltage is greater than the reference voltage.