Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for suspending computation due to detection of electrostatic discharge

US5123102A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
21References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 1988
Grant dateJun 16, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F15/0216
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus for detecting electrostatic discharge events that may affect operation of a calculator and for suspending the operation of an internal calculator chip before the discharge can corrupt the chip's operation. The apparatus includes an edge detector that detects the discharge event and generates a signal to timer circuitry. The timer circuitry in response generates a signal for a predetermined time to WAIT circuitry which suspends operation of the calculator chip before its calculations can be corrupted. The predetermined time is long enough for the electrostatic discharge to dissipate sufficiently so that it can no longer corrupt the calculations. After the predetermined time passes, the calculator chip resumes its operation to complete its calculations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.