Method and apparatus for operating functions relating to memory and/or applications that employ memory in accordance with available power
US5889721A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C5/143
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A programmable memory device includes circuits that permit the selective disabling of certain functions when a battery supply voltage falls below the point necessary to sustain those functions while not disabling other functions of the device capable of working at the lower supply voltage. The programmable memory device includes a controller (422), programmable memory (426), and a voltage monitor (424), and is used in an application having additional circuitry (430). Power is furnished between the main voltage V.sub.CC terminal and the ground GND terminal from an external power source, typically a set of batteries. The voltage monitor enables full extension of the operational voltage range for specific functions of the programmable memory device, or for the application circuitry, or for both by reliably detecting the voltage level of the power source and providing an indication thereof. The indication of the present voltage level is used for suppressing functions that cannot be sustained at the present voltage level.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.