Data processing system having an auto-ranging low voltage detection circuit
US5894423A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 26, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K5/088
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A Voltage Range Detection Circuit (VRDC) (8) determines the supply voltage range of the integrated circuit. In general, voltage detector (10) determines the voltage level of supply voltage V.sub.DD and stores the result of this determination in storage (12). Resistor network (14), which receives the stored result, configures itself in the proper resistor configuration for the determined supplied voltage such that a compare signal is generated that represents a Variable Low Voltage Detection (VLVD) switch point. Resistor network (14) outputs this generated VLVD switch point signal to a first input of comparator (18) to be compared with the constant level reference voltage output by voltage reference (16) at a second input of comparator (18). When the output of resistor network (14) drops below the reference voltage provided by voltage reference (16), comparator (18) outputs a reset signal to disable the chip because a low voltage condition has occurred. As will be appreciated, this single circuit implementation eliminates the need to provide multiple low voltage detection circuits to sense each of the possible voltage operating ranges.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.