Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus to automatically select operating voltages for a device

US6054847A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
10References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 9, 1998
Grant dateApr 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 9, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F1/26
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus to automatically select operating voltages for a device. The method comprising the steps of: connecting a variable resistive network in series to a first side of a resistor for varying the current through the resistor; charging an inductor with a modulate pulse train, the inductor being connected to the second side of the resistor; outputting a voltage equal to the voltage across the resistor and a fixed reference voltage located at the first side of the resistor; determining if at least one designated processor pin is connected to ground; and varying the resistance of the resistive network if at least one pin is connected to ground so as to change the current flowing through the resistor, thereby changing the voltage across it.

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