Dynamic over frequency detection and protection circuitry
US6114880A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/3016
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An over frequency detection circuit which is based on the concept of a critical path in a design to protect an IC chip from running at a rate which will produce unpredictable results. The over frequency detection circuit will compare the output of a critical path generation circuit with that of a known path generation circuit. The known path generation circuit must have a delay which is guaranteed to be much shorter than the delay of the critical path generation circuit. If the output of the critical path generation circuit is not the same as the output of the known path generation circuit, then the critical path generation circuit has begun to fail and the IC chip should be disabled.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.