Patent · US Expired

Method for the energy-saving operation of a control unit

US6219217A · kind A · utility

6Cited by

3References

5Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Robert Obermaier · Hemau, DE
Roland Gabler · Riedenburg, DE
Brian Saloka · Roseville, US
Wolfgang Koberl · Mauth, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 1, 1999
Grant date	Apr 17, 2001
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 1, 2019

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06F1/3228
WIPO fieldComputer technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A control unit is supplied with a reset signal by a reset module at periodic time intervals. The control unit uses the period duration of the reset signal as a time base in order to measure the time. After a predefined number of period durations has expired, the propagation time of an internal timer is used for a precise determination of the time. As a result of the use of the reset signal, the control unit is predominantly in the sleep mode. As a result, the consumption of current is reduced.

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