INTEGRATED CIRCUIT COMPRISING A MICROPROCESSOR AND AN ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL CONVERTER WHICH IS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MICROPROCESSOR AND INDEPENDENTLY OF THE MICROPROCESSOR, AND A METHOD FOR OPERATING THE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
US6831583B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/05
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An integrated circuit (1) comprises a microprocessor (2), an ADC (3) and a serial interface (4) for communicating the integrated circuit with an external device. An analogue input port (5) is provided for inputting analogue signals to the ADC (3). A switch circuit (8) is provided for selectively and alternately configuring the integrated circuit (1) to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode the serial interface (4) communicates with the microprocessor (2) through the switch circuit (8), and in the second mode the serial interface (4) communicates with the ADC (3) through the switch circuit (8). In the second mode conversion results are transferred from the ADC (3) through the switch circuit (8) to the serial interface (4) independently of the microprocessor (2) for transmission therefrom to an external device. In the first mode the ADC (3) is operable under the control of the microprocessor (2).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.