Microcontroller Hibernation via Flash-to-RAM Copy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electronic devices like microcontrollers, flash memory often consumes high power, making it challenging to reduce overall power consumption, especially when energy sources have limited current capability.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a hibernation mode where the non-volatile memory is inactive, and the volatile memory is active, allowing periodic execution of user code without powering up the non-volatile memory, thereby reducing current consumption to ultra-low levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If non-volatile memory (flash memory) is kept active in microcontrollers, then configuration data is readily accessible, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddata accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by copying configuration data from non-volatile flash memory to volatile RAM before the microcontroller enters hibernation mode. This pre-copy operation ensures that when the system wakes up, the configuration data is already available in volatile memory, eliminating the need to power up flash memory during hibernation and thus reducing power consumption while maintaining data accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If non-volatile memory is powered down to reduce current consumption, then power savings are achieved, but data access becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent consumptionVSAvoiddata access

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements the copying principle by creating a duplicate of the configuration data in volatile RAM from the non-volatile flash memory. This copy allows the system to access configuration data from volatile memory during hibernation without needing to power up the flash memory, thereby achieving both low current consumption and maintained data access capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Stability of the object's composition

If flash memory is used for storing configuration data, then non-volatile storage is achieved, but power consumption increases due to flash memory's poor low-power capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retentionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by separating the storage function into two distinct memory types: non-volatile flash memory for permanent data retention and volatile RAM for active data access during low-power modes. This segmentation allows each memory type to operate in its optimal state - flash remains powered down for data retention while RAM holds the active copy, resolving the contradiction between data retention and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10303386B2Data processing device and method for saving power in a data processing device

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a data processing device is described including a non-volatile memory configured to store configuration data for the data processing device, a volatile memory and a control system configured to copy the configuration data from the non-volatile memory to a section of the volatile memory, block writing to the section of the volatile memory and to put the data processing device into a hibernation mode in which the non-volatile memory is inactive and the volatile memory is active.