Microcontroller Low-Voltage Sleep Control for Reset Loops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microcontroller systems in battery-powered devices face issues with incorrect data reading and frequent resets due to low battery voltage, leading to unpredictable behavior, system failure, and potential damage from continuous power drain and battery leakage.
Innovation Solution
A low battery voltage protection method involving a series of checks and a counter mechanism to detect battery and output voltages, forcing the system into a sleep mode when insufficient voltage is detected to prevent continuous power consumption and errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the LDO output voltage is barely above the LVPOR standard, then the system can activate the microcontroller, but the microcontroller may fail to correctly load and execute program code from ROM, causing unpredictable behavior or complete failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary voltage checks before allowing the microcontroller to execute program code. The system performs a first check of battery voltage against POR threshold, then activates LDO and performs a second check of LDO output voltage against LVPOR threshold. Only after these preliminary checks confirm sufficient voltage does the system proceed to load and execute program code from ROM, preventing execution errors due to insufficient voltage.
2Ease of operation
If the battery voltage is insufficient, then the system may activate with unstable power, but this causes frequent resets and unstable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary voltage checks before system activation to prevent unstable operation. The first check verifies battery voltage exceeds POR threshold, and the second check verifies LDO output voltage exceeds LVPOR threshold within a preset time period. These preliminary actions ensure the power supply is stable before the microcontroller begins operation, preventing frequent resets and unstable behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that monitors the LDO output voltage after activation and counts the number of resets within a preset time period. If the reset count exceeds a threshold, the system concludes the battery voltage is insufficient and forces entry into sleep mode. This feedback loop continuously monitors system stability and adjusts operation accordingly, preventing prolonged unstable operation.
3Productivity
If the microcontroller continuously loads data with errors due to low voltage, then the system remains active, but this causes continuous power drain and battery leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that monitors system operation and detects error conditions. When the microcontroller fails to correctly load or execute program code from ROM, the system detects these errors and responds by forcing entry into sleep mode. This feedback loop prevents continuous operation under error conditions, thereby preventing continuous power drain and battery leakage that would occur if the system continued to operate with insufficient voltage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of low voltage (which causes execution errors) into a beneficial outcome by using these errors as detection signals. When execution errors occur, the system interprets them as indicators of insufficient voltage and responds by entering sleep mode or shutting down. Thus, the harmful error conditions are transformed into useful diagnostic information that triggers protective actions, preventing further power waste and battery damage.
Data Source
AI summary
A low battery voltage protection method for a microcontroller system and a microcontroller system using the same are provided. The low battery protection method and the microcontroller system are used to prevent continuous battery drain by setting time thresholds and a count threshold. In an embodiment, when a low-voltage power-on reset voltage is not exceeded within a first preset time, the microcontroller system is forced to enter a sleep mode to prevent power consumption by an analog block. In another embodiment, when the low-voltage power-on reset voltage is exceeded, but a reset count of the microcontroller system exceeds a preset value within a second preset time, the microcontroller system is also forced to enter the sleep mode to prevent a digital block from continuously loading data, which could lead to battery failure.