Minimum Pulse-Width Assurance Circuit for Glitch Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic systems face issues with missed pulses due to pulse widths being too short, leading to accuracy and power efficiency degradation, and potentially causing circuits to enter undesirable states.
Innovation Solution
A minimum pulse-width assurance circuit is introduced, comprising logic circuits, a minimum pulse-width filter, and one-shot circuits on feedback paths, which extend pulse widths to ensure they meet a desired minimum, thereby preventing glitches and maintaining system stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pulse width is reduced to increase switching frequency, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to missed pulses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the output of the logic circuit is fed back to its inputs through feedback paths. This feedback allows the circuit to monitor its own state and maintain pulse widths above the threshold by adjusting the output based on the detected pulse characteristics, thereby ensuring reliable pulse registration even at high switching frequencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary minimum pulse-width assurance circuit between the pulse source and downstream circuits. This intermediary circuit includes logic circuits, filters, and one-shot circuits that process and condition the pulses, ensuring they meet minimum width requirements before being passed to downstream components, thus preventing missed pulses while allowing high switching frequencies.
2Reliability
If a margin of error is built into the design to prevent missed pulses, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced switching frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic circuit elements including one-shot circuits that generate timed pulses and logic circuits that dynamically adjust output based on input conditions. The circuit adapts its behavior in real-time, extending pulse widths only when necessary to meet minimum thresholds, thereby maintaining high switching frequencies while ensuring reliable pulse registration through dynamic rather than static margin adjustment.
3Reliability
If pulse width is extended to prevent missed pulses, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by extending pulse widths only when and to the extent necessary to meet the minimum threshold requirement. The minimum pulse-width assurance circuit selectively processes pulses, extending only those that fall below the threshold while leaving adequate pulses unchanged, thereby minimizing time loss while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of pulse width dynamically based on circuit state and pulse characteristics. The logic circuits and one-shot circuits modify pulse duration as needed, adjusting the width parameter in real-time to meet minimum requirements without unnecessarily extending all pulses, thus balancing reliability with time efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Various methods and devices that involve pulsed signals are disclosed. An example minimum pulse-width (MPW) circuit comprises a first and second logic circuit. A first input of the first logic circuit is connected to an input of the MPW circuit. A first input of the second logic circuit is communicatively coupled to an output of the first logic circuit. The MPW circuit also comprises a MPW filter circuit communicatively coupled to an output of the second logic circuit, a one-shot circuit communicatively coupled to an output of the minimum pulse-width filter circuit and located on a first feedback path, and another one-shot circuit communicatively coupled to the output of the minimum pulse-width filter circuit and located on a second feedback path. A second input of the first logic circuit is on the first feedback path. A second input of the second logic circuit is on the second feedback path.