Programmable Voltage Lockout Circuit for IC Supply Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits (ICs) often operate outside their guaranteed voltage ranges due to diverging supply voltage ranges, leading to unreliable operation and potential failure, especially when lower supply voltages are used for newer ICs like EEPROMs, which can result in invalid data transfers and faulty sensor readings.
Innovation Solution
A programmable voltage lockout circuit that asserts or de-asserts a lockout based on a user-programmed threshold, comparing the supply voltage to a programmed value, ensuring that ICs operate within valid voltage ranges by enabling or disabling functionality as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed voltage threshold lockout circuits are used, then circuit simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different voltage ranges and ICs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage threshold is made programmable rather than fixed, allowing the lockout circuit to adapt to different voltage ranges dynamically. The circuit includes a register that stores a programmable threshold value, enabling flexibility across different ICs and voltage conditions without increasing fundamental circuit complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The threshold voltage parameter is changed from a fixed design value to a programmable value that can be configured based on specific IC requirements. This allows the same circuit architecture to serve multiple voltage ranges by simply changing the programmed threshold parameter.
2Reliability
If voltage lockout protection is implemented, then reliability of IC operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout circuit monitors the voltage supply to itself and automatically asserts lockout when the voltage falls outside the programmed range. This self-monitoring capability provides reliability protection without requiring external monitoring circuits or additional complexity beyond the basic comparison logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage lockout circuit is designed to protect multiple different ICs with different voltage requirements using a single universal circuit architecture. The programmable threshold allows the same circuit to serve multiple protection functions across different voltage domains.
3Adaptability or versatility
If programmable threshold voltage lockout is used, then adaptability to different ICs is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The threshold value is stored in a register that can be programmed during manufacturing or initialization, allowing a single circuit design to serve multiple voltage requirements. This dynamic configurability avoids the need for multiple fixed-threshold circuit variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The threshold parameter is implemented as a programmable register value rather than a fixed hardware parameter, enabling post-manufacturing configuration. This approach simplifies manufacturing by using a standard circuit design that can be adapted to different voltage requirements through programming rather than physical modification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively protects ICs from operating outside their designed voltage ranges, ensuring reliable operation and valid data transfers by programmatically managing voltage lockouts, thereby preventing power loss or tampering-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
a comparator to observe a state of the supply voltage of the electronic device at least partially responsive to the value stored at the register and generate an indication of the state of the supply voltage
Data Source
AI summary
One or more examples relate, generally, to a programmable voltage lockout circuit provided at an electronic device. Such a programmable voltage lockout circuit asserts a lockout of the electronic device at least partially responsive to a user-programmed threshold and a supply voltage of the electronic device. One or more examples relate, generally, to configuring a programmable voltage lockout circuit utilizing a user-programmed threshold.