Digital Frequency Divider With Reset Coupling for Flexible Windowing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional monitoring circuits for voltage supply systems lack flexibility in setting acceptance windows, leading to compatibility issues between components from different manufacturers, particularly in the vehicle sector.
Innovation Solution
A digital frequency divider with adjustable division factors, incorporating a counting unit, first and second coupling circuits, and optional diodes and switches, allowing for non-binary division ratios and flexible acceptance window settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional monitoring circuits with fixed binary division ratios are used, then the circuit design is simple, but the flexibility in setting acceptance windows is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability of the division ratio through selectable binary division factors (2, 4, 8, 16) that can be configured via control signals. This allows the acceptance window to be dynamically adapted to different frequency ranges while maintaining a structured circuit design based on modular binary counters and multiplexers.
Solution Approach 2:
The frequency divider circuit is designed to support multiple division ratios (binary and non-binary) and can accommodate different clock frequencies and acceptance window requirements. The same circuit structure can be used across different applications by reconfiguring the division ratio, making it a universal solution for frequency monitoring.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components from different manufacturers are combined, then system versatility is improved, but compatibility problems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring circuit continuously compares the divided clock frequency against the acceptance window and provides feedback through warning signals when incompatibility is detected. This allows real-time verification of component compatibility between controllers and voltage supply units from different manufacturers, ensuring system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The acceptance window is pre-configured based on the expected frequency range, allowing compatibility to be verified before full system operation. The circuit is designed in advance to handle various frequency scenarios, enabling proactive detection of incompatibility issues.
3Measurement precision
If the acceptance window is made more specific, then measurement precision is improved, but the risk of false negatives increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows dynamic adjustment of the acceptance window parameters (frequency range and division ratio) to optimize the balance between precision and reliability. By selecting appropriate binary division factors and configuring the comparison thresholds, the system can adapt the acceptance window to be sufficiently specific for accurate measurement while remaining broad enough to avoid false negatives.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital frequency divider for a voltage supply circuit of a controller is disclosed. The digital frequency divider has a counting unit which has a clock input for a clock signal, a reset input for a reset signal, and a plurality of outputs for division signals. The counting unit is designed to generate the division signals as a division of the clock signal by a power of 2. The digital frequency divider further has a first coupling circuit for coupling the division signals to form a coupling signal, wherein the coupling signal has a logical HIGH only if all coupled division signals have a logical HIGH; and a second coupling circuit which is designed to enter the coupling signal into the reset input of the counting unit.