Threshold Voltage Circuit for ADC-Free Voltage Variation Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voltage variation detection circuits rely on A/D converters, resulting in large-scale circuitry and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A voltage variation detection circuit that uses a threshold voltage generation circuit, comparator, and controller to detect voltage variations without an A/D converter, by stepwise adjusting threshold voltages and detecting changes based on comparator outputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an A/D converter is used to detect voltage variations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the A/D converter from the voltage detection system and replaces it with a dedicated threshold voltage detection circuit. This extraction eliminates the need for complex digital conversion while maintaining detection precision through specialized analog threshold comparison circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the voltage detection function using threshold voltage comparison instead of full A/D conversion. The threshold detection circuit replicates the essential measurement capability without requiring the complete functionality of an A/D converter, thereby reducing circuit complexity.
2Device complexity
If a threshold voltage generation circuit with stepwise adjustment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic threshold voltage adjustment through stepwise changes controlled by a control signal. The threshold voltage can be dynamically modified in steps, allowing the system to adapt to different detection requirements while maintaining a simple circuit structure. This dynamic capability compensates for the reduced precision that might result from discrete stepwise adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the threshold voltage parameter in discrete steps to detect voltage variations. By adjusting the threshold voltage parameter dynamically, the system maintains measurement capability while using a simpler circuit architecture compared to continuous A/D conversion.
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
Enables efficient detection of voltage variations with reduced circuit complexity, preventing glitches and allowing for overvoltage and low-voltage detection without A/D converters.
Implementation Method 1
a comparator arranged to compare a variation detection-target voltage and the threshold voltage to each other
Data Source
AI summary
The voltage variation detection circuit includes: a threshold voltage generation circuit arranged to generate a threshold voltage; a comparator arranged to compare a variation detection-target voltage and the threshold voltage to each other; and a controller arranged to control the threshold voltage generation circuit based on output of the comparator. Repeated are operations of: decreasing the threshold voltage stepwise; when the variation detection-target voltage has come to the threshold voltage or more, first increasing the threshold voltage by specified steps and then again decreasing the threshold voltage stepwise; and when the variation detection-target voltage has come to the threshold voltage or more, increasing the threshold voltage by specified steps. The controller detects a variation of the variation detection-target voltage based on control results at time points when the variation detection-target voltage comes to the threshold voltage or more.