# US 10,483,958 B2 · Voltage detector and method for detecting voltage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,958 B2 - Document ID: US10483958B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/635,459 - Filed: 2015-03-02 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02 - Assignees: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Applicants: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation - Inventors: Yoshiyuki Endo; Kazuhiro Kamiya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483958B2 ## CPC - H03K 5/2472: {using field effect transistors (H03K5/2436 takes precedence)} - G01R 19/16576: {comparing DC or AC voltage with one threshold (G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533 and G01R19/1659 take precedence)} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A voltage detector includes a comparison unit which is equipped with a plurality of comparators and which is configured to compare a threshold voltage and determination voltages corresponding to each comparator and output a first result of High or Low for each comparator and configured to compare an input voltage and the determination voltages and output a second result of High or Low for each comparator, and a determination unit configured to determine based on the first result and the second result whether or not the input voltage is less than or equal to the threshold voltage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A voltage detector, comprising: a comparison unit having a plurality of comparators, said comparison unit configured to compare a threshold voltage received via a voltage divider and determination voltages corresponding to said each comparator, and output a first result of High or Low for each comparator based on the comparison of the threshold voltage and the determination voltages, the comparison unit being further configured to compare an input voltage received via the voltage divider and the determination voltages, and output a second result of High or Low for each comparator based on the comparison of the input voltage and the determination voltages; and a determination unit comprising a counter configured to determine whether or not the input voltage is less than or equal to the threshold voltage, the determination being based on a count of High levels output by each of the plurality of comparators for the threshold voltage, and based on a count of High levels output by each of the plurality of comparators for the input voltage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The voltage detector according to claim 1, further including a register configured to store therein the second result outputted from the comparison unit, wherein the determination unit is configured to perform determination, based on the first result and the second result stored in the register. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The voltage detector according to claim 1, wherein the determination voltages are common to the respective comparators, and wherein determination thresholds for output switching are respectively different from each other in each of the comparators. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The voltage detector according to claim 1, wherein the determination voltages are different from each other in each of the comparators, and wherein determination thresholds for output switching are respectively different from each other in each of the comparators. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The voltage detector according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of comparators includes one or more field effect transistors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The voltage detector according to claim 5, wherein the sizes of the one or more field effect transistors are different between different ones of the comparators. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The voltage detector according to claim 5, wherein the sizes of the one or more field effect transistors are the same between different ones of the comparators. ### Claim 8 A method for detecting a voltage, comprising the steps of: comparing, using a plurality of comparators within a comparison unit, a threshold voltage received via a voltage divider and determination voltages corresponding to each of the comparators and outputting a first result of High or Low for each comparator; comparing, using the comparison unit, an input voltage received via the voltage divider and the determination voltages and outputting a second result of High or Low for each comparator; and determining, using at least a counter of a determination unit, whether or not the input voltage is less than or equal to the threshold voltage, the determining being based on a count of High levels output by each of the plurality of comparators for the threshold voltage, and based on a count of High levels output by each of the plurality of comparators for the input voltage.