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US 2003/0193353 A1Published application
System and method for detecting a negative supply fault
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorJohn J. Price, JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A negative supply, low-voltage supply fault detection circuit is implemented without the need for a current mirror thereby providing for the elimination of inaccuracies generally associated with a current mirror, and resulting in less power consumption when compared with known negative supply, low-voltage detection circuits that employ a current mirror and associated support circuitry.
Claims10
A circuit for detecting a negative supply, low-voltage fault comprising:
- a negative supply voltage;
- a circuit configured to generate a reference voltage;
- a resistor string coupling the negative supply voltage to the reference voltage and having a tap configured to provide a tap voltage that will be at a desired detection threshold voltage when the negative supply voltage reaches a desired threshold level;
- and
- a circuit configured to compare the tap voltage and the desired detection threshold voltage and generate an output signal when the negative supply voltage reaches the desired threshold level.
2 more elements
A circuit for detecting a negative supply, low-voltage fault comprising:
- a negative supply voltage;
- means for generating a reference voltage;
- a resistor string coupling the negative supply voltage to the reference voltage and having a resistor tap that will be at a desired detection threshold voltage when the negative supply voltage reaches a desired threshold level;
- and
- means for comparing the resistor tap voltage with the desired detection threshold voltage to generate an output signal when the negative supply voltage reaches the desired threshold level.
2 more elements
A method of detecting a negative supply fault comprising the steps of:
- providing a negative supply, low-voltage detection circuit devoid of current mirrors and having a negative supply voltage, means for generating a reference voltage, a resistor string coupling the negative supply voltage to the reference voltage and having a resistor tap that will be at a desired detection threshold voltage when the negative supply voltage reaches a desired threshold level, and a comparator;
- comparing the resistor tap voltage with the desired detection threshold voltage;
- and
- generating an output signal when the negative supply voltage reaches the desired threshold level.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.