US 2011/0084816 A1Published application

Apparatus and method for reducing the current consumption of a control circuit

OwnerStephanie Briese, Ulrich Emmerling +4inventors

InventorsStephanie Briese, Ulrich Emmerling, Daniel Hostmann, Matthias Huschenbett, Rupert Schuster, Roland Wagner

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Through a microcontroller, control signals are transferred to a transmitting and receiving unit or configuration data are transferred. Through the transmitting and receiving unit, in a first operating state transmission signals are issued, while controlling the control signals of the microcontroller. Upon a first specified event, the transmitting and receiving unit is switched to a second operating state through a one-time transfer of corresponding configuration data by the microcontroller. In the second operating state, the transmitting and receiving unit automatically transmits repeated transmission signals. The microcontroller immediately switches to a current-saving or non-current, inactive operating state after said microcontroller has switched the transmitting and receiving unit to the second operating state. As a reaction to a second specific event, the transmitting and receiving unit switches to the first operating state and produces a state change signal for the microcontroller, which switches to the active operating state as a reaction thereto.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for reducing the current consumption of a control circuit, comprising:

a microcontroller and a transmitting and receiving unit electrically connected to the microcontroller with at least one transmit antenna for wireless transmission of signals, wherein the microcontroller is operable:
in an active operating state, to transfer electrically to the transmitting and receiving unit control signals for its control or configuration data for its operation,
to put the transmitting and receiving unit into a second operating state as a reaction to a specific event by one-off transmission of corresponding configuration data,
to switch immediately into a current-saving or zero-current inactive operating state after it has put the transmitting and receiving unit into the second operating state, and
to switch from the inactive operating state into the active operating state as a reaction to a state transition signal of the transmitting and receiving unit, and wherein the transmitting and receiving unit is operable:
to receive and to process electrically transferred control signals or configuration data of the microcontroller,
to send out transmit signals via the transmit antenna in a first operating state under the control of the control signals of the microcontroller,
in the second operating state, without further subsequent control signals or configuration data of the microcontroller, to send out transmit signals via the transmit antenna independently repeatedly or triggered by the microcontroller at fixed predetermined intervals, and
as a reaction to a second event determined, to switch into the first operating state and to create the state change signal for the microcontroller.

6 more elements

A method for reducing the current consumption of a control circuit in which at least one transmitting and receiving unit connected electrically to a microcontroller, sends signals wirelessly via at least one transmit antenna, with the method comprising:

transferring by the microcontroller, in an active operating state of the latter, control signals to the transmitting and receiving unit for its control or of configuration data for its operation,
receiving and processing of the transferred control signals or configuration data by the transmitting and receiving unit,
sending out, under the control of the control signals of the microcontroller, transmit signals via the transmit antennas by the transmitting and receiving unit in a first operating state,
putting the transmitting and receiving unit into a second operating state by one-off transmission of corresponding configuration data by the microcontroller as a reaction to a first specific event,
in the second operating state, independent repeated sending out of transmit signals at fixed predetermined intervals via the transmit antennas by the transmitting and receiving unit without further subsequent control signals or configuration data of the microcontroller or triggered by the microcontroller,
immediate switching of the microcontroller into a current-saving or zero-current inactive operating state after the latter has put the transmitting and receiving unit into the second operating state,
switching the transmitting and receiving unit, as a reaction to a second specific event, into the first operating state and generation of a state change signal for the microcontroller by the latter, and
switching the microcontroller from the inactive operating state into the active operating state as a reaction to the state change'signal of the transmitting and receiving unit.

5 more elements

An method for reducing the current consumption of a control circuit in a system comprising a microcontroller and a wireless transmitting and receiving unit, comprising:

performing the following steps by the microcontroller:
in an active operating state, transferring electrically to the transmitting and receiving unit control signals for its control or configuration data for its operation,
putting the transmitting and receiving unit into a second operating state as a reaction to a specific event by one-off transmission of corresponding configuration data,
switching the microcontorller immediately into a current-saving or zero-current inactive operating state after it has put the transmitting and receiving unit into the second operating state, and
switching the microcontroller from the inactive operating state into the active operating state as a reaction to a state transition signal of the transmitting and receiving unit,
and performing the following steps by the transmitting and receiving unit:
receiving and processing electrically transferred control signals or configuration data of the microcontroller,
sending out transmit signals via the transmit antenna in a first operating state under the control of the control signals of the microcontroller,
in the second operating state, without further subsequent control signals or configuration data of the microcontroller, sending out transmit signals via the transmit antenna independently repeatedly or triggered by the microcontroller at fixed predetermined intervals, and
as a reaction to a second event determined, switching into the first operating state and creating the state change signal for the microcontroller.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.