Resonant Signal Sensing Circuit Having a Low Power Mode
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorMarty Pflum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a sensor circuit to receive a varying signal at an input of the apparatus. The sensor circuit provides a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement of the varying signal. The apparatus further includes a timer circuit to generate a signal at various intervals of a plurality of intervals and a controller coupled to the sensor circuit. The controller has a first power mode and a second power mode, where the first power mode has a lower power consumption than the second power mode. The controller enters the second power mode in response to the signal from the timer circuit. The controller enables the sensor circuit, captures a plurality of measurements of the varying signal, and returns to the first power mode.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a sensor circuit coupled to receive a varying signal at an input of the apparatus, the sensor circuit to provide a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement of the varying signal;
- a timer circuit to generate a signal at various intervals of a plurality of intervals;
- and
- a controller coupled to the sensor circuit and having a first power mode and a second power mode, the first power mode having a lower power consumption than the second power mode, the controller to enter the second power mode in response to the signal from the timer circuit and to:
- enable the sensor circuit;
- capture a plurality of measurements of the varying signal;
- and
- return to the first power mode.
A metering circuit comprising:
- a sensor circuit coupled to the input to receive a resonant signal corresponding to usage of a resource;
- a timer circuit to generate a timer signal at selected intervals;
- and
- a controller coupled to the timer circuit and the sensor circuit, the controller having a first power mode and a second power mode, the first power mode having a lower power consumption than the second power mode, the controller to enter the second power mode and enable the sensor circuit to capture measurements of the resonant signal in response to receiving the timer signal.
A method of measuring a resonant signal, the method comprising:
- selectively providing an excitation signal to an output of a metering circuit at a first point in time;
- receiving a resonant signal at an input of the metering circuit in response to the excitation signal;
- and
- providing a wake up signal to a sensing circuit of the metering circuit at a second point in time to transition the sensing circuit from a first power mode to a second power mode for a pre-determined number of clock cycles to count a number of oscillations of the resonant signal, the first power mode having a lower power consumption than the second power mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.