US 5,610,826 AGranted

Analog signal monitor circuit and method

AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated

InventorLee D. Whetsel

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Abstract

An analog signal monitoring (ASM) circuit (40, 42) non-intrusively monitors an analog circuit (20) within an electronic system. The ASM circuit (40,42) comprises input circuitry (80) that receives a plurality of analog signal inputs while the analog circuit (20) operates in a functional mode. Translation circuitry (142) associates with the input circuitry (80) for converting the analog signal inputs into digital signal representations of the analog signal inputs. Output circuitry (58) associates with the translation circuitry to output the digital representations. Control circuitry (114) controls the translation and output circuitry while the analog circuit (20) is in a functional mode. The ASM circuit (40, 42) also include an event qualification circuit (68) that includes input circuitry (236) to receive the digital signal representations, compare circuitry (104) to compare the received digital representations to an expected value and output a matched signal when a compared condition is identified.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An analog signal monitoring circuit for non-intrusively monitoring electronic circuitry including an analog circuit, comprising:

input circuitry for receiving a plurality of analog signal inputs from the analog circuit;
and
test circuitry associated with said input circuitry for, while the electronic circuitry operates under timing control of a first clock, processing said analog signal inputs in response to predetermined conditions and synchronously with either one of said first clock and a second clock, said test circuitry including translation circuitry associated with said input circuitry for converting said analog signal inputs into digital signal representations of said analog signal inputs, output circuitry associated with said translation circuitry for outputting said digital signal representations, control circuitry for controlling said translation and said output circuitry to operate while said analog circuit is in a functioning mode, and event qualification circuitry connected to said output circuitry for indicating the occurrence of said predetermined conditions and controlling said test circuitry in response to said predetermined conditions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.