Back to results
US 6,504,891 B1Granted
Timer circuit with programmable decode circuitry
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorChristophe J. Chevallier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A timer circuit for providing output pulses of an adjustable duration based upon stored decode parameters. The circuit has a timer element which generates a periodic timing signal. Preferably the frequency of the periodic timing signal is also adjustable. A frequency divider is clocked by the timing signal and provides a plurality of frequency divided outputs. A decode circuit combines selected ones of the frequency divided outputs based upon decode parameters and generates a timer circuit output pulse having a duration determined by the frequency divided outputs selected by the decode parameters. The decode parameters are stored in a non-volatile data storage unit so that the timer output pulse will remain the same after power interruption.
Claims43
A method of operating a timer circuit, comprising:
- generating a timing signal;
- generating a plurality of different frequency divided signals based on the generated timing signal;
- generating one or more complementary signals based on one or more of the frequency divided signals;
- generating a plurality of derivative signals, with each signal based on at least one of the frequency divided signals and at least one of the complementary signals;
- storing a plurality of decode parameters, with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the different frequency divided signals and with at least one decode parameter identifying one the derivative signals;
- and
- generating a timer circuit output pulse having a duration based of the stored decode parameters.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a timing signal having pulses of a first duration in response to a first state of a program signal and pulses of a second duration in response to a second state of the program signal, wherein generating the timing signal includes:
- providing a first charge current to a capacitor in response to the first state of the program signal;
- or
- providing a second charge current to the capacitor in response to the inactive status of the program signal, with the second charge current having a lesser magnitude than the first charge current;
- dividing the timing signal to produce a plurality of different frequency divided signals;
- identifying one or more of the different frequency divided signals;
- and
- generating a timer circuit output pulse having a duration based on the identified frequency divided signals.
5 more elements
A method of operating a timer circuit, comprising:
- generating a timing signal, wherein generating the timing signal comprises
- driving an input of a one-shot circuit with an output of a timer element, with the one-shot circuit having an output and the timer element having an input;
- and
- driving the input of the timer element with the output of one-shot circuit;
- generating a plurality of different frequency divided signals based on the generated timing signal;
- generating one or more complementary signals based on one or more of the frequency divided signals;
- generating a plurality of derivative signals, with each signal based on at least one of the frequency divided signals and at least one of the complementary signals;
- storing a plurality of decode parameters, with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the different frequency divided signals and with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the derivative signals;
- and
- generating a timer circuit output pulse having a duration based on the stored decode parameters.
7 more elements
A method of operating a timer circuit, comprising:
- generating a timing signal;
- generating a plurality of different frequency divided signals based on the generated timing signal;
- generating one or more complementary signals based on one or more of the frequency divided signals;
- generating a plurality of derivative signals, with each signal based on at least one of the frequency divided signals and at least one of the complementary signals;
- storing a plurality of decode parameters, with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the different frequency divided signals and with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the derivative signals, wherein storing the plurality of decode parameters comprises:
- determining an optimum pulse duration;
- and
- determining the decode parameters based on the determined optimum pulse duration;
- and
- generating a timer circuit output pulse having a duration based on the stored decode parameters.
7 more elements
A method of operating a timer circuit, comprising:
- generating a timing signal, wherein generating the timing signal comprises
- driving an input of a one-shot circuit with an output of a timer element, with the one-shot circuit having an output and the timer element having an input;
- and
- driving the input of the timer element with the output of one-shot circuit;
- generating a plurality of different frequency divided signals based on the generated timing signal;
- generating one or more complementary signals based on one or more of the frequency divided signals;
- generating a plurality of derivative signals, with each signal based on at least one of the frequency divided signals and at least one of the complementary signals;
- storing a plurality of decode parameters, with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the different frequency divided signals and with at least one decode parameter identifying one of the derivative signals, wherein storing the plurality of decode parameters comprises:
- determining an optimum pulse duration;
- and
- determining the decode parameters based on the determined optimum pulse duration;
- and
- generating a timer circuit output pulse having a duration based on the stored decode parameters.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.