Low power ASIC circuit
AssigneeTimken US Corporation
InventorAlfred John Santos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of managing power consumed by a circuit that can output a signal. The method includes determining a time duration after which the signal is valid, and determining an update rate of the signal. The method also includes supplying power to the circuit based on the time duration and the update rate, and latching the signal at the update rate.
Claims9
A method of managing power consumed by a power-consuming circuit that receives at least one sensed signal, and processes the at least one sensed signal, the method comprising:
- sensing a phenomena with a sensor and generating the at least one sensed signal in response thereto;
- generating an output signal with the power-consuming circuit in response to the processing of the at least one sensed signal;
- determining a time duration after which the output signal of the power-consuming circuit is valid;
- determining an update rate of the output signal of the power-consuming circuit;
- generating a timing signal, in an oscillating module, based on the time duration and the update rate, the timing signal having an ON time and an OFF time;
- supplying power to the power-consuming circuit during the ON time of the timing signal and disconnecting power to the power-consuming circuit during the OFF time;
- providing the timing signal and the output signal of the power-consuming circuit to a storage, the storage containing at least one latch;
- and
- latching the output signal at the update rate.
A system for managing power consumed by a power-consuming circuit that receives at least one sensed signal, processes the at least one sensed signal, and generates an output signal in response to the processing of the at least one sensed signal, the system comprising:
- a sensor that generates the at least one sensed signal and is connected to the power-consuming, integrated circuit;
- a timing circuit connected to the power-consuming circuit, the timing circuit generating a timing signal based on an update rate;
- a switching circuit connected to the power-consuming circuit and to the timing circuit, the switching circuit generating a power signal in response to the timing signal, and configured to supply the power signal to the power-consuming circuit for a predetermined minimum ON time and to disconnect power to the power-consuming circuit for a predetermined minimum OFF time;
- and
- a storage connected to the power-consuming circuit and connected to the timing circuit, the storage configured to receive the timing signal and store the output signal, and to output the output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.