Method and apparatus for utilizing a microcontroller to provide an automatic order and timing power and reset sequencer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsKevin Boyum, Robert Dobbs, Kenneth Duisenberg
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for utilizing a microcontroller to provide an automatic order and timing power and reset sequencer. A first inter-integrated circuit (I2C) register table containing a modifiable system power-up sequence is accessed. An automatic system power-up operation is then performed in the order of the power-up sequence defined by the first I2C register table.
Claims23
A method for utilizing a microcontroller to provide an automatic order and timing power and reset sequencer (PRS), said method comprising:
- accessing a first inter-integrated circuit (I2C) register table containing a modifiable system power-up sequence that specifies an order that a plurality of components for a system are to be powered-up in relationship to each other;
- and
- performing an automatic system power-up operation in the order of said power-up sequence defined by said first I2C register table, wherein a first component of said system is powered-up before a second component of said system based on said order of said power-up sequence, wherein said first I2C register table further provides support for a plurality of circuit components which need programming after power-up and before a system reset is released.
A power reset sequence microcontroller comprising:
- a flash storage coupled with said microcontroller;
- a first inter-integrated circuit (I2C) register table stored on said flash storage comprising a modifiable power-up sequence for a plurality of components in a system, wherein said modifiable power-up sequence specifies an order that said plurality of components are to be powered-up in relationship to each other;
- and
- an I2C interface coupled with said microcontroller, said I2C interface for accessing said power-on sequence and providing said power-up sequence to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is configured for performing said power-up sequence automatically on said plurality of components in said system based on said power-up sequence stored at said first I2C register table, wherein said first I2C register table further provides support for a plurality of circuit components which need programming after power-up and before a system reset is released.
A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for causing a method for utilizing a microcontroller to provide an automatic order and timing power and reset sequencer (PRS), said method comprising:
- accessing a first inter-integrated circuit (I2C) register table containing a modifiable system power-up sequence that specifies an order that a plurality of components for a system are to be powered-up in relationship to each other;
- utilizing an I2C interface coupled with said microcontroller to perform an automatic system power-up operation in the order of said power-up sequence defined by said first I2C register table, wherein said first inter-integrated circuit (I2C) register table further provides support for a plurality of circuit components which need programming after power-up and before a system reset is released;
- accessing a second I2C register table containing a modifiable power-down sequence that specifies an order that said plurality of components are to be powered-down in relationship to each other;
- and
- utilizing said I2C interface coupled with said microcontroller to perform an automatic system power-down operation in the order of said power-down sequence defined by said second I2C register table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.