Supplying voltage to digital subcircuits
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorsLutz Dathe, Henry Drescher, Thomas Hanusch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuit, method for operating a circuit, and use, having a voltage regulator, which has a regulator output for providing a supply voltage, which for the supply can be connected to at least one first digital subcircuit via a first switch and to a second digital subcircuit via a second switch, wherein the voltage regulator is formed to output a first status signal dependent on the supply voltage, and to turn on the first switch by the first status signal is connected to a first control input of the first switch, and the first switch is formed to output a second status signal dependent on its switching state, and to turn on the second switch by the second status signal is connected to a second control input of the second switch.
Claims18
A circuit comprising:
- a voltage regulator configured to generate a supply voltage and a supply voltage status signal indicating a status of the supply voltage;
- a plurality of subcircuits;
- a chain of switches comprising a first switch and one or more second switches, each switch in the chain of switches being configured to generate a switch state status signal indicating a respective switch state, the first switch being configured to connect the supply voltage to a respective one of the plurality of subcircuits based on the supply voltage status signal, and each one of the second switches being configured to connect the supply voltage and a respective one of the plurality of subcircuits based on a switch state status signal received from a previous switch in the chain of switches.
A method comprising:
- generating, by a voltage regulator, a supply voltage and a supply voltage status signal indicating a status of the supply voltage;
- generating, by each switch in a chain of switches comprising a first switch and one or more second switches, a switch state status signal indicating a respective switch state;
- connecting, by the first switch, the supply voltage to a respective one of a plurality of subcircuits based on the supply voltage status signal;
- and
- connecting, by each one of the second switches, the supply voltage and a respective one of the plurality of subcircuits based on a switch state status signal received from a previous switch in the chain of switches.
A system comprising:
- means for generating a supply voltage and a supply voltage status signal indicating a status of the supply voltage;
- means for generating a switch state status signal indicating a respective switch state of a respective switch in a chain of switches comprising a first switch and one or more second switches;
- means for connecting the supply voltage to a respective one of a plurality of subcircuits based on the supply voltage status signal;
- and
- means for connecting the supply voltage and a respective one of the plurality of subcircuits based on a switch state status signal received from a previous switch in the chain of switches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.