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US4571690A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Arithmetic operation apparatus using solar cells

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1983-03-29
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Granted: 1986-02-18
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Expires: 2003-03-29
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Abstract

Abstract Two different set voltages are respectively compared with a power source voltage. When the smaller set voltage which is close to a minimum operating voltage of an arithmetic circuit coincides with the power source voltage, a clock signal generator, and hence the arithmetic circuit are stopped. When the power source voltage increases to coincide with the larger set voltage after the clock signal generator is stopped, the clock signal generator and hence the arithmetic circuit are restarted.

Inventors

  • 👤 Eiichi Munetsugu

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 22:40
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/24; G06F1/26; G06F1/30; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S323/00; Y10S323/906

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 205 words
An arithmetic operation apparatus using solar cells as a power source, comprising: capacitor means, connected to said solar cells, for smoothing the power output of said solar cells; arithmetic operating means, connected to said capacitor means to receive a voltage generated by said solar cells as a power source voltage, for executing various types of operations; clock signal generating means for generating clock signals to be used as synchronization signals in said arithmetic operating means; voltage comparator means for compairing said power source voltage with a first set voltage and with a second set voltage, the absolute value of said first set voltage being smaller than the absolute value of said second set voltage, said first set voltage being set to be close to a minimum value above which erroneous operation of said arithmetic operating means will not occur; and controlling means for interrupting the generation of said clock signals by said clock signal generating means when said voltage comparator means determines a coincidence between said first set voltage and said power source voltage, and for restarting said clock signal generating means when said voltage comparator means determines a coincidence between said second set voltage and said power source voltage after a clock signal interruption.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 205 words
An arithmetic operation apparatus using solar cells as a power source, comprising: capacitor means, connected to said solar cells, for smoothing the power output of said solar cells; arithmetic operating means, connected to said capacitor means to receive a voltage generated by said solar cells as a power source voltage, for executing various types of operations; clock signal generating means for generating clock signals to be used as synchronization signals in said arithmetic operating means; voltage comparator means for compairing said power source voltage with a first set voltage and with a second set voltage, the absolute value of said first set voltage being smaller than the absolute value of said second set voltage, said first set voltage being set to be close to a minimum value above which erroneous operation of said arithmetic operating means will not occur; and controlling means for interrupting the generation of said clock signals by said clock signal generating means when said voltage comparator means determines a coincidence between said first set voltage and said power source voltage, and for restarting said clock signal generating means when said voltage comparator means determines a coincidence between said second set voltage and said power source voltage after a clock signal interruption.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 115 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage comparator means comprises: a first voltage comparator for comparing the first set voltage with the power source voltage to produce a high-level logic signal when the power source voltage is greater than the first set voltage and to produce a low-level logic signal when the power source voltage coincides with the first set voltage; and a second voltage comparator for comparing the second set voltage with the power source voltage to produce a low-level logic signal when the power source voltage is smaller than the second set voltage and to produce a high-level logic signal when the power source voltage coincides with the second set voltage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises a flip-flop which is controlled in accordance with logic signals from said voltage comparator means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4264962A Cited
US4234920A Cited
US4333136A Cited
US4375662A Cited
US4428020A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-02-17 1989-08-19 1990-02-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-02-17 1993-08-19 1994-02-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-02-17 1997-08-19 1998-02-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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