Abstract An adjunct chip, usable as a peripheral to a microprocessor, which detects power failure, and which puts the microprocessor into a known state upon power down. In order to reliably and stably put the microprocessor into a known state, several clocks are generated after the reset signal. However, since the power supply is falling, it is possible that the crystal-controlled oscillator may already have become unreliable. Therefore, a simple logic circuit (a ring oscillator, in the presently preferred embodiment) is used to generate the needed additional clocks at power-down. The switch from crystal-controlled oscillator to ring oscillator is stabilized by using a latched multiplexer to switch between the two oscillator inputs. The latch adds hysteresis to the switching characteristic, avoiding any problems of switching jitter.
An integrated circuit, useable as a peripheral to a microprocessor, comprising: a reset output connectable to a reset input of the microprocessor; a clock output connectable to a clock input of the microprocessor; power monitoring circuitry, connected to monitor the voltage of an externally received power supply; a crystal-controlled oscillator, connected to produce a first clock signal; a free-running uncontrolled oscillator, connected to produce a second clock signal; a latched multiplexer, connected to receive said first and second clock signals as inputs, and to provide an output corresponding to one of said clock signals selected in accordance with a control signal; wherein said multiplexer includes feedback which causes hysteresis in the response of said multiplexer to said control signal; wherein, when said power monitoring circuitry detects that the voltage of the externally received power supply has fallen below a predetermined minimum threshold, said reset output provides a rest signal, and said multiplexer switches its input from said first clock signal to said second clock signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
An integrated circuit, useable as a peripheral to a microprocessor, comprising: a reset output connectable to a reset input of the microprocessor; a clock output connectable to a clock input of the microprocessor; power monitoring circuitry, connected to monitor the voltage of an externally received power supply; a crystal-controlled oscillator, connected to produce a first clock signal; a free-running uncontrolled oscillator, connected to produce a second clock signal; a latched multiplexer, connected to receive said first and second clock signals as inputs, and to provide an output corresponding to one of said clock signals selected in accordance with a control signal; wherein said multiplexer includes feedback which causes hysteresis in the response of said multiplexer to said control signal; wherein, when said power monitoring circuitry detects that the voltage of the externally received power supply has fallen below a predetermined minimum threshold, said reset output provides a rest signal, and said multiplexer switches its input from said first clock signal to said second clock signal.