Circuit arrangement for a microcontroller and method of operating a remote control receiver

• US 20060022661A1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wendt, Matthias, Deppe, Carsten
• Application Number:
  US10/533,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0287 changing the clock frequency of a controller in the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A circuit arrangement is described for a microcontroller having an improved energy consumption which is achieved in that the microcontroller (2) is connected to its operating clock only during evaluation of a signal. A switching means (5) through-connecting the operating clock when a “logic 1”, signal is present at the control input is arranged between the microcontroller (2) and the clock generator (6). This “logic 1” signal is generated by setting a flip-flop (4, 7) for example, when receiving a remote control signal. The program run of the microcontroller (2) is stopped at a defined breakpoint so that there is no transient time.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement for a microcontroller (2) which is directly or indirectly connected at the input to a module generating an output signal (S_out) and can be connected to a clock generator for the purpose of supply with its operating frequency, characterized in that the circuit arrangement comprises a switching means (5) between the clock generator (6) and the microcontroller (2), in that the signal input of the switching means (5) is connected to the clock generator (6), the control input of the switching means (5) is directly or indirectly connected to the module generating an output signal, and the output is connected to the microcontroller (2).

2. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an analyzer (3) is arranged between the module generating an output signal (S_out) and the switching means (5).

3. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the output signal of the module is directly or indirectly applied to the set input of an SR flip-flop (4), the output of the SR flip-flop (4) is connected to the control input of the switching means (5), and the reset input is directly or indirectly connected to an output of the microcontroller (2).

4. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a first JK flip-flop (7) is arranged between the module generating the output signal (S_out) and the switching means (5), and a second JK flip-flop (8) is arranged between the microcontroller (2) and the K input of the first JK flip-flop (7).

5. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a time counter (9) is connected to the clock generator (6).

6. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the clock generator (6) is an oscillator or a low-frequency quartz generator.

7. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the switching means is an AND gate.

8. A remote control receiver comprising a receiving module for receiving an encoded remote control signal, wherein the receiving module is directly or indirectly connected to a microcontroller for decoding, and the microcontroller can be connected to a clock generator for the purpose of supply with its operating frequency, characterized in that the remote control receiver comprises switching means having a signal input and a control input between the clock generator and the microcontroller, in that the signal input of the switching means is connected to the clock generator, the control input is directly or indirectly connected to the remote control module, and the output is connected to the microcontroller.

9. A method of operating a microcontroller which can be connected to a clock generator for the purpose of supply with its operating frequency, characterized in that the program run of the microcontroller determines its switch-off instant (change into the sleep mode), and the output signal (S_out) brings about the reactivation of the microcontroller.

10. A method of operating a remote control receiver comprising a receiving module (1) for receiving an encoded remote control signal, wherein the receiving module (1) is directly or indirectly connected to a microcontroller (2) for decoding, and the microcontroller (2) can be connected to a clock generator (6) for the purpose of supply with its operating frequency, characterized in that the clock generator (6) is connected to the microcontroller (2) when the receiving module (1) detects an input signal and thereupon generates an output signal (S_out) for the microcontroller (2), and in that this output signal (S_out) is additionally applied to a flip-flop (4, 7) which is designed in such a way that it generates a flip-flop output signal (S_FF) when it receives the output signal (S_out) of the receiving module (1), said flip-flop output signal (S_FF) being applied to the control input of a switching means (5) and thereby through-connecting said switching means and supplying the microcontroller (2) with an operating clock (AT).

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that an additional, activatable clock generator of a higher frequency is through-connected as a clock generator for the microcontroller (2) as soon as the additional, activatable clock generator has reached its nominal frequency.