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Power consumption reduction in medical devices employing just-in-time clock

  • US 6,167,303 A
  • Filed: 04/09/1999
  • Issued: 12/26/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method device, comprising:

  • at least one circuit operable to perform at least one function and having at least one of a first input and a first output connected thereto for receiving or outputting, respectively, a first input signal or a first output signal;

    a clock source for providing clock signals at a plurality of clock frequencies, the clock source being operatively connected to control the at least one circuit at a clock frequency such that substantially the entire predetermined time period is used to perform the at least one function, the function being completed just prior to the subsequent time period;

    a processing device having a second input for receiving at least one of the first input signal and the first output signal, the first input signal or first output signal being input to the second input before or after having been subjected to any one of preliminary signal conditioning, filtering, amplification and logic processing, anda monitor circuit connected between the second input and the first input or first output, the monitor circuit being operable to at least one of measure, sense and detect at least one predetermined characteristic of the first input signal or the first output signal, the monitor circuit being connected to the clock source and being operable, in response to at least one of measuring, sensing and detecting the at least one predetermined characteristic, to cause the clock source to increase or decrease the clock frequency.

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