System and method for determining voltage levels
First Claim
1. A method for determining a power source voltage level of a power source in a system in which the power source is connected to a microcontroller, comprising:
- charging a charging circuit in direct communication with a pin of the microcontroller using a constant voltage level;
determining a time when the charging circuit attains a voltage level sufficient to transition the pin of the microcontroller from a state corresponding to a logic “
0”
to a state corresponding to a logic “
1;
” and
using the determined time and a predetermined relationship between the power source voltage level and an input port transition voltage value of the microcontroller to determine the power source voltage level of the power source.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining a power source voltage level of a power source in a system in which the power source is connected to a microcontroller. A charging circuit is in direct communication with a pin of the microcontroller and the power source voltage level is determined by charging the charging circuit using a constant voltage level and determining a time when the charging circuit attains a voltage level sufficient to transition the pin of the microcontroller from a state corresponding to a logic “0” to a state corresponding to a logic “1.” The determined time and a predetermined relationship between the power source voltage level and an input port transition voltage value of the microcontroller is then used to determine the power source voltage level of the power source.
38 Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method for determining a power source voltage level of a power source in a system in which the power source is connected to a microcontroller, comprising:
-
charging a charging circuit in direct communication with a pin of the microcontroller using a constant voltage level;
determining a time when the charging circuit attains a voltage level sufficient to transition the pin of the microcontroller from a state corresponding to a logic “
0”
to a state corresponding to a logic “
1;
” and
using the determined time and a predetermined relationship between the power source voltage level and an input port transition voltage value of the microcontroller to determine the power source voltage level of the power source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 28)
-
-
10. A system for determining a power source voltage level of a power source, comprising:
-
a microcontroller electrically coupled to the power source; and
a charging circuit in direct communication with a pin of the microcontroller which is charged using a constant voltage level;
wherein the microcontroller is programmed to determine a time when the charging circuit attains a voltage level sufficient to transition the pin of the microcontroller from a state corresponding to a logic “
0”
to a state corresponding to a logic “
1” and
to use the determined time and a predetermined relationship between the power source voltage level and an input port transition voltage value of the microcontroller to determine the power source voltage level of the power source. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29)
-
-
19. A readable media having instructions for determining a power source voltage level of a power source in a system in which the power source is connected to a microcontroller, the instructions performing steps comprising:
-
enabling a charging circuit in direct communication with a pin of the microcontroller to charge using a constant voltage level;
determining a time when the charging circuit attains a voltage level sufficient to transition the pin of the microcontroller from a state corresponding to a logic “
0”
to a state corresponding to a logic “
1;
” and
using the determined time and a predetermined relationship between the power source voltage level and an input port transition voltage value of the microcontroller to determine the power source voltage level of the power source. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification