External control of a multi-mode controller
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- an electrical energy storage device arranged to provide at a pin an output signal that varies with time;
a reference clock; and
a multi-mode controller having a first mode in which the reference clock is disabled and a second mode in which the reference clock is enabled, the multi-mode controller being operable, when in the first mode, to monitor the output signal provided by the electrical energy storage device and to change the mode of the controller from the first mode to the second mode when the monitored signal reaches a threshold value;
wherein the multi-mode controller is further operable, when in the second mode, to use the pin to store electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device.
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Abstract
An apparatus including an electrical energy storage device arranged to provide an output voltage that decreases with time;
a reference clock; and a multi-mode controller having a first mode in which the reference clock is disabled and a second mode in which the reference clock is enabled, the multi-mode controller being operable, when in the first mode, to monitor a voltage provided by the electrical energy storage device and to change the mode of the controller from the first mode to the second mode when the monitored voltage falls beneath a threshold value and being operable, when in the second mode, to enable storage of electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an electrical energy storage device arranged to provide at a pin an output signal that varies with time; a reference clock; and a multi-mode controller having a first mode in which the reference clock is disabled and a second mode in which the reference clock is enabled, the multi-mode controller being operable, when in the first mode, to monitor the output signal provided by the electrical energy storage device and to change the mode of the controller from the first mode to the second mode when the monitored signal reaches a threshold value;
wherein the multi-mode controller is further operable, when in the second mode, to use the pin to store electrical energy in the electrical energy storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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entering a multi-mode controller in a first low-power sleep mode; monitoring a signal provided by an electrical energy storage device; changing the mode from the first low-power sleep mode to a second higher power operational mode when the monitored signal reaches a threshold value; and using a pin coupled to the electrical energy storage device to both monitor the signal provided by the electrical energy storage device in the first low-power sleep mode and to provide electrical energy to the electrical energy storage device in the second higher power operational mode.
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21. A computer program product comprising a memory device storing computer program instructions which when loaded into a processor enable the processor to operate as a multi-mode controller that is operable to:
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enter a first low-power sleep mode; monitor a signal provided by an electrical energy storage device; change the mode from the first low-power sleep mode to a second higher power operational mode when the monitored signal reaches a threshold value; and using a pin coupled to the electrical energy storage device to both monitor the signal provided by the electrical energy storage device in the first low-power sleep mode and to provide electrical energy to the electrical energy storage device in the second higher power operational mode.
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Specification