Dynamic critical battery detection mechanism

• US 6,560,083 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Don J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): KITOV, ZEEV V
• Application Number:
  US09/750,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 361/86, 361/18, 713/340, 327/310, 327/317
• US Class Current: 361/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

An electronic device including a voltage supply source is presented. Included in the electronic device is a low voltage detection circuit that is connected to the voltage supply source. Also, a voltage offset circuit is connected to the low voltage detection circuit. The voltage offset circuit offsets a voltage drop in the low voltage detection circuit that is caused by a voltage transient. Therefore, a false reading is prevented in the low voltage detection circuit.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a voltage supply source;

a low voltage detection circuit coupled to the voltage supply source; and

a voltage offset circuit coupled to the low voltage detection circuit,

wherein the voltage offset circuit offsets a voltage drop in the low voltage detection circuit caused by a voltage transient to prevent a false reading in the low voltage detection circuit and the voltage offset circuit uses at least one signal from a central processing unit to detect a voltage drop due to a change of the voltage supply source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage transient is caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a current monitor circuit, wherein a current from the voltage supply source is monitored for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a voltage monitor circuit to monitor a voltage from the voltage supply source for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises an inverter and at least one resistor, wherein the inverter and the at least one resistor generate a positive offset voltage.

7. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a processor voltage regulator;

a bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to a main voltage regulator;

a voltage supply source coupled to the main voltage regulator and the processor voltage regulator;

a low voltage detection circuit coupled to the voltage supply source; and

a voltage offset circuit coupled to the low voltage detection circuit,

wherein the voltage offset circuit offsets a voltage drop in the low voltage detection circuit caused by a voltage transient to prevent a false reading in the low voltage detection circuit and the voltage offset circuit uses at least one signal from the processor to detect a voltage drop due to a change of the voltage supply source.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the voltage transient is caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a current monitor circuit, wherein a current from the voltage supply source is monitored for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a voltage monitor circuit to monitor a voltage from the voltage supply source for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises an inverter and at least one resistor, wherein the inverter and the at least one resistor generate a positive offset voltage.

13. A method comprising:

determining if a first voltage is lower than a reference voltage;

determining if a voltage supply source has changed using at least one signal from a central processing unit; and

generating a second voltage to offset a voltage drop if the voltage supply source has changed and the first voltage is lower than the reference voltage,

wherein the second voltage prevents a false trigger caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the second voltage further comprises monitoring current from the voltage supply source for transients.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the second voltage further comprises monitoring voltage at the voltage supply source for transients.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a second voltage prevents the voltage supply source from draining prematurely.

18. A program storage device readable by a machine comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

determine if a first voltage is lower than a reference voltage;

determine if a voltage supply source has changed; and

generate a second voltage to offset a voltage drop if the voltage supply source has changed and the first voltage is lower than the reference voltage,

wherein the second voltage prevents a false trigger caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

19. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

20. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the instruction that causes the machine to determine if a voltage supply source has changed comprises using at least one signal from a central processing unit.

21. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the instruction that causes the machine to generate the second voltage further comprises an instruction that causes the machine to monitor current from the voltage supply source for transients.

22. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the instruction that causes the machine to generate the second voltage further comprises an instruction that causes the machine to monitor voltage at the voltage supply source for transients.

23. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the instruction that causes the machine to generate a second voltage prevents the voltage supply source from draining prematurely.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a voltage supply source;

a low voltage detection circuit coupled to the voltage supply source; and

a voltage offset circuit coupled to the low voltage detection circuit,

wherein the voltage offset circuit offsets a voltage drop in the low voltage detection circuit caused by a voltage transient to prevent a false reading in the low voltage detection circuit and the voltage offset circuit comprises a current monitor circuit, wherein a current from the voltage supply source is monitored for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the voltage transient is caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a voltage monitor circuit to monitor a voltage from the voltage supply source for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises an inverter and at least one resistor, wherein the inverter and the at least one resistor generate a positive offset voltage.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the voltage offset circuit uses at least one signal from a central processing unit to detect a voltage drop due to a change of the voltage supply source.

30. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a processor voltage regulator;

a bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to a main voltage regulator;

a voltage supply source coupled to the main voltage regulator and the processor voltage regulator;

a low voltage detection circuit coupled to the voltage supply source; and

a voltage offset circuit coupled to the low voltage detection circuit,

wherein the voltage offset circuit offsets a voltage drop in the low voltage detection circuit caused by a voltage transient to prevent a false reading in the low voltage detection circuit and the voltage offset circuit comprises a current monitor circuit, wherein a current from the voltage supply source is monitored for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the voltage transient is caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the voltage offset circuit uses at least one signal from the processor to detect a voltage drop due to a change of the voltage supply source.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises a voltage monitor circuit to monitor a voltage from the voltage supply source for transients, and an offset voltage is generated.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the voltage offset circuit comprises an inverter and at least one resistor, wherein the inverter and the at least one resistor generate a positive offset voltage.

36. A method comprising:

determining if a first voltage is lower than a reference voltage;

determining if a voltage supply source has changed; and

generating a second voltage to offset a voltage drop if the voltage supply source has changed and the first voltage is lower than the reference voltage by monitoring current from the voltage supply source for transients,

wherein the second voltage prevents a false trigger caused by a change of the voltage supply source.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the voltage supply source is one of a battery and a direct current (DC) supply.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein determining if a voltage supply source has changed comprises using at least one signal from a central processing unit.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein generating the second voltage further comprises monitoring voltage at the voltage supply source for transients.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein generating a second voltage prevents the voltage supply source from draining prematurely.