Patent ID: 6381705
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of reducing consumption of a microcontroller comprising a central processing unit, a main oscillator, a memory in which is stored a user program for driving the microcontroller, at least one internal peripheral circuit, and a clock tree, the central processing unit running the user program when the microcontroller is in a run mode, the method comprising the steps of:a) when in the run mode, setting the microcontroller into an active halt mode in which the central processing unit, the at least one internal peripheral circuit, and the clock tree are deactivated, but in which the main oscillator is operative and delivers an oscillating signal; b) generating a time delay having a predetermined period using an internal circuit activated by the oscillating signal; and c) generating an internal interruption, after the time delay, to set the microcontroller back to the run mode.