Patent ID: 7538560

Claim:
A system for component failure protection, the system comprising: an operational circuit for operating in a first operational state, wherein the first operational state is in proximity of a low voltage circuit failure threshold for a bipolar junction transistor; a canary circuit for mimicking the operational characteristics of the operational circuit, wherein the canary circuit operates in a second operational state, and wherein the second operational state is in closer proximity of the low voltage circuit failure threshold for the bipolar junction transistor than the proximity of the first operational state; and a variable input control coupled to the operational circuit and the canary circuit, wherein the variable input control monitors the second operational state, detects a failure of the canary circuit by monitoring setup and hold timing of the canary circuit, identifies a violation of one of a predetermined setup time requirement and a predetermined hold time requirement, and increases a power supply voltage input to the operational circuit in response to detecting the failure of the canary circuit, wherein the power supply voltage input is adjusted to a level that resolves the failure of the canary circuit.