Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/959,286 filed Jul. 12, 2007 incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an automatic power saving system and method for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In some applications e.g. automotive applications, electrical components such as signal processor circuit chips for monitoring or measuring fluid levels are required to continue operation in the presence of extreme electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals. In some cases the interruption in the power supply can extend for a period of time sufficient to completely discharge the power supply decoupling capacitor. When this occurs the memory in the state machine e.g. microprocessor of the signal processor, is lost and the entire signal processor has to be reset resulting in loss of data and interruption of the communication between the signal processor and the primary computer system of the vehicle. The operation of such a signal processor in a typical 12 volt automobile application can experience one of three states. State A, the normal operation range which extends, for example, from 12 volts to 4.2 volts. State B, a range wherein circuits may still operate and memory is not lost, e.g. from 4.2 volts to 2.4 volts. State C in which there is no operation and memory is lost from 2.4 volts to 0 volts. In certain applications there is a constraint imposed that the signal processor must suffer a power supply interruption of a given period, e.g. 50 μsecs without discharging the decoupling capacitor to below state A so as to prevent loss of memory and yet appear to be fully operational to the primary vehicle computer. One way to solve the problem is simply to enlarge the decoupling capacitor to a capacity where it can hold sufficient charge through the given period. However, enlargement of that capacitor is sometimes not an option. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved automatic power saving system and method for decreasing power demand during a power interruption. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which decreases power demand during a power interruption while it maintains the appearance of conventional operation of a signal processor 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which can be enabled at any time even during high activity operations which can be stopped and then resumed when the interruption is over. It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which conserves power during a power interruption so there is no loss of memory. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which requires no complex software operations/analysis to determine when to enter a power saving mode. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which continues operation of the communications interface during a power saving operation to maintain the appearance of normal operation of the signal processor. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which not only serves to extend power supply life but maintains some level of operation even when the power supply is interrupted or removed. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which upon a power interruption conserves power over a period of time to ensure a preselected charge to survive on the decoupling capacitor. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide such an automatic power saving system and method which can disable power to the state machine, e.g. microprocessor as well as other, non-essential circuits. 
     The invention results from the realization that an automatic power saving system and method for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor can be achieved by sensing an interruption when the power supply voltage varies from a predetermined level, then disabling non-essential circuitry to extend the discharge time of the decoupling capacitor over the specified interruption period so that voltage does not drop below the level at which the signal processor suffers memory loss while keeping the communication interface operational and maintaining the appearance of full operation of the signal processor; and the additional realization that the signal processor state machine itself may be disabled to save power without interfering with the performance of the automatic power saving system which operates without software supervision by the state machine. 
     The subject invention, however, in other embodiments, need not achieve all these objectives and the claims hereof should not be limited to structures or methods capable of achieving these objectives. 
     This invention features an automatic power saving system for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor including predetermined power consuming circuits, a communications interface, and a state machine. 
     There is a supply monitor for sensing when a power supply interruption has occurred and a clock for providing a clock signal. 
     A clock gate circuit is interconnected between the clock and the predefined power consuming circuits; and a response control circuit is responsive to the supply signal for operating the clock gate circuit to halt the clock signal to the predefined power consuming circuits, during a power interruption. The clock provides a clock signal to the communications interface regardless of a sensed interruption for maintaining the appearance of normal operations during the sensed interruption. 
     In a preferred embodiment the state machine may include a microprocessor controller. The clock gate circuit may provide a clock signal to the microprocessor controller which is halted upon a power interruption. The microprocessor controller may include a microprocessor. The microprocessor controller may include a ROM, a SRAM or a one time programmable memory (OTPM). The predetermined power consuming circuit may include a transducer signal channel responsive to the digital state machine to generate acoustic transducer transmission pulses and to deliver return pulses to the state machine. The signal processor may include other power consuming circuits. The other power consuming circuit may include a temperature sensor. The other power consuming circuits may include a low frequency oscillator and a watchdog circuit. The transducer signal channel may include a digital section, an analog section and a logic gate responsive to a signal from the digital section and the response control for enabling the analog section during the receipt of a return pulse in the absence of a sensed interruption. The supply monitor may include a comparator circuit with one input responsive to power supply voltage and the other input to a reference voltage level. The signal processor may further include a voltage regulator responsive to the power supply voltage to provide a regulated predefined voltage output. The comparator circuit may receive the regulated predefined voltage as the reference level. The supply monitor may include a first voltage divider interconnected between the one input of the comparator circuit and the power supply voltage and a second voltage divider interconnected between the other input of the comparator circuit and the regulated predefined voltage output for scaling down the power supply voltage and regulated predefined voltage to the range of the comparator circuit. The microprocessor controller may include a non-volatile multi-time-programmable memory. 
     This invention also features an automatic power saving system for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor including predetermined power consuming circuits, a communications interface, and a state machine including a supply monitor for sensing when a power supply interruption has occurred; and a clock for providing a clock signal. A clock gate circuit is interconnected between the clock and the predefined power consuming circuits between the clock and the state machine. A response control circuit responsive to the supply signal operates the clock gate circuit to halt the clock signal to the predefined power consuming circuits and the state machine, during a power interruption. The clock provides a clock signal to the communications interface regardless of a sensed interruption for maintaining the appearance of normal operations during the sensed interruption. 
     This invention also features an automatic power saving method for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor including predefined power consuming circuits, a communications interface, and a state machine including sensing when a power supply interruption has occurred, providing a clock signal, halting the clock signal to the predefined power consuming circuits during a power interruption; and continuing to provide a clock signal to a communications interface regardless of a sensed interruption for maintaining the appearance of normal operations during the sensed interruption. In a preferred embodiment the state machine may be halted during the sensed interruption. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an automatic power saving system according to this invention for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor; 
         FIG. 2 ; is a more detailed schematic block diagram of another embodiment of the automatic power saving system for decreasing power demand during a power interruption while maintaining the appearance of full operation of a signal processor; 
         FIG. 2A  is flow chart depicting the monitoring of the power supply interruption by the microcontroller of  FIG. 2  to determine when to accept/reject incoming signal/acoustic data; 
         FIG. 3  is a graphical illustration of variation in power supply voltage over time when an interruption occurs at the same time as the acoustic pulse, the acoustic pulse is an example of a time sensitive operation which consumes a large amount of power; 
         FIG. 4  is a graphical illustration of variation in power supply voltage over time when an acoustic pulse occurs during an interruption; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing interconnection of the module of  FIG. 2  with the engine control unit primary computer over the vehicle wiring harness; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged detailed view of portions of the system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged detailed view of an alternative embodiment of the supply monitor of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart showing the method of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer. 
     There is shown in  FIG. 1  an automatic power saving system  10  according to this invention and a signal processor  12 . Signal processor  12  includes a digital state machine  14 , some predetermined power consuming circuits  16  and other power consuming circuits  18  as well as a communications interface  20 . Predetermined power consuming circuit  16  consumes substantial power while other power consuming circuits  18  consumes lower amounts of power. Both gather and/or process information in conjunction with digital state machine  14 . The final output data is delivered to further processors or displays by communication interface  20 . Signal processor  12  typically also includes a clock  22  which normally operates digital state machine  14 , predetermined power consuming circuits  16  and other power consuming circuits  18 . 
     In accordance with this invention the automatic power saving system  10  includes supply monitor  24 , an electromagnetic interference (EMI) response control  26  and clock gate circuit  28 . When the power supply voltage Vdd drops to some preselected level supply monitor  24  senses that level and provides a signal to EMI response control  26 . It in turn operates clock gate circuit  28  to halt the clock signals from clock  22  to at least predetermined power consuming circuits  16 . It may also halt the clock signals to other power consuming circuits  18  and even digital state machine  14 . Digital state machine  14  may be halted in this manner because supply monitor  24  and EMI response control  26  operate their decision making process independent of digital state machine  14 . Digital state machine  14  and other power consuming circuits  18  may receive their clock signals directly from clock  22  and not under control of clock gate circuit  28 . When, then, supply monitor  24  senses a sufficient drop in supply voltage Vdd to trigger EMI response control  26  operation, clock gate circuit  28  halts clock signals to predetermined power consuming circuits  16  in order to save power so that at least for some specified period the system conserves power. However, even though predetermined power consuming circuit  16  and even other power consuming circuits  18  and digital state machine  14  may be denied operation due to disablement of the clock signal, communication interface  20  is not. Therefore, communication interface  20  operates continuously and gives the appearance of full operation even though the information gathering and processing operations of circuits  16  and  18  and even digital state machine  14  may be inoperative. 
     A more specific embodiment of the invention in a vehicle application is shown in  FIG. 2  where like parts have been given like numbers accompanied by a lower case a. There it can be seen that clock gate circuit  28   a  actually includes two clock gates clock gate one,  30  and clock gate two,  32 . Predetermined power consuming circuits  16   a  are represented in this case by one circuit: transducer signal channel  34 , although two or many more circuits could be included. Transducer signal channel  34  contains a number of digital and analog circuits to produce an ultrasonic pulse and listen to the returning echo. The other power consuming circuits  18   a  may include for example a temperature sensor  36  and a low frequency oscillator  38  which drives a watch dog circuit  40 . Digital state machine  14  may include a microprocessor controller  14   a  which may have a microprocessor  42 , read only memory  44 , static random access memory  46  and one time programmable memory  48 . A power-on reset  50  may be provided for when a complete restart is required. Microprocessor controller  14   a  may include a non-volatile multi-time programmable memory (NVMTPM) such as, but not limited to EEPROM, flash memory, FeRAM. 
     Signal processor  12   a  may be formed of conventional devices. For example temperature sensor  36  may contain an analog to digital converter which provides a digital code representing temperature. Low frequency oscillator  38  may provide an approximately 130 KHz signal for timing the watchdog timer. The watchdog timer  40  can reset the part if it does not periodically receive the correct sequence from the microprocessor. Digital communications interface  20   a  communicates with the rest of the vehicle through a serial digital interface. There are three formats available: pulse width modulation (PWM), local interconnect network (LIN), and signal edge nibble transmission (SENT). Transducer signal channel  16   a  typically contains a number of digital and analog circuits to produce an ultrasonic pulse and listen to the returning echo which it relays to microprocessor controller  14   a . High frequency oscillator  22   a  typically supplies a 20 MHz signal for clocking the digital system, in most cases this may be divided down to 2.5 MHz before being used. Supply monitor  24   a  provides a signal when the power supply falls before 8 volts for example. This signal is then acted on by EMI response controller  26   a  which then takes measures to conserve power. It does so by operating clock gates  30  and  32  included in clock gate circuit  28   a . Clock gate one,  30 , halts the clock signal to transducer signal channel  34 ; clock gate two,  32 , may be provided to actually halt clock signals to microprocessor controller  14   a . Both the automatic power saving system  10   a  and signal processor  12   a  are driven by a 3.3 volt supply from low drop out regulator (LDO)  60  which regulates the automobile battery voltage from 12 volts to 3.3 volts. It is connected to the power supply terminal  62 . It should be understood that in the example of this embodiment the application of the invention is for an automobile and so the power supply is the automobile battery, but this is an example only and in no way limits the invention: the power supply is not limited to a battery or any of the specifics shown here. Also included is a digital communications physical circuit  64  which translates the 0 to 3.3 volt logical level output of digital comms  20   a  to the 0 to 12 volt level in the remainder of the circuit. Digital communications physical  64  is connected to communications terminal  66 . There is also a ground terminal  68 . Transducer signal channel  34  provides transmission pulses to and receives return pulses from H bridge driver  70 , which through transducer terminals  72  and  74  connect to a transducer such as an acoustic transducer  76 . H bridge driver  70  contains high voltage switches to apply a high amplitude ultrasonic pulse onto the ultrasonic transducer  76 . Transducer  76  when receiving a transmission pulse produces an acoustic pulse which reflects off a surface or object of interest and returns through transducer terminal  72 ,  74  back to H bridge circuit  70  where the return pulse causes transducer signal channel  34  to respond to microprocessor controller  14   a.    
     All of these elements plus signal processor  12   a  and automatic power saving system  10   a  are included in a vehicle application module which has a power supply pin  82 , ground pin  84  and a communications pin  86 . The battery voltage VBAT is delivered through reverse bias diode  88  to the power supply terminal Vdd  62 . Also connected to terminal  62  is decoupling capacitor  90  and Zener diode  92 . Reverse bias diode  88  prevents the charge on coupling capacitor  90  being drawn down when VBAT decreases. The reverse bias diode  88  may also be implemented using a diode connected MOSFET. Decoupling capacitor  90 , typically 100 nf, smoothes out disturbances on the external supply. Due to space restrictions within the module in some applications the size of this capacitor cannot be increased. Zener diode  92  prevents the voltage on decoupling capacitor  90  from exceeding the Zener voltage, for example 24 volts. 
     There is an interconnection shown between EMI response controller  26   a  and microprocessor controller  14   a  in  FIG. 2 . This is so that the microprocessor controller  14   a  can monitor the occurrence of EMI interruptions. Thus microprocessor controller  14   a  operates in the following fashion as shown in  FIG. 2A . It initiates by beginning a time sensitive operation  200  and then it waits for that activity to be completed. If in the interim there was an EMI interruption this is detected at  204  and the time sensitive operation is repeated after the power supply recovers. The microprocessor may wait a short period of time before repeating the operation, for example, if the previous operation involved an ultra sonic pulse the microprocessor may wait until return echos, have ceased. If there was no EMI interruption then the results, for example, the output of transducer signal channel  34 , are processed  206  and the results  208  are delivered to the digital communications circuit  20   a.    
     The efficacy of this invention can be better understood with reference to the examples shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  which show the variation of the voltage on the capacitor (90 Vdd) not to be confused with the external supply (82, Vbat) which is being interrupted. Time of the power supply interruption is specified as a maximum of 50 microseconds. There are three states shown. State A which is the normal state and covers the voltage range from approximately 12 volts down to 4.2. State B is the range from 4.2 volts to 2.4 volts: here below the approximately 4.2 volt minimum the system will continue to function but with degraded performance and with no loss of memory so that whatever processing was being performed when the clock signal was halted will be resumed. State C is the range from 2.4 volts to 0 volts, here there is no operation and memory is lost so that the system would have to be reset. 
     In  FIG. 3  an acoustic pulse occurs simultaneously with an interruption in the power supply. There the voltage  100  drops sharply within 7 or 8 microseconds from 12 volts down to roughly six volts. If nothing is done, then, as shown at line  102 , the system enters state B, at about 15 microseconds and has completely discharged the decoupling capacitor  90  in little more than 35 microseconds. However, with this invention shutting down the predetermined power consuming circuits  16 , e.g. transducer signal channel  34 , the discharge path shallows out as shown at  104  and at 50 microseconds has barely reached 4.2 volts. That is, it is on the border between normal state, state A and state B. In  FIG. 4  the acoustic pulse occurs during power supply interruption and there is a similar improvement in operation. Here capacitor  90  (voltage Vdd  62 ) is discharging,  100   a , then the supply monitor  24   a  operates,  106 , at the 8 volt level and the voltage begins to drop abruptly  108 . Within two microseconds EMI response control  26   a  operates at least clock gate one,  30 , and the shallower slope of discharge  110  is returned to so that at 50 microseconds the voltage is only dropped to approximately 4.5 volts. 
     Application module  80 ,  FIG. 5 , has its pins  82 ,  86  and  84  connected through a wiring harness  120  to an engine control unit  122  conventionally contained in a vehicle. Also contained in a vehicle is a 12 volt battery  124  as the power supply. The engine control unit, as is well known, monitors and controls activities in the car engine and communicates with the application module  80  over the communications line on pin  86 . When an electromagnetic interference event occurs, the engine control unit  122  must not be able to detect any problems with the application module  80 . From the engine control unit  122  point of view there are three operating modes of the applications module as explained previously. In state A all functions are correct and within expected limits; in state B there is degradation of functions but no loss of stored memory data; in state C there is no damage to the applications module but complete or partial loss of stored memory occurs and the applications module can return to normal operation after the electromagnetic interference event. An electromagnetic interference event may occur through the wiring harness, e.g. from the car starter motor, alternator malfunction, or the automobile passing through radar installation near an airport, cellular phones. The electromagnetic event as explained in this particular embodiment is shown in the graphical illustration in  FIG. 5 , where the power supply is at 12 volts,  125 , but can drop as much as 50 volts as at  126  for as long as 50 microseconds as shown at  128  before recovery occurs. The voltage levels and the times may vary in which case the parameters of the embodiment would change accordingly. 
     Supply monitor  24   a  may include a comparator circuit  130 ,  FIG. 6 , and a voltage reference source  132 . In this case the reference voltage is 8 volts as indicated previously, so when comparator circuit  130  senses that the supply voltage Vdd has dropped below 8 volts, it provides a signal to EMI response control  26   a  which then disables clock gate one,  30  which halts the signal on line  134  to transducer signal channel  34  and also halts the clock signal on line  136  from clock gate two,  32 , to microprocessor  42 . Transducer signal channel  34  in  FIG. 6  is shown as having a digital section  140  and an analog section  142 . In the usual manner the digital section  140  requests that the analog signal activate and send a pulse to the transducer  76  and also process the return pulse. However, in accordance with this invention digital section  140  does not directly operate the analog section  142 , rather analog section  142  is operated by the output from logic gate  144 . Logic gate  144  provides an output as long as it receives an enabling input at pin  146  from EMI response control  26   a  indicating that the power supply is still operating properly, that is, above 8 volts and that the digital section  140  has called for analog operation. Only then will the analog section communicate a pulse to transducer  76  and respond to the return pulse. Only when transducer signal channel  34  receives the return pulse and has processed it will it be transferred to microprocessor controller  14   a . If before the processing in transducer signal channel  34  is complete, the clock signal to it has been halted, there will be pulse information returned to the microprocessor controller, however it will be invalid and unusable due the interruption in processing caused by the power interruption and when the power supply returns to normal operation range the microprocessor controller will begin again by repeating that operation. 
     In order to accommodate the supply monitor  24   b ,  FIG. 7 , so that it can monitor a 12 volt power supply while being operated from only a 3.3 volt power supply. A pair of voltage dividers  150  and  152  are included to step down the power supply level and the 3.3 volt supply level reference at the input of comparator circuit  130   a  to levels which are proportional to 12 volts and proportional to 8 volts, respectively. 
     The method of this invention is shown in  FIG. 8  and begins simply with the inquiry as to whether a power supply interruption has been sensed  160 , if it has not the clock pulses to all circuits are continued  162 . If the response is affirmative, then the clock signals to predetermined power consuming circuits are halted,  164 , but the clock signals to the communications interface  166  are continued and the system loops back to inquire once again is there a power supply interruption. 
     Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments. 
     In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant can not be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element amended. 
     Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

Technology Category: 4