Method and apparatus for detecting and managing overcurrent events

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228744-B2
Application number	US-201315027742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2013
Priority date	Oct 18, 2013
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A method of detecting overcurrent events within at least one electronic device, and an overcurrent detection module therefor. The method comprises receiving at least one current requirement indication from at least one electronic device, determining at least one overcurrent value based at least partly on the received at least one current requirement indication, receiving at least one indication of at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device, and determining that an overcurrent event is occurring if the indicated at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device exceeds the determined at least one overcurrent value.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of detecting overcurrent events within at least one electronic device; the method comprising:
receiving at least one current requirement indication from at least one electronic device;
determining at least one overcurrent value based at least partly on the received at least one current requirement indication;
receiving at least one indication of at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device;
determining that an overcurrent event is occurring if the indicated at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device exceeds the determined at least one overcurrent value; and
after setting an interrupt signal:
initiating a cycle counter;
determining whether an overcurrent event is detected after N cycles; and
setting a reset signal for the at least one electronic device, if it is determined that an overcurrent event is detected after N cycles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises configuring at least one overcurrent comparison signal based at least partly on the determined at least one overcurrent value;
comparing the received at least one indication of the at least one input current flow to the at least one overcurrent comparison signal; and
determining that an overcurrent event is occurring if the at least one indication of the at least one input current flow exceeds the at least one overcurrent comparison signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises determining the at least one overcurrent value further in accordance with preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
retrieving at least one preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter corresponding to the at least one current requirement indication; and
determining the at least one overcurrent value based at least partly on the at least one retrieved preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining whether an indicated current requirement comprises a timing limit based at least partly on the at least one retrieved preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter; and
configuring the at least one overcurrent comparison signal based at least partly on the determined at least one overcurrent value for a preconfigured time limit, if it is determined that the indicated current requirement comprises a timing limit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises receiving at least one current requirement indication from the at least one electronic device comprising at least one of:
an indication of a required current supply for the at least one electronic device;
an indication of an operating mode for the at least one electronic device;
an indication of at least one process executing on the at least one electronic device; and
an indication of at least one address range access by a process executing on the at least one electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interrupt signal is a non-maskable interrupt signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, upon setting a reset signal for the at least one electronic device:
initiating a cycle counter;
determining whether an overcurrent event is detected after M cycles; and
initiating a forced powering down of the at least one electronic device, if it is determined that an overcurrent event is detected after M cycles.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises incrementing a destructive reset count upon determining that an overcurrent event is detected after M cycles and initiating a forced power down of the at least one electronic device.

10. An overcurrent detection module arranged to detect overcurrent events within at least one electronic device: the overcurrent detection module being arranged to:
receive at least one current requirement indication from at least one electronic device; determine at least one overcurrent value based at least partly on the received at least one current requirement indication;
receive at least one indication of at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device; and
generate an overcurrent event detected signal if the indicated at least one input current flow for the at least one electronic device exceeds the determined at least one overcurrent value, wherein the overcurrent event management module is further arranged to, upon setting a reset signal for the at least one electronic device:
initiate a cycle counter;
determine whether the overcurrent event detected signal is set after M cycles; and
initiate a forced powering down of the at least one electronic device, if it is determined that the overcurrent event detected signal is set after M cycles.

11. The overcurrent detection module of claim 10 , wherein the overcurrent detection module is arranged to determine the at least one overcurrent value in accordance with preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameters.

12. The overcurrent detection module of claim 10 , wherein the overcurrent detection module is further arranged to:
retrieve at least one preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter corresponding to the at least one current requirement indication from at least one configurable memory element; and
determine the at least one overcurrent value based at least partly on the at least one retrieved preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter.

13. The overcurrent detection module of claim 12 , wherein the overcurrent detection module is further arranged to:
determine whether an indicated current requirement comprises a timing limit based at least partly on the at least one retrieved preconfigured overcurrent configuration parameter; and
configure the at least one overcurrent comparison signal based at least partly on the determined at least one overcurrent value for a preconfigured time limit, if it is determined that the indicated current requirement comprises a timing limit.

14. The overcurrent detection module of claim 13 , wherein the overcurrent detection module is arranged to receive at least one current requirement indication from the at least one electronic device comprising at least one of:
an indication of a required input current flow for the at least one electronic device;
an indication of an operating mode for the at least one electronic device;
an indication of at least one process executing on the at least one electronic device; and
an indication of at least one address range access by a process executing on the at least one electronic device.

15. The overcurrent detection module of claim 13 , wherein the overcurrent detection module is arranged to provide the overcurrent event detected signal to an overcurrent event management module, and the overcurrent event management module is configured to set a non-maskable interrupt signal for the at least one electronic device upon receipt of an overcurrent event detected signal.

16. The overcurrent detection module of claim 15 , wherein the overcurrent event management module is further arranged to, upon setting the non-maskable interrupt signal:
initiate a cycle counter;
determine whether the overcurrent event detected signal is set after N cycles; and
set the reset signal for the at least one electronic device, if it is determined that the overcurrent event detected signal is set after N cycles.

17. The overcurrent detection module of claim 16 , wherein the overcurrent event management module is further arranged to incr

Assignees

• Birnie Andrew Edward
• Moran Robert
• Mounier Philippe
• Robertson Alistair Paul
• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Birnie Andrew Edward
• Moran Robert
• Mounier Philippe
• Robertson Alistair Paul

Classifications

• G06F1/3206 Primary

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/3243

  Power saving in microcontroller unit · CPC title

• G06F1/28 Primary

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title