Selection of multiple configuration settings using a single configuration terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10333522-B2
Application number	US-201715826526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A single configuration terminal of a device is used to configure multiple operating parameters of the device based on a resistor and a capacitor selectively connected to the configuration terminal. The device includes a detection circuit configured to monitor a voltage signal at the configuration terminal to determine multiple values in response to a regulated current source providing a current to the configuration terminal selectively connected to the resistor and the capacitor in parallel, and configure multiple operating parameters based on the determined values. A method for configuring operating parameters using a single configuration terminal of a device includes providing a current to the configuration terminal selectively connected to a resistor and a capacitor in parallel, monitoring a voltage signal at the configuration terminal, determining multiple values based on the monitoring, and configuring multiple operating parameter based on the determined values.

First claim

We claim:

1. A device with configurable operating parameters, comprising:
a configuration terminal;
a regulated current source; and
a detection circuit configured to:
in response to the regulated current source providing a current to the configuration terminal, which is connected to a resistor and a capacitor in parallel, monitor a voltage signal at the configuration terminal to determine a first value and a second value, the first value being determined by a resistor detection component configured to determine a resistance value associated with the resistor, and the second value being determined by a capacitor detection component configured to determine a capacitance value associated with the capacitor; and
configure a first operating parameter based on the resistance value and a second operating parameter based on the capacitance value or a combination of the resistance value and the capacitance value.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the combination of the resistance value and the capacitance value is a resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant associated with the resistor and the capacitor, wherein the RC time constant is a product of the resistance value and a capacitance value of the capacitor.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to monitor the voltage signal to determine a peak voltage, wherein the first value is based on the peak voltage.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to monitor the voltage signal to determine a decay time from a peak voltage or a predetermined voltage to a threshold voltage during a fall of the voltage signal, wherein the second value is based on the decay time.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to monitor the voltage signal to determine a rise time to a threshold voltage during a rise of the voltage signal, wherein the second value is based on the rise time.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to monitor the voltage signal to measure two voltages a fixed time apart during a rise or fall of the voltage signal, wherein the second value is based on the two voltages.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to:
configure the first operating parameter to a first setting associated with a combination of the first value and the second value; and
configure the second operating parameter to a second setting associated with the first value, the second value, or the combination.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit comprises an analog-to-digital circuit (ADC) or a comparator configured to monitor the voltage signal.

9. A method for configuring operating parameters of a device, comprising:
providing a current to a configuration terminal, which is connected to a resistor and a capacitor in parallel;
monitoring a voltage signal at the configuration terminal;
determining a first value and a second value based on the monitoring, the first value being determined by a resistor detection component for determining a resistance value associated with the resistor, and the second value being determined by a capacitor detection component for determining a capacitance value associated with the capacitor; and
configuring a first operating parameter based on the resistance value and a second operating parameter based on the capacitance value or a combination of the resistance value and the capacitance value.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the combination of the resistance value and the capacitance value is a resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant associated with the resistor and the capacitor, wherein the RC time constant is a product of the resistance value and a capacitance value of the capacitor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring comprises determining a peak voltage, wherein the determining of the first value is based on the peak voltage.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring comprises determining a decay time from a peak voltage or a predetermined voltage to a threshold voltage during a fall of the voltage signal, and wherein the determining of the second value is based on the decay time.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring comprises determining a rise time to a threshold voltage during a rise of the voltage signal, wherein the determining of the second value is based on the rise time.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring comprises measuring two voltages a fixed time apart during a rise or fall of the voltage signal, and wherein the determining of the second value is based on the two voltages.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the configuring comprises:
configuring the first operating parameter to a first setting associated with a combination of the first value and the second value; and
configuring the second operating parameter to a second setting associated with the first value, the second value, or the combination.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring is performed using an analog-to-digital circuit (ADC) or a comparator.

Assignees

• Dialog Semiconductor Inc

Inventors

• Feng Guang
• Wang Xiaoyan
• Shi Nan

Classifications

• H03K19/17764

  for reliability · CPC title

• H03K19/0175

  Coupling arrangements; Interface arrangements (interface arrangements for digital computers G06F3/00, G06F13/00) · CPC title

• H03K5/1532

  Peak detectors (measuring characteristics of individual pulses G01R29/02) · CPC title

• H03K19/17796 Primary

  for physical disposition of blocks · CPC title