Atmel Corporation

Ivar Holand

Frode Milch Pedersen

Sebastien Jouin

Stein Danielsen

Thierry Delalande

Francois Fosse

James Hallman

Jonas Ask

Mona Opsahl

Implementations are disclosed for a centralized peripheral access controller (PAC) that is configured to protect one or more peripheral components in a system. In some implementations, the PAC stores data that can be set or cleared by software. The data corresponds to an output signal of the PAC that is routed to a corresponding peripheral component. When the data indicates that the peripheral is 'unlocked' the PAC will allow write transfers to registers in the peripheral component. When the data indicates that the peripheral component is 'locked' the PAC will refuse write transfers to registers in the peripheral component and terminate with an error.

Centralized peripheral access protection

A flexible-width peripheral register mapping is disclosed for accessing peripheral registers on a peripheral bus.

Peripheral registers with flexible data width

A system for detecting inductive objects includes an inductive sensor circuit for detecting changes in an electromagnetic field ('EMF') environment and an integrated circuit ('IC') device. The inductive sensor circuit generates an oscillating analog waveform with an envelope that indicates changes in the EMF environment. The oscillating waveform is coupled to the digital input pin of the IC. A digital interface circuit in the IC is coupled to the digital input pin and is configured for detecting if the oscillating waveform exceeds high and low threshold voltage levels. The detecting results in a digital pulse which represents changes in the EMF environment. In another implementation, a timer input capture pin can be used to detect the waveform envelope decay by storing the time when the waveform crosses a threshold value during a time period. A reduced capture time after the time period expires indicates a change in the EMF environment.

Detecting inductive objects using inputs of integrated circuit device

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Trondheim, Norway

Ivar Holand