Cirrus Logic Inc.

Integrated Technology Express Inc.

Jeffrey Dunnihoo

Minghua Lin

A method of controlling a power supply having an output activated in response to a first logic level of a control signal and deactivated in response to a second logic level of the control signal. A clock is generated on a second power source and used to time a time-out period of a selected number of clock periods. In response to the step of sensing, if the state of the output of the power supply is inactive through the timeout period, then the first logic level of the control signal is generated to activate the power supply for use in powering operations of an associated device. After completion of these operations, the second logic level of the control signal is generated to deactivate the power supply. If however, the state of the output of the power supply is active during the time-out period, then the first logic level of the control signal is maintained to power operations of the associated device. At the end of these operations, the second logic level of the control signal is generated to deactivate the power supply.

Polarity independent power supply control methods and systems using the same

A programmable timer is disclosed for use in conjunction with a microcontroller circuit. The timer is used as part of a time slice arbiter in a real time operating system, which arbiter manages device routines by allocating them to distinct code time slices executable by such microcontroller. The set up of time slices, including their number, sequence, duration, etc., can be configured and optimized to achieve a desired system performance level based on characteristics of an associated system bus, devices on the bus, etc. The timer operates as a hardware controller to direct the interrupt handler to various entry points in the corresponding routines associated with interrupt based devices on a system bus.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey Dunnihoo