Qimonda North America Corporation

Qimonda Ag

Sensus Usa, Inc.

Nicholas Heath

Peter Mayer

Rom-Shen Kao

Jason Pratt Parrish

Peter Meyer

The teachings herein disclose a method and apparatus for preventing excessive battery passivation in an electronic meter-reading module. The module operates in a low-power state most of the time. The low-power state is interrupted at defined transmit times, wherein the module temporarily turns on or otherwise activates an included communication transmitter, for the transmission of data to a remote node reachable through a wireless communication network. Because of its low current draw during the times between data transmissions, the module's battery is vulnerable to passivation layer buildup. Advantageously, however, the module is configured to perform dummy activations of its transmitter at times other than the defined transmit times, e.g., in the intervals between data transmissions. These dummy activations are not for data transmission, but rather are temporary activations of the relatively high-power transmitter, for reducing passivation layer buildup on the battery in advance of a next data transmission.

Method and apparatus for reducing battery passivation in a meter-reading module

An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells and a first circuit. The array includes word lines. Each word line is coupled to a plurality of memory cells. The first circuit is configured to refresh memory cells along a first number of word lines in response to a refresh command. The first number of word lines is based on a sensed temperature.

Integrated circuit including memory refreshed based on temperature

Embodiments of the invention are generally related to systems comprising devices connected by a bus. A device in the system may include termination control logic capable of detecting changes in the system clock frequency. Upon detecting a clock frequency, the termination control logic may determine whether the clock frequency is greater than a threshold frequency. If so, the termination control logic may enable bus termination. However, if the new clock frequency is lower than the threshold frequency, bus termination may be disabled, thereby conserving power.

Termination switching based on data rate

In one embodiment, an electronic device comprises control circuitry. The control circuitry disables termination circuitry coupled to one or more input/output (I/O) signals of the electronic device during at least a portion of a relatively low frequency operation which causes insubstantial signal reflections at the I/O signals. The control circuitry re-enables the termination circuitry prior to the electronic device performing a relatively high frequency operation after completion of the low frequency operation, the high frequency operation causing substantial signal reflections at the I/O signals. The electronic device is a memory device in one embodiment. This way, the termination circuitry may be disabled during at least a portion of a refresh operation performed by the memory device and re-enabled prior to the memory device resuming normal operation (i.e., reads and writes) after completion of the refresh operation.

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Apex, NC, United States of America

Nicholas Heath