The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 31, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
Timothy G O'Shaughnessy, Blackforest, CO (US);
David G Brown, Pocatello, ID (US);
American Microsystems, Inc., Pocatello, ID (US);
Abstract
A component detector circuit operates to detect the presence or absence of a circuit component, such as an external component. A resistor detecting circuit includes a biasing circuit connected to the resistor. The biasing circuit generating a bias current. The resistor detecting circuit also includes a bias current threshold detector connected to the biasing circuit and a circuit connected to the bias current threshold detector which generates a signal indicative that the bias current is lower than threshold. A capacitor detecting circuit includes a circuit connected to a resistor and configured to be connected to a capacitor which establishes a time constant proportional to an RC product of the resistor and capacitor. The capacitor detecting circuit also includes a circuit which determines whether the time constant is within a range of appropriate time constants and a circuit which generates a signal indicative that the time constant is outside the range of appropriate time constants, which indicates that the capacitor is disconnected.