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:
Apr. 07, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1995
William D Mensch, Jr, Mesa, AZ (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method of operating a CMOS microcomputer to minimize power dissipation while accessing a plurality of memories including a first memory operable at a first frequency, a second memory operable at a lower second frequency, including operating the entire CMOS microcomputer at the first frequency while accessing the first memory, causing the CMOS microcomputer to dissipate power at a first level, determining from a user program currently being executed that it is necessary to access the second memory, and operating the entire CMOS microcomputer at the lower second frequency while accessing the second memory to cause the CMOS microcomputer to dissipate power at a second level which is lower than the first level. The user program is executed to set a first speed control bit to a first level indicating that the second memory is to be accessed at the second frequency, and the second frequency is selected as a system clock frequency for the entire CMOS microcomputer in response to the first level of the first speed control bit. The second frequency is selected as the system clock frequency in response to a coincidence of one of a plurality of speed control bits and a corresponding one of a plurality of chip control outputs.