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:
Mar. 30, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1997
Michel Gannage, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A programmable memory device includes circuits that permit the selective disabling of certain functions when a battery supply voltage falls below the point necessary to sustain those functions while not disabling other functions of the device capable of working at the lower supply voltage. The programmable memory device includes a controller (422), programmable memory (426), and a voltage monitor (424), and is used in an application having additional circuitry (430). Power is furnished between the main voltage V.sub.CC terminal and the ground GND terminal from an external power source, typically a set of batteries. The voltage monitor enables full extension of the operational voltage range for specific functions of the programmable memory device, or for the application circuitry, or for both by reliably detecting the voltage level of the power source and providing an indication thereof. The indication of the present voltage level is used for suppressing functions that cannot be sustained at the present voltage level.