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:
Aug. 17, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1995
Pier T Caporuscio, Armada, MI (US);
Steven R Settles, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A system having reduced quiescent current drawn from a power supply. The system includes a device having a status. Moreover, the system includes a microcontroller, having an active and a sleep mode of operation, for polling the status of the device during the active mode, initiating a function in response to a change in the status during the active mode, and for conserving quiescent current drawn from the power supply during the sleep mode. The microcontroller generates an output signal at a first voltage level during the active mode and generates the output signal at a second voltage level during the sleep mode. The microcontroller, additionally, includes a sensor for switching the microcontroller from the sleep mode to the active mode. Furthermore system includes a storage device for charging to the first voltage level during the active mode, and for discharging to a third voltage level during the sleep mode for triggering the sensor to switch from the sleep mode to the active mode.