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:
Jul. 22, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2001
Applicant:
Inventor:
Marco Sabatini, Kensington, CA (US);
Assignee:
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G08B 2/100 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G08B 2/100 ;
Abstract
A power management unit monitors current drawn by a fingerprint sensor circuit and generates a “heartbeat” signal during normal operation. If a latchup event occurs, with attendant increase in current drawn by the fingerprint sensor circuitry, the heartbeat signal terminates and an interrupt is subsequently triggered to start a latchup recovery routine. Power to the fingerprint sensor circuitry is switched off and the interrupt is then cleared by writing appropriate values to control bits within the power management register.