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. 15, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 07, 2005
Gaetan Bracmard, Fuveau, FR;
Henri Bottaro, Aix-en-Provence, FR;
Gaetan Bracmard, Fuveau, FR;
Henri Bottaro, Aix-en-Provence, FR;
Atmel Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A circuit adapting pin output levels to a reference level in which a digital comparator compares an output voltage from an output pin of a device to a reference voltage level. The comparator, relying on the polarity of the comparator output as well as the registered polarity of the comparator output on the previous clock cycle, signals a state machine, which sends a clocked signal to a sense circuit and voltage regulator. The sense circuit may modify a resistance in a switched resistor network, such that the output level is incrementally stepped at clocked intervals towards the reference voltage until the polarity of the error signal reverses. When the output voltage crosses the reference voltage threshold, the comparator flips states and continues to regulate output pin voltage to the reference voltage level.