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:
May. 22, 2012
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2010
Jonathan F. Lee, Dublin, CA (US);
Jonathan F. Lee, Dublin, CA (US);
Broadcom Corporation, Irvine, CA (US);
Abstract
Certain embodiments of a method and system for safe and efficient power down and drawing minimal current when a device is not enabled may comprise receiving within a network adapter chip (NAC) a signal that indicates a reduced power mode. Based on this signal, the NAC may control an off-chip voltage source that provides reduced voltage to circuitry within the NAC. The off-chip voltage source, which may comprise a first PNP transistor and a second PNP transistor, may reduce a voltage to a first voltage and a second voltage. The NAC may also reduce current through the off-chip voltage source to approximately zero amperes and an output voltage of the off-chip voltage source to approximately zero volts. The first voltage and/or the second voltage may be fed back to control the output voltage and current of the off-chip voltage source.