Abstract: A storage circuit has an input for receiving and storing data, a first power terminal coupled to a first conductor for receiving a first power supply voltage, and a second power terminal coupled to a second conductor. A power gate device has a first terminal coupled to the second conductor, a control terminal for receiving a bias voltage in response to a control signal, and a second terminal coupled to a terminal for receiving a second power supply voltage. A shorting device selectively electrically short circuits the first terminal of the power gate device to the control terminal of the power gate device in response to the control signal, thereby converting the power gate device from a transistor into a diode-connected device. The shorting device is smaller in size than the power gate device.

Abstract: A storage circuit has an input for receiving and storing data, a first power terminal coupled to a first conductor for receiving a first power supply voltage, and a second power terminal coupled to a second conductor. A power gate device has a first terminal coupled to the second conductor, a control terminal for receiving a bias voltage in response to a control signal, and a second terminal coupled to a terminal for receiving a second power supply voltage. A shorting device selectively electrically short circuits the first terminal of the power gate device to the control terminal of the power gate device in response to the control signal, thereby converting the power gate device from a transistor into a diode-connected device. The shorting device is smaller in size than the power gate device.

Abstract: A digital timer apparatus incorporates a free running counter, an interval timer, a capture register, a pulse accumulator; holding logic and mode selection logic. In one mode of operation, a rising or falling edge of an external signal causes the current contents of the free running counter to be loaded into the capture register, causes the previous value of the capture register to be transferred to a holding register and causes the pulse accumulator to be incremented. A read of the capture holding register causes the pulse accumulator value to be transferred to a holding register and causes the pulse accumulator to be reset. The output of the interval timer can cause an interrupt signal to be generated to request service from a central processing unit.

Abstract: A register having a selective wait feature includes logic for receiving a new value to be stored and logic for selectively delaying the appearance of the new value at the output of the register until some predetermined event has occurred. The register can also be read to determine whether the event has occurred. The register is disclosed in the context of a microprocessor-controlled digital timer apparatus which responds to an incoming pulse train. Certain control bits in the apparatus determine whether the digital timer is responsive to rising edges of the pulse train, falling edges, any edges, or no edges. The microprocessor determines, at the time new values are stored to those control bit locations, whether the new values are to become effective immediately or are to be delayed until some intervening event has occurred. The register permits control over the time at which transitions between different operating modes are made in order to assure orderly operation.

Abstract: A data processing system (10) capable of generating an output waveform (22) that has enhanced pulse width resolution. In one form, the system uses a counter (34) which is incremented by an input clock (20) running at an operating frequency of the system. Instead of incrementing the counter (34) by one, the counter (34) is incremented by a power of two so that the counter (34) appears to be counting a power of two faster. However, in order to increase the effective resolution of the counter (34), the second edge of the output waveform (22) must be correctly adjusted depending on the desired duty cycle and period. The end result is a counter (34) that can produce a power of two greater resolution while still using the operating frequency of the system as an input clock (20).

Abstract: A digital timer apparatus incorporates a free running counter, an interval timer, a capture register, a pulse accumulator and holding logic. A rising or falling edge of an external signal causes the current contents of the free running counter to be loaded into the capture register and causes the pulse accumulator to be incremented. The output of the interval timer can cause the contents of the pulse accumulator and capture register to be stored into the holding logic. The timer apparatus is particularly well suited to performing tasks related to the determination of the speed of rotation of a rotating member and may be used, for instance, in detecting wheel rotational speeds in an anti-lock brake system or detecting shaft rotation speeds in an automatic transmission.

Abstract: A pre-driver stage includes two pairs of series-stacked transistors for responding to input stage outputs and provides first and second outputs to an output driver stage. The first output becomes low at a certain delay period after the second output becomes low, and the second output becomes high at a certain delay period after the first output becomes high. Therefore, the turn-off of the active driver transistor is completed before the turn-on of the opposite output transistor, inhibiting an overlap current. In another form, the buffer circuit also uses assist transistors placed near the driver transistors for assisting the opposite driver transistors in turning off.