Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing network communications capability to a computer system in accordance with standard communication line protocols are described, including interface circuits which sense various characteristics of the communication lines to control or provide signals to control power to line drivers and/or other substantial power consuming circuitry to conserve power when communication line conditions indicate powering such circuits is not useful. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing network communications capability to a computer system in accordance with standard communication line protocols are described, including interface circuits which sense various characteristics of the communication lines to control or provide signals to control power to line drivers and/or other substantial power consuming circuitry to conserve power when communication line conditions indicate powering such circuits is not useful. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An interface output stage includes a pull-up circuit and a pull-down circuit connected to a positive power supply signal line having a first voltage, an output signal line having an output voltage and a negative power supply signal line having a second voltage. The pull-up circuit includes a single output transistor and a body snatcher circuit, both interconnected between the positive power supply signal line and the output signal line. The body snatcher circuit ties the bodies of the output transistor and the transistors forming the body snatcher circuit to either the first voltage or the output voltage. The pull-down circuit is designed generally similar to the pull-up circuit to tie bodies of its transistors to either the output voltage or the second voltage.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use in a microcontroller based system for detecting an active reset followed by the release of the reset line, and upon the release of the reset line, rapidly driving the reset line of the system to the inactive state to prevent the microcontroller from falsely interpreting the reset line voltage level as being a non-microcontroller initiated reset. The reset line is then released, after a short time delay so as to not interfere with any succeeding reset signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing network communications capability to a computer system in accordance with standard communication line protocols are described, including interface circuits which sense various characteristics of the communication lines to control or provide signals to control power to line drivers and/or other substantial power consuming circuitry to conserve power when communication line conditions indicate powering such circuits is not useful. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for disabling a watchdog function of a watchdog circuit when a watchdog input pin of the watchdog circuit fails to receive an externally pulsed signal, which has a first predefined period. The watchdog circuit, while the watchdog function is enabled, generates a watchdog fault condition if the externally pulsed signal is not received at the watchdog input pin by the end of a predefined watchdog timeout period. The apparatus includes a pulse generation circuit for generating a pulsed signal having a second predefined period, the second predefined period being shorter than the watchdog timeout period. Further, the apparatus includes a drive circuit coupled to the pulse generation circuit and the watchdog input pin. The drive circuit provides an internally pulsed signal to the watchdog input pin at a predefined current level, responsive to the pulsed signal from the pulse generation circuit.