Electronic digital logic circuitry – Multifunctional or programmable – Sequential or with flip-flop
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-14
2004-12-21
Chang, Daniel (Department: 2819)
Electronic digital logic circuitry
Multifunctional or programmable
Sequential or with flip-flop
C326S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06833731
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to electronic circuits with ferroelectric flip-flops which can use arriving signals as the sole energy source, a liquid counter based on such an electronic circuit, a method for storing information contained in signals, and also the use of ferroelectric flip-flops for electronic circuits.
In conventional electronic circuits for processing signals, for example counting pulses, a supply voltage is required which supplies the logic modules. This supply voltage is supplied for example by a battery, such as a lithium battery. A battery considerably increases the production and operating costs of an apparatus which uses the circuit, and, moreover, has to be replaced at regular intervals. If results of a signal evaluation are to remain stored even when the operating voltage fails, a nonvolatile memory, for example EEPROM or FLASH-EPROM, is additionally required. Such electrically erasable memory cells require high voltages of minus 12 and plus 16 volts, respectively, for programming and for erasing, which have to be generated from the battery voltage by charge pumps. The relatively poor efficiency in high-voltage generation leads to a high power loss. Furthermore, EEPROM memories have a service life which is limited by the number of reprogramming processes. This is disadvantageous particularly in the case of counting circuits, where the so-called “Least Significant Bit” (the bit which is least significant or the smallest position of the counter) has to be reprogrammed for each counting pulse that arrives.
Particularly in the case of apparatuses which are intended to be in operation over relatively long periods of time and/or at remote sites of use, the dependence on a supply voltage leads, moreover, to a significantly increased outlay on maintenance, since maintenance personnel have to go to the apparatuses especially for the purpose of exchanging the battery or monitoring the battery.
The use of a supply voltage generated from the electricity supply system is likewise associated with a high outlay and, in the case of remote sites, is in some instances not practicable at all. In the event of system failures, moreover, it may lead to incorrect counting results.
On account of the abovementioned disadvantages, however, there is a need to realize circuits which can operate as far as possible independently of the various voltage supplies mentioned above.
Consequently, the present invention is based on the object of providing a signal-processing and/or information-storing circuit which can be operated autonomously of external power supplies.
The present invention achieves this object by the provision of an electronic circuit in accordance with the independent patent claim
1
, a method for information storage in accordance with the independent patent claim
16
, the use of ferroelectric flip-flops for electronic circuits in accordance with the independent patent claim
22
, and the liquid counter in accordance with the independent patent claim
26
. Further advantageous configurations, details and aspects of the present invention emerge from the dependent patent Claims, the description and the accompanying drawings.
In the analysis of signal-processing circuits and the signal-generating sensors assigned thereto, it has now been found that although the energy inherent in the signals does not suffice to be able to operate EEPROM memories, this energy nonetheless still amounts to 30 nJ in the case of a typical pulse wire sensor. It has unexpectedly been found that this quantity of energy suffices to operate circuits if special flip-flops with implemented ferroelectric storage capacitances, so-called ferro-flip-flops, are used.
The present invention is therefore directed at an electronic circuit, having
an input for inputting at least one information signal; an energy means for converting energy contained in the at least one information signal into a voltage supply; a control means for generating at least one switch-on control signal when an information signal arrives; and a signal processing means for storing an information item represented by the at least one information signal and/or for evaluating an information item represented by the at least one information signal and storing the secondary information obtained through the evaluation by means of at least one ferroelectric flip-flop;
wherein the signal processing means can be activated by the at least one switch-on control signal for the purpose of evaluation and/or storage;
and wherein, during the evaluation and/or storage, the at least one information signal may be or is the sole energy source for the electronic circuit.
The electronic circuit according to the invention can thus also be provided with an external voltage supply. What is crucial, however, is that it does not rely on the latter for the information signal acquisition operation. Even in the event of a power failure, the electronic circuit according to the invention can continue to carry out its function. With regard to the power supply, the electronic circuit can thus be understood as a fail safe circuit. In particular embodiments and particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, however, the electronic circuit is not actually provided with an external power supply, in so far as the latter is not connected for the readout of the stored information.
The ferroelectric flip-flops used according to the invention will be described in detail further below. In principle, they have the same structure as conventional flip-flops, that is to say they have, in particular a SET and a RESET input, and also a QB and Q output and NAND or NOR gates for the circuit logic. However, they are additionally provided with ferroelectric capacitors which enable them to store the logic state of the flip-flop when the voltage supply is disconnected and to reestablish the stored state when the voltage supply is switched on. For storing or reestablishing the state of the ferroelectric flip-flop, control signals are given in a temporally exact defined sequence (see below). Nonvolatile memories based on ferroelectric capacitors can be operated at low voltages and require only about a hundredth of the energy of EEPROM memories. In the case of the electronic circuit according to the invention, therefore, it is possible for the energy (10 nJ to 100 nJ) required for operating a customary circuit to be drawn solely from the arriving pulse or the arriving pulses.
Thus, according to the invention, the control means must be able to generate one or more control signals in a temporally controlled sequence and feed them to the signal processing means. This aim can be achieved in a simple manner using circuits and methods, respectively, known to persons skilled in the art. By way of example, different temporally staggered signals can be achieved by means of a bandgap difference circuit with a comparator circuit.
In the sense of the present invention, evaluation is to be understood as any interpretation of an information signal that has arrived by the signal processing means, for example the ascertainment of a time interval with respect to a preceding information signal, the logical combination via AND, OR, NAND, and NOR of different information signals, the counting up and down of information signals that arrive successively, and the toggling between on and off for successive arrivals of information signals, and any other conceivable interpretation of arriving information signals. In the sense of the present invention, a represented information item is to be understood to be any meaning which can be attributed to the input of an information signal in the temporal progression in its specific instance and in its relationship with other information signals.
The arriving information signals may have been generated by a customary sensor, for example. These are preferably sensors which generate a signal with a suitable voltage and with a sufficient energy content to be able to operate the circuit according to the invention. By way of example, inductive or piezoelectric sensors c
Braun Georg
Lauterbach Christl
Ollert Udo
Weber Werner
Altera Law Group LLC
Chang Daniel
Infineon - Technologies AG
Stone Jeffrey R.
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