18529472. Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer simplified abstract (Apple Inc.)
Contents
- 1 Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer
- 1.1 Organization Name
- 1.2 Inventor(s)
- 1.3 Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer - A simplified explanation of the abstract
- 1.4 Simplified Explanation
- 1.5 Potential Applications
- 1.6 Problems Solved
- 1.7 Benefits
- 1.8 Potential Commercial Applications
- 1.9 Possible Prior Art
- 1.10 Unanswered Questions
- 1.11 Original Abstract Submitted
Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
John H. Kelm of Belmont CA (US)
Richard H. Larson of Saratoga CA (US)
Charles J. Fleckenstein of Portland OR (US)
Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18529472 titled 'Datalogging Circuit Triggered by a Watchdog Timer
Simplified Explanation
The patent application describes an apparatus with an integrated circuit that includes a watchdog timer, functional circuits connected via a communication fabric, and a system management circuit. The system management circuit can access information from a subset of the functional circuits when the watchdog timer expires, and store this information in a memory circuit.
- The apparatus includes a memory circuit and an integrated circuit formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
- The integrated circuit consists of a watchdog timer, multiple functional circuits connected via a communication fabric, and a system management circuit.
- Functional circuits can reset the watchdog timer before it expires.
- The system management circuit can retrieve information from specific functional circuits when the watchdog timer expires and store it in the memory circuit.
Potential Applications
This technology could be applied in:
- Embedded systems
- IoT devices
- Industrial automation
Problems Solved
- Efficient system monitoring and management
- Improved reliability and fault tolerance in integrated circuits
Benefits
- Enhanced system reliability
- Real-time monitoring and response capabilities
- Simplified system management
Potential Commercial Applications
Optimized for:
- Automotive electronics
- Medical devices
- Aerospace systems
Possible Prior Art
One possible prior art is the use of watchdog timers in integrated circuits for system monitoring and fault detection.
Unanswered Questions
How does the system management circuit prioritize which functional circuits to access when the watchdog timer expires?
The system management circuit may have a predetermined order or priority list for accessing the functional circuits based on their criticality or importance to the system.
What happens if the watchdog timer continues to expire despite the functional circuits resetting it?
If the watchdog timer continues to expire, it may trigger a system-wide reset or shutdown to prevent potential system failures.
Original Abstract Submitted
An apparatus includes a memory circuit, and an integrated circuit formed on a single semiconductor substrate and coupled to the memory circuit. The integrated circuit includes a watchdog timer, a plurality of functional circuits coupled together via a communication fabric, and a system management circuit coupled to the watchdog timer and to a subset of the functional circuits via respective dedicated point-to-point interfaces. A given functional circuit may be configured to repeatedly reset the watchdog timer before the watchdog timer expires. The system management circuit may be configured, in response to an expiration of the watchdog timer, to access information in the subset of the functional circuits via the respective point-to-point interfaces. The system management circuit may be further configured to store the accessed information in the memory circuit.
