Granted Patent B2

US 10,044,360 · App. 15/677,909 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Claims (79)

1. A microcontroller comprising:

an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuit including a plurality of channel register sets;

a conversion request flip-flop;

a priority encoder circuit;

a controller circuit configured to:

receive a conversion request signal;

latch the conversion request signal into the conversion request flip-flop;

determine by the priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request; and

output an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of the plurality of data channel register sets is active by identifying received analog selection bits; and

control logic configured to store a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register based on the channel identifier code;

wherein:

the controller circuit is further configured to cause subsequent measurements from the selected analog input; and

the control logic is further configured to store the subsequent measurements into a plurality of channel registers.

2. The microcontroller according to claim 1 , wherein the controller circuit includes a state machine.

3. The microcontroller according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion request flip-flop is configured to be cleared as the conversion process is completed.

4. A microcontroller comprising:

an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuit including a plurality of channel register sets;

a conversion request flip-flop;

a priority encoder circuit;

a controller circuit configured to:

receive a conversion request signal;

latch the conversion request signal into the conversion request flip-flop;

determine by the priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request; and

output an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of the plurality of data channel register sets is active by identifying received analog selection bits;

control logic configured to store a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register based on the channel identifier code; and

a plurality of connection pins, a timer, and a pulsed-width-modulation (PWM) module, wherein the conversion request signal is generated by one of the timer, the PWM module, or the device pin.

5. The microcontroller according to claim 1 , wherein the selected analog input is selected from a plurality of analog inputs applied to an analog input multiplexer.

6. The microcontroller according to claim 1 , wherein:

the microcontroller further comprises an interrupt handler circuit configured to generate an interrupt to software after the subsequent measurements are stored in the plurality of channel registers.

7. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC), comprising:

a plurality of channel register sets;

a conversion request flip-flop;

a priority encoder circuit;

a controller circuit configured to:

receive a conversion request signal;

latch the conversion request signal into the conversion request flip-flop;

determine by the priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request; and

output an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of the plurality of data channel register sets is active by identifying received analog selection bits; and

control logic configured to store a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register based on the channel identifier code;

wherein:

the controller circuit is further configured to cause subsequent measurements from the selected analog input; and

the control logic is further configured to store the subsequent measurements into a plurality of channel registers.

8. The ADC according to claim 7 , wherein the controller circuit includes a state machine.

9. The ADC according to claim 7 , wherein the conversion request flip-flop is configured to be cleared as the conversion process is completed.

10. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC), comprising:

a plurality of channel register sets;

a conversion request flip-flop;

a priority encoder circuit;

a controller circuit configured to:

receive a conversion request signal;

latch the conversion request signal into the conversion request flip-flop;

determine by the priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request; and

output an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of the plurality of data channel register sets is active by identifying received analog selection bits; and

control logic configured to store a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register based on the channel identifier code; and

a plurality of connection pins, a timer, and a pulsed-width-modulation (PWM) module, wherein the conversion request signal is generated by one of the timer, the PWM module, or the device pin.

11. The ADC according to claim 7 , wherein the selected analog input is selected from a plurality of analog inputs applied to an analog input multiplexer.

12. The ADC according to claim 7 , wherein:

the ADC further comprises an interrupt handler circuit configured to generate an interrupt to software after the subsequent measurements are stored in the plurality of channel registers.

13. A method for an automated analog-digital-conversion within a microcontroller by an analog-to-digital conversion circuit comprising a plurality of channel register sets, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a conversion request signal and latching the conversion request signal into a conversion request flip-flop;

receiving a plurality of analog selection bits;

determining by a priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request;

outputting an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of a plurality of data channel register sets is active from a plurality of analog selection bits;

forwarding analog selection bits to an analog input multiplexer;

storing a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register associated with the channel identifier code;

causing subsequent measurements from the selected analog input; and

storing the subsequent measurements into a plurality of channel registers.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising clearing the conversion request flip-flop as the conversion process is completed.

15. A method for an automated analog-digital-conversion within a microcontroller by an analog-to-digital conversion circuit comprising a plurality of channel register sets, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a conversion request signal and latching the conversion request signal into a conversion request flip-flop;

receiving a plurality of analog selection bits;

determining by a priority encoder circuit a highest priority pending conversion request;

outputting an active channel identifier code, wherein the channel identifier code is configured to select which of a plurality of data channel register sets is active from a plurality of analog selection bits;

forwarding analog selection bits to an analog input multiplexer; and

storing a converted value from a selected analog input to a data output register associated with the channel identifier code;

wherein the conversion request signal is generated by a timer, PWM module, or device pin as selected by a setting in a conversion request signal selection register.

16. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising selecting the analog input from a plurality of analog inputs applied to an analog input multiplexer.

17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

generating an interrupt to software after the subsequent measurements are stored in the plurality of channel registers.

Assignments (13)