Abstract:
An integrated circuit includes an input pad for receiving an externally generated analog signal, and a pre-sampling circuit for pre-sampling at least one internally generated analog reference signal. An analog-to-digital converter is connected to the input pad for providing a numerical value of the externally generated analog signal, and is connected to the pre-sampling circuit for providing a numerical value of the internally generated analog reference signal. A fault signaling circuit is connected to the pre-sampling circuit and to the analog-to-digital converter for generating a fault signal when the numerical value of the externally generated analog signal is equal to the numerical value of the internally generated analog reference signal. The fault signal indicates that an electrical connection providing the externally generated analog signal to the input pad is faulty.
Abstract:
A serial interface for communicating with peripherals may include a circuit for generating pointers to addresses in sections of a memory, and a circuit for serially transferring data from or to at least one peripheral connected to the interface that is coupled to the memory based upon requisite configuration commands. The interface may further include a control register coupled to the memory and to the serial transfer circuit for controlling data to be transmitted or received. The interface does not require that an external controller provide configuration commands each time data is transmitted or received because the memory sections for storing data may be divided in distinct memory spaces. That is, each memory space may store data for a respective peripheral connected to the interface. Moreover, another memory section may be used to store all of the configuration commands of the interface required for communicating with the peripherals.