Bandgap Reference Voltage Failure Detection

摘要

An integrated circuit is provided with a bandgap voltage reference circuit having a bandgap reference voltage output. A bandgap failure detection circuit is coupled to the bandgap reference voltage output. The bandgap failure detection forms a model value of the reference voltage from a first time, compares a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and asserts a bandgap fail signal to indicate when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value. The integrated circuit is reset by the bandgap fail signal. The detection circuit may be operated from a failsafe voltage domain that also allows a critical circuit to complete a pending operation during a reset.

主权项

1. A method for operating a device, the method comprising:
producing a reference voltage from a source of primary power using a bandgap voltage reference circuit within the device; forming a model value of the reference voltage from a first time; comparing a present value of the reference voltage at a second time to the model value; and resetting the device when the present value is less than the model value by a threshold value.