Claims
- 1. An apparatus for monitoring a series of control pulses generated by a microprocessor, said microprocessor producing a normal operation signal for controlling electronic equipment during a normal operation mode, and for controlling said electronic equipment in an emergency operation mode comprising,
- a capacitive means connected to receive at its input said control pulses from the microprocessor,
- a threshold circuit means having its inputs connected to outputs of the capacitive means to receive said control pulses and an output connected to a control means,
- said threshold circuit means being adapted to generate a periodic signal having two phases of differing durations in periodic sequence upon said control pulses failing to be received, thus indicating a failure of said microprocessor to supply said normal operation signal,
- said control means serving to control said differing durations of said periodic signal to provide a reset phase (TR) and an active phase (TF) and to produce a duration of said reset phase longer than a duration of said active phase,
- the reset phase of said periodic signal serving to reset said microprocessor and to block said electronic equipment, and the active phase of said periodic signal serving to restart the microprocessor and to control said electronic equipment,
- whereby said apparatus takes over control of the electronic equipment from the microprocessor during the emergency operation mode.
- 2. An apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said inputs of said threshold circuit means are inverting inputs and said capacitive means is connected to said inverting inputs of said threshold circuit means.
- 3. An apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said threshold circuit means includes a monostable multivibrator having an ON time of predetermined duration which determines the duration of the reset phase.
- 4. An apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein said threshold circuit means includes a monostable multivibrator having an ON time of predetermined duration which determines the duration of the reset phase.
- 5. An apparatus as defined by claim 3, wherein said monostable multivibrator has an output connected to said capacitive means and serves to re-charge said capacitive means upon completion of the ON time of the multivibrator.
- 6. An apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said monostable multivibrator has an output connected to said capacitive means and serves to re-charge said capacitive means.
- 7. An apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein said inverting inputs are connected to a charging branch and a discharging branch, each having different time constants.
- 8. An apparatus as defined by claim 3, wherein said monostable multivibrator directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 9. An apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said monostable multivibrator directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 10. An apparatus as defined by claim 5, wherein said monostable multivibrator directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 11. An apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein said monostable multivibrator directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 12. An apparatus as defined by claim 7, wherein said monostable multivibrator directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 13. An apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said threshold circuit means directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 14. An apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein said threshold circuit means directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
- 15. An apparatus as defined by claim 7, wherein said threshold circuit means directly controls said electronic equipment controlled by said microprocessor.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
3227546 |
Jul 1982 |
DEX |
|
3322242 |
Jun 1983 |
DEX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 515,429 filed July 20, 1983.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
56-52452 |
May 1981 |
JPX |
2035633 |
Jun 1980 |
GBX |
2072883 |
Oct 1981 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
515429 |
Jul 1983 |
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