
DS1678
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There are three resolution options that the user can select from to maximize the event log resolution
while providing an adequate maximum time between events without using extra memory locations based
on the specific characteristics of the event being logged. The Seconds resolution will provide the time of
an event down to the second while allowing up to 18.2 hours between events without using extra memory
locations. The minute’s resolution will provide the time of an event down to the minute while allowing
up to 45.5 days between events without using extra memory locations. The Hours resolution will provide
the time of an event down to the hour in which it occurred while allowing up to 7.5 years between events
without using extra memory locations. Based on the expected frequency of events, the correct setting
can be easily selected to maximize the resolution and memory utilization.
The event can be triggered in three different ways depending on how the user programs the Trigger
Select (TRx) bits in the Control register. The event can be triggered by a falling edge on the INT pin
only, a rising edge only, or it can be triggered by rising and falling edges. Triggering with both the rising
and falling edges allows for monitoring when something is turned on/off and how long it is in either
state.
The RTC provides seconds, minutes, hours, day, date, month, and year information with leap year
compensation, Year 2000 compliance, and also provides an alarm interrupt. The 2-wire interface allows
the RTC to function as a stand alone RTC in the system.
The programmable alarm trip points in the RTC will allow a flag to be set in the Control register when
the specified time in the Alarm Trip Point register is reached. The flag is readable via the 2-wire interface
during an event logging mission or, when the DS1678 is not in a mission, the INT pin will become an
output and generate an Alarm Interrupt if the value in the RTC equals the value in the RTC Alarm
register and the Duration Interval Select (DISx) bits are both set to zeros.
The DS1678 operates as a slave device on the 2-wire serial bus. Access is obtained by implementing a
START condition and providing a device identification code followed by a register address. All data is
transferred to and from the 1678 Most Significant Bit (MSb) first. The address counter will automatically
increment so that subsequent registers can be accessed sequentially until a STOP condition is executed.
When VCC falls below 1.25 x VBAT the device automatically write protects itself, terminates any access in
progress and resets the device address counter. Inputs to the device via the 2-wire bus will not be
recognized at this time to prevent erroneous data from being written to the device from an out of
tolerance system. When VCC falls below VBAT the device switches into a low-current battery backup
mode. Upon power up, the device switches from battery power to VCC when VCC is greater than
VBAT+0.2V and recognizes inputs from the system when VCC is greater than 1.25 x VBAT by releasing
control of the write protection on the 2-wire bus.
The block diagram in Figure 1 shows the main elements of the RTC event recorder. The device has four
major components: 1) 64-bit Real Time Clock and control block, 2) 32-byte User NV RAM, 3) 2048
bytes of event log memory (1024 events), and 4) 2-wire serial interface.