Abstract
The technology described in this paper relates to a microcontroller unit (MCU) based power management technique to prevent bus voltage collapse in systems with constrained power sources, such as underprovisioned batteries. When such a system switches to battery power, a sudden high-power workload can cause the input voltage to drop below the undervoltage threshold in microseconds, leading to an immediate shutdown. This technique addresses the problem by using pre-configured minimum and maximum Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) duty cycle limits that engage instantaneously when a drop in input voltage indicates a switch to battery power. The rapid enforcement, occurring within approximately 20 microseconds, effectively clamps the maximum power draw of a high-power processing unit before the voltage can collapse. This method is a proactive solution that provides a more graceful power reduction than direct processor throttling, minimizing performance impact while ensuring system stability.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
N/A, "Reducing Bus Voltage Drop using PWM Duty Cycle", Technical Disclosure Commons, (October 15, 2025)
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/8729