An apparatus for smart frequency selection in a ground monitor apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an energy measurement circuit that measures an energy level at a test frequency in an equipment grounding conductor between a load and a power source and an energy comparator that compares the measured energy level with an energy threshold. The apparatus includes a continuity signal circuit that injects a continuity signal with a frequency at the test frequency in the equipment grounding conductor at an energy level above the energy threshold in response to the energy comparator determining that the measured energy level is below the energy threshold. The continuity signal is an indicator for continuity of the equipment grounding conductor between the power source and load.

A hub device adapted to simultaneously communicate to a user two or more parameters of energy use by a household, the device includes a metering communication link that is adapted to communicate with a meter to receive usage data describing energy supplied to the household.

A hub device adapted to simultaneously communicate to a user two or more parameters of energy use by a household, the device includes a metering communication link that is adapted to communicate with a meter to receive usage data describing energy supplied to the household.

During normal operation of a processor, voltage droop is likely to occur and there is, therefore, a need for techniques for rapidly and accurately detecting this droop so as to reduce the probability of circuit timing failures. The droop detector described herein uses a tap sampled delay line in which a clock signal is split along two separate paths. Each of the taps in the paths are separated by two inverter delays such that the set of samples produced represent sample values of the clock signal that are each separated by a single inverter delay without inversion of the first clock signal between the samples.

During normal operation of a processor, voltage droop is likely to occur and there is, therefore, a need for techniques for rapidly and accurately detecting this droop so as to reduce the probability of circuit timing failures. The droop detector described herein uses a tap sampled delay line in which a clock signal is split along two separate paths. Each of the taps in the paths are separated by two inverter delays such that the set of samples produced represent sample values of the clock signal that are each separated by a single inverter delay without inversion of the first clock signal between the samples.

A method and apparatus of load detection for an audio amplifier system is described. A load detector includes a first load terminal and a second load terminal; a controller coupled to the first and second load terminals and configured to in a first control loop, vary a first current supplied to a first load terminal dependent on the difference between a first reference signal and the detected first load terminal voltage; and in a second control loop, vary a second current supplied to the second load terminal dependent on the difference between a second reference signal and the detected second load terminal voltage; and to determine a current through a load connected between the first load terminal and the second load terminal from the second current value, and a voltage across the load from the detected voltage difference between the first load terminal voltage and the second load terminal voltage.

A method and apparatus of load detection for an audio amplifier system is described. A load detector includes a first load terminal and a second load terminal; a controller coupled to the first and second load terminals and configured to in a first control loop, vary a first current supplied to a first load terminal dependent on the difference between a first reference signal and the detected first load terminal voltage; and in a second control loop, vary a second current supplied to the second load terminal dependent on the difference between a second reference signal and the detected second load terminal voltage; and to determine a current through a load connected between the first load terminal and the second load terminal from the second current value, and a voltage across the load from the detected voltage difference between the first load terminal voltage and the second load terminal voltage.

A first filter outputs a first signal in response to receiving an input signal. The first signal has a first state in response to the input signal reaching a first threshold voltage on a leading edge of the input signal, and a second state in response to the input signal reaching the first threshold voltage on a trailing edge of the input signal. A second filter outputs a second signal in response to receiving the input signal. The second signal has the first state in response to the input signal reaching a second threshold voltage on the leading edge of the input signal, and the second state in response to the input signal reaching the second threshold voltage on the trailing edge of the input signal. A detection circuit determines, based on times when the first and second thresholds are reached, whether the input signal is received from a triac.

A first filter outputs a first signal in response to receiving an input signal. The first signal has a first state in response to the input signal reaching a first threshold voltage on a leading edge of the input signal, and a second state in response to the input signal reaching the first threshold voltage on a trailing edge of the input signal. A second filter outputs a second signal in response to receiving the input signal. The second signal has the first state in response to the input signal reaching a second threshold voltage on the leading edge of the input signal, and the second state in response to the input signal reaching the second threshold voltage on the trailing edge of the input signal. A detection circuit determines, based on times when the first and second thresholds are reached, whether the input signal is received from a triac.

In one embodiment, a droop reference, comprising: a programmable low pass filter configured to filter a supply voltage; and a digital-to-analog converter configured to provide a scaled version of the filtered supply voltage.