Appeal No. 94-4061
Application 07/659,683
This is a decision on an appeal from the examiner's2
final rejection of claims 3-7, 9, 12, 13, 15 and 16. Claims 1,3
2, 8, 10, 11 and 14 have been canceled. Appellant's appealed
subject matter is a microprocessor apparatus and a method of
supervising a microprocessor which include watchdog circuit means
connected to the output lines of the microprocessor for resetting
the microprocessor if an error in the sequence of processing the
program steps is detected. Claims 9 and 15 are illustrative of
the claims on appeal and recite:
9. A microprocessor apparatus comprising:
microprocessor means for executing a predetermined
program which includes a plurality of watchdog instructions which
are different from one another and all of which would be executed
during complete execution of said program wherein a first
watchdog instruction is located in a main loop of said program
and a second watchdog instruction is located in a sub-routine
that is non-conditionally called for during execution of said
main loop;
watchdog instruction decoder means connected to an
output of said microprocessor means for decoding a signal
supplied at said output in response to execution of each watchdog
instruction including each of the first and second watchdog
instructions to provide a respective one of a plurality of
activation signals on one of a plurality of output lines thereof
such that, if said microprocessor means is operating correctly,
said output lines will be provided with said activation signals
in a predetermined sequence; and
2Notice of Appeal filed November 22, 1993.
3Office Action mailed May 18, 1993.
-2-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007