Wiring Material

The Simple Microprocessor power supply watchdog schema Diagram monitors the input to the microprocessor 5 V regulated supply for voltage drops and initiates a reset sequence before supply regulation is lost. In operation, the resistor capacitor combination Rs and Cj form a short time constant smoothing network for the output of the fullwave bridge rectifier. 

An approximately triangular, voltage waveform appears across C and Rs and it is the minimum excursion of this that initiates the reset. Diode Dg prevents charge sharing between capacitors Cj and Ck. Resistors Rn and Rm form a feedback network around the voltage reference section of the LM10C, setting a threshold voltage of 3.4 volts. 

 Microprocessor power supply watchdog schema Diagram

The threshold voltage is set at 90% of the minimum voltage of the triangular waveform. When the triangular wave trough, at the comparators non-inverting input, dips below the threshold, the comparator output is driven low. This presents a reset to the microprocessor. Capacitor Ch is charged slowly through resistor Rk and discharged rapidly through diode De.