Abstract: A system and method for canceling dark photocurrent in a color sensor circuit is disclosed. A color sensor is described including a color sensor circuit, a dark color sensor circuit, and a differential amplifier circuit. The color sensor circuit receives photocurrent from a color component of a light input. The color sensor circuit outputs a first voltage indicating intensity of the color component. The dark color sensor circuit receives dark photocurrent and outputs a second voltage indicating an offset voltage. The differential amplifier circuit is coupled to the color sensor circuit and to the dark color sensor circuit. The differential amplifier circuit receives the first and second voltages and outputs a final output that cancels contributions of the offset voltage in the first voltage due to the dark photocurrent.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of widebody coil isolators containing multiple coil transducers, where integrated circuits are not stacked vertically over the coil transducers. The disclosed coil isolators provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages that provide a high degree of functionality at a low price.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a device and method for correcting code wheel misalignment which employs upper and lower code wheel misalignment photodetectors positioned above and below at least first and second motion detection photodetectors. According to other embodiments, there are provided a device and method for automatically setting the gain of an output circuit in an optical encoder. Still further embodiments of optical encoders combine the code wheel misalignment and automatic gain control features of the invention.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of interpolation circuits for use in conjunction with motion encoders. The analog output signals provided by incremental or absolute motion encoders are provided to an interpolation circuit, which is capable of providing high interpolation factor output signals having high timing accuracy. Problems with noise spikes common to zero-hysteresis comparators typically employed in interpolation circuits are eliminated, as are problems with time delays differing between comparators that do feature hysteresis. The disclosed interpolation circuits may be implemented using CMOS processes without undue effort.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of interpolation circuits for use in conjunction with optical encoders. The analog output signals provided by incremental or absolute motion encoders are provided to an interpolation circuit, which is capable of providing high interpolation factor output signals having high timing accuracy. The disclosed interpolation circuits may be implemented using CMOS or BiCMOS processes without undue effort.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of pulse generation and automatic gain control (“AGC”) circuits and corresponding methods that are especially well suited for use in motion encoding systems. Analog output signals provided by a motion encoder serve as inputs to the pulse generation circuit, where peaks, valleys and/or crosspoints corresponding to such analog signals are first detected and then employed to generate output pulses corresponding thereto. These output pulses are next provided to an AGC circuit as self-generated clock signals which control the time windows over which the analog signals of the motion encoder are sampled and processed by the AGC circuit so as to adjust the gains applied to such analog signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of narrowbody coil isolators containing multiple coil transducers, where integrated circuits are not stacked vertically over the coil transducers. The disclosed coil isolators provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages that provide a high degree of functionality at a low price.

Abstract: A method of capturing user control inputs for an electronic device comprises sampling an input measurement signal at a capacitive input sensor of the electronic device to capture user control inputs for operating the electronic device. Electromagnetic interference affecting the sampling or the input measurement signal is electronically neutralized.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a reflective optical encoder package having a light emitter and a light detector disposed on an integrated circuit having an optically transparent glass layer disposed thereover. The package can be manufactured without resort to wirebonding techniques and instead can be made using wafer level packaging methods and materials. The package can also be made of lower profile or smaller footprint than many conventional optical encoder packages, and may be employed to sense or detect rotary or linear motion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a number of different embodiments of reflective multi-turn optical encoders with different light sensing systems. Three different basic configurations of reflective multi-turn optical encoder light sensing systems are disclosed herein: (a) optical encoders employing multiple arrays of light detectors; (b) optical encoders employing multiple arrays of stacked die light sensors, and (c) optical encoders employing variable tone density light sensing systems.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of high-speed, high-performance, low-noise optical encoders having various means for preventing undesired stray light from reaching light detectors incorporated therein. Structures employed to block stray light in the optical encoders include light barriers, air gap trenches, and coatings disposed between first and second sides of a substrate of the encoder. Also disclosed are compact single track optical encoders having a single dome lens disposed thereover, and dual track triple dome lens optical encoders. Methods of making such optical encoders are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an apparatus including a sealed cavity and an apparatus embodying the method are disclosed. To fabricate the apparatus, a device chip including a substrate and at least one circuit element on the substrate is fabricated. Also, a cap is fabricated. Next, the device chip and the cap are bonded such that a sealed cavity is formed by the device chip and the cap. The bond is accomplished using thermo compression technique. Gold or other suitable metal can be used as a bonding agent. Then or at the same time, caulking agent is reflowed over the bonding agent, over portions of the cap, or both to further seal the cavity. In the resultant device, the sealed cavity is sealed by the bonding agent, the caulking agent, or both. The caulking agent increases hermeticity of the cavity and provides for even higher level of protection of the cavity against adverse environmental conditions.

Abstract: A light source having a flexible substrate and a plurality of dies having LEDs is disclosed. The light source can be conveniently utilized to provide an extended light source by bonding the light source to a suitable light pipe. The substrate is divided into first and second regions. The dies are bonded to the substrate in a first region. A portion of the surface of the substrate in the second region is reflective. The substrate is bent such that the second region forms a reflector that reflects light that would otherwise be emitted in a non-useful direction to a more useful direction. The substrate can be constructed from a three layer flexible circuit carrier in which the dies are mounted on a bottom metal layer to provide an improved thermal path for heat generated in the dies.

Abstract: An energy saving driving circuit and method is provided for use with a solid state relay (SSR). The circuit and method reduce the overall energy required to drive a solid state relay by maintaining the SSR in an “on” state with a minimal maintenance or holding current after applying a turn-on current. The driving circuit includes a control circuit configured for outputting a control signal; a turn-on circuit configured for providing an output current at a first current level for a first time period in response to the control signal; and a holding circuit configured for maintaining said output current at a second reduced current level for a second time period. The maintenance or holding current is reduced in respect of that of a conventional driving current, and in some cases may be an order of magnitude or more less in magnitude than a conventional driving current, thereby resulting in less energy consumed by the SSR.

Abstract: Closed-loop printing registration systems (e.g., printers), devices, components and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a printer reproduces continuously and sequentially on a sheet of paper invisible ink landmarks that mimic registration information provided initially by permanent invisible ink markers, disposed on a platform or platen. According to one embodiment, once the first row of invisible ink landmarks has been printed on a sheet of paper, the first and subsequent rows of invisible ink landmarks provide a basis for continuous registration and alignment of sheet of the paper as it is being printed upon and advanced through the printer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a device and method for correcting code wheel misalignment which employs upper and lower code wheel misalignment photodetectors positioned above and below at least first and second motion detection photodetectors. According to other embodiments, there are provided a device and method for automatically setting the gain of an output circuit in an optical encoder. Still further embodiments of optical encoders combine the code wheel misalignment and automatic gain control features of the invention.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an optical encoder having a photodetector array comprising motion detection photodetectors and at least one reference photodetector vertically offset from the motion detection photodetectors. The output signal generated by the at least one reference photodetectors is employed to correct undesired variations in the amplitudes of the output signals generated by the motion detection photodetectors. Such variations typically arise from various mechanical and optical misalignments in the optical encoder, and are compensated for by using the reference output signal to add to or subtract from, as required, the amplitudes of motion detection output signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of coil transducers configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. A coil transducer is provided through and across which data or power signals may be transmitted and received by primary and secondary coils disposed on opposing sides thereof without high voltage breakdowns occurring therebetween. A central core layer separates the transmitting and receiving coils, and has no vias disposed therethrough. At least portions of the coil transducer are formed of an electrically insulating, non-metallic, non-semiconductor, low dielectric loss material.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of means and methods for reducing the pick-up of electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) by coil transducers configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. In some embodiments, the lengths, heights, and horizontal distances between wires electrically connecting transmitter circuits and receiver circuits to coil transducers are minimized and optimized respecting one another.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a semiconductor digital communication device comprising communication drive and sense electrodes formed in a single plane, where the electrodes have relatively high sidewalls. The relatively high sidewalls permit low electrical field densities to be obtained in the sense and drive electrodes during operation, and further permit very high breakdown voltages to be obtained between the electrodes, and between the drive electrode and an underlying ground plane substrate. The device effects communications between drive and receive circuits through the drive and sense electrodes by capacitive means, and in a preferred embodiment is capable of effecting relatively high-speed digital communications. The device may be formed in a small package using, by way of example, CMOS or other semiconductor fabrication and packaging processes.