Abstract: A motor-driving circuit includes: a plurality of output transistors; a first-comparator circuit to compare a voltage of each phase of driving coils of a plurality of phases in a motor, with a neutral-point voltage; a position-detecting circuit to detect a rotor position of the motor based on a comparison result of the first-comparator circuit; a switching-control circuit to supply switching signals to the plurality of output transistors according to the rotor position; and a current-limiting circuit to limit the driving currents to a first-current value so that the motor rotates at a target-rotation speed when the current-limiting circuit determines that the motor is rotating at a speed higher than or equal to a predetermined-reference-rotation speed, and limit the driving currents to a second-current value smaller than the first-current value when the current-limiting circuit determines that the motor is not rotating at the speed higher than or equal to the predetermined-reference-rotation speed.

Abstract: A switched capacitor circuit includes a capacitor and switches located on an input side and an output side of the capacitor. The switched capacitor circuit also includes an operational amplifier of a later stage which receives an output of the capacitor, wherein a current value of a current supplied to the operational amplifier is switched according to at least one open/closed state of at least one of the switches.

Abstract: A method, system and machine readable medium for noise reduction is provided. The method includes: (1) receiving a noise corrupted signal; (2) transforming the noise corrupted signal to a time-frequency domain representation; (3) determining probabilistic bases for operation, the probabilistic bases being priors in a multitude of frequency bands calculated online; (4) adapting longer term internal states of the method; (5) calculating present distributions that fit data; (6) generating non-linear filters that minimize entropy of speech and maximize entropy of noise, thereby reducing the impact of noise while enhancing speech; (7) applying the filters to create a primary output in a frequency domain; and (8) transforming the primary output to the time domain and outputting a noise suppressed signal.

Abstract: A system for analyte measurement includes a programmable gain amplifier including a first input terminal operatively coupling to the output of a sensor for sensing an analyte, a second input terminal operatively coupling to a voltage source, and an output terminal for providing an output based on a difference between inputs on the first input terminal and the second input terminal A controller is operatively coupled to the programmable gain amplifier for configuring the operation range of the programmable gain amplifier and/or selecting the output of the programmable gain amplifier for analyte measurement. The method includes monitoring an output from a programmable gain amplifier operatively coupling to a sensor for sensing an analyte, and controlling the operation range of the programmable gain amplifier, and/or selecting the output of the programmable gain amplifier for analyte measurement.

Abstract: A motor drive circuit includes: a drive circuit configured to drive a motor whose coil current decreases with increase in counter electromotive voltage of a motor coil; a detection circuit configured to detect whether or not a current value of the coil current is greater than a predetermined value; a first control circuit configured to control the drive circuit so that the current value of the coil current becomes smaller than or equal to the predetermined value, when it is detected that the current value of the coil current is greater than the predetermined value; and a second control circuit configured to control the first control circuit so that the first control circuit does not control the drive circuit based on a detection result of the detection circuit until a predetermined time has elapsed from a start of supply of the coil current.

Abstract: A power supply control circuit comprising: a first control circuit configured to control on/off of a transistor, whose input electrode is applied with an input voltage, based on a feedback voltage so that an output voltage at a target level is generated from the input voltage to be applied to a load, the feedback voltage being in accordance with a reference voltage and the output voltage; and a second control circuit configured to control a feedback voltage generation circuit so that the output voltage rises with increase in load current flowing through the load, the feedback voltage generation circuit configured to generate the feedback voltage.

Abstract: A motor speed control circuit includes: a first determining circuit configured to determine whether a rotation speed of a motor is higher than a set first rotation speed based on a speed signal corresponding to the rotation speed; a second determining circuit configured to determine whether the rotation speed is higher than a set second rotation speed, which is higher than the first rotation speed, based on the speed signal; and a drive signal output circuit configured to output to a drive circuit configured to drive the motor a drive signal for increasing the rotation speed when the rotation speed is lower than the first rotation speed and decreasing the rotation speed when the rotation speed is higher than the second rotation speed, based on determination results of the first and second determining circuits.

Abstract: A motor drive circuit comprising: a drive circuit configured to supply a drive current to a drive coil of a motor; a control circuit configured to control an operation of the drive circuit; a locking protection circuit configured to control an operation of the control circuit so that the drive circuit stops supplying the drive current to the drive coil, if a rotation signal, indicating rotation of the motor, is not generated during a predetermined time period although the drive circuit is supplying the drive current to the drive coil; and a prohibition circuit configured to prohibit the locking protection circuit from controlling the control circuit.

Abstract: A motor-drive circuit includes: a filter circuit to attenuate a frequency band including a resonance frequency of an actuator in a target-current signal, the target-current signal corresponding to a digital signal indicative of a target value of a driving current; a digital-analog converter to convert an output signal of the filter circuit into an analog signal, to be outputted as a current-control signal; and a driving circuit to supply the driving current to the voice-coil motor in accordance with the current-control signal, the filter circuit including: a digital notch filter; and a digital low-pass filter, wherein either one of the digital notch filter and the digital low-pass filter configured to be inputted with the target-current signal, the other one of the digital notch filter and the digital low-pass filter configured to be inputted with an output signal of the one of the digital notch filter or the digital low-pass filter.

Abstract: An instruction execution circuit includes: a memory circuit including a first memory element and a second memory element configured to require less power than the first memory element; a processor; and an address decoder configured to output an enable signal to either one, storing an instruction, of the first memory element and the second memory element when an address is outputted from the processor, the enable signal corresponding to a signal to output the instruction stored at the address, one portion of a program stored in the first memory element corresponding to a portion in which processing other than loop processing is described, the loop processing causing the processor to execute the specific instruction in a repetitive manner, the other portion of a program stored in the second memory element corresponding to a portion in which the loop processing is described.

Abstract: Described herein are methods that may improve yield of an image sensor. In one embodiment, a method that may improve yield of an image sensor includes generating output values of control logic associated with an array of light sensitive elements. The method further may include determining if the control logic has one or more faulty output values. The method further may include automatically correcting the one or more faulty output values. In another embodiment, a method that may improve yield of an image sensor includes providing light to an array of light sensitive elements. The method further may include generating an image based on the light sensitive elements and associated control logic. The method further may include disconnecting control lines from control logic that has one or more faulty output values based on viewing the image. The method further may include generating another image based on the control logic having no faulty output values.

Abstract: A switching-control circuit configured to keep a transistor on for a predetermined time to generate a target-level-output-voltage from an input voltage. The circuit configured to generate, every switching period of the transistor, a slope voltage corresponding to that of a ripple voltage contained in an output voltage during a time period when the transistor is off, limit an amplitude of the slope voltage so as not to exceed a predetermined amplitude greater than the amplitude of the slope voltage when the target-level-output-voltage is generated, add the slope voltage to a reference voltage, indicating a reference of the target-level-output-voltage, or a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage, and keep the transistor on for a predetermined time and thereafter turn off the transistor, when a level of either one voltage, added with the slope voltage, of the reference voltage and the feedback voltage reaches a level of another voltage thereof.

Abstract: A switching-control circuit to control a switching operation of a transistor, having an input electrode applied with the input voltage and an output electrode connected to a load via an inductor, to generate an output voltage of a target level from an input voltage, includes: a voltage-generating circuit to generate a slope voltage based on the output voltage in each of a switching period of the transistor, the slope voltage changing with a slope corresponding to the output voltage; an adding circuit to add the slope voltage to a reference voltage, indicating a reference of the output voltage of the target level, or a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage; and a drive circuit to perform the switching operation of the transistor, when a level of either one voltage, added with the slope voltage, of the reference and feedback voltages reaches a level of an other voltage thereof.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an image sensor comprises a plurality of pixel sensing circuits. Each pixel sensing circuit includes a photodiode and a storage node. Each pixel sensing circuit further includes a first transistor coupled between the photodiode and the storage node and a second transistor coupled between the photodiode and a shared node. The shared node is coupled to the plurality of pixel sensing circuits. The image sensor may include a reset transistor and/or a read-out circuit coupled to the shared node.

Abstract: An N type layer made of an N type epitaxial layer in which an N+ type drain layer etc are formed is surrounded by a P type drain isolation layer extending from the front surface of the N type epitaxial layer to an N+ type buried layer. A P type collector layer is formed in an N type layer made of the N type epitaxial layer surrounded by the P type drain isolation layer and a P type element isolation layer, extending from the front surface to the inside of the N type layer. A parasitic bipolar transistor that uses the first conductive type drain isolation layer as the emitter, the second conductive type N type layer as the base, and the collector layer as the collector is thus formed so as to flow a surge current into a ground line.

Abstract: An image sensor having shield structures and methods of forming the same are provided. Generally, the image sensor includes: (i) substrate having at least one photosensitive element formed therein; (ii) a dielectric layer overlying the substrate and the photosensitive element; and (iii) an annular reflective waveguide disposed in the dielectric layer above the photosensitive element to reduce cross-talk between adjacent elements of the sensor while increasing sensitivity of the sensor. In certain embodiments, the sensor further includes a photoshield disposed in the dielectric above the photosensitive element and about the waveguide to further reduce the possibility of cross-talk. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: To efficiently obtain two outputs including one at a normal level and the other at an excessive level. An input signal input to the negative input terminal of an operational amplifier (14) having a negative feedback path is amplified to output an output signal. Signal combining units (18, 20, 22) are provided for adding in a weighted manner a negative input terminal side signal obtained by combining the input signal input to the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier (14) and a feedback signal from the negative feedback path and the output signal from the operational amplifier to output a combined signal, so that two signals, namely the output signal from the operational amplifier (14) and the combined signal, are obtained.

Abstract: A constant voltage power supply circuit includes an output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit and a drooping over-current protection circuit unit. The output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit reduces, when an output current which is output from an output terminal of an output control transistor exceeds a first set value which is determined in advance, the output current from the first set value in a manner dependent on a reduction of an output voltage which is output from the output terminal. The drooping over-current protection circuit unit detects, with an external resistor, the output current which is output from the output terminal of the output control transistor, and reduces, when the detected output current exceeds a second set value which is determined in advance and which has a lower value than the first set value, the output voltage while maintaining the output current at the second set value.

Abstract: PWM conversion is efficiently executed. An output control circuit comprises a flip-flop which reads crossing of a reference value by a rotational state signal from a motor, and generates a motor drive control signal according to a state of the flip-flop. A clock generator generates a clock which defines a time of reading data in the flip-flop of the output control circuit. A PWM conversion circuit PWM-converts the drive control signal using the clock as a PWM signal.

Abstract: Noise in an audio output is reduced even if a mixing signal leaks to another tuner. A broadcast wave is received from a broadcast station by an antenna to which a mixing signal is mixed by a mixer to obtain an IF signal and demodulated by a demodulator. An oscillator outputs a mixing signal having a frequency difference of at least a barely audible frequency within an audio frequency band from any broadcast station center frequency allocated at a predetermined frequency spacing, the mixing signal is mixed with the signal received by the antenna, and the IF signal is obtained.