Abstract: Determining if a hermetically sealed MEMs device loses hermeticity during operation. In one embodiment, the MEMs device is an accelerometer. A test signal having an associated frequency above an operational frequency range for the accelerometer is provided to the accelerometer at an input during operation of the accelerometer for sensing an acceleration. The output signal of the accelerometer is filtered at least above the operational frequency range of the accelerometer producing a test output signal. The test output signal is then compared to a predetermined threshold to determine if the amplitude of the test output signal differs from the threshold. If the amplitude of the test output signal differs from the predetermined threshold, an error signal is produced indicating that hermeticity of the accelerometer has been lost.

Abstract: A calibration system for a communication system is provided featuring a transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit, a transmission medium having a transfer function for transmitting a signal between the transmitter and receiver circuits, and a calibration system responsive to the altered reference signal of the transmitter circuit for adjusting the reference signal level of one of the transmitter and receiver circuits to compensate for variations in the transmission signal due to the transfer function.

Abstract: Accommodating a processor to process a number of different data formats includes loading a data word in a first format from a first storage device; reordering, before it reaches the arithmetic unit, the first format of the data word to a second format compatible with the native order of the arithmetic unit; and vector processing the data word in the arithmetic unit.

Abstract: Reducing pipeline stall between a compute unit and address unit in a processor can be accomplished by computing results in a compute unit in response to instructions of an algorithm; storing in a local random access memory array in a compute unit predetermined sets of functions, related to the computed results for predetermined sets of instructions of the algorithm; and providing within the compute unit direct mapping of computed results to related function.

Abstract: A device comprises a termination impedance circuit, coupled to a communication link. The termination impedance circuit provides a termination impedance of the device, wherein the impedance is selectable. A second device comprises an echo-cancel hybrid circuit, coupled to a communication link, that provides an echo cancel characteristic, wherein the characteristic is selectable.

Abstract: A first device receives and processes signals from a communication link that supports a plurality of signal protocols. The device comprises a converter, coupled to the communication link, that outputs a sampled data stream, and a digital filter that filters the sampled data stream to separate signals associated with different signal protocols. A second device receives a first input sampled data stream representative of a first signal to be transmitted and associated with a first signal protocol and a second input sampled data stream representative of a second signal to be transmitted and associated with a second signal protocol, and combines the data streams into an output data stream which may be coupled to the communication link.

Abstract: A first device comprises a loop circuit to control a sample rate of a digital circuit element. A circuit comprises a digital loop circuit to control a sample rate of a digital circuit element to be a function of a frequency of a signal received by the circuit. A second device receives two or more sampled data streams having sample rates different from one another, converts the sample rate of one or more of the data streams to provide two or more data streams having sample rates compatible with one another, and combines the two data streams. Sample rate converter devices are used in a PLL and a clock recovery circuit.

Abstract: A device comprises a termination impedance circuit, coupled to a communication link. The termination impedance circuit provides a termination impedance of the device, wherein the impedance is selectable. A second device comprises an echo-cancel hybrid circuit, coupled to a communication link, that provides an echo cancel characteristic, wherein the characteristic is selectable.

Abstract: A first device comprises a loop circuit to control a sample rate of a digital circuit element. A circuit comprises a digital loop circuit to control a sample rate of a digital circuit element to be a function of a frequency of a signal received by the circuit. A second device receives two or more sampled data streams having sample rates different from one another, converts the sample rate of one or more of the data streams to provide two or more data streams having sample rates compatible with one another, and combines the two data streams. Sample rate converter devices are used in a PLL and a clock recovery circuit.

Abstract: A first device receives and processes signals from a communication link that supports a plurality of signal protocols. The device comprises a converter, coupled to the communication link, that outputs a sampled data stream, and a digital filter that filters the sampled data stream to separate signals associated with different signal protocols. A second device receives a first input sampled data stream representative of a first signal to be transmitted and associated with a first signal protocol and a second input sampled data stream representative of a second signal to be transmitted and associated with a second signal protocol, and combines the data streams into an output data stream which may be coupled to the communication link.

Abstract: A calibration system for a communication system is provided featuring a transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit, a transmission medium having a transfer function for transmitting a signal between the transmitter and receiver circuits, and a calibration system responsive to the altered reference signal of the transmitter circuit for adjusting the reference signal level of one of the transmitter and receiver circuits to compensate for variations in the transmission signal due to the transfer function.