Abstract: Embodiments of clock circuits disclosed herein include a crystal oscillator circuit, an injection oscillator coupled to kick-start the crystal oscillator circuit and a digital frequency calibration circuit coupled to recalibrate the injection oscillator. The crystal oscillator circuit is configured to generate a clock signal at a resonant frequency. The injection oscillator is coupled to supply an oscillation signal at an injection frequency to the crystal oscillator circuit to reduce a start-up time of the crystal oscillator circuit. The digital frequency calibration circuit is coupled to receive the resonant frequency and the injection frequency as inputs, and configured to supply a digital control signal to the injection oscillator to set the injection frequency of the injection oscillator substantially equal to the resonant frequency of the crystal oscillator circuit. Methods are provided herein to recalibrate the injection frequency of an injection oscillator over time, temperature and/or supply voltage.

Abstract: A method of pairing a therapeutic product delivery device to a handset is described. The handset is restricted to controlling only delivery devices which it is paired with. The method comprises the steps of: at the delivery device, setting, in response to the delivery device being connected to a charging device, a pairing indicator indicating that the delivery device is available for pairing, and broadcasting the pairing indicator using a radio transceiver; at the handset, discovering the delivery device based on the broadcast pairing indicator; and pairing the discovered delivery device and the handset together. By limiting the handset to pairing with devices which are broadcasting a pairing indicator, and by limiting the setting and/or broadcast of the pairing indicator to when the delivery device is connected to a charging device, the risk of accidentally pairing the wrong delivery device (for example someone else's) to the handset is greatly reduced.

Abstract: A therapeutic product delivery device is described which comprises a device body and a cartridge for holding a therapeutic product. An engagement structure is provided for releasably engaging the cartridge with the device body. A fault detector is provided for detecting a fault in the delivery of the therapeutic product from the cartridge. A release trigger is responsive to the detection of a fault to cause the engagement structure to release the cartridge from the device body. In this way, a fault causes the cartridge to be released from the device body, which will prevent any further delivery of the therapeutic product to the patient. This solution is strongly preferable to a solution in which a product delivery mechanism (e.g. a pump) is merely paused or stopped, since when the cartridge separates then no further delivery is possible at all, until the cartridge is reattached (or more probably replaced with a new cartridge in case the fault is with the cartridge).

Abstract: Embodiments of clock circuits disclosed herein include a crystal oscillator circuit, an injection oscillator coupled to kick-start the crystal oscillator circuit and a digital frequency calibration circuit coupled to recalibrate the injection oscillator. The crystal oscillator circuit is configured to generate a clock signal at a resonant frequency. The injection oscillator is coupled to supply an oscillation signal at an injection frequency to the crystal oscillator circuit to reduce a start-up time of the crystal oscillator circuit. The digital frequency calibration circuit is coupled to receive the resonant frequency and the injection frequency as inputs, and configured to supply a digital control signal to the injection oscillator to set the injection frequency of the injection oscillator substantially equal to the resonant frequency of the crystal oscillator circuit. Methods are provided herein to recalibrate the injection frequency of an injection oscillator over time, temperature and/or supply voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a slew rate regulation circuit, a plurality of switches and a controller circuit. The controller circuit controls the plurality of switches to decouple a first source supply voltage from a supply rail; control the plurality of switches to couple a second source supply voltage to the supply rail to replace the first source supply voltage with the second source supply voltage; and control the slew rate regulation circuit to regulate a slew rate of a voltage of the supply rail during a time interval in which the first source supply voltage is being replaced with the second source supply voltage.

Abstract: A therapeutic product delivery device is described which comprises a device body and a cartridge for holding a therapeutic product. An engagement structure is provided for releasably engaging the cartridge with the device body. A fault detector is provided for detecting a fault in the delivery of the therapeutic product from the cartridge. A release trigger is responsive to the detection of a fault to cause the engagement structure to release the cartridge from the device body. In this way, a fault causes the cartridge to be released from the device body, which will prevent any further delivery of the therapeutic product to the patient. This solution is strongly preferable to a solution in which a product delivery mechanism (e.g. a pump) is merely paused or stopped, since when the cartridge separates then no further delivery is possible at all, until the cartridge is reattached (or more probably replaced with a new cartridge in case the fault is with the cartridge).

Abstract: A method of pairing a therapeutic product delivery device to a handset is described. The handset is restricted to controlling only delivery devices which it is paired with. The method comprises the steps of: at the delivery device, setting, in response to the delivery device being connected to a charging device, a pairing indicator indicating that the delivery device is available for pairing, and broadcasting the pairing indicator using a radio transceiver; at the handset, discovering the delivery device based on the broadcast pairing indicator; and pairing the discovered delivery device and the handset together. By limiting the handset to pairing with devices which are broadcasting a pairing indicator, and by limiting the setting and/or broadcast of the pairing indicator to when the delivery device is connected to a charging device, the risk of accidentally pairing the wrong delivery device (for example someone else's) to the handset is greatly reduced.

Abstract: An actuator comprises: a cavity containing a working medium (B) that reversibly expands as it undergoes a phase change from a solid to a liquid state; a diaphragm disposed adjacent the cavity such that expansion and contraction of the expandable working medium (B) causes the diaphragm to deflect, and a semiconductor element (A) disposed in the cavity. The semiconductor element (A) is operable in a first mode to heat the working medium (B) to cause it to undergo the phase change into the liquid state, and is operable in a second mode to measure the temperature at the semiconductor element (A). The corresponding actuation method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Circuitry and methods are provided that may be implemented to transfer digital signals between multiple voltage domains while some of these domains may be invalid, e.g., such as to transfer a digital signal from a source voltage domain to a destination voltage domain while the voltage of the source domain is zero or invalid. Possible implementations include, but are not limited to, for power selection and distribution in an integrated circuit chip that has multiple power sources (e.g., such as main power supply and a backup power supply), and in which at startup the chip is agnostic of (or is not aware of) which power supply or power supplies is actually powered and available.

Abstract: A communication method of managing communications to and from a handset device controlling a therapeutic product delivery device is described. The method comprises transmitting, to a server, at least part of a unique identifier for a handset device for controlling a therapeutic product delivery device, and patient information regarding a user to be associated with the handset device, and at the server, associating the handset device with the patient information, generating a handset specific code, and transmitting the handset specific code to the user. At the handset device, a manual input of the handset specific code is received, and the future transmission of data from the handset device to the server carried out in association with the handset specific code.

Abstract: A therapeutic product delivery device is described, which comprises a circuit layer, an actuator layer carrying an actuator, an occlusion detection layer (118), and a valve layer, through which a therapeutic product is conveyed by the action of the actuator. A plurality of conductive pins (155) extend from the circuit layer through or to each of the actuator layer, the occlusion detection layer and the valve layer, the conductive pins aligning the layers with each other. The occlusion detection layer comprises a plurality of contacts, each electrically connected to a respective one of the conductive pins, the contacts being provided at a detection region at which the therapeutic product is deposited in the event of a blockage. A blockage inhibiting the therapeutic product from being conveyed to the patient is detected when therapeutic product deposited in the detection region provides an electrical connection between the contacts.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrated circuit, which includes a processor core, a plurality of input/output (I/O) circuits, and a plurality of over voltage tolerant (OVT) circuits. Each I/O circuit is associated with an I/O pad and is associated with an OVT circuit of the plurality of OVT circuits. At least one of the OVT circuits includes a passive circuit, which is adapted to receive a pad voltage from the associated I/O pad; receive a supply voltage of the associated I/O circuit; and based on a relationship of the received pad voltage relative to the received supply voltage, selectively couple a gate of a transistor of the associated I/O circuit to the pad voltage to inhibit a leakage current.

Abstract: According to a further exemplary embodiment, a wardrobe may be provided. The wardrobe may include a receiving element located in a housing that may be configured to receive and dispense clothing items. Each clothing item may include a unique RFID tag and a number of RFID readers may be connected to a computing means configured to obtain information held in each RFID tag. The wardrobe may further include a linear actuator proximate a top surface of the housing, the linear actuator may be controlled by the computing means. The linear actuator may be coupled to a gripper assembly on one end. Additionally, the wardrobe may include a number of hangers that may be disposed on one or more inner surfaces of the housing, each hanger may be configured to store one or more of the clothing items. A display screen may be embedded on the outer surface of the housing.

Abstract: A handset device is described, which comprises a first radio transceiver for receiving status information from a medical device worn by a patient, the first radio transceiver being operable only while the handset device is in an active state, and a second radio transceiver for communicating the status information to a remote server, the second radio transceiver being inoperable when the handset device is in the active state. The handset device also comprises a controller, responsive to a first predetermined condition to transition the handset device from the active state to a low power state in which both the first radio transceiver and the second radio transceiver are inoperable. During the transition from the active state to the low power state, the second radio transceiver is used to communicate the status information to the remote server. This process enables status data to be synchronized periodically to the remote server without impairing the function of the medical device.

Abstract: A wardrobe may be provided. The wardrobe may include a receiving element located in a housing that may be configured to receive and dispense clothing items. Each clothing item may include a unique RFID tag and a number of RFID readers may be connected to a computer configured to obtain information held in each RFID tag. The wardrobe may further include a linear actuator proximate a top surface of the housing; the linear actuator may be controlled by the computer. The linear actuator may be coupled to a gripper assembly on one end. Additionally, the wardrobe may include a number of hangers that may be disposed on one or more inner surfaces of the housing, each hanger may be configured to store one or more of the clothing items. A display screen may be embedded on the outer surface of the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first field effect transistor (FET) that has a body and is coupled in a circuit. The apparatus also includes a second FET that has a body and is coupled in the circuit. The circuit has an offset because of a mismatch. The apparatus further includes an offset correction circuit coupled to the body of the first FET and to the body of the second FET. The offset correction circuit provides a first offset correction signal to the body of the first FET and provides a second offset correction signal to the body of the second FET.

Abstract: In one form, a reference circuit includes a measurement circuit and a determination circuit. The measurement circuit has an output for providing a ratio of a difference in base-to-emitter voltage (VBE) of a bipolar device at different current densities to a VBE of the bipolar device at a first current density. The determination circuit has an input coupled to the measurement circuit, and an output for providing a digital value of a parameter in response to the ratio. In another form, the reference circuit further includes a voltage generation circuit having an input coupled to the determination circuit, and an output, for modulating an analog voltage using the digital value to provide a reference voltage to the output, wherein the reference voltage is temperature compensated over a temperature range.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a multi-stage amplifier. The multi-stage amplifier includes first, second, and third amplifier circuits coupled in a cascade configuration. The multi-stage amplifier further includes first, second, and third compensation networks. The first compensation network is coupled between the output of the third amplifier circuit and the input of the second amplifier circuit. The second compensation network is coupled between the output of the third amplifier circuit and the input of the third amplifier circuit. The third compensation network is coupled between the output of the second amplifier circuit and the input of the second amplifier circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first field effect transistor (FET) that has a body and is coupled in a circuit. The apparatus also includes a second FET that has a body and is coupled in the circuit. The circuit has an offset because of a mismatch. The apparatus further includes an offset correction circuit coupled to the body of the first FET and to the body of the second FET. The offset correction circuit provides a first offset correction signal to the body of the first FET and provides a second offset correction signal to the body of the second FET.

Abstract: A technique includes switching a supply rail from receiving a first voltage to receiving a second voltage; and regulating a slew rate associated with the switching.