Abstract: A transistor diagnostic circuit includes a protection transistor output terminal, a fault terminal, and circuitry coupled to the protection transistor output terminal and the fault terminal. The protection transistor output terminal is adapted to be coupled to a current terminal of a protection transistor. The transistor diagnostic circuit is configured to, at start-up, load the protection transistor output terminal to test the protection transistor, and to generate a fault signal at the fault terminal responsive to a voltage on the protection transistor output terminal exceeding a threshold.

Abstract: A transistor diagnostic circuit includes a protection transistor output terminal, a fault terminal, and circuitry coupled to the protection transistor output terminal and the fault terminal. The protection transistor output terminal is adapted to be coupled to a current terminal of a protection transistor. The transistor diagnostic circuit is configured to, at start-up, load the protection transistor output terminal to test the protection transistor, and to generate a fault signal at the fault terminal responsive to a voltage on the protection transistor output terminal exceeding a threshold.

Abstract: A system includes a power supply source and a power control circuit coupled to the power supply source, in which the power control circuit includes a pass field-effect transistor (FET). The system also includes a short-to-ground protection circuit coupled to an output of the pass FET. The short-to-ground protection circuit includes a sense circuit configured to detect when a magnitude and a change rate of a voltage drop at the output of the pass FET is greater than respective thresholds. The short-to-ground protection circuit also includes a control node at the output of the sense circuit. The sense circuit is configured to induce a control current at the control node in response to the magnitude and the change rate of a voltage drop at the output of the pass FET being greater than respective thresholds. The control current is used to turn off the pass FET.

Abstract: A system includes a power supply source and a power control circuit coupled to the power supply source, in which the power control circuit includes a pass field-effect transistor (FET). The system also includes a short-to-ground protection circuit coupled to an output of the pass FET. The short-to-ground protection circuit includes a sense circuit configured to detect when a magnitude and a change rate of a voltage drop at the output of the pass FET is greater than respective thresholds. The short-to-ground protection circuit also includes a control node at the output of the sense circuit. The sense circuit is configured to induce a control current at the control node in response to the magnitude and the change rate of a voltage drop at the output of the pass FET being greater than respective thresholds. The control current is used to turn off the pass FET.

Abstract: A duty-cycled acoustic sensor saves power, for example, by operating for relatively short periods of time in a repetitive manner. A sensor bias current provides operating power to the sensor. An output analog signal from the sensor carries the information induced by the sensor upon the bias signal. Capacitive coupling is employed to remove direct DC voltage from the output analog signal to generate an analog input signal for acoustic analysis. A capacitor for capacitive coupling is pre-charged to reduce the charging time of the capacitor as the sensor is being powered up. After the capacitor is sufficiently precharged, acoustic analysis is performed on the analog input signal. The sensor is powered down by substantially blocking current flow through the sensor, which saves power. Results of the acoustic analysis can be used, for example, to control parameters of the duty-cycling of the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: A duty-cycled acoustic sensor saves power, for example, by operating for relatively short periods of time in a repetitive manner. A sensor bias current provides operating power to the sensor. An output analog signal from the sensor carries the information induced by the sensor upon the bias signal. Capacitive coupling is employed to remove direct DC voltage from the output analog signal to generate an analog input signal for acoustic analysis. A capacitor for capacitive coupling is pre-charged to reduce the charging time of the capacitor as the sensor is being powered up. After the capacitor is sufficiently precharged, acoustic analysis is performed on the analog input signal. The sensor is powered down by substantially blocking current flow through the sensor, which saves power. Results of the acoustic analysis can be used, for example, to control parameters of the duty-cycling of the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: A duty-cycled acoustic sensor saves power, for example, by operating for relatively short periods of time in a repetitive manner. A sensor bias current provides operating power to the sensor. An output analog signal from the sensor carries the information induced by the sensor upon the bias signal. Capacitive coupling is employed to remove direct DC voltage from the output analog signal to generate an analog input signal for acoustic analysis. A capacitor for capacitive coupling is pre-charged to reduce the charging time of the capacitor as the sensor is being powered up. After the capacitor is sufficiently precharged, acoustic analysis is performed on the analog input signal. The sensor is powered down by substantially blocking current flow through the sensor, which saves power. Results of the acoustic analysis can be used, for example, to control parameters of the duty-cycling of the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: The line banding image artifact that results from the interaction of LCD ripple and LED flicker in an LCD device that utilizes LED backlighting strings is substantially reduced by selecting a number of LED strings, individually driving the number of LED strings with a corresponding number of identical clock signals that are equally phase delayed, and selecting the frequency of the clock signals so that the product of the frequency of the clock signal multiplied by the number of LED strings is equal to the line clock frequency.

Abstract: A duty-cycled acoustic sensor saves power, for example, by operating for relatively short periods of time in a repetitive manner. A sensor bias current provides operating power to the sensor. An output analog signal from the sensor carries the information induced by the sensor upon the bias signal. Capacitive coupling is employed to remove direct DC voltage from the output analog signal to generate an analog input signal for acoustic analysis. A capacitor for capacitive coupling is pre-charged to reduce the charging time of the capacitor as the sensor is being powered up. After the capacitor is sufficiently precharged, acoustic analysis is performed on the analog input signal. The sensor is powered down by substantially blocking current flow through the sensor, which saves power. Results of the acoustic analysis can be used, for example, to control parameters of the duty-cycling of the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: The line banding image artifact that results from the interaction of LCD ripple and LED flicker in an LCD device that utilizes LED backlighting strings is substantially reduced by selecting a number of LED strings, individually driving the number of LED strings with a corresponding number of identical clock signals that are equally phase delayed, and selecting the frequency of the clock signals so that the product of the frequency of the clock signal multiplied by the number of LED strings is equal to the line clock frequency.