Abstract: A switch device may comprise a micro-relay disposed between a first terminal and a second terminal. The micro-relay may be configured to selectively electrically couple the first terminal to the second terminal. The switch device may further comprise a bypass circuit configured to selectively divert at least a portion of electrical current flowing from the first terminal to the micro-relay, and direct the diverted electrical current to the second terminal. The switch device may further comprise an energy harvesting circuit configured to (i) withdraw a portion of energy flowing into the switch device, (ii) store the portion of energy in an energy storage device, and (iii) supplying the energy stored in the energy storage device to one or more components within the switch device.

Abstract: A switching amplifier system with a power supply, a pulse modulator configured to modulate an input signal into a pulse width modulation signal, a switching stage configured to generate an amplified output signal, and an error feedback signal configured to correct errors in the amplified output signal, where the input signal is comprised of at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal. A method of signal amplification comprising generating, by a pulse width modulator, a pulse width modulation signal, combining, by a switching stage, the input signal and the pulse width modulation signal to form an amplified output signal, and generating, by the switching stage, an error feedback signal, where the error feedback signal is configured to correct errors in the amplified output signal, and where the input signal is comprised of at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal.

Abstract: A switching amplifier system with a power supply, a pulse modulator configured to modulate an input signal into a pulse width modulation signal, a switching stage configured to generate an amplified output signal, and an error feedback signal configured to correct errors in the amplified output signal, where the input signal is comprised of at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal. A method of signal amplification comprising generating, by a pulse width modulator, a pulse width modulation signal, combining, by a switching stage, the input signal and the pulse width modulation signal to form an amplified output signal, and generating, by the switching stage, an error feedback signal, where the error feedback signal is configured to correct errors in the amplified output signal, and where the input signal is comprised of at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal.

Abstract: A liquid gauge is disclosed. The liquid gauge includes a plurality of holes configured to receive a plurality of liquid droplets of a first size. The liquid gauge also includes a plurality of curved structures configured to form an aggregated liquid droplet of a second size using the plurality liquid droplets of the first size. The liquid gauge further includes a plurality of counting electrodes configured to generate a corresponding electrical signal. The liquid gauge further includes a processing unit configured to count the aggregated liquid droplet of the second size received by each of the counting electrode and also configured to compute a total amount of liquid fall based on the aggregated liquid droplet of the second size.

Abstract: An electronic writing device is provided. The electronic writing device includes a tip configured to enable writing on a physical surface. The electronic writing device also includes an electronic chip housed in a body of the electronic writing device and coupled to the tip. The electronic chip includes an accelerometer configured to record an acceleration data of the electronic writing device when writing on the physical surface. The electronic chip also includes a gyrometer configured to generate a rotation data corresponding to rotation of the electronic writing device. The electronic writing device further includes a communication module operatively coupled to the electronic chip. The communication module is configured to send data received from the electronic chip to an external processing medium.

Abstract: An electronic writing device is provided. The electronic writing device includes a tip configured to enable writing on a physical surface. The electronic writing device also includes an electronic chip housed in a body of the electronic writing device and coupled to the tip. The electronic chip includes an accelerometer configured to record an acceleration data of the electronic writing device when writing on the physical surface. The electronic chip also includes a gyrometer configured to generate a rotation data corresponding to rotation of the electronic writing device. The electronic writing device further includes a communication module operatively coupled to the electronic chip. The communication module is configured to send data received from the electronic chip to an external processing medium.

Abstract: A liquid gauge is disclosed. The liquid gauge includes a plurality of holes configured to receive a plurality of liquid droplets of a first size. The liquid gauge also includes a plurality of curved structures configured to form an aggregated liquid droplet of a second size using the plurality liquid droplets of the first size. The liquid gauge further includes a plurality of counting electrodes configured to generate a corresponding electrical signal. The liquid gauge further includes a processing unit configured to count the aggregated liquid droplet of the second size received by each of the counting electrode and also configured to compute a total amount of liquid fall based on the aggregated liquid droplet of the second size.

Abstract: A pulse quadrature modulator generates both alpha and beta binary signals, each one serial bit switched at an RF carrier frequency at a fraction of a high speed quantization clock. The alpha and beta binary signals each have respective alpha and beta pulse edges nominally occurring at two times the RF carrier frequency. The alpha and beta pulse edges alternate respectively. The alpha and beta pulse edges are each synchronized to the high speed quantization clock switched based on the baseband I and Q signal inputs. First and second switches gate a power signal using a respective of the alpha or beta binary signals to respectively produce first and second power outputs. The first and second switches differentially drive an RF load such as an antenna across the first and second power outputs having pulse edges at nominally at an integer multiple of four times the RF carrier frequency.

Abstract: A pulse quadrature modulator generates both alpha and beta binary signals, each one serial bit switched at an RF carrier frequency at a fraction of a high speed quantization clock. The alpha and beta binary signals each have respective alpha and beta pulse edges nominally occurring at two times the RF carrier frequency. The alpha and beta pulse edges alternate respectively. The alpha and beta pulse edges are each synchronized to the high speed quantization clock switched based on the baseband I and Q signal inputs. First and second switches gate a power signal using a respective of the alpha or beta binary signals to respectively produce first and second power outputs. The first and second switches differentially drive an RF load such as an antenna across the first and second power outputs having pulse edges at nominally at an integer multiple of four times the RF carrier frequency.

Abstract: A metamaterial coupled antenna includes a metamaterial and a rectenna that has an antenna element and a diode coupled by a transmission line. The metamaterial generates a spoof surface plasmon in the presence of heat. The antenna element resonates in the presence of the spoof surface plasmon as terahertz frequencies and generates a voltage that is coupled to the diode via the transmission line. The diode rectifies the voltage to produce electricity. The transmission line is configured to provide a voltage boost to the voltage signal delivered by the antenna element and to compensation for diode capacitance.

Abstract: A method for clock spur artifact correction includes obtaining a plurality of switching stage input signals generated in accordance with an input signal level of an external amplifier, and adjusting the plurality of switching stage input signals such that a clock spur harmonic artifact is reduced. The clock spur harmonic artifact includes a first clock spur harmonic artifact generated in a plurality of external signal paths including external switching stages, and the adjusting the plurality of switching stage input signals includes one of: adjusting a duty ratio of one of the plurality of switching stage input signals in accordance with a gain mismatch between two of the external signal paths; and injecting a first Continuous Wave (CW) signal into the plurality of switching stage input signals in accordance with a previous amplitude of the first clock spur harmonic artifact.

Abstract: An AC power converter converts power from an AC power source to an AC load. A DC power holding source is coupled to an input half-bridge switch, a common half-bridge switch and an output half-bridge switch. A controller is coupled to at least two of the input half-bridge switch, the common half-bridge switch, and an output half-bridge switch. The controller switches the input half bridge at the first switching frequency in boost mode and at the line frequency in buck mode. The controller also switches the output half bridge switch at the first switching frequency in buck mode and at the line frequency in boost mode. Input and output low pass filters can eliminate switching frequency energy from entering the AC source and load. The converter maintains a DC power holding source voltage slightly above peak AC input voltage and significantly less than twice the peak AC input voltage.

Abstract: An AC power converter converts power from an AC power source to an AC load. A DC power holding source is coupled to an input half-bridge switch, a common half-bridge switch and an output half-bridge switch. A controller is coupled to the input half-bridge switch, the common half-bridge switch, and an output half-bridge switch to generate at least two control signals at a common switching frequency, wherein the controller generates the at least two control signals with a phase difference there between chosen to cause a ripple frequency in both the input low pass filter and the output low pass filter to be double the common switching frequency. An input low pass filter can eliminate switching frequency energy from entering the AC power source. An output low pass filter can eliminate switching frequency energy from entering the AC load.

Abstract: A tracking power converter for a radio frequency power amplifier includes a boost converter circuit, a switching network circuit, a filter circuit, and a controller circuit. The boost converter circuit provides a boosted voltage in response to a battery voltage. The switching network provides a switching signal in response to the boosted voltage, a first switch enable signal, a second switch enable signal, and a third switch enable signal. The filter circuit provides a power converter output voltage in response to the switching signal. The controller circuit provides the first switch enable signal, the second switch enable signal, and the third switch enable signal in response to a predetermined reference voltage, the switching voltage, the boosted voltage, and the battery voltage.

Abstract: A method for clock spur artifact correction includes obtaining a plurality of switching stage input signals generated in accordance with an input signal level of an external amplifier, and adjusting the plurality of switching stage input signals such that a clock spur harmonic artifact is reduced. The clock spur harmonic artifact includes a first clock spur harmonic artifact generated in a plurality of external signal paths including external switching stages, and the adjusting the plurality of switching stage input signals includes one of: adjusting a duty ratio of one of the plurality of switching stage input signals in accordance with a gain mismatch between two of the external signal paths; and injecting a first Continuous Wave (CW) signal into the plurality of switching stage input signals in accordance with a previous amplitude of the first clock spur harmonic artifact.

Abstract: A tracking power converter for a radio frequency power amplifier includes a boost converter circuit, a switching network circuit, a filter circuit, and a controller circuit. The boost converter circuit provides a boosted voltage in response to a battery voltage. The switching network provides a switching signal in response to the boosted voltage, a first switch enable signal, a second switch enable signal, and a third switch enable signal. The filter circuit provides a power converter output voltage in response to the switching signal. The controller circuit provides the first switch enable signal, the second switch enable signal, and the third switch enable signal in response to a predetermined reference voltage, the switching voltage, the boosted voltage, and the battery voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing envelope tracking (ET), comprising: a power amplifier (PA) load variation pre-distortion, and an open loop ET modulator operatively coupled to the PA load variation pre-distortion, wherein the PA load variation pre-distortion is configured to determine a load variation at a PA supply voltage path based on an input signal received by a PA, and generate a pre-distortion compensation signal using the load variation, and wherein the open loop ET modulator is configured to generate a PA supply voltage on the PA supply voltage path using the pre-distortion compensation signal.

Abstract: A PCM signal is converted to a PWM signal using predistortion to alleviate harmonics. A PCM predistorted signal is converted to the PWM and amplified. A third harmonic nonlinear function receives the PCM signal and produces a third harmonic of the PCM signal. A third harmonic difference function takes one sixth of the third harmonic and produces a third harmonic PCM compensation signal. The PCM signal and the third harmonic PCM compensation signal are summed to produce a PCM predistorted signal for a full-bridge amplifier. A second harmonic nonlinear function produces a second harmonic of the PCM signal. A second harmonic function takes one fourth of the second harmonic to produce a second harmonic PCM compensation signal. The PCM signal, the third harmonic PCM compensation signal, and the second harmonic PCM compensation signal are summed to produce the PCM predistorted signal for a half-bridge amplifier.

Abstract: A system according to one embodiment includes a digital data modulator configured to generate encoded symbols; an envelope detector configured to receive the encoded symbols and to estimate transmission power information associated with the encoded symbols; a peak detector configured to receive the transmission power information, detect a peak transmission power from two or more sequential data points of the received transmission power information, and to generate a power regulation signal representative of the detected peak transmission power; and a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to receive the power regulation signal and to provide a reference voltage to a power supply associated with an RF amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing envelope tracking (ET), comprising: a power amplifier (PA) load variation pre-distortion, and an open loop ET modulator operatively coupled to the PA load variation pre-distortion, wherein the PA load variation pre-distortion is configured to determine a load variation at a PA supply voltage path based on an input signal received by a PA, and generate a pre-distortion compensation signal using the load variation, and wherein the open loop ET modulator is configured to generate a PA supply voltage on the PA supply voltage path using the pre-distortion compensation signal.