Abstract: Disclosed are example systems, methods, and structures for providing an improved transformer. Also disclosed are example systems, methods, and structures for providing an improved system including a transformer. Further disclosed are example systems, methods, and structures for providing an improved magnetic core for a transformer. For example, disclosed are example systems, methods, and structures for providing an improved ferrite core for transformers used in galvanically isolated circuits, such as galvanically isolated gate drivers. Example systems, methods, and structures described herein provide for constructing transformer cores out of multiple components composed of different materials. By using multiple different materials to construct a transformer core, the size (i.e., dimensions) of a transformer may be minimized. Moreover, constructing a transformer core of multiple materials may minimize performance changes of a transformer across temperature variations.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising: a substrate; a switching device that is formed over the substrate, the switching device including a gate layer, a source layer, and a drain layer; a first layer of dielectric material that is formed over the switching device; a first contact member that is electrically coupled to one of the gate layer, the source layer, and the drain layer, the first contact member being formed of at least one electrically-conductive material, the first contact member extending through the first layer of dielectric material; a plurality of first magnetic field sensing elements, the plurality of first magnetic field sensing elements being arranged to at least partially surround the first contact member, the plurality of first magnetic field sensing elements being arranged, at least in part, to form a sensing circuit for measuring a level of electrical current through the first contact member.

Abstract: A method to calculate performance of a magnetic element including a reference bilayer including a ferromagnetic reference layer having a reference magnetization and an antiferromagnetic layer pining the reference magnetization by exchange-bias, the antiferromagnetic layer including a metallic polycrystalline material having a grain volume distribution; the method including: measuring an exchange-bias field (Hex) of the antiferromagnetic layer as a function of temperature; fitting a grain volume distribution function to the measured exchange-bias fields (Hex) to determine parameters characterizing the volume distribution function; calculating a variation in the direction of the reference magnetization as a function of a direction of an exposure magnetic field (H); and calculating the exchange bias field (Hex) for any value of the in-plane exposure field (H).

Abstract: Systems, structures, packages, circuits, and methods provide gate drivers providing adaptive power refresh techniques for high-side drivers used to control operation of power (switching) devices such a MOSFETs or other transistors. One or more time-to-voltage circuits are used to measure ON times of input control voltage signals of a gate driver. Each time-to-voltage circuit includes an input, a first switch connected to the input, a current source, a capacitor, and a reset switch configured in parallel with capacitor. Measurement of ON times of successive pulses are used to control a voltage controlled oscillator, which is used to generate refresh power pulses at timing positions distinct from the input control voltage signals to avoid pulse clash while providing sufficient power to high-side circuitry.

Abstract: Magnetically isolated gate drivers include primary side gate drivers configured to produce demagnetization voltages that counter integrated flux resulting from refresh pulses sent through the transformer. A magnetically-isolated gate driver circuit includes an isolation transformer including a primary coil and a secondary coil configured about a magnetic core, control circuitry including a control signal pulse generator configured to produce refresh power pulses and including a demagnetization circuit, connected to the primary coil; where the demagnetization circuit is configured to produce demagnetization pulses to demagnetize or mitigate against saturation of the magnetic core.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a signal acquisition system having a normal mode diagnostic modes. In embodiments, a method includes performing offset cancellation by cancelling the first input signal during an offset diagnostic mode, comparing an output of the amplifier to a first threshold in response to cancelling the first signal, and generating an offset fault when the first threshold is exceeded. In an injection diagnostic mode, a method includes injecting a second signal into the amplifier, combining an output from the amplifier during the injection of the second signal and a reconstructed signal generated from the first signal to generate a combiner output signal, comparing the combiner output signal to a second threshold, and examining a result of the comparison of the combiner output signal and the second threshold to detect a circuit fault.

Abstract: A correction method for correcting an output signal provided by a magnetoresistive sensor in the presence of an external magnetic field, includes: determining a deviation of the output signal from a linear response by an amplitude of a high order component signal of the output voltage; and determining a corrected output signal by compensating the output signal for the high order component signal such that the corrected output signal varies linearly with a variation of the external magnetic field within a variation range. Further, an integrated circuit (IC) can be configured to perform the method and a characterization method to derive common parameters used when performing the correction method, for a plurality of magnetoresistive sensors.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance sensing device includes an on-chip coil capable of generating a magnetic field measured by a wheat stone bridge. The on-chip coil is used in a compensation loop and constructed in parallel with a main signal path using a separate, matched xMR compensation bridge. The separate xMR bridge allows generating and measuring a compensation signal continuously and differentially, which improves signal fidelity without introducing noise into the primary signal path. One or more chopper switches are provided to eliminate offset and flicker noise.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive element (20) for sensing an external magnetic field, comprising a tunnel barrier layer (22) sandwiched between a ferromagnetic reference layer (21) having a pinned reference magnetization (210), and a ferromagnetic sense layer (23) having a sense magnetization (230), wherein the reference, tunnel barrier, and sense layers (21, 22, 23) are stacked perpendicular to a layer plane (PL) thereof. The reference magnetization (210) is oriented substantially perpendicular to the layer plane (PL), and the sense magnetization (230) is oriented substantially parallel to the layer plane (PL). At least the sense layer (23) has an annular cross-section in the layer plane (PL), with an inner diameter (Dint) and an outer diameter (Dout). The sense magnetization (230) has a closed flux path configuration that is orientable either in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a magnetic flux concentrator includes: a ferromagnetic material having a loop shape interrupted by an air gap region and forming a central opening, wherein the air gap region includes a first side having at least two protrusions and a second side having at least one protrusion interleaved with, and not in mechanical contact with, the protrusions of the first side. According to another aspect, a sensor utilizes such a magnetic flux concentrator to detect a difference in current between two conductors.

Abstract: A sensor, comprising: one or more magnetic field sensing elements that are configured to generate a sensing signal, the sensing signal being indicative of a strength of a magnetic field that is incident on the one or more magnetic field sensing elements; a processing circuitry that is configured to generate an output signal based on the sensing signal; and a first amplifier that is configured to drive a first coil based on the sensing signal, the first coil being coupled in a first negative feedback loop of the first amplifier, wherein the first negative feedback loop spans between a first input terminal of the first amplifier and a first output terminal of the first amplifier, and wherein the sensing signal is, at least in part, applied at the first input terminals of the first amplifier.

Abstract: A sensor, comprising: a first signal path including one or more first Hall elements that are configured to generate a first signal in response to an external magnetic field that is incident on the sensor and a reference magnetic field, the first signal path being configured to process the first signal to generate a first processed signal; a second signal path including one or more second Hall elements that are configured to generate a second signal in response to the external magnetic field and the reference magnetic field, the second signal path being configured to process the second signal to generate a second processed signal; a feedback coil that is configured to generate the reference magnetic field; and a feedback circuit that is configured to use the use the first processed signal to adjust respective biases of the first Hall elements and the second Hall elements.

Abstract: A sensor integrated circuit includes a sensing circuit configured to generate the sensor output signal and a fault circuit to detect a fault and generate a fault signal indicative of the fault. A combined signal indicative of the fault signal when a fault is detected and indicative of a reference voltage associated with the sensor IC at other times is provided at a shared connection of the sensor IC. Embodiments include a current sensor IC and fault detectors configured to detect one or more faults.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package having more than one semiconductor die includes a spark gap to provide a current path designed to protect the device. The spark gap can be provided between an exposed portion of a corner lead and an exposed portion of a tie bar and/or between exposed portions of adjacent leads. The spark gap distance is designed to achieve required ratings for a given application. Stacked and side-by-side die configurations are described.

Abstract: A drive circuit comprises a transformer, a primary side circuit communicating with a primary winding of the transformer, and a secondary side circuit communicating with a secondary winding of the transformer. The primary side circuit couples to a primary side supply voltage and to an input signal and couples a first signal to the primary winding. The secondary side circuit communicates with the semiconductor switch and provides, responsive to the first signal, a second signal to control the semiconductor switch, comprising at least one of a primary bias and a secondary bias. For a first gate charge level range, the secondary side circuit provides the primary bias. For a second gate charge level range greater than the first range, the secondary side circuit is controlled by a secondary bias circuit comprising a storage capacitor configured to accumulate voltage when the secondary side circuit is providing the primary bias.

Abstract: A system, comprising: a reference magnetic field source that is configured to generate a reference magnetic field; a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements arranged in a sensing bridge, the sensing bridge being configured to sense the reference magnetic field and an external magnetic field simultaneously, the sensing bridge being configured to output a first signal and a second signal; a first circuit that is configured to generate a common mode signal of the sensing bridge based on the first signal and the second signal; an adjustment circuit that is configured to adjust a sensitivity of the sensing bridge based, at least in part, on a common mode signal of the sensing bridge; and a processing circuitry that is configured to use a differential signal of the sensing bridge to generate an output signal, the differential signal being based on a strength of the external magnetic field.

Abstract: A speed sensor device includes sensing elements to sense an angle of a moving target and to generate sine and cosine signals in response thereto; a signal condition circuit to process the sine and cosine signals, the processed sine and cosine signals having a phase lag introduced by the signal condition circuit; and a phase lead filter to receive the processed sine and cosine signals and to reduce the phase lag in the processed sine and cosine signals.

Abstract: Magnetic sensing device integrated in a magnetic switch device that makes or breaks contact in the presence of an external magnetic field, comprising: a first transistor biased at a first terminal by a first bias voltage and a first magnetoresistive element having a first resistance variable with the external magnetic field. At a reference field strength, the first resistance has a first reference resistance value, and the first bias voltage is adjustable to control a first current at the second terminal of the first transistor at a first reference current value. When the external magnetic field is varied around the reference field strength, the first variable resistance varies around the first reference resistance value by a resistance delta, such that the first current modulates around the first reference current value by a current delta. A magnetic switch device comprising the magnetic sensing device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes magnetoresistance elements supported by a surface of the die defining a plane, and a concentrator layer over the surface of the die and having an aperture. A first magnetoresistance element is adjacent to a first edge of the aperture and has a first reference direction parallel to the surface of the die and substantially perpendicular to the first aperture edge and a second magnetoresistance element is adjacent to a second edge of the aperture and has the first reference direction. The concentrator layer redirects the applied magnetic field to present a differential field parallel to the plane of the die to the magnetoresistance elements in response to applied field perpendicular to the plane of the die and to present a reduced magnitude and common mode field to the magnetoresistance elements in response to the applied field parallel to the plane of the die.

Abstract: A sensor comprising: a sensing bridge including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg including a first magnetoresistance (MR) element that is coupled to a second MR element via a first transistor, the second leg including a third MR element that is coupled to a fourth MR element via a second transistor; a frontend circuit having a first input and a second input, the first input being coupled to the first leg, and the second input being coupled to the second leg; and a first resistive digital-to-analog converter (R-DAC) that is coupled to at least the first leg, the first R-DAC being arranged to receive a first trim code and modify a first resistance of the first leg based on the first trim code.