Abstract: A spin on glass SOG layer 30 is formed, then a PECVD barrier layer 40 over the SOG layer. Holes 50 in the SOG layer for vias are formed with a wine glass profile, so that in a peripheral region around the periphery of the holes, the barrier layer is thinner or absent, and ion implantation is performed substantially perpendicular to the layers, to reach the SOG layer through the barrier layer preferentially in the peripheral region. This enables the implantation to be concentrated on the peripheral region, without the need for implantation at a high angle and wafer rotation. This enables the manufacturing process to be simplified and hence costs reduced. By concentrating the implantation in the peripheral region where it can reduce moisture transfer to material in the holes, there is less risk of deplanarization due to the SOG shrinkage associated with ion implantation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device (20) comprising a trench (5) formed in a semiconductor substrate formed of a stack (4) of layers (1,2,3), a layer (6) of a first, grown dielectric material covering sidewalls and bottom of the trench (5), the layer (6) including one or more notches (13) at the bottom of the trench (5) and one or more spacers (14) formed of a second, deposited dielectric material to fill the one or more notches (13) in the layer (6) formed of the first, grown dielectric material. The semiconductor device (20) according to the present invention shows improved breakdown voltage and on-resistance. The present invention furthermore provides a method for the manufacturing of such semiconductor devices (20).

Abstract: A regulated mirror current source circuit has an output transistor, a regulator for controlling the output circuit, and a current mirror having two or more current paths. The first path of the mirror is coupled in series with a current path of the output circuit, and the second path is coupled to the regulator, to provide feedback. The feedback can provide better precision, or reduced component area. The circuit can include cascode transistors, and the regulator can have integral control. The output transistor gate-source voltage is overdriven to reduce “on” resistance of the output transistor. When the output transistor is a high voltage transistor, its area can be reduced without sacrificing compliance.

Abstract: An integrated power semiconductor device has an isolation structure having two or more isolation trenches, and one or more regions in between the isolation trenches, and a bias arrangement coupled to the regions to divide a voltage across the isolation structure between the isolation trenches. By dividing the voltage, the reverse breakdown voltage characteristics such as voltage level, reliability and stability can be improved for a given area of device, or for a given complexity of device, and avalanche breakdown at weaknesses in isolation structures can be reduced or avoided.

Abstract: A power supply device is described comprising a DC voltage supply, a power section connected to the DC supply for supplying DC power from the DC voltage supply to first and second outlet ports for connection to a remote device via a cable connection, a voltage boosting circuit for generating a voltage above that of the DC supply, an energy absorbing circuit connected between an output of the voltage boosting circuit and a ground potential, and a diode connection means between the first outlet port and the energy absorbing circuit. The major components of the power supply device may be implemented as an integrated circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to compensate for the sensitivity drift of a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field. The magnetic field sensor comprises at least four electrodes. The method comprises a first step where a first set of two electrodes is used to bias the sensor and a second set of two electrodes is used to sense an output signal of the magnetic field sensor, and a second step where the second set of two electrodes is used to bias the sensor and the first set of two electrodes is used to sense an output signal of the magnetic field sensor. The method is characterized in that at least one of the first or the second step is subdivided in at least a first sub-step and a second sub-step. A reference magnetic field has first magnetic field parameters, e.g. a first amplitude and/or direction, in the first sub-step and second magnetic field parameters, a second amplitude and/or direction, in the second sub-step.

Abstract: A DC current regulator circuit comprises a first circuit node (32) which is operable to receive an external input voltage. A transistor (M1) has an input, a first leg and a second leg. The first leg of the transistor is isolated from the first circuit node (32). An amplifier (10) has an output connected to the input of the transistor (M1), a first amplifier input for receiving a reference voltage (VREF) and a second amplifier input connected to the first circuit node (32). A low-pass filter (33) connects between the output of the amplifier and the first circuit node (32). A current mirror (36) connects in series with the second leg of the transistor (M1) and has a first branch (38) for providing a regulated output current and a second branch (37) which connects to the first circuit node (32). The current regulator has reduced sensitivity to conducted EMI received at the first circuit node (32).

Abstract: An integrated circuit has drive circuitry to drive the windings of an electrical motor, means to make a measurement from the drive circuitry during rotation of the motor, suitable for use as motor control feedback, and has an output contact through which the motor control feedback measurement is available as an analog output signal. It can be used with an external motor control circuit coupled to receive the analog output signal to generate motor control signals, to control the drive circuitry. The analog feedback output gives more flexibility to the design of a motor control loop in terms of bit resolution, bandwidth and choice of discrete time or continuous time control.

Abstract: A circuit for determining a direction of rotation of an electric motor, the motor having asymmetry and/or eccentricity in a profile of back electromotive force as a function of angular position of a rotor with respect to a stator, the circuit receiving a signal representing the BEMF, and use the corresponding asymmetry and/or eccentricity in the signal to derive the direction of rotation. The signal representing the back emf can be generated by a control circuit. The control circuit can have a feedback loop regulator to generate a control signal (TL or TR) to control a current drive circuit (11,12) to control an amplitude of current (iw) in the windings, the feedback loop regulator being arranged to compare the amplitude of the current (iw) in the windings with a reference value (iset), and use the control signal to provide the signal representing the back electromotive force.

Abstract: Method and System for wireless communications is provided. The system includes an RF module, and a coupler. The coupler is coupled with the RF module. The coupler includes a member for conductive coupling with the user's body such that RF energy is coupled into and/or out of the user's body.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for the protection of an electronic circuit from an ESD event. The electronic circuit, in operation, is provided with a supply voltage and a reference voltage (typically electrical ground) via voltage terminals and/or power supply buses. The protection circuit includes two bipolar transistors in series, where the transistors are coupled between the supply voltage terminal/bus and the reference voltage terminal/bus. The bases of the transistors are coupled via a connection including two resistors in series, where the connection point between the two resistors is coupled with the connection point between the two transistors.

Abstract: A regulator circuit receives a power supply and provides a regulated power supply output suitable for integrated circuitry. It has a controllable current source circuit, a controller and a capacitor, such that an output of the controllable current source circuit can provide a lower frequency current part of the regulated power supply output, and the capacitor can supply a higher frequency current part of the regulated power supply output. The controllable current source circuit is controlled according to feedback from the regulated power supply output, and to restrict a rate of change of the output of the controllable current source circuit. The amount of EMI noise caused by high rate of change of current in power supply lines to the regulator circuit can be reduced. This can be done more efficiently or using a smaller capacitor than known arrangements.

Abstract: Sensors and/or transducers can exhibit nonlinear response to temperature changes in terms of offset and also in terms of sensitivity to variations in a sensed physical attribute (pressure, strain, displacement, etc.). Padé Approximant function emulators are used to model the nonlinear offset and/or nonlinear sensitivity behaviors of a given sensing device relative to one or more temperature sub-ranges and to produce temperature compensating corrections for offset and/or sensitivity as may be desired.

Abstract: The invention relates to a signaling system for use in a system for monitoring and/or controlling a stack of power cells. The stack of power cells is series connected, i.e. the negative terminal of one power cell is connected to the positive electrode of the adjacent power cell. A monitoring device is associated with each power cell to monitor characteristics of the power cell (temperature, voltage). Every monitoring device is powered by the power cell it is associated. The monitoring device monitors the status of the cell (e.g. it measures the difference of potential between the positive terminal and the negative terminal of that cell but it may also measure the temperature of the power cell, the pH of the electrolyte if the power cell Ci is a battery, etc. and communicates information on the status of the cell to other monitoring devices. The monitoring devices are daisy chained.

Abstract: A current protection circuit that uses a sequence of bipolar transistors to provide or draw current from a protected circuit node. An initial bipolar transistor has its emitter terminal coupled to the protected circuit node, with its collector terminal coupled to a current source or sink. One or more additional intermediary bipolar transistors are also provided in the sequence. Each additional intermediary bipolar transistor has its emitter terminal coupled to the base terminal of the previous bipolar transistor in the sequence, and has its collector terminal coupled to the current source or sink. To complete the sequence, a reverse-biased diode is coupled between the base terminal of the final intermediary bipolar transistor and the current source or sink. This allows for effective triggering of current protection for a protected circuit node without requiring a zener diode.

Abstract: Methods and systems using Pade' Approximant expansion ratios provide mappings between nonlinear sensors and a more linearized output domain. In one embodiment (a) a variable gain amplifier receives a supplied input signal, the amplifier has at least a first input terminal, an output terminal, and a gain control terminal; (b) a first summer coupled to the output terminal of the variable gain amplifier adds in a first offset signal; (c) a first multiplier coupled to an output of the first summer receives a proportional feedback factor signal and correspondingly generates a multiplied feedback; (d) a second summer coupled to an output terminal of the first multiplier adds in a corresponding second offset signal; and (e) a second multiplier coupled to an output of the second summer receives a gain factor signal and generates a multiplied gain signal; where the gain control terminal of the variable gain amplifier is operatively coupled to an output terminal of the second multiplier.

Abstract: A directional signal processing system for beamforming information signals. The system includes an oversampled filterbank, which has an analysis filterbank for transforming the information signals in time domain into channel signals in transform domain, a synthesis filterbank and a signal processor. The signal processor processes the outputs of the analysis filterbank for beamforming the information signals. The synthesis filterbank transforms the outputs of the signal processor to a single information signal in time domain.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a transmission system for sending digital data on a digital bus (1), to which are connected a number of master and slave modules. The system is characterized by the fact that a number of modules may comprise two connectors (20, 21) to said bus, and a switch (22) or switches (52, 53), allowing the interruption of said bus. This design allows an address setting procedure to take place, before starting normal operation. During this initialization, the addresses of the modules are set by consecutively closing the switches, and setting the address. Every time a switch is closed in one module, the following module can receive its address. The invention is related to several embodiments of the system allowing this procedure, and to the method of initializing such a system.

Abstract: A current dissipation circuit that dissipates excess current to or from a circuit node when that monitored circuit node experiences abnormal voltage conditions, rather than having that excess current being dissipated through other protected circuitry. The current dissipation circuit may use single well technology, and may even provide reverse voltage protection without necessarily triggering more significant current dissipation. In another embodiment, the current dissipation circuit is provided by a series connection of at least five alternating p-type and n-type regions provided between the monitored circuit node and a current source or sink.

Abstract: Current protection in integrated circuit having multiple pads. Different types of current protection structures may be associated with different pads. A common current discharge or charge path may be used to provide current to or draw current from various of these heterogenic current protection structures. Since a common current discharge or charge path is used, the metallization used to formulate a discharge solution is significant simplified. Additionally, the protection structures may be provided with selectively conductive regions that are approximately radially symmetrical around the circumference of the pad. Accordingly, if the protection structures are slightly off center with respect to the bond pad (due to, for example, mask alignment error), the error in the amount of active region around the circumference of the pad is at least partially averaged out.