Abstract: Techniques, methods, circuits, and systems are provided for providing stabilization for a circuit. One example system includes a switching converter coupled to a power source; a low-pass filter coupled to a load device; a direct current (DC) path; and an alternating current (AC) path, where the DC path and the AC path are provided between the switching converter and the low-pass filter, and where the AC path provides a non-phased information signal to be used to compensate for a phase delay occurring in the DC path. In a more specific implementation, the DC path can be configured to provide control, at low frequency, for an output to the load device. In addition, an error amplifier can be to the DC path and the AC path, where the low-pass filter and the error amplifier can be configured to determine a switchover between the AC path and DC path.

Abstract: High voltage clamps with transient activation and activation release control are provided herein. In certain configurations, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a clamp electrically connected between a first node and a second node and having a control input. The IC further includes a first resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit that activates a detection signal in response to detecting a transient overstress event between the first node and the second node, an active feedback circuit that provides feedback from the first node to the control input of the clamp in response to activation of the detection signal, a second RC circuit that activates a shutdown signal after detecting passage of the transient overstress event based on low pass filtering a voltage difference between the first node and the second node, and a clamp shutdown circuit that turns off the clamp via the control input in response to activation of the shutdown signal.

Abstract: Isolators for signals and/or powers transmitted between two circuits configured to operate at different voltage domains are provided. The isolators may have working voltages, for example, higher than 500 Vrms, higher than 1000 Vrms, or between 333 Vrms and 1800 Vrms. The isolators may have a fully symmetrical configuration. The isolators may include a primary winding coupled to a driver and a secondary winding coupled to a receiver. The primary and secondary windings may be laterally coupled to and galvanically isolated from each other. The primary and secondary windings may include concentric traces. The primary and secondary windings may be fabricated using a single metallization layer on a substrate.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods that provide for asymmetric image splitter image stream applications. In one embodiment, a system supporting image multi-streaming comprises an asymmetric image splitter engine that splits super-frame image streams into two or more image streams and a fractional clock divider circuit. The fractional clock divider may comprise a digital feedback control loop and a one-bit sigma delta modulator. The fractional clock divider circuit may provide compatible display clock frequencies for each of the two or more image streams. When a multi-image stream comprises the two image streams, the asymmetric image splitter engine adjusts a vertical asymmetry of a first image stream with a shortest height to same height as a second image stream by adding vertical padding to the first image stream. The super-frame image streams may comprise image streams from video, LIDAR, radar, or other sensors.

Abstract: Transconductor circuits with programmable tradeoff between bandwidth and flicker noise are disclosed. An example circuit includes an input port, an output port, a plurality of transistors, and a switch arrangement that includes a plurality of switches, configured to change coupling between the input port, the output port, and the transistors to place the transconductor circuit in a first or a second mode of operation. An input capacitance of the transconductor circuit operating in the first mode is larger than when the transconductor circuit is operating in the second mode. In the first mode, having a larger input capacitance results in a decreased flicker noise because the amount of flicker noise is inversely proportional to the input capacitance. In the second mode, having a smaller input capacitance leads to an increased flicker noise but that is acceptable for wide-bandwidth applications because wide-bandwidth signals may be less sensitive to flicker noise.

Abstract: Gallium nitride-based monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) can comprise aluminum-based metals. Electrical contacts for gates, sources, and drains of transistors can include aluminum-containing metallic materials. Additionally, connectors, inductors, and interconnect devices can also comprise aluminum-based metals. The gallium-based MMICs can be manufactured in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) facilities with equipment that produces silicon-based semiconductor devices.

Abstract: An example transconductance circuit includes a first portion that includes a first degeneration transistor, configured to receive a first input voltage, and a second portion that includes a second degeneration transistor, coupled to the first degeneration transistor and configured to receive a second input voltage. The first portion further includes a first input transistor, coupled to the first degeneration transistor and configured to provide a first output current, while the second portion further includes a second input transistor, coupled to the second degeneration transistor and configured to provide a second output current. Such a transconductance circuit may be used as an input stage capable of reliably operating within drain-source breakdown voltage of the transistors employed therein even in absence of any other protection devices, and may be significantly faster, consume lower power, and occupy smaller die area compared to conventional transconductance circuits.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for phase unwrapping for time-of-flight imaging. A method is provided for phase unwrapping that includes measuring a plurality of wrapped depths at a respective plurality of frequencies, wherein each of the plurality of wrapped depths corresponds to a respective phase, generating a plurality of unwrapped phases based on a probability distribution function, by unwrapping each of the plurality of wrapped depths, and identifying a Voronoi cell.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an example analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and methods that may be performed by the ADC. The ADC may derive a first code that approximates a combination of an analog input value of the ADC and a dither value for the ADC sampled on a capacitor array. The ADC may further derive a second code to represent a residue of the combination with respect to the first code applied to the capacitor array. The ADC may combine the numerical value of the first code and the numerical value of the second code to produce a combined code applied to the capacitor array for deriving a digital output code. Combining the numerical value of the first code and the numerical value of the second code in the digital domain can provide for greater analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion linearity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are some examples of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that can perform auto-zeroing with amplifying a signal for improvement of a signal-to-noise ratio. The ADCs may produce a first digital code to represent an analog input signal and a second digital code based on a residue from the first digital code, and may combine the first digital code and the second digital code to produce a digital output code to represent the analog input signal. The ADC may utilize a first observation and a second observation of an analog residue value representing the residue to produce the second digital code.

Abstract: Techniques for biasing output transistor of a push-pull amplifier output stage are provided. In certain applications the techniques can improve efficiency of the amplifier. In an example, a circuit can include an output stage including first and second output transistors, a first scaled replica transistor corresponding to the first output transistor, and an amplifier circuit in a feedback arrangement for biasing a gate of the first output transistor at a level that, at a specified stand-by current level of the first output transistor, reproduces a voltage difference between the drain and source terminals of the first output transistor across the drain and source terminals of the first replica transistor.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for vector modulator phase shifters are provided. In certain embodiments, a phase shifter includes a quadrature filter that filters a differential input signal to generate a differential in-phase (I) voltage and a differential quadrature-phase (Q) voltage, an in-phase variable gain amplifier (I-VGA) that amplifies the differential I voltage to generate a differential I current, a quadrature-phase variable gain amplifier (Q-VGA) that amplifies the differential Q voltage to generate a differential Q current, and a current mode combiner that combines the differential I voltage and the differential Q voltage to generate a differential output signal. A phase difference between the differential output signal and the differential input signal is controlled by gain settings of the I-VGA and the Q-VGA.

Abstract: An impedance measurement system for detecting an analyte in a sample is disclosed. The system includes first, second, and third electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the third electrode is positioned between the first and second electrodes, means for generating an electromagnetic field between the first and second electrodes, means for electrically controlling the third electrode, wherein the third electrode modifies the electromagnetic field, and a processor for detecting a presence of the analyte in the sample, based at least in part on a property of the electromagnetic field.

Abstract: Pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers for hybrid converters are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a PWM controller for a hybrid converter includes a threshold generation circuit for generating a threshold signal based on an output voltage of the hybrid converter, a threshold adjustment circuit for generating an adjusted threshold signal based on sensing a voltage of a flying capacitor of the hybrid converter, and a comparator that generates a comparison signal based on comparing the adjusted threshold signal to an indication of an inductor current of the hybrid converter. The output of the comparator is used for generating PWM control signals used for turning on and off the switches (for instance, power transistors) of the hybrid converter.

Abstract: A transmitter with a DC detection circuit that can control when a modulator of the transmitter is active. When data is being transmitted, a tone introduced by a mixer in the transmit path is hidden by the data signal and has minimal effect on the transmit path. However, when there is no data, the tone can cause undesirable noise. A modulator may move the tone or noise outside of the transmitter's bandwidth. As the data can hide the tone, the DSM may only be needed when there is a DC signal. By activating the DSM only when a DC signal is detected, the extra power introduced by the modulator can be reduced while eliminating in-band noise.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are some examples of metastability detectors and compensator circuitry for successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) within delta sigma modulator (DSM) loops. A metastability detector may detect metastability at an output of a SAR ADC and compensator circuitry may implement a compensation scheme to compensate for the metastability. The identification of the metastability and/or compensation for the metastability can avoid detrimental effects and/or errors to the DSM loops that may be caused by the metastability of the SAR ADCS.

Abstract: Techniques are described to for improving a resolution of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. A receiver circuit of a LIDAR system can sample a reflection signal from an object in response to a transmitted light pulse. A controller can determine a curve fit to the received samples and, based on a peak value of the curve fit, determine a precise location of the object.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein examples of systems and methods of processing captured heart sounds with frequency-dependent normalization. Based on an amount of attenuation of a first heart sound, a second heart sound can be normalized by modifying portions of the second heart sound by amounts determined based on frequencies of the portions. Accordingly, the systems and methods disclosed herein can result in different amounts of modification of different portions of the second heart sound based on the different frequencies of the portions.

Abstract: Data isolators are described. The data isolators include a differential receiver having cross-coupled single-ended amplifiers. The single-ended amplifiers may be referenced to a time-varying reference potential. The cross-coupling of the single-ended amplifiers may provide high speed, low power consumption operation of the data isolator.

Abstract: An alignment tool helps a patient position a chest-worn sensor device, such as a device for daily at-home monitoring of cardiopulmonary health conditions. The alignment tool includes a sensor connector that engages with the sensor device and a strap. The strap includes a first portion that has a protruding region sized to fit into the patient's suprasternal notch. The strap includes a second portion that engages with the sensor connector. The sensor connector and the first portion of the strap with the suprasternal notch protrusion are separated by a configurable length. A healthcare provider may set the length based on the distance between the patient's suprasternal notch and heart.