Abstract: An authenticatable device according to one embodiment includes a reconfigurable physical unclonable function (‘RPUF’) used with one parameter to recover sensitive values (e.g., a secret or a share of a secret) and a different parameter to encode and store values (e.g., challenge-helper pairs) correlated to the sensitive values. In another embodiment, a pair of RPUFs is used instead of a single PUF, with one RPUF used to recover sensitive values and the other RPUF used to encode and store correlated values. In still another embodiment, the desired expiration of values can be enforced by employing redundant RPUFs; when the device is powered on, one (or more than one, but less than all) of the RPUFs is selected and transitioned to a new configuration, invalidating any correlated values previously constructed using the old configuration, and the RPUF that was not reconfigured is used to recover the sensitive value(s) using the remaining correlated value(s).

Abstract: Sound waves cause pressure changes in the air, and the pressure changes cause changes in the dielectric constant of air. Capacitive sensor measurements indicative of the changes in the dielectric constant of air can be processed to extract features associated with sound waves in the air. The features can include sound pressure levels represented and recordable as audio samples. Furthermore, the features can help identify types of sounds, determine direction of travel of the sound waves, and/or determine the source location of the audio. Instead of relying on movement of a mechanical member to transduce sound waves through a port into an electrical signal, an improved microphone uses capacitive sensing to directly sample and sense static pressure as well as dynamic pressure or pressure changes in the air to derive audio samples. The resulting microphone avoids disadvantages of the conventional microphone having the moving mechanical member and port.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are microphone arrays for directional reception, along with related system, devices, and techniques. For example, a four-microphone array for directional signal reception may include first, second, and third microphones arranged such that projections of the first, second, and third microphones in a plane provide corners of a triangle in the plane. In some embodiments, a fourth microphone may be arranged such that a projection of the fourth microphone in the plane is disposed in an interior of the triangle. In other embodiments, the fourth microphone may be arranged such that the projection of the fourth microphone in the plane is disposed outside the interior of the triangle, and a distance between the first microphone and the second microphone is different from a distance between the first microphone and the third microphone.

Abstract: A time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (ADC) uses M analog-to-digital converters to sample an analog input signal to produce digital outputs. The M ADCs, operating in a time-interleaved fashion, can increase the sampling speed several times compared to the sampling speed of just one ADC. The time-interleaved ADC can be programmed and reconfigured to trade one performance metric for another. For example, more time can be given to comparator to improve bit error rate or more time can be given to an amplifier for improved settling which improves SNR, SFDR etc. If the time-interleaved converters are randomized, then the amount of ‘color’ in the noise floor shape can also be traded for other performance metrics.

Abstract: Fault detection techniques for control of sensor systems. A sensor control integrated circuit (“IC”) may include a fault detection system for coupling to the sensor supply lines. The system may detect faults for each of the sensor supply lines. The fault detection system may level shift sensor supply line signals from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain appropriate for the fault detection system of the controller IC. The fault detection system may level shift source potential voltages from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain to detect predetermined fault types. The fault detection system may compare the second domain voltages from the sensor supply lines to voltages representing predetermined fault types and may generate fault status indicators based on the comparison.

Abstract: Flexible antennas for harvesting electromagnetic energy are described. The flexible antenna may be a far field antenna and may comprise a flexible substrate, a first metal layer disposed on one side of the flexible substrate, and a second metal layer disposed on an opposite side of the flexible substrate. The first and second metal layers may be connected through one or more vias. The first metal layer may be sized to capture electromagnetic energy at a frequency in an ISM band.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating and compensating TX LO leakage using circuitry on a loopback path connecting the transmitter and receiver are provided. The TX LO leakage may be estimated by measuring the DC signal on the receiver, measuring the phase difference between the received LO signal and the receiver LO signal, and filtering LO harmonics that may arise from the use of non-linear mixers. The DC signal on the receiver may be measured by opening and closing the loopback path, or changing the gain of the loopback path, or flipping the phase of looped back TX signal. The method may be used in an initialization or tracking calibration scheme.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide code readers for reading codes provided as patterns imprinted on objects. Light interacts with a pattern by e.g. being reflected from or transmitted through the pattern, and at least some of the light that has interacted with the pattern is incident on photosensitive element(s) of one or more photodetectors of a code reader. The code reader employs centroid-measuring photodetector(s), i.e. photodetectors that detect light in such a manner that centroid of a pattern can be obtained directly from the photocurrents generated as a result of the photosensitive elements detecting light incident thereon. The code reader is then configured to process the detected light to determine a centroid of the pattern from the detected light and to decode data encoded in the pattern based on a position of the centroid. Such code readers are substantially less complex than camera-based devices and avoid mechanical scanning.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are based on a recognition that some processors are configured with instructions to compute logarithms and exponents (i.e. some processors include log and exp circuits). Embodiments of the present disclosure are further based on an insight that the use of the existing log and exp circuits could be extended to compute certain other functions by using the existing log and exp circuits to transform from a Cartesian to a logarithmic domain and vice versa and performing the actual computations of the functions in the logarithmic domain, which may be computationally easier than performing the computations in the Cartesian domain.

Abstract: A hardware-locked encrypted backup (HWLE-BU) that is locked to a single hardware device using the device's unique hardware identity, based on a Physically-Unclonable Function (PUF) or other suitable means providing a unique hardware identity. The HWLE-BU is bound to a specific hardware identity such that only the physical device that created the HWLE-BU can decrypt it, i.e., restoring HWLE-BU data requires utilizing the same physical hardware device in the decryption process.

Abstract: Controlling the output voltage of a power supply involve determining a remote load coupled to the power supply and setting the output voltage based on the determined remote load and a predetermined maximum current for the power supply. The remote load may be measured, for example, by applying a predetermined current to the load, measuring the voltage across the load, and computing the effective load (resistance) value based on the supplied current and the measured voltage. Such measurement may be done using an analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a power switching circuit of an automobile audio bus (A2B) chip is provided in a bi-directional, multi-node two-wire conductor system that includes a plurality of A2B chips interconnected on a twisted wire pair bus (A2B bus), with at least one A2B chip functioning as a master and the remaining A2B chips functioning as slaves. The power switching circuit of the A2B chip powers up a next downstream A2B chip in the A2B bus sequentially according to a power switching procedure, and the power switching circuit is configured to detect faults in the A2B bus before, during, and after the power switching procedure. Each A2B chip enables power to the next downstream A2B chip without risk of damage to any components in the system due to line faults on the downstream A2B bus, or collapse of the power supply at the local A2B chip.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for binding metadata, such as information derived from the output of a biometric sensor, to hardware intrinsic properties by obtaining authentication-related metadata and combining it with information pertaining to a root of trust, such as a physical unclonable function. The metadata may be derived from a sensor such as a biometric sensor, the root of trust may be a physical unclonable function, the combination of the metadata and root of trust information may employ a hash function, and output from such a hash process may he used as an input to the root of trust. The combined information can he used in interactive or non-interactive authentication.

Abstract: Aspects of the embodiments are directed to passive depth determination. Initially, a high power depth map of a scene can be created. An object in the scene can be identified, such as a rigid body or other object or portion of an object. A series of lower power or RGB images can be captured. The object can be located in one or more of the lower power or RGB images. A change in the position of an object, represented by a set of pixels, can be determined. From the change in position of the object, a new depth of the object can be extrapolated. The extrapolated depth of the object can be used to update the high power depth map.

Abstract: A capped micromachined device has a movable micromachined structure in a first hermetic chamber and one or more interconnections in a second hermetic chamber that is hermetically isolated from the first hermetic chamber, and a barrier layer on its cap where the cap faces the first hermetic chamber, such that the first hermetic chamber is isolated from outgassing from the cap.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a digital to analog converter (DAC) circuit configured to receive a time-varying a digital input signal and convert the digital input signal to an analog output signal, an output amplifier circuit operatively coupled to the output of the DAC circuit, a peak detector circuit operatively coupled to the input the DAC and configured to produce a signal envelope of the digital input signal, and logic circuitry. The logic circuitry is operatively coupled to the peak detector circuit and is configured to detect when the signal envelope satisfies a specified threshold value; and to adjust a drive capability of an output amplifier circuit of the DAC circuit according to the signal envelope.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention may provide a system with a first and second circuit system separated by an electrical isolation barrier but provided in communication by at least one isolator device that bridges the isolation barrier. The first circuit system may include a communication system to transmit data across a common isolator device as a series of pulses, and the second circuit system may receive the series of pulses corresponding to the data. The second circuit system may include a detector coupled to the common isolator device to detect the received pulses, a oneshot to frame the received pulse(s), and a controller to reconstruct the data based on accumulated framed pulse(s). Therefore, noise induced spurious pulses outside the oneshot intervals may be ignored by the second circuit system providing improved noise immunity.

Abstract: Techniques for optical detection of target chemicals on/in samples are disclosed. Light of at least two different wavelengths, or different bands of wavelengths, interacts with a target chemical, and at least some of the light that has interacted with the target chemical is incident on at least two photodetectors. Each of the photodetectors is configured to detect light of a different wavelength, or a different band of wavelengths, that has interacted with the target chemical. A processing logic is configured to compute a ratio between a parameter indicative of the intensity of light detected by one photodetector and a parameter indicative of the intensity of light detected by the other photodetector, and to determine the presence and/or the amount of the target chemical based on the computed ratio. In this manner, a simple, compact, and non-contact optical measurement assembly for assessing chemical content using differential spectral measurements may be provided.

Abstract: Aspects of the embodiments are directed to compact and non-contact systems, methods, and devices for optical detection of target chemicals on/in samples are disclosed. Light of at least two different wavelengths, or different bands of wavelengths, interacts with a target chemical, and at least some of the light that has interacted with the target chemical is incident on at least two photodetectors. Each of the photodetectors is configured to detect light of a different wavelength, or a different band of wavelengths, that has interacted with the target chemical. A processing logic is configured to compute a ratio between a parameter indicative of the intensity of light detected by one photodetector and a parameter indicative of the intensity of light detected by the other photodetector, and to determine the presence and/or the amount of the target chemical based on the computed ratio.

Abstract: A method of operating a radio frequency transceiver may include generating, by a transmit circuit of the transceiver, in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) analog signals based on a digital calibration signal; mixing, by the transmit circuit, the I and Q analog signals with local oscillator (LO) and phase shifted LO signals to generate upconverted I and Q signals, the LO signal having a first frequency, and combining the upconverted I and Q signals to generate a combined signal; and converting, by a receive circuit of the transceiver, a signal based on the combined signal to a received digital signal using a sampling rate at a second frequency, the second frequency being less than the first frequency, wherein the converting downconverts frequency content in the combined signal.