Abstract: A single complex calculation for locating a dominant frequency, such as an interfering signal in a frequency range, is replaced by several much easier ones. A signal is analyzed over a first frequency range to locate at least one comparatively significant frequency component therein. This can involve analyzing, using electronic hardware, a test range of frequencies to identify a potentially significant component within the test range; and determining, using electronic hardware, if a condition for finishing the analysis has been met. If the condition has not been met, the test range is modified as a result of the analysis and the operations of analyzing and determining are repeated.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for protecting a MEMS switch is provided. The method and apparatus improve the integrity of MEMS switches by reducing their vulnerability to current flow through them during switching of the MEMS switch between on and off or vice versa. The protection circuit provides for a parallel path, known as a shunt, around the MEMS component. However, components within the shunt circuit can themselves be removed from the shunt when they are not required. This improves the electrical performance of the shunt when the switch is supposed to be in an off state.

Abstract: An electronic circuit can be coupled to an energy harvesting device. The output of the energy harvesting device can provide a damped oscillating waveform elicited from a transient stimulus applied to the energy harvesting device, such as in response to mechanical shock or mechanical impact excitation. A first switch can be coupled between the energy harvesting device and an inductor and configured to selectively connect the input node to the inductor. A second switch can be coupled between the inductor and an energy storage device, the second switch configured to selectively couple the inductor to the energy storage device. A control circuit can be coupled to the first and second switches, such as configured to operate the first and second switches according to one or more of an over bias flip technique, a half bias flip technique, or a bias flip technique.

Abstract: Various examples are directed to systems and methods for digital predistortion (DPD). A linear digital predistortion (DPD) circuit may be programmed to generate a pre-distorted signal linear component based at least in part on a complex baseband signal. A nonlinear DPD circuit may be programmed to generate a pre-distorted signal nonlinear component based at least in part on the complex baseband signal. A mixer circuit programmed to generate a pre-distorted signal based at least in part on the pre-distorted signal linear component and the pre-distorted signal nonlinear component.

Abstract: Isolated DC-DC converters are described. A DC-DC converter is a device which converts a direct current (DC) signal from one voltage to another. An isolated DC-DC converter performs the conversion across an electrical isolation barrier separating two voltage domains. The signal converted from one voltage to another, and transferred from one voltage domain to another, may be a power signal. Described are isolated DC-DC converters which transfer a power signal from one voltage domain to another via an isolator, and a power feedback signal back across the isolator. The isolator is a transformer in some situations.

Abstract: A buffer is provided where a part of the buffer is implemented in switched capacitor or other analog discrete time processing circuitry and a dynamic response characteristic, such as an effective gain or charge transfer coefficient between the input stage and an output stage is digitally controllable. This means that the buffer can be driven as if it was a system controlled by, for example a three (3) term controller, giving rise to greater, digital flexibility in tailoring the buffer's transient response.

Abstract: Modular gain control based on blocker signal detection is disclosed herein. In a multi-stage gain control scheme for a receiver, the input stage gain or the pre-mixing stage gain can be controlled for effective blocker rejection based on detecting a blocker signal at a mixer, and the output stage gain or the post-mixing stage gain can be controlled to restore and maintain an appropriate output level after pre-mixing gain reduction performed for blocker rejection. Accordingly, the RF communication systems herein can include multiple loops for providing AGC. In particular, an RF communication system can include a main loop and a blocker loop used to override the main loop when the blocker signal is detected. In certain configurations, the blocker loop reduces the gain of an RF VGA, while the main loop will increase the gain of an IF VGA to restore the output power.

Abstract: Distortion in a combined sample and hold circuit and multiplexer can be reduced by dividing the sample and hold circuit and the multiplexer up into main and compensation signal channels, and considering the total error signal that arises during an acquire phase across both the switches of the multiplexer and the input switches of the sample and hold stage as a single error signal that has to be compensated. This compensation is then achieved by causing the same error voltages to be induced in both the main and compensation channels of the whole MUX and sample and hold circuit, such that errors can be made to cancel, thus improving the performance of the stage.

Abstract: System and techniques for a visual vehicle parking occupancy sensor are described herein. A color image, including a parking space, is received from a camera. A cascaded search for vehicle features in a hue-saturation-value (HSV) converted version of the color image is performed to produce search results. A search for macro vehicle features in the color image is also performed to produce an indication of found macro vehicle features when the search results are of a first type. An occupancy indicator is provided based on the search results when the search results are of a second type and based on the indication otherwise.

Abstract: Isolated DC-DC converters and methods for operating the same are described herein. DC-DC converters include a driver that drives a primary winding of a transformer to transmit power to a secondary winding of the transformer across an isolation barrier. In some embodiments, a pair of symmetrical serial capacitors are provided between the driver and the primary winding of a resonant DC-DC converter with an on-chip transformer to slow down variations of a common mode voltage on the primary winding during operation. This in turn can suppress radiation emissions related to time variation rates of the common mode voltage and, and can also improve electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance of the DC-DC converter.

Abstract: Isolated DC-DC converters and methods for operating the same are described herein. DC-DC converters include a driver that drives a primary winding of a transformer to transmit power to a secondary winding of the transformer across an isolation barrier. In some embodiments, a pair of symmetrical serial capacitors are provided between the driver and the primary winding of a resonant DC-DC converter with an on-chip transformer to slow down variations of a common mode voltage on the primary winding during operation. This in turn can suppress radiation emissions related to time variation rates of the common mode voltage and, and can also improve electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance of the DC-DC converter.

Abstract: A method for assigning, in a database, a relationship between at least one logical channel and at least one antenna element feed that is coupleable to at least one antenna element of an antenna arrangement, is described. The method comprises either: applying a first signal to at least one first logical channel; and detecting whether there is a presence of a radio frequency signal converted from the first signal on at least one first antenna element feed; or applying a second signal to at least one first antenna element feed coupleable to at least one first antenna element of the antenna arrangement; and detecting whether there is a presence of a logical signal converted from the second signal on at least one first logical channel. The method further comprises assigning in the database in response thereto a relationship between the at least one first logical channel and the at least one first antenna element feed.

Abstract: Suspended microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices including a stack of one or more materials over a cavity in a substrate are described. The suspended MEMS device may be formed by forming the stack, which may include one or more electrode layers and an active layer, over the substrate and removing part of the substrate underneath the stack to form the cavity. The resulting suspended MEMS device may include one or more channels that extend from a surface of the device to the cavity and the one or more channels have sidewalls with a spacer material. The cavity may have rounded corners and may extend beyond the one or more channels to form one or more undercut regions. The manner of fabrication may allow for forming the stack layers with a high degree of planarity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a digital filter module for use in receivers, particularly suitable for use in a narrow-band electromagnetic receiver. Design of the module is based on a recognition that providing to the module samples of a signal received by a receiver and sampled at a sampling frequency equal to four times the intermediate frequency of the receiver, eliminating zeros in the filter, and implementing the filter module as a resource-shared second-order filter structure that includes two sections advantageously enables saving some hardware components, particularly some multipliers and adders, in implementing a versatile digital filter module that can function either as two real filters or one complex filter. In this manner, substantial reduction of area and power consumption of the filter module may be achieved, while maintaining sufficiently high filtering performance.

Abstract: An integrated electronic component assembly can include an electrically-conductive structure comprising two or more electrically-conductive terminals accessible on an exterior of the integrated electronic component assembly, a first component attachment region for a first component within the integrated electronic component assembly, and a second component attachment region for a second component within the integrated electronic component assembly. The integrated electronic component assembly can include an electrically-conductive magnetically-permeable shield coupled to or defined by the electrically-conductive structure, the electrically-conductive magnetically-permeable shield located between the first and second component attachment regions, including a portion extending in a direction out of a plane defined by the first and second component attachment regions, to suppress magnetic coupling between the first and second components.

Abstract: A method of estimating diaphragm excursion of an electrodynamic loudspeaker may be performed using audio signals. An audio output signal may be applied to a voice coil of the electrodynamic loudspeaker through an output amplifier to produce sound. A detected voice coil current and a determined voice coil voltage may be applied to a linear adaptive digital loudspeaker model that has a plurality of adaptive loudspeaker parameters. The parameter values of the adaptive loudspeaker parameters may be computed based on the linear adaptive digital loudspeaker model and applied to a non-linear state-space model of the electrodynamic loudspeaker. For the non-linear state-space model, a predetermined non-linear function may be applied to at least one of the plurality of received parameter values to compute at least one non-linearity compensated parameter value of the adaptive loudspeaker parameters, to determine an instantaneous excursion of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A wireless sensor node is described. The wireless sensor node may include a wake-up circuitry configured to awaken the sensor when a request is received. The sensor may be placed in a sleep mode, thus saving battery usage until a wake-up signal requesting use of the sensor is received. Powering of the wake-up circuitry may be supplied through energy captured using an energy harvester. In one example, the energy for powering the wake-up circuitry is extracted from the same signal used for awakening the sensor. The wireless sensor mode may operate in a passive mode, in which the energy for powering the wake-up circuitry is harvested, or in a power supply-assisted mode, in which some of the power is provided by a power supply. High quality factors filters may be used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the wake-up signals, thus improving the node's ability to recognize activation requests.

Abstract: A latency associated with a receiver circuit, e.g., radio receiver circuit, can be reduced by applying digital data from an analog signal received by a receiver, e.g., a radio receiver, to an automatic gain control circuit without first using a decimation and digital filtering process, which can minimize or eliminate significant latency associated with the decimation and filtering process.

Abstract: A power stage to generate an output voltage at one of a high reference voltage, an intermediate reference voltage and a low reference voltage, including a first switch stage connecting the output terminal to the high reference voltage, comprising a pair of transistors connected in series along their source-to-drain paths, a first transistor coupled to the output terminal and having its gate biased at the intermediate voltage, a second transistor having a gate that receives a first stage control signal that varies between the high reference voltage and the intermediate reference voltage, a second switch stage connecting the output terminal to the intermediate reference voltage, having a gate that receives a second stage control signal that varies among the high reference voltage, intermediate reference voltage and low reference voltage, a third switch stage connecting the output terminal to the low reference voltage, having a pair of transistors connected in series along their source-to-drain paths, a first tr

Abstract: Digital to analog converters (DAC) are used to convert digital signals to analog values. The digital system providing data to the analog converter may be highly tasked. A DAC is provided with some in built logic to assist in reducing the load on the devices driving the DAC. The DAC may include a library of functions that it can apply to the input words to modify transitions in the analog output words. The DAC may further include a health checking system for monitoring the digital words being supplied to the DAC and raising a concern, and taking action if required, if the sequence of words is unlikely to be correct or beyond the target operating range.