Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as those involving an RF receiver. One such apparatus includes a front end having an input and an output. The front end forms part of an RF signal receive path. The front end includes a front-end resistor configured to receive an input signal; and a passive mixer downstream of the front-end resistor on the receive path. The passive mixer mixes the input signal with a local oscillation signal. The front-end includes a transimpedance amplifier located downstream of the passive mixer on the receive path. The transimpedance amplifier includes an input and an output. The front end further includes a feedback resistor coupled between the input and output of the transimpedance amplifier. The gain of the front end is a ratio of the feedback resistance to the front-end resistance, and is temperature- and frequency-insensitive. The apparatus also provides relatively constant input impedance and high linearity.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a primary charge pump and replica charge pump may be coupled to matching control mechanisms and loads. In an embodiment, the replica charge pump may produce an error current originating from charge pump timing mismatches in a steady locked loop state. The error current produced by the replica charge pump may be measured by a difference amplifier to adjust at least one current source to compensate for the error current originating from the timing mismatches. To adjust the current sources, the amplifier may cause the current source to produce an equal but opposite current to cancel the effects of the error current, resulting in a constant output voltage.

Abstract: Bulk acoustic wave (BAW) gyroscopes purposefully operate using non-degenerate modes, i.e., resonant frequencies of drive and sense modes are controlled so they are not identical. The resonant frequencies differ by a small controlled amount (?f). The difference (?f) is selected such that the loss of sensitivity, as a result of using non-degenerate modes, is modest. Non-degenerate operation can yield better bandwidth and improves signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over comparable degenerate mode operation. Increasing Q of a BAW resonator facilitates trading bandwidth for increased SNR, thereby providing a combination of bandwidth and SNR that is better than that achievable from degenerate mode devices. In addition, a split electrode configuration facilitates minimizing quadrature errors in BAW resonators.

Abstract: One or more electrodes that interact with a movable mass in a MEMS device are anchored or otherwise supported from both the top and bottom and optionally also from one or more of the lateral sides other than the transduction side (i.e., the side of the electrode facing the mass) in order to severely restrict movement of the electrodes such as from interaction with the mass and/or external forces.

Abstract: A method of driving a switch having a movable member and a contact first applies (to the switch) a first signal having a first level, and then applies a second signal having a second level to the switch (after applying the first signal). The first level is greater than the second level. One or both of the first and second signals cause the movable member to move to electrically connect with the contact.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package system having a body with a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces has a leadframe and encapsulating material that encapsulates at least a portion of the leadframe. The leadframe and encapsulating material are part of the body. The leadframe has a die paddle for supporting a die, and a plurality of leads spaced from the die paddle. The encapsulating material thus also separates the die paddle from the plurality of leads. At least a first portion of the die paddle is exposed to the top surface, while at least a second portion of the die paddle is exposed to the bottom surface.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor having a drain and a source, each defined by regions of a first type of semiconductor interconnected by a channel, and in which a dopant profile at a side of the drain facing the channel is modified so as to provide a region of reduced doping compared to a body region of the drain. The region of reduced doping and the body region can be defined by the same mask and doping step, but the mask is shaped to provide a lesser amount and thus less depth of doping for the region of reduced doping.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device configured to protect a circuit from ESD conditions. The protection device includes an emitter region having a first diffusion polarity; a collector region laterally spaced apart from the emitter region, and having the first diffusion polarity; and a barrier region interposed laterally between the emitter region and the collector region while contacting the emitter region. The barrier region has a second diffusion polarity opposite from the first diffusion polarity. The device can further include a base region having the second diffusion polarity, and laterally surrounding and underlying the emitter region and the barrier region. The barrier region can have a higher dopant concentration than the base region, and block a lateral current flow between the collector and emitter regions, thus forming a vertical ESD device having enhanced ESD performance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a linker to resolve references from shared memory to private memory in a multi-core system.

Abstract: A clock system includes a digital phase/frequency detector (DPFD), a buffer, a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO) including a sigma-delta modulator (SDM), an adder, a first frequency divider. The DPFD may have a first input for a reference input clock, a second input for a feedback signal, the DPFD generating an output representing a difference between the reference input clock and the feedback signal. The buffer may be coupled to the DPFD for storing the difference signal over time. The SDM may have a control input coupled to the buffer. The adder may have inputs coupled to the SDM and a source of an integer control word. The first frequency divider may have an input for receiving an external clock signal and a control input coupled to the adder, the DCO generating an output clock signal having an average frequency representing a frequency of the external clock signal divided by (N+F/M).

Abstract: An output switch driving capability booster which may effectively reduce a propagation delay in an output switch with an independently controllable output transition change rate. A delay controller coupled to the output switch may be used to control the propagation delay. The delay controller may have a switch which may be switched on and off approximately simultaneously with the output switch, and a resistance device which may be adjusted to reduce the propagation delay.

Abstract: A current source driving an LED is monitored for a fault condition such as an open circuit or a short circuit. The current source may be disabled and/or a common power source may be disabled in response to the type of fault condition. A test current may be applied to the current source to determine the type of fault.

Abstract: Some general aspects of the invention relate to a circuit and to a method for analog computation, for example, using switched capacitor integrated circuits. In some examples, a circuit includes a first group of capacitors and a second group of capacitors that may store charges during circuit operation. The first and/or the second group of capacitors may include multiple disjoint subsets of capacitors. An input circuit is provided for receiving a set of input signals and for inducing a charge on each of some or all capacitors in the first group of capacitors according to a corresponding input signal. Switches, for example, transistors controlled by a sequence of clock signals, are used to couple different sets of capacitors. Different configurations of the switches are used to form different sets of the capacitors among which charge can redistribute.

Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating a bandwidth of a phase-locked loop are disclosed. Some such systems can detect an error signal generated by the phase-locked loop in response to a stimulus signal and adjust the bandwith of the phase-locked loop based at least partly on a difference between the integral of the error signal and a nominal value thereof. Alternatively or additionally, the bandwidth of the phase-locked loop can be adjusted based at least partly on a mismatch associated with two charge pumps.

Abstract: An RF measurement system includes an envelope detector to extract the modulation envelope of the RF input signal. The resulting baseband envelope signal is then applied to a statistics extraction circuit which provides a precise measure of the modulation envelope. The statistics extraction circuit can be implemented with any number of lower-frequency precision measurement technologies because the high-frequency carrier portion of the signal is removed, and thus, the demands on the post-envelope extraction circuit are greatly reduced. In one embodiment, the envelope detector and statistics extraction circuit may be implemented as a logarithmic amplifier followed by an RMS-responding post-processing circuit to provide accurate power measurement.

Abstract: Electrical networks are formed to produce an approximation of at least one desired performance characteristic, based on the recognition that fabrication variations introduce slight differences in electronic sub-networks which were intended to be identical. These fabrication differences are turned to an advantage by providing a pool of sub-networks, and then selectively connecting particular combinations of these sub-networks to implement networks that approximate the desired performance characteristics. The sub-networks are of like kind (e.g., resistors) and have a like measure.

Abstract: Packaged integrated devices and methods of forming the same are provided. In one embodiment, a packaged integrated device includes a package substrate, a package lid, and an integrated circuit or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device. The package lid is mounted to a first surface of the package substrate using an epoxy, and the package lid and the package substrate define a package interior. The package lid includes an interior coating suited to good adhesion with the epoxy, and an exterior coating suited to RF shielding, where the materials of the interior and exterior coatings are different. In one example, the interior lid coating is nickel whereas the exterior lid coating is tin.

Abstract: An input stage receives a differential input signal at first and second input nodes and provides a differential output current at first and second output nodes. The differential output current includes a component taken from the input nodes through first and second impedances, and an additional component generated in response to a sample of the voltage of the differential input signal. A transconductance cell having cross-coupled inputs may generate the additional component of the output current.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for compensating cable losses in a video signal transmission system includes feedback circuits to determine the spectral attenuation of a received signal and to control an equalizer circuit to amplify selected frequencies of the received signal, and to determine the various times of arrival of two or more video signals and selectively adjust one or more delay lines to reduce the differences in their arrival times.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic audio standard detection in terrestrial broadcast signals is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of detecting automatic audio standard for terrestrial broadcast includes scanning for each known audio frequency standard of interest in a current band energy spectrum in an incoming broadcast signal using a standard of non standard energy estimation algorithm, such as Goertzel DFT or FFT based algorithm for a predetermined time interval. At each known audio frequency standard of interest, energy is computed using the associated standard or non standard energy estimation algorithm within the predetermined time interval. The computed energy at each known audio frequency standard of interest is then compared to predetermined threshold energy. At each known audio frequency standard of interest, it is determined whether the audio frequency standard of interest is detected based on the outcome of the comparison.