Abstract: An electronics package is described in which a quad flat no lead (QFN) electronic package has top and bottom surfaces. The bottom surface includes bottom contact pads arranged in a first pattern for electrical connection to corresponding package contact pads of an underlying circuit structure. The top surface includes top contact pads arranged in a second pattern for electrical connection to corresponding bottom contact pads of an overlying electronic package.

Abstract: A method of addressing a target device within a chain of devices, the method comprising a sending device setting an address value and sending data in association with the address value, and wherein each device receiving the address value and data compares the address value to a device number, and if they are different modifies the address value by a predetermined amount and transmits the data and the modified address value to a subsequent device.

Abstract: A battery monitor for monitoring the performance of at least one battery within an array of batteries, comprising: a data acquisition device for measuring at least one parameter of the at least one battery associated with the battery monitor, a first data interface operable to exchange data with a first device, and a second data interface operable to exchange data with a second device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing variable width instructions in a pipelined processor. The apparatus includes an instruction decoder configured to decode a loop setup instruction, having a loop setup instruction address, to obtain a loop bottom offset and configured to decode instructions following the loop setup instruction, each having an instruction address, to obtain an instruction width, registers for holding the loop setup instruction address and the loop bottom offset, and a loop bottom detector, responsive to a current instruction address, a current instruction width, the loop setup instruction address and the loop bottom offset, configured to determine if a next instruction is a loop bottom instruction.

Abstract: A method for obtaining virtual path identifier, virtual channel identifier, and encapsulation values in an asynchronous transfer mode access device for a network using either non-static or static internet protocol address assignments and asynchronous transfer mode adaptation layer 5. In the non-static environment, a plurality of discovery packets are generated, but in the static environment, a plurality of address resolution protocol packets are generated. Headers are added to the plurality of packets, such that a first set of packets, each packet including a logical link control header, and a second set of packets, each packet including a virtual channel multiplexed header, are realized. The first and second sets of packets are encapsulated and then transmitted to a central office.

Abstract: Control structures are provided to accurately maintain amplifier common-mode levels at the predetermined level of a common-mode reference voltage Vcm. The disclosed control structures provide amplifier feedback along a first feedback path that is configured to provide high gain and low bandwidth to closely maintain amplifier common-mode level at the predetermined level of a common-mode reference voltage Vcm. They also provide amplifier feedback along a second feedback path that is configured to provide wide bandwidth to substantially reduce perturbations of the common-mode level that would have otherwise been induced by input signal transients. In an important amplifier feature, these controls are obtained without use of structures (e.g., capacitors and switching transistors) that use substantial current which reduces amplifier efficiency.

Abstract: A microphone system has a base with at least one electrical port for electrically communicating with an external device. The system also has a solid metal lid coupled to the base to form an internal chamber, and a silicon microphone secured to the lid within the chamber. The lid has an aperture for receiving an audible signal, while the microphone is electrically connected to the electrical port of the base.

Abstract: A microphone has a movable diaphragm having a rest position, a stationary portion, and a set of springs movably coupling the diaphragm and the stationary portion. The diaphragm and stationary portion are spaced a first distance when the diaphragm is in the rest position. When not in the rest position, however, the diaphragm and stationary portion are capable of being spaced a second distance, which is greater than the first distance. Despite the change in distance, the diaphragm still is capable of returning the space from the second distance to the first distance when the diaphragm returns to the rest position.

Abstract: A multi-fferential amplifier system includes an amplifier having a plurality of amplifier inputs and a plurality of amplifier outputs; a plurality of input terminals for receiving a plurality of inputs and being interconnected with the amplifier inputs through a plurality of input impedances, respectively, and a feedback network including a plurality of summing circuits for combining the plurality of amplifier outputs in a plurality of different sets of groups each group numbering one fewer than the plurality, respectively, and feeding back the sum of each group of amplifier outputs to the remaining amplifier input for maintaining the difference between any group of amplifier outputs proportional to the difference of a corresponding group of inputs at the terminals and maintaining the average value of the amplifier outputs constant and unrelated to the inputs at the terminal.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor and a method of making it with a substrate having a diaphragm forming a first plate of a capacitor; a second fixed plate of the capacitor spaced from the diaphragm and defining a predetermined dielectric gap; a plurality of conductor elements interconnecting the substrate and fixed plate; and an edge lock supporting the fixed plate and the substrate relative to each other for maintaining the dimension of the defined gap independent of the conductor elements.

Abstract: A MEMS sensor includes a substrate having a MEMS structure movably attached to the substrate, a cap attached to the substrate and encapsulating the MEMS structure, and an electrode formed on the cap that senses movement of the MEMS structure.

Abstract: A method of generating a pseudo-noise sequence without masking a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) generator is provided. An offset pseudo-noise sequence is generated at a desired offset from a reference psuedo-noise sequence by determining a corresponding initial state vector of the LFSR based on an arbitrary mask.

Abstract: An FSK demodulator system with tunable spectral shaping including a pair of quadri-correlators responsive to first and second quadrature signals, one of the pair deriving first and second signals representative of the frequency deviation of the quadrature signals at even integer multiples of the frequency deviation and for resolving the modulated FSK data represented by the quadrature signals and the other of the pair deriving first and second signals representative of the frequency deviation of the quadrature signals at odd integer multiples of the deviation frequency and for resolving the modulated FSK data represented by the quadrature signals, and a delay control circuit for setting a delay to each of the pair of quadri-correlators to control the first and second signals representative of the frequency deviation of the quadrature signals derived by each of the pair of quadri-correlators and generate a tuned spectral response at both even and odd integer multiples of the frequency deviation.

Abstract: A package apparatus has a base coupled with a lid to form a leadframe package. The package has first and second exterior surfaces with respective first and second contact patterns. The first and second contact patterns are substantially electrically identical to permit the package to be either vertically or horizontally mounted to an underlying apparatus.

Abstract: A MEMS apparatus has a MEMS device sandwiched between a base and a circuit chip. The movable member of the MEMS device is attached at the side up against the circuit chip. The movable member may be mounted on a substrate of the MEMS device or formed directly on a passivation layer on the circuit chip. The circuit chip provides control signals to the MEMS device through wire bonds, vias through the MEMS device or a conductive path such as solder balls external to the MEMS device.

Abstract: A versatile, programmable, low-cost transmit line driver is provided. The line driver includes a digital-to-analog converter that receives a digital input and provides an analog output. The line driver is reconfigurable between the voltage mode of operation.

Abstract: A state machine implemented controller is provided in which a logic core 20 is reconfigurable in response to state data held within a memory 22. Thus, on transition from one state to a next state the data held within the memory 22 is used to reconfigure the operation of the logic core 20. This enables a relatively compact logic core 20 to be used time and time again, thereby avoiding the need to individually define a logic core appropriate to each individual one of the states that the state machine can enter into. This results in a controller which is much more compact on an integrated circuit die than is the case with prior art controllers.

Abstract: A logarithmically-responding circuit includes a differential-input amplifier that drives the control terminal of a three-terminal device that exhibits an exponential response in its output current. This arrangement allows the third terminal to be grounded. In a preferred embodiment the three-terminal device is a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). This, and other supporting circuit features described, enable single-supply, wide-range, fully temperature-compensated operation. A compensation technique significantly reduces errors caused by the finite ohmic emitter resistance of a BJT. To support use in logarithmically compressing the current generated by a photodiode, an adaptive bias signal can provided which maintains an essentially constant bias on the photodiode's internal junction.

Abstract: In one aspect, an interface adapted to transfer data between a host processor and an external coprocessor is provided. The interface may be adapted to operate in a plurality of write modes, wherein in a first write mode the write operation is transferred across the interface in two clock cycles and in a second write mode the write operation is transferred across the interface in a single clock cycle. In another aspect, the interface is adapted to perform a first read operation initiated by the host processor and a second read operation initiated by the external coprocessor. In another aspect, the interface includes a plurality of buffers to store read and write operations and a plurality of clock gates to selectively gate of clock signals provided to the plurality of buffers to synchronize transfer of data into and out of the buffers.

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.