Abstract: An electrochemical sensor is provided which may be formed using micromachining techniques commonly used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. This is achieved by forming microcapillaries in a silicon substrate and forming an opening in an insulating layer to allow environmental gases to reach through to the top side of the substrate. A porous electrode is printed on the top side of the insulating layer such that the electrode is formed in the opening in the insulating layer. The sensor also comprises at least one additional electrode. The electrolyte is then formed on top of the electrodes. A cap is formed over the electrodes and electrolyte. This arrangement may easily be produced using micromachining techniques.

Abstract: A source stochastic signal is deconstructed into one or more components using a decomposition process. The decomposition process deconstructs the source stochastic signal into at least one component which encodes the oscillatory behavior of the source stochastic signal. The one or more components are mapped, using one or more trained models, to a pair of target components which encode the estimated oscillatory behavior and estimated steady-state behavior of a target stochastic signal. The target stochastic signal is then reconstructed from the oscillatory behavior target signal by shifting the oscillatory behavior target signal so that its average value aligns with the average value of the steady-state behavior target signal. The source stochastic signal and the target stochastic signals can be biological signals having a related or common origin, such as photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals and arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to temperature sensors for electronic devices are provided. An example temperature sensor device includes analog temperature sensor circuitry to generate a plurality of voltages indicative of a temperature; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) disposed downstream of the analog temperature sensing circuitry; switched-capacitor amplifier circuitry disposed before the ADC, the switched-capacitor amplifier circuitry comprising a single-ended amplifier to amplify the plurality of voltages with respect to a common voltage; a first switch coupled between the analog temperature sensor circuitry and the switched-capacitor amplifier circuitry to provide a sampling phase and an integration phase; and digital calculation circuitry to calculate a temperature value based on the plurality of amplified voltages.

Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus and computer-readable medium of wireless communications, comprising receiving an input data sequence of a set of bits, wherein the input data sequence includes at least a portion of a set of CRC interleaved information bits, and wherein a number of the set of bits is at least 32. The implementations further include encoding the input data sequence by a polar encoder to define an intermediate polar encoded data sequence, the polar encoder having a combinational circuit including a plurality of stages that operate in a same clock cycle. Additionally, the implementations further include encoding the intermediate polar encoded data sequence for each of the plurality of stages according to a polar encoder factor graph to obtain a final polar encoded data sequence. Additionally, the implementations further include transmitting a polar encoded codeword on a control channel based on the final polar encoded data sequence.

Abstract: A new method and circuit arrangement for operating a stepper motor in a voltage-based operating mode with a control loop over the whole operating range of speeds of a stepper motor. The method/circuit arrangement includes calculating a load angle of the stepper motor. The load angle is then used to calculate a voltage-based control signal suitable for operating a known motor driver circuit, such as a chopper, to drive the stepper motor coils. This enables improved control over the stepper motor which can improve control stability.

Abstract: A microfabricated thermal platform can be formed over a substrate, such as a silicon wafer, that may form part of the platform. The substrate is coated in a thermally-insulating material, which may be an organic polymer such, as polyimide or SUS. The surface of the thermally-insulating material may include an arrangement of one or more thermal sites, with each site having a reaction plate (or thermal plate) over which chemical reactions may occur. A heating element may be positioned beneath each reaction plate. A fluidic medium, such as a liquid or a gas, may be disposed over the thermal sites. One application is in chemical and biological reactions. In such reactions, the fluidic medium may be an aqueous solution which comprises reagents for those reactions. The fluidic medium may be an ionically conducting fluid, organic solution or a gas. Precise temperature control enables the correct reactions.

Abstract: A semiconductor fabrication control system and method of operation can include: detecting a status with a control board communicatively coupled to a semiconductor fabrication tool; collecting process information from the semiconductor fabrication tool with the control board based on the status changing or a predetermined time elapsing; storing the process information to a server with the control board communicatively coupled to the server by a network connection; and engaging an auto-stop mechanism of the semiconductor fabrication tool to prevent the semiconductor fabrication tool from running based on the process information being wrong.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to electronic chip identifiers, ECIDs. In one example an electronic device is disclosed, which includes an identity unit configured to store an ECID that uniquely identifies the electronic chip, and a multi-purpose pin for use in outputting the ECID from the electronic device. The multi-purpose pin is also for a function of the electronic device that is unrelated to electronic chip identification. The identity unit is configured to output the ECID from the electronic device using the multi-purpose pin such that the electronic device can be uniquely identified using the multi-purpose pin.

Abstract: A radio frequency, RF, receiver circuit that is configured to simultaneously monitor a two or more different RF frequencies. The RF receiver circuit uses a sub-sampler to sub-sample an RF signal that is at any of the monitored RF frequencies, and the sub-sampled signal is then demodulated and a digital code that was encoded in the RF signal is recovered. The RF receiver circuit may be particularly low power, in part owing to using the same sub-sampler for each of the two or more monitored RF frequencies, and not relying on superheterodyning. Furthermore, monitoring two or more different RF frequencies simultaneously means that signals received on the monitored RF frequencies may be acted on very quickly. These characteristics make the RF receiver circuit particularly suitable for use in low-power wake-up receivers, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wake-up receivers.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a digital pen cap that can be positioned on the end of a stylus. The digital pen cap includes sensors for measuring position and orientation of the tip of the stylus, a controller configured to process the sensor data and output processed data, a memory for storing the processed data, and a transmitter for transmitting the processed data.

Abstract: Systems and methods embodiments are described for low-power, low-area current reference generator circuits that deliver a stable current bias for applications such as wake-up circuits. The current reference generator circuit provides for a nearly temperature-independent small-area bias current generator that uses a single pair of BJTs to reliably output a nominal 150 nA bias current that, irrespective of variations in process, supply voltage, and temperature (PVT), and local device mismatch, remains in a range between 120 nA and 180 nA. Advantageously, the circuit, which may be powered from and supply that is operationally functional at as low as about 1.0 V, does not require a calibration procedure or the combination of traditional PTAT and CTAT circuitries.

Abstract: A depth estimation system can enhance depth estimation using brightness image. Light is projected onto an object. The object reflects at least a portion of the projected light. The reflected light is at least partially captured by an image sensor, which generates image data. The depth estimation system may use the image data to generate both a depth image and a brightness image. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each of which is associated with two ADCs. The ADCs receive different analog signals from the pixel and outputs different digital signals. The depth estimation system may use the different digital signals to determine the brightness value of a brightness pixel of the brightness image. The ADCs may be associated with one or more other pixels. The pixel and the one or more other pixels may be arranged in a same column in an array of the image sensor.

Abstract: A digital technique to reduce or minimize switching in a DAC by using a partial DAC data ignore switching mode. In the partial DAC data ignore switching mode, a control circuit compares first and second data, such a first and second digital words, and operates corresponding switches only when the first data differ from the second data. The techniques are applicable to many types of DACs, including voltage output DACs, current output DACs, variable resistance DACs, digital rheostats, digital potentiometers, digiPOTs.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that is implemented to enable multiple tests of different types, such as a direct current (DC) test and/or a radio frequency (RF) test of a semiconductor device. The apparatus includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch block coupled between the semiconductor device and automatic testing equipment (ATE). The apparatus is configured to enable/disable a DC path or an RF path to switch between a DC test and an RF test without reconfiguring the connections between the semiconductor device and the ATE. The DC path is used to perform a DC contact test for one or more pins of the semiconductor device. The RF path is used to perform an RF test for the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A new method and circuit arrangement for operating an electric motor, such as a stepper motor, in a control loop for preventing motor stall, the electric motor comprising at least a first motor coil and a second motor coil, the method comprising: operating the electric motor at a velocity equal to the target velocity; receiving a load value associated with an electric motor load; and determining whether the load value is greater than a load value threshold. Based on a determination that the load value is greater than the load value threshold decreasing the velocity of the electric motor to a velocity less than the target velocity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a magnetic field sensor system, comprising an AMR magnetic field sensor and an overcurrent detection sensor. The overcurrent detection sensor comprises an AMR sensing element connected in a half bride arrangement with a field insensitive component. The output of the overcurrent detection sensor is able to monitor the strength of the magnetic field experiences by the sensor system, and detect if the magnet field goes beyond a sensing threshold of the AMR magnetic field sensor. Outside of this threshold, the AMR magnet field sensor is unable to provide a measurement of the magnetic field strength. The overcurrent detection sensor can therefore detect that the system is operating in very high magnetic fields, which in turn can indicate that there is overcurrent in the system.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to detecting and recording information associated with electrical overstress (EOS) events, such as electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. For example, in one embodiment, an apparatus includes an electrical overstress protection device, a detection circuit configured to detect an occurrence of the EOS event, and a memory configured to store information indicative of the EOS event.

Abstract: A giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element is provided for use in a magnetic multi-turn sensor in which the free layer, that is, the layer that changes its magnetization direction in response to an external magnetic field so as to provide a resistance change, is thick enough to provide good shape anisotropy without exhibiting an AMR effect. To achieve this, at least a portion of the free layer comprises a plurality of layers of at least two different materials, specifically, a plurality of layers of at least a first material that is ferromagnetic and a plurality of layers of at least a second material that is known not to exhibit an AMR effect and that does not interfere with the GMR effect of the layers of ferromagnetic material.

Abstract: Testing of a battery module can be conducted using monitoring electronics attached to the battery module. Stimulus can be applied to the battery module and removed. After removal of the stimulus, the monitoring electronics can collect signals from the monitoring electronics reflecting parameters of the battery module as it relaxes back to a non-stimulated state. The stimulus can be provided by test equipment or by components of a system in which the battery module, having attached monitoring electronics, is implemented. The monitoring electronics attached to the battery module can provide autonomous recording of signals associated with the battery module that can provide data regarding the status of the battery module or one or more batteries contained in the battery module.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for compensating supply sensitive circuits for supply voltage variation are provided. An electronic system includes a power supply that outputs a supply voltage having a nominal voltage level, a supply conductor for routing the supply voltage, and a group of integrated circuits (ICs) that each receive the supply voltage from the supply conductor. Each IC includes a supply sensing circuit that generates a sense signal based on a local voltage level of the supply voltage at the IC, a bias control circuit that adjusts a bias signal based on the sense signal to account for a difference between the nominal voltage level and the local voltage level of the supply voltage, and a signal processing circuit biased by the bias signal.