Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlling overshoot in digital step attenuators are disclosed. By configuring a multi-bit DSA such that an attenuation control block changes a plurality of control signals in a manner preventing a series cascade of attenuation units from having a transient attenuation value less than an initial and final value of attenuation, an overshoot condition can be prevented. Control signals transition the attenuation units to a first state of attenuation before they transition attenuation units to a second state of insertion.

Abstract: A microphone circuit assembly for an external application processor, such as a programmable Digital Signal Processor, may include a microphone preamplifier and analog-to-digital converter to generate microphone signal samples at a first predetermined sample rate. A speech feature extractor is configured for receipt and processing of predetermined blocks of the microphone signal samples to extract speech feature vectors representing speech features of the microphone signal samples. The microphone circuit assembly may include a speech vocabulary comprising a target word or target phrase of human speech encoded as a set of target feature vectors and a decision circuit is configured to compare the speech feature vectors generated by the speech feature extractor with the target feature vectors to detect the target speech word or phrase.

Abstract: Provided herein are apparatus and methods for single phase spot circuits. In certain implementations, a single phase spot circuit propagates a spot from input to output in response to a clock edge of a single phase clock signal. The single phase spot circuit holds the spot for about one clock cycle, thereby providing higher maximum operating frequency relative to multiphase spot circuits that hold a spot for about half of a clock cycle. Two or more single phase spot circuits can be electrically connected in a ring to operate as a spot divider. The single phase spot circuits can be used to advance a spot, represented using either a one or a zero, from one spot circuit to the next in response to a clock edge. In certain implementations, as the spot advances, a single phase spot circuit clears the spot from its input via a feedback element.

Abstract: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators and related methods and apparatus are provided. A MEMS resonator may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be configured to resonate, and the second portion may be configured to operate based on an energy trapping principle to prevent energy from traveling therethrough from the first portion. The MEMS resonator may be a Lamb wave resonator. The MEMS resonator may be anchorless. The MEMS resonator may have a side contacted by the anchor, wherein the anchor contacts greater than approximately 50% of the side.

Abstract: An integrated circuit implements at least part of a phase locked loop (PLL). The integrated circuit includes a sampled analog loop filter for the PLL. The loop filter includes a first input for receiving a signal representative of a phase difference between a reference clock signal and a first clock signal, a first output for providing a frequency control signal for controlling a frequency of an oscillator, a clock input for accepting a loop timing clock signal for controlling timing of operation of the loop filter, and a digital control input for configuring a response of the loop filter according to a plurality of control values. In some examples, the loop filter includes charge storage elements coupled by controllable switches, and control circuitry for transferring charge among the charge storage elements to yield the configured response of the loop filter.

Abstract: A circuit for expanding a dynamic range. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: a transducer generating a signal current on an output terminal in response to a physical quantity, the signal current comprising an AC current and a DC current; a dynamic range enhancement circuit having a digital control signal input terminal and producing a variable opposition current in response to a digital signal applied to the digital control signal input terminal; an amplifier; an analog to digital converter in electrical communication with the amplifier; and a digital feedback circuit in communication with the output terminal of the analog to digital converter and in electrical communication with the digital control signal input terminal of the dynamic range enhancement circuit, wherein the opposition current from the dynamic range enhancement circuit is set substantially equal to the DC current portion of the signal current from the transducer.

Abstract: A composite resistor includes a thin film resistor element having a first temperature coefficient of resistance and a metal resistor element having a second temperature coefficient of resistance. A portion of the metal resistor element overlaps a portion of the thin film resistor element such that the portion of the metal resistor element is in thermal communication with the portion of the thin film resistor element to compensate for a resistance drift arising during operation of the composite resistor.

Abstract: Techniques to perform bandgap circuit trimming that maximize the operating range and minimize the trimming time at which the bandgap will be accurate. A bandgap circuit output voltage may be trimmed by heating the circuit, supplying increasing input power to the bandgap circuit, and adjusting operational parameters of the bandgap circuit to generate a constant bandgap circuit output voltage. When the bandgap circuit output voltage may remain constant, a constant input power may be applied to the bandgap circuit and its output voltage may be adjusted to a predetermined voltage level.

Abstract: Various low stress compact device packages are disclosed herein. An integrated device package can include a first integrated device die and a second integrated device die. An interposer can be disposed between the first integrated device die and the second integrated device die such that the first integrated device die is mounted to and electrically coupled to a first side of the interposer and the second integrated device die is mounted to and electrically coupled to a second side of the interposer. The first side can be opposite the second side. The interposer can comprise a hole through at least the second side of the interposer. A portion of the second integrated device die can extend into the hole.

Abstract: A feedback cancellation assembly for an electroacoustic communication apparatus may include a signal transmission path for generation and emission of an outgoing sound signal to an external environment through an electrodynamic loudspeaker and a signal reception path comprising a microphone for generation of a microphone input signal corresponding to sound received from the external environment. The signal reception path may generate a digital microphone signal. The outgoing sound signal may be acoustically coupled to the microphone. An electronic feedback cancellation path may be coupled between a tapping node and a summing node to produce a feedback cancellation signal to the summing node.

Abstract: Aging effects on devices fabricated using deep nanometer complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes can cause circuits to exhibit an undesirable mismatch buildup over time. To address the aging effects, the connections to an array of M differential circuits are controlled to limit and systematically minimize or reverse the aging effects. In one embodiment, the controlling permutation sequence is selected to stress the array of M differential circuits under opposite stress conditions during at least two different time periods. Imposing opposite stress conditions, preferably substantially equal opposite stress conditions, can reverse the direction of a mismatch buildup and limit the mismatch buildup over time within acceptable limits. The controlling permutation sequence can be applied to an array of comparators of an analog-to-digital converter, or an array of differential amplifiers of a folding analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: An amplifier system has an amplifier for amplifying a plurality of input signals from a plurality of different channels, and a plurality of demodulators each operatively coupled with the amplifier for receiving amplified input signals from the amplifier. Each demodulator is configured to demodulate a single amplified input channel signal from a single channel of the plurality of different channels. The system thus also has a plurality of filters, coupled with each of the demodulators, for mitigating the noise.

Abstract: This application discusses, among other things apparatus and methods for a voltage boost circuit. In an example, a voltage boost circuit can include first and second inverters, sharing a first supply node, and sharing a second supply node, a first charge transfer capacitor, configured to couple a first clock signal to the first inverter output, a second charge transfer capacitor, configured to couple a second clock signal to the second inverter output, the second clock signal being out-of-phase with the first clock signal, a first gate drive capacitor, configured to couple the first clock signal to the second inverter input, and a second gate drive capacitor, configured to couple the second clock signal to the first inverter input.

Abstract: A system is provided for updated processing of audio signals in a vehicle. The system includes a microphone, a transceiver and head unit. The microphone receives audio signals. The transceiver sends the received audio signals to a cloud computing system for processing, and receives the processed audio signals from the cloud computing system. The head unit receives the processed audio signals from the transceiver and plays the processed audio data through the vehicle's audio system.

Abstract: A power supply monitoring circuit for monitoring a voltage at a power supply node compared to a reference node, the power supply monitoring circuit comprising a first field effect transistor and first and second voltage dropping components arranged in current flow communication between the power supply node and the reference node and each having first and second nodes, and wherein a first node of the first voltage dropping component is connected to one of the first and second nodes of the field effect transistor, and a gate of the field effect transistor is connected to the second node of the first voltage dropping component, and an output signal is taken from a connection made with the first field effect transistor.

Abstract: A signal gate is provided where the gate can be low impedance to allow a signal to pass or be high impedance to block it. The signal gate has two output nodes arranged such that during the blocking mode spurious signals passing through the gate by way of parasitic components are presented as common mode signals at the output nodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates in one aspect to a voice coil temperature protector for electrodynamic loudspeakers. The voice coil temperature protector comprises an audio signal input for receipt of an audio signal supplied by an audio signal source and a probe signal source for generation of a low-frequency probe signal. A signal combiner is configured to combine the audio signal with the low-frequency probe signal to provide a composite loudspeaker drive signal comprising an audio signal component and a probe signal component. The voice coil temperature protector comprises a current detector configured for detecting a level of a probe current component flowing through the voice coil in response to the composite loudspeaker drive signal and a current comparator which is configured to comparing the detected level of the probe current component with a predetermined probe current threshold.

Abstract: Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) can have errors which can affect their performance. To improve the performance, many techniques have been used to compensate or correct for the errors. When the ADCs are being implemented with sub-micron technology, ADCs can be readily and easily equipped with an on-chip microprocessor for performing a variety of digital functions. The on-chip microprocessor and any suitable digital circuitry can implement functions for reducing those errors, enabling certain undesirable artifacts to be reduced, and providing a flexible platform for a highly configurable ADC. The on-chip microprocessor is particularly useful for a randomized time-interleaved ADC. Moreover, a randomly sampling ADC can be added in parallel to a main ADC for calibration purposes. Furthermore, the overall system can include an efficient implementation for correcting errors in an ADC.

Abstract: An embodiment of a power supply circuit to generate a supply voltage for a gate driver circuit can include an isolated power supply circuit to receive a first voltage in a first isolated system and provide power to a cyclic charging power supply circuit, the cyclic charging power supply circuit providing a supply voltage to the gate driver circuit in a second isolated system, the isolated power supply circuit providing the power to the cyclic charging power supply circuit while the gate driver circuit drives a transistor in an on state. The isolated power supply circuit can include a control circuit to regulate the power provided to maintain or increase the supply voltage while the gate driver circuit drives the transistor in an on state. The power supply circuit can also include the cyclic charging power supply circuit to receive a second voltage in the second isolated system and provide the supply voltage to the gate driver circuit.

Abstract: A system may include a detector, a controller, a shuffler, and a processor. The detector may detect a signal. The controller may control the shuffler based upon the signal. The shuffler may shuffle a plurality of channels at the input of a plurality of processing elements of the processor based upon the signal. The processor may process the signal according to the plurality of channels as configured by the shuffler.