Abstract: A power converter may include an amplifier that generates an error signal, a modulator that generates a modulated error signal, an isolator that generates an isolated modulated error signal, and a demodulator that generates an isolated error signal, which may be substantially proportional to the difference between the output signal and the reference signal, and a controller that controls a power stage to generate the output signal of the power converter.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for autozero amplifiers are provided herein. In certain configurations, an autozero amplifier includes at least three transconductance stages and an autozero timing control circuit configured to control an autozero sequence of the transconductance stages. The autozero timing control circuit can stagger autozeroing of the transconductance stages, such that a relatively small amount of the amplifier's amplification circuitry is connected to or disconnected from the amplifier's signal path at any given time. For example, in certain configurations, when one of the transconductance stages in autozeroed over a particular time interval, the remaining transconductance stages can operate in parallel to provide amplification during that time interval.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for active detection, timing, and protection related to transient electrical events are disclosed. A detection circuit generates a detection signal in response to a transient electrical stress. First and second driver circuits of an integrated circuit, each driver having one or more bipolar junction transistors, activate based on the detection signal and generate activation signals. The one or more bipolar junction transistors of the first and second driver circuits are configured to conduct current substantially laterally across respective base regions. A discharge circuit, having an upper discharge element and a lower discharge element, receives the activation signals and activates to attenuate the transient electrical event.

Abstract: A method includes determining a position and length of a non-zero run in a row of a pixel map. The method also includes determining a number of neighbors for the non-zero run in a preceding row, based at least in part on the position and the length. In addition, the method includes updating a correspondence map of the non-zero run and a correspondence map of a first neighbor of the non-zero run, based at least in part on a correspondence map of a second neighbor of the non-zero run, in response to a determination that the non-zero run has at least two neighbors in the preceding row.

Abstract: An analog belief propagation system uses current mode implementations of storage elements and circuit implementations of at least some nodes of a factor graph using current representations. The system mitigates or avoids effects of non-linearities and approximations in storage and processing elements of the system, for instance, by using storage cells that reproduce current values and using factor circuits that separate control sections and signal path sections of the circuits.

Abstract: A receiver system for an on-off key (“OOK”) isolator system may include a receiver that generates an intermediate current signal based on an OOK input signal. The intermediate current may be provided at a first current level when the input signal has a first OOK state and a second current level when the input signal has a second OOK state. The system also may include an output driver to generate a voltage representation of the intermediate current signal. Performing signal processing in a current domain permits fast transitions between OOK states.

Abstract: An oscillator for a signal isolator system includes a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel, two pairs of cross-coupled switches and a control switch. The capacitor, the inductor and the cross-coupled switches form an oscillator. The control switch controls operation of the oscillator between an ON state and an OFF state in response to a data signal to be communicated across an isolation barrier. The inductor may be formed from a winding of an isolation transformer, which reduces component count as compared to a system that provides a separate inductor. Other embodiments may include a current-supplying kickstart circuit and a shorting transistor that can speed transition between the ON and OFF states.

Abstract: Mechanical resonators including doped piezoelectric active layers are described. The piezoelectric active layer(s) of the mechanical resonator may be doped with a dopant type and concentration suitable to increase the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the active layer. The increase in electromechanical coupling coefficient may all for improved performance and smaller size mechanical resonators than feasible without using the doping.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to temperature stabilization of at least a portion of an amplifier, such as a logarithmic amplifier, and/or a band gap reference circuit. In one aspect, one or more stages of an amplifier, a heater, and a temperature sensor are included in a semiconductor material and surrounded by thermally insulating sidewalls.

Abstract: A duty cycle balance module (DCBM) for use with a switch mode power converter. One possible half-bridge converter embodiment includes a transformer driven to conduct current in first and second directions by first and second signals during and second half-cycles, respectively. A current limiting mechanism adjusts the duty cycles of the first and second signals when a sensed current exceeds a predetermined limit threshold. The DCBM receives signals representative of the duty cycles which would be used if there were no modification by the current limiting mechanism and signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 representative of the duty cycles that are actually used for the first and second signals, and outputs signals Dbl—1 and Dbl—2 which modify signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 as needed to dynamically balance the duty cycles of the first and second signals and thereby reduce flux imbalance in the transformer that might otherwise arise.

Abstract: A framer interfacing between one or more data converters and a logic device is disclosed. The framer comprises a transport layer and a data link layer, and the framer is configured to frame one or more samples from the data converters to frames according to a serialized interface. In particular, the synthesis of the hardware for the framer is parameterizable, and within the synthesized hardware, one or more software configurations are possible. Instance parameters used in synthesizing the framer may include at least one of: the size of the input bus for providing one or more samples to the transport layer, the total number of bits per converter, and the number of lanes for the link. Furthermore, a transport layer test sequence generator for inserting a test sequence in the transport layer is disclosed.

Abstract: A voltage reference circuit comprises a plurality of ?VBE cells, each comprising four bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) connected in a cross-quad configuration and arranged to generate a ?VBE voltage. The plurality of ?VBE cells are stacked such that their ?VBE voltages are summed. A last stage is coupled to the summed ?VBE voltages and arranged to generate one or more VBE voltages which are summed with the ?VBE voltages to provide a reference voltage. This arrangement serves to cancel out first-order noise and mismatch associated with the two current sources present in each ?VBE cell, such that the voltage reference circuit provides ultra-low 1/f noise in the bandgap voltage output.

Abstract: Methods and devices for calculating the position of a movable device are disclosed. The device may include multiple optical detectors (ODs) and the movable device may include light sources. Optics may be above the ODs. A controller may calculate the position of the light source based on data from the ODs and properties of the optics. The device may be a game console, and the light source may be a game controller. The roles of the OD and light sources may be interchanged. The rotation of the movable device may be determined using multiple light sources and/or multiple ODs on the movable device. The movable device may calculate its position and transmit it to a console. The light sources may be modulated by time or frequency to distinguish between the light sources. There may be two or more movable devices. There may be two or more consoles.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to improving acoustic source tracking and selection and, more particularly, to techniques for acoustic source tracking and selection using motion or position information. Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems designed to select and track acoustic sources. In one embodiment, the system may be realized as an integrated circuit including a microphone array, motion sensing circuitry, position sensing circuitry, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry configured to convert analog audio signals from the microphone array into digital audio signals for further processing, and a digital signal processor (DSP) or other circuitry for processing the digital audio signals based on motion data and other sensor data. Sensor data may be correlated to the analog or digital audio signals to improve source separation or other audio processing.

Abstract: Delta-sigma modulators do not handle overload well, and often become unstable if the input goes beyond the full-scale range of the modulator. To provide overload protection, an improved technique embeds an overload detector in the delta sigma modulator. When an overload condition is detected, coefficient(s) of the delta sigma modulator is adjusted to accommodate for the overloaded input. The improved technique advantageously allows the delta sigma modulator to handle overload gracefully without reset, and offers greater dynamic range at reduced resolution. Furthermore, the coefficient(s) of the delta sigma modulator can be adjusted in such a way to ensure the noise transfer function is not affected.

Abstract: One example embodiment provides a system, apparatus, and method for using polynomial models in tone calibration for quadrature error correction in I/Q receivers. In one example embodiment, method for calibrating an I/Q receiver is provided and includes receiving a first mismatch parameter indicating a mismatch between I and Q channels of the I/Q receiver; and estimating a second mismatch parameter from the first mismatch parameter using a polynomial model.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to a termination circuit configured to mitigate crosstalk from a radio frequency (RF) input/output (I/O) path to a second I/O path, such as a digital I/O path. Such crosstalk can be due to coupling between adjacent bond wires, for example. The termination circuit can include a low impedance loss path, such as a series RC shunt circuit. According to certain embodiments, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit can be in parallel with the termination circuit.

Abstract: Power efficiency is an important design requirement of power amplifiers. To improve power efficiency, a solution proposed in this present disclosure includes an all-digital zero-voltage switching apparatus for directly driving a switching power amplifier through a desired current pulse shape. The apparatus includes a digital engine and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The digital engine processes baseband data and generates a digital output. The digital output of the digital engine drives the DAC to generate a digitally controlled current output having that desired current pulse shape. The digitally controlled current output is used to directly drive the switch power amplifier to improve power efficiency. The digitally controlled current output comprising digitally generated current pulses is controlled accurately by the digital engine and the DAC, and thus allows the switching power amplifier to operate optimally with higher power efficiency than conventional power amplifiers.

Abstract: Vertical mount packages and methods for making the same are disclosed. A method for manufacturing a vertical mount package includes providing a device substrate with a plurality of device regions on a front surface, and a plurality of through-wafer vias. MEMS devices or integrated circuits are formed or mounted onto the device regions. A capping substrate having recesses is mounted over the device substrate, enclosing the device regions within cavities defined by the recesses. A plurality of aligned through-wafer contacts extend through the capping substrate and the device substrate. The device substrate and capping substrate can be singulated by cutting through the aligned through-wafer contacts, with the severed through-wafer contacts forming vertical mount leads. A vertical mount package includes a device sealed between a device substrate and a capping substrate. At least of the side edges of the package includes exposed conductive elements for vertical mount leads.

Abstract: Time-of-flight technology may be combined with optical detection technology identifying an angle of a light pulse emitted from a transmitter and reflected off an object based on a proportion of the reflected light pulse detected at each of at least two light sensors. The optical detection technology may include a light detector with two or more light sensors arranged at different orientations with respect to an aperture in the detector so that each sensor is able to detect a different subset of the light passing through the aperture. The effective angle of the light passing through aperture may then be calculated from the proportion of light detected at the each of the sensors. The effective angle information may be combined with a calculated time-of-flight of the light pulse to accurately identify a position of the object relative to the detector in two or three dimensions.