Abstract: Harsh electrical environments integrated circuit protection for system-level robustness and methods of forming the same are provided. In one embodiment, a protection system includes dual-polarity high blocking voltage primary and secondary protection devices each electrically connected to a pad. The primary protection device has a current handling capability greater than a current handling capability of the secondary protection devices, and the secondary protection device has a turn-on speed that is faster than a turn-on speed of the primary protection device so as to decrease pad voltage overshoot when a fast transient electrical event occurs on the pad. Additionally, the holding voltage of the primary protection device is less than a holding voltage of the secondary protection device such that once the primary protection device has been activated the primary protection device clamps the pad voltage so as to minimize a flow of high current through the secondary protection device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for precision mixed-signal electronic circuit protection are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a p-well, an n-well, a poly-active diode structure, a p-type active region, and an n-type active region. The poly-active diode structure is formed over the n-well, the p-type active region is formed in the n-well on a first side of the poly-active diode structure, and the n-type active region is formed along a boundary of the p-well and the n-well on a second side of the poly-active diode structure. During a transient electrical event the apparatus is configured to provide conduction paths through and underneath the poly-active diode structure to facilitate injection of carriers in the n-type active region. The protection device can further include another poly-active diode structure formed over the p-well to further enhance carrier injection into the n-type active region.

Abstract: An electrical circuit includes a local oscillator configured to generate a first reference signal and a second reference signal having a predetermined phase shift with the first reference signal, an I-channel mixer configured to inject the first reference signal to an incoming signal and generate a first output, a compensation mixer configured to multiply the first output with a constant factor to generate a second output, a first low pass filter configured to approximately attenuate frequencies in the second output to generate a third output, and a first correcting filter configured to filter the third output to generate a fourth output. The first correcting filter is configured to reduce a channel impulse response mismatch between the first low pass filter and a second low pass filter, which is configured to attenuate frequencies in a Q-channel of the incoming signal. In specific embodiments, the phase shift includes 45°.

Abstract: A method for forming an alignment feature for back side wafer processing in a wafer fabrication process involves forming a trench into but not entirely through a wafer from a top side of the wafer; forming a contrasting material on surfaces of the trench; and grinding a bottom side of the wafer to expose the trench using the handling wafer to handle the wafer during such grinding, wherein the contrasting material lining the exposed trench provides an alignment reference for precise alignment of the wafer for back side processing the wafer.

Abstract: A circuit may include a detector, a modulator, a switch, and a stabilizer. The detector may detect current supplied to an output of the circuit to generate an overcurrent signal. The modulator may modulate a pulse signal based upon the output of the circuit. The switch may control a power stage to generate the output of the circuit based upon the overcurrent signal and the pulse signal. The stabilizer may send an offset signal to the modulator. The stabilizer may generate the offset signal with a magnitude adjusted based upon the overcurrent signal, and the modulator may adjust the pulse signal based upon the offset signal.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods that allow a LIDAR system to sense nearby objects with relatively low-cost elements, and fewer elements than traditional LIDAR systems by sampling an infrared pulse at a high sample rate and storing the samples in the analog domain. The samples may then be digitized at a rate slower than the sample rate.

Abstract: A method of detecting enclosure leakage of an electrodynamic loudspeaker mounted in an enclosure or box may include applying an audio signal to a voice coil of the electrodynamic loudspeaker through an output amplifier and detecting a voice coil current flowing into the voice coil. A voltage across the voice coil may be detected and an impedance or admittance of the loudspeaker across a predetermined audio frequency range may be detected based on the detected voice coil current and voice coil voltage. A fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker may be determined based on the detected impedance or admittance and compared with a nominal fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker representing a sealed state of the enclosure. Acoustic leakage of the enclosure may be detected based on a deviation between the determined the fundamental resonance frequency and the nominal fundamental resonance frequency of the electrodynamic loudspeaker.

Abstract: A power stage to generate an output voltage at one of a high reference voltage, an intermediate reference voltage and a low reference voltage, including a first switch stage connecting the output terminal to the high reference voltage, comprising a pair of transistors connected in series along their source-to-drain paths, a first transistor coupled to the output terminal and having its gate biased at the intermediate voltage, a second transistor having a gate that receives a first stage control signal that varies between the high reference voltage and the intermediate reference voltage, a second switch stage connecting the output terminal to the intermediate reference voltage, having a gate that receives a second stage control signal that varies among the high reference voltage, intermediate reference voltage and low reference voltage, a third switch stage connecting the output terminal to the low reference voltage, having a pair of transistors connected in series along their source-to-drain paths, a first tr

Abstract: A method of controlling sound reproduction may include applying an audio signal to a voice coil of the electrodynamic loudspeaker to produce sound, detecting one of an impedance and admittance of the loudspeaker across a predetermined audio frequency range based on a detected voice coil current and voice coil voltage and determining a fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker based on the detected impedance or admittance. The fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker may be compared with a nominal fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker representing a nominal acoustic operating condition of the loudspeaker. A change of operating condition of the loudspeaker may be detected based on a frequency deviation between the determined fundamental resonance frequency and a nominal fundamental resonance frequency of the loudspeaker. The level of the audio signal may be attenuated in response to the frequency deviation meets a predetermined frequency error criterion.

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: A transmission module is provided that includes a transmitter, a loopback receiver, and a QEC controller. In a first state, the QEC controller calibrates the loopback receiver to remove quadrature imbalance in the loopback receiver. In a second state, a communication pathway is provided between the transmitter and the loopback receiver, and the QEC controller identifies quadrature imbalance in the transmitter based at least one a comparison of the data signals at the output of the loopback receiver with data signals at the input of the transmitter. Based on the comparison, the QEC controller can adjust one or more characteristics of the transmitter to correct quadrature errors in the transmitter.

Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter includes an error integrator that further includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier that each includes a first input for receiving a reference voltage and a second input for receiving a feedback voltage, a capacitor to an output of the second amplifier, and a resistor including a first end being coupled to an output of the first amplifier and a second end being coupled to the capacitor.

Abstract: A MEMS device with movable MEMS structure and electrodes is produced by fabricating electrodes and shielding the electrodes with diamond buttons during subsequent fabrication steps, such as the etching of sacrificial oxide using vapor HF. In some embodiments, the diamond buttons are removed after the movable MEMS structure is released.

Abstract: A method according to an embodiment of a system for efficient resource management of a signal flow programmed digital signal processor code is provided and includes determining a connection sequence of a plurality of algorithm elements in a schematic of a signal flow for an electronic circuit, the connection sequence indicating connections between the algorithm elements and a sequence of processing the algorithm elements according to the connections, determining a buffer sequence indicating an order of using the plurality of memory buffers to process the plurality of algorithm elements according to the connection sequence, and reusing at least some of the plurality of memory buffers according to the buffer sequence.

Abstract: A method and system to inhibit the switching of a current mode switching converter having high and low side switching elements coupled to an output inductor, the other end of which is coupled to an output node, and operated with respective modulated switching signals to regulate an output voltage Vout produced at the node. A current IC that varies with the difference between a reference voltage and a voltage proportional to Vout is compared with and a current IDETECT—PEAK which varies with the current conducted by the high side switching element; the result of the comparison of IC and IDETECT—PEAK is used to control the regulation of Vout during normal operation. Current IC is also compared with a current IDETECT—VALLEY which varies with the current conducted by the low side switching element. When IDETECT—VALLEY>IC, a ‘skip mode’ is triggered during which the switching signals are inhibited.

Abstract: A MEMS sensor includes a substrate and a MEMS structure coupled to the substrate. The MEMS structure has a mass movable with respect to the substrate. The MEMS sensor also includes a reference structure electrically coupled to the mass of the MEMS sensor. The reference structure is used to provide a reference to offset any environmental changes that may affect the MEMS sensor in order to increase the accuracy of its measurement.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus configured to cancel charge injected on a node of a differential pair of nodes. A dummy circuit element can inject charge on an inverted node to cancel charge injected on a non-inverted node by a switch when the switch is switched off. In addition, another dummy circuit element can inject charge on the non-inverted node to cancel charge injected on the inverted node by another switch when the other switch is switched off. These dummy circuits elements can be cross-coupled.

Abstract: An apparatus for limiting the bandwidth of an amplifier provides for the design of an input impedance, a feedback impedance, and a load impedance such that the load impedance is proportional to the sum of the input impedance and feedback impedance. A sampling circuit has a load impedance including a resistor and capacitor in series to reduce the effective amplifier transconductance, which decreases bandwidth without increasing noise density or making this circuit more difficult to drive than a conventional circuit.

Abstract: A digital input to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is divided into a most significant portion and a lesser significant portion. At least one tap voltage generator generates a plurality of voltages, preferably using a resistor string. A decoder decodes at least one sub-word that forms the lesser significant portion to generate a corresponding at least one control signal. A switching unit accesses voltages generated by the at least one tap voltage generator in response to the at least one control signal. A scaled current generator generates a respective weighted current from each accessed voltage. An output stage combines all the weighted currents with a voltage that is an analog representation of the most significant portion of the digital input to generate an analog approximation of the entire digital input.

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.