Abstract: A microphone system has an output and at least a first transducer with a first dynamic range, a second transducer with a second dynamic range different than the first dynamic range, and coupling system to selectively couple the output of one of the first transducer or the second transducer to the system output, depending on the magnitude of the input sound signal, to produce a system with a dynamic range greater than the dynamic range of either individual transducer. A method of operating a microphone system includes detecting whether a transducer output crosses a threshold, and if so then selectively coupling another transducer's output to the system output. The threshold may change as a function of which transducer is coupled to the system output. The system and methods may also combine the outputs of more than one transducer in a weighted sum during transition from one transducer output to another, as a function of time or as a function of the amplitude of the incident audio signal.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the invention relates to bond pad structures including planar transistor structures operable as over-voltage clamps.

Abstract: A bootstrapped switch circuit can include at least one transistor, to receive an input signal and allow the input signal to pass through as an output signal based on a control signal, and a voltage-controlled voltage source, to provide first and second voltages between a gate and a source of the at least one transistor in response to the control signal. The voltage-controlled voltage source can include a differential pair and a current source. A gate of one of the differential pair can receive the control signal and a gate of the other of the differential pair can receive a logical inverse of the control signal. The current source can provide a current to connected sources of the differential pair. The first voltage can turn on the at least one transistor and be produced in response to a first logic state of the control signal resulting in the current of the current source flowing entirely through a first one of the differential pair.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inter-channel data exchange in multi-channel data acquisition systems is disclosed. A multi-channel data acquisition system may include a data exchange layer coupling two or more channels of the data acquisition system. Data may be transmitted via the data exchange layer between the channels, enabling data from one channel to be processed and output by another channel. The data exchange layer may include a serial exchange layer or a parallel exchange layer.

Abstract: A MEMS system includes an inertial sensor having sensor circuitry and management circuitry implemented with the sensor circuitry. The management circuitry includes a detection module that detects a condition of the system and a management module that coordinates the functionality of the inertial sensor and the detection module based on the detected condition.

Abstract: A communication system for a power line is described. A transmission system of the communication system divides the time axis into a number of time slots synchronized such that one time slot can start about a zero crossing of the power line signal. These time slots may be referred to as channels. Data may initially be modulated into at least one of these time slots over a first transmission period according to a modulation scheme. The time slots and/or modulation scheme used in subsequent transmission periods may be adjusted depending on transmission feedback relating to prior modulated data.

Abstract: A circuit, system, machine-readable storage medium and method for detecting the presence of a leakage path in a multi-cell voltage source is described. The system includes a detection circuit, the detection circuit having a first, second and third amplifiers, a first input of the first amplifier connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and the first input of the second amplifier connected to a second terminal of the voltage source, a second input of each of the first and second amplifiers connected to a reference capacitor, and an output of each of the first, second and third amplifiers connected to a respective first, second and third outputs of the detection circuit; and a processor having inputs connected to the first and second outputs of the detection circuit.

Abstract: An I/Q imbalance compensation block of a RF receiver for compensating an imbalance between an in-phase component and a quadrature component of an RF signal is disclosed. The compensation block includes a conjugation block; an adaptive finite impulse response (FIR) filter; and an adder. The filter use filter coefficients iteratively updated at least partly in response to a compensated digital signal. The filter can have a complex number for at least one, but not all of filter taps, and real numbers for other filter taps. The filter can be provided with adaptation step sizes different from filter tap to filter tap. The filter can also be provided with an adaptation step size(s) varying over time. The filter can also be provided with an adaptation step size(s) divided by the square norm of the compensated signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide for improved timing control in 2-D image processing to maintain a constant rate of memory fetches and pixel outputs even when the processing operations transition to a new line or frame of pixels. A one-to-one relationship between incoming pixel rate and outgoing pixel rate is maintained without additional clock cycles or memory bandwidth as an improved timing control according to the present invention takes advantage of idle memory bandwidth by pre-fetching a new column of pixel data in a first pixel block of a next line or frame while a new column of an edge pixel block on a current line is duplicated or zeroed out. As the edge pixel block(s) on the current line are processed, the data in the first pixel block of the next line or frame become ready for computation without extra clock cycles or extra memory bandwidth.

Abstract: An I/Q imbalance compensation block of a RF receiver for compensating an imbalance between an in-phase component and a quadrature component of an RF signal is disclosed. The compensation block includes a conjugation block; an adaptive finite impulse response (FIR) filter; and an adder. The filter use filter coefficients iteratively updated at least partly in response to a compensated digital signal. The filter can have a complex number for at least one, but not all of filter taps, and real numbers for other filter taps. The filter can be provided with adaptation step sizes different from filter tap to filter tap. The filter can also be provided with an adaptation step size(s) varying over time. The filter can also be provided with an adaptation step size(s) divided by the square norm of the compensated signal.

Abstract: Improved thrashing aware and self configuring cache architectures that reduce cache thrashing without increasing cache size or degrading cache hit access time, for a DSP. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by selectively caching only the instructions having a higher probability of recurrence to considerably reduce cache thrashing.

Abstract: A lever shifter is provided for receiving a signal in a first voltage domain and providing an output signal in a second voltage domain. The level shifter reduces propagation delay and power consumption by mitigating contention between NFETs and PFETs during signal propagation.

Abstract: A MEMS stiction testing method applies a first electrical signal to a MEMS device having two opposing surfaces to cause the two opposing surfaces to make physical contact. The two opposing surfaces produce a second electrical signal when in physical contact. The method then substantially mitigates the first electrical signal after detecting that the second electrical signal has reached a prescribed maximum value.

Abstract: A system and a method may include performing a coarse estimation to eliminate at least one direction from a set of edge candidate directions without directly evaluating each direction; performing a fine estimation to select a single direction as corresponding to an edge; and performing a directional interpolation as a function of the single selected direction to generate a pixel value for a pixel being interpolated.

Abstract: A method for dividing a frequency includes the steps of receiving a first signal having a first frequency as a clock input to a first digital counter and outputting a second signal as a clock input to a second digital counter having a higher counting capacity than the first counter. The output occurs when the first counter reaches a first number of count cycles. The method also includes generating a third signal having a high cycle and a low cycle, which are determined at least as a function of the first number of count cycles. Depending on a desired division ratio, the high and low cycles may also be a function of a second number of count cycles associated with the second counter. The third signal has a frequency lower than the first frequency.

Abstract: A system for a Class AB Amplifier output stage that includes a first push pull system connected to an output terminal including a first driving transistor coupled to the output terminal and a second push pull system connected to the output terminal including a second driving transistor coupled to the output terminal. The amplifier also includes a current mode amplifier where the current mode amplifier's output is coupled to the first driving transistor's gate. The amplifier further includes a pair of resistors, a first resistor coupled to a first input terminal of the current mode amplifier, a second resistor coupled to a second input terminal of the current mode amplifier and coupled to the second driving transistor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated circuit system including a first active layer fabricated on a front side of a semiconductor die and a second pre-fabricated layer on a back side of the semiconductor die and having electrical components embodied therein, wherein the electrical components include at least one discrete passive component. The integrated circuit system also includes at least one electrical path coupling the first active layer and the second pre-fabricated layer.

Abstract: An array of acoustic transducing unit cells configured with an acoustic focus or a beam steering orientation. A variety of time delays between consecutively coupled acoustic transducing unit cells provides acoustic focus. In another configuration, a resistive signal path between adjacent acoustic transducing unit cells can be used to acoustically steer an acoustic beam in a direction non-normal to the top surface in which the array is disposed. In a further embodiment, a signal pad is made available at each end of the connections through an array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducing unit cells.

Abstract: A MEMS microphone has a backplate, a diaphragm movable relative to the backplate, and a backside cavity adjacent to the backplate or the diaphragm. The backside cavity has sidewalls with at least one rib protruding inward toward a center of the backside cavity.