Abstract: Integrated circuits can include semiconductor devices with back-side field plates. The semiconductor devices can be formed on substrates that have conductive layers located within the substrates. The conductive layers can include at least one of a conducting material or a semi-conducting material that modifies an electric field produced by the semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices can include one or more semiconductor layers that include one or more materials having a compound material that includes at least one Group 13 element and at least one Group 15 element.

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: The present disclosure is related to sensors, such as structural sensors, and related systems and methods.

Abstract: Disclosed is an audio signal processing method implemented by an audio system including at least an internal sensor, an external sensor and a speaker unit. The audio signal processing method includes: producing internal and external audio signals by measuring simultaneously acoustic signals reaching the internal sensor and acoustic signals reaching the external sensor, respectively; converting the internal audio signal to frequency domain, thereby producing an internal audio spectrum; converting the external audio signal to frequency domain, thereby producing an external audio spectrum; estimating, based on the internal audio spectrum, an echo audio spectrum of an echo audio signal caused by the speaker unit in the external audio signal, wherein the echo audio spectrum is estimated for frequencies above a minimum frequency, wherein the minimum frequency?600 hertz; and correcting the external audio spectrum for frequencies above the minimum frequency, based on the echo audio spectrum.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a buffer amplifier arrangement that seeks to find a solution to varying load configurations, output modes, modulator modes etc on an output of the buffer and the corresponding varying currents or voltages that appear at transistor devices throughout the circuit. To address this issue a current source that supplies an output of the buffer is divided into a fixed current source which supplies the current for the transistors of the buffer, and a variable current source that provides current for the variable load. The variable current source is a programmable current source that can be varied based on the associated modulator mode bus.

Abstract: A battery management system may include a host microcontroller, operated in accordance with a first clock signal. The battery management system may also include a first sensor, which may be configured to measure a first value of a first group of one or more cells in a battery system. A first AFE circuit may include a first pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller, which may be configured to at least one of enable or power on the first sensor while a first PWM signal from the first PWM controller is in a first state, and may be configured to at least one of disable or power off the first sensor while the first PWM signal is in a second state. The first AFE circuit may also include a first storage register, which may be configured to receive a representation of the first value measured while the first sensor is on and enabled.

Abstract: A clamp circuit comprises an output transistor and a replica transistor coupled as a current minor pair, wherein the replica transistor is scaled in size to the output transistor by a size ratio; a first current source configured to set a current in the replica transistor, wherein the output current is set at a clamped output current value that is a sum of current of the first current source and a scaled value of the current of the first current source determined according to the size ratio; and a register circuit, wherein a register value stored in the register circuit sets the clamped output current value.

Abstract: A new method and circuit arrangement for operating a stepper motor in a control loop. Load values associated with a mechanical load of a stepper motor in operation are filtered to generate stall detection values. A step value is determined based on the difference between two stall detection values. The step value is compared to a threshold, and the stepper motor is determined to be in a stall condition based on the comparison between the step value to the threshold. This arrangement enables improved detection of stepper motor stall conditions when the stepper motor is operated at low velocities.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light source system suitable for use in a time of flight camera. The light source system includes a light source, such as a laser, and a driver arranged to supply a drive current to the light source to turn the light source on to emit light. The driver includes or is coupled to a capacitor to store energy and then discharge to generate the drive current. The driver can be integrated into a semiconductor die on which the light source is mounted. Thus, the driver can include within it the source of energy for the drive current and the light source and driver can be very close together. Therefore, the light source may be turned on and off very quickly, such as with a relatively large drive current, such as to output a high optical power, short duration light pulse.

Abstract: Operator actions and/or other commands or requests are secured via an authentication path from an action originator to a communications/control module or any other industrial element/controller. In implementations, an industrial control system includes an action authenticator configured to sign an action request generated by the action originator. The destination communications/control module or any other industrial element/controller is configured to receive the signed action request, verify the authenticity of the signed action request, and perform a requested action when the authenticity of the signed action request is verified.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laser system/package that is configured to enable the detection of a change in an optical device that is intended to alter light emitted from the laser. The system is designed to measure an electric or magnetic field that is affected by the optical device. As a result, changes in the optical device, for example because the optical device has been damaged or dislodged or removed, should be detected by a corresponding change in the electric or magnetic field.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for clock synchronization and frequency translation are provided herein. Clock synchronization and frequency translation integrated circuits (ICs) generate one or more output clock signals having a controlled timing relationship with respect to one or more reference signals. The teachings herein provide a number of improvements to clock synchronization and frequency translation ICs, including, but not limited to, reduction of system clock error, reduced variation in clock propagation delay, lower latency monitoring of reference signals, precision timing distribution and recovery, extrapolation of timing events for enhanced phase-locked loop (PLL) update rate, fast PLL locking, improved reference signal phase shift detection, enhanced phase offset detection between reference signals, and/or alignment to phase information lost in decimation.

Abstract: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches are disclosed. The MEMS switch may have an actuation voltage greater than the expected voltage of a signal being passed by the MEMS switch in normal operation. The MEMS switches may include a distributed hinge structure in some embodiments. Radial contact pads are included in some embodiments, with or separate from the distributed hinge.

Abstract: Techniques for improving efficiency of wireless power transfer to shunt-based receiver are provided. In an example, techniques can optimize wireless power transfer by comparing instantaneous peak voltage of a transmit coil of a wireless power transmitter to an average peak voltage of the transmit coil, and then, based on the comparison, adjust a setpoint of the wireless power transmitter to a more efficient level.

Abstract: Sensors and methods for determining the state of charge of a battery are described. The state of charge is determined in some instances by applying a current perturbation having a frequency to the battery terminals, monitoring the response signal, and determining the phase of the response signal. The phase may be correlated to the state of charge of the battery, so that once the phase is determined, a determination of the state of charge of the battery may be made. In some situations, the state of charge may be used to determine the operating condition of a load connected to the battery. In some embodiments, the state of charge may be used to determine whether the battery is defective.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a circuit for setting an amplifier supply voltage for an amplifier. The circuit comprises a switch circuit having a first transistor arranged to switchably couple a first supply voltage to a supply terminal of the amplifier and a second transistor arranged to switchably couple a second supply voltage to the supply terminal of the amplifier, wherein a magnitude of the first supply voltage is greater than a magnitude of the second supply voltage. The circuit further comprises a control circuit arranged to control the switch circuit to set an amplifier supply voltage at the supply terminal of the amplifier based on an output signal of the amplifier.

Abstract: A fluid sensor device can include a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The housing can have a fluid reservoir, a sensing assembly, a plunger, a valve, and a plurality of channels. The fluid sensor module can be used to sense constituents in a sample fluid (e.g. patient's blood or dialysate) during a treatment process, such as kidney dialysis procedures. The fluid sensor module can be connected in-line to a medical device to sense the sample fluid.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to multi-band FDD transceivers. An example transceiver includes a LO, configured to generate a LO signal to be shared between a receiver and a transmitter of the transceiver. Both the receiver and the transmitter use quadrature signal processing and are configured to multi-band operation. Sharing a single LO to perform frequency conversion of different frequency bands of received and transmitted signals advantageously allows reducing the number of LOs used in a multi-band FDD transceiver.

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 multiple operating-mode comparator system can be useful for high bandwidth and low power automated testing. The system can include a gain stage configured to drive a high impedance input of a comparator output stage, wherein the gain stage includes a differential switching stage coupled to an adjustable impedance circuit, and an impedance magnitude characteristic of the adjustable impedance circuit corresponds to a bandwidth characteristic of the gain stage. The comparator output stage can include a buffer circuit coupled to a low impedance comparator output node. The buffer circuit can provide a reference voltage for a switched output signal at the output node in a higher speed mode, and the buffer circuit can provide the switched output signal at the output node in a lower power mode.