Abstract: Differential clamp circuits configured to recirculate the current in one clamp, either low-side clamp or high-side clamp, from one output of a differential signal to the other output of the differential signal are disclosed. Differential clamp circuits described herein may be particularly suitable for providing programmable clamps at differential outputs of an ADC driver and may be particularly beneficial to implement clamps that are symmetrical around an ADC's input common-mode voltage. Some differential clamp circuit described herein may advantageously present a smaller capacitive load at each output, thus reducing bandwidth degradation of the output stage. Furthermore, differential clamp circuits described herein may operate with only one control voltage, making it easier to limit the output excursions symmetrically around the default common-mode voltage.

Abstract: A passive wireless sensor system is disclosed that includes components fabricated from carbon nanotube (CNT) structures. In some situations, the passive wireless sensor system includes a CNT structure sensor and an antenna that communicates wirelessly by altering an impedance of the antenna. The passive wireless sensor system includes a non-battery-powered energy storage device that harvests energy from carrier signals received at the antenna. The antenna and the energy storage device can be formed from CNT structures.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for wirelessly communicating with multiple sensors. In particular, a multi-sensor platform is provided that acts as an intermediary node and can communicate with multiple integrity sensors. The integrity sensors are each coupled via a wired connection to the multi-sensor platform, and the multi-sensor platform is powered wirelessly by a radiofrequency transmitter. The radiofrequency transmitter can receive data from multiple sensors via one node, the multi-sensor platform, thus allowing the radiofrequency transmitter to have a static transmission beam.

Abstract: Voltage-to-current converters that include two current mirrors are disclosed. In an example voltage-to-current converter each current mirror is a complementary current mirror in that one of its input and output transistors is a P-type transistor and the other one is an N-type transistor. Such voltage-to-current converters may be implemented using bipolar technology, CMOS technology, or a combination of bipolar and CMOS technologies, and may be made sufficiently compact and accurate while operating at sufficiently low voltages and consuming limited power.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods to operate the same to provide fast fault-detection on power semiconductor devices such as power transistors are disclosed. In some embodiment, a desaturation based fault-detection circuit for a power transistor is provided. The fault-detection circuit has an adaptable blanking time and a disconnect switch in the blanking mechanism that allow for quick enabling of fault-detection mechanisms to achieve fast fault detection times on power semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Optically isolated micromachined (MEMS) switches and related methods are described. The optically isolated MEMS switches described herein may be used to provide isolation between electronic devices. For example, the optically isolated MEMS switches of the types described herein can enable the use of separate grounds between the receiving electronic device and the control circuitry. Isolation of high-voltage signals and high-voltage power supplies can be achieved by using an optical isolator and a MEMS switch, where the optical isolator controls the state of the MEMS switch. In some embodiments, utilizing optical isolators to provide high voltages, the need for electric high-voltage sources such as high-voltage power supplies and charge pumps may be removed, thus removing the cause of potential damage to the receiving electronic device. In one example, the optical isolator and the MEMS switch may be co-packaged on the same substrate.

Abstract: A micro-isolator is described. The micro-isolator may include a first isolator element, a second isolator element, and a first dielectric material separating the first isolator element from the second isolator element. A second dielectric material may completely or partly encapsulate the second isolator element, or may be present at outer corners of the second isolator element. The second dielectric material may have a larger bandgap than the first dielectric material, and its configuration may reduce electrostatic charge injection into the first dielectric material. The micro-isolator may be formed using microfabrication techniques.

Abstract: One or more hardware identity circuits (which may be reconfigurable) may be employed in a device or system in order to impose a tampering penalty, preferably without relying on battery-backed volatile memory to do so. The device or system may also include a cryptographic division and distribution (‘sharing’) of a secret internal to the device or system.

Abstract: A wireless sensor node is described. The wireless sensor node may include a wake-up circuitry configured to awaken the sensor when a request is received. The sensor may be placed in a sleep mode, thus saving battery usage until a wake-up signal requesting use of the sensor is received. Powering of the wake-up circuitry may be supplied through energy captured using an energy harvester. In one example, the energy for powering the wake-up circuitry is extracted from the same signal used for awakening the sensor. The wireless sensor mode may operate in a passive mode, in which the energy for powering the wake-up circuitry is harvested, or in a power supply-assisted mode, in which some of the power is provided by a power supply. High quality factors filters may be used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the wake-up signals, thus improving the node's ability to recognize activation requests.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for compensating for amplifier drift. An amplifier is configured to generate an output that triggers a charge counter to generate a charge count value based on a charge count signal. A current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) is coupled to the amplifier and configured to provide an offset current to a first input of the amplifier. An offset correction circuit is configured to: determine whether a duty cycle associated with the amplifier exceeds a specified threshold and generate a signal to cause the MAC to adjust the value of the offset current to compensate for amplifier drift based on determining whether the duty cycle exceeds the specified threshold.

Abstract: Differential electro-mechanical oscillating circuits are described. These circuits may be used in a variety of contexts to produce differential oscillating signals, such as sine waves or square waves. A switched capacitor circuit (SCC) is used to prevent low-frequency locking, whereby the output of the resonator would otherwise lock to a constant value. More specifically, the SCC provides an impedance in parallel to the resonator between the output terminals of oscillating circuit. The SCC is designed so that, at low frequencies, its impedance is lower than the impedance of the resonator. The presence of such an impedance prevents the formation of an open circuit between the output terminals, thus maintaining the oscillating circuit in the oscillation mode. The differential electro-mechanical oscillating circuits described herein may be used to produce clock signals or otherwise to produce periodic reference signals.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a computed tomography (CT) imaging module. The CT imaging module may have a light sensor array to detect photons within a CT imaging system and may produce a plurality of signals based on the detected photons. A switching/multiplexing element may receive the plurality of signals and multiplex the plurality of signals for signal processing. The multiplexing of the plurality of signals may provide for less interconnections for the light sensors within the light sensor array, thereby reducing the risk of reliability failure of the interconnections. Further, fewer signal processing circuitry elements may be utilized for processing the plurality of signals, allowing the CT imaging module to take up less space.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to reducing settling time of a ramp signal in a phase-locked loop. An offset signal can be applied to adjust an input signal provided to an integrator of a loop filter of the phase-locked loop to cause the settling time to be reduced. Disclosed methods of reducing settling time of a ramp signal can improve settling time of a ramp signal independent of the profile of the ramp signal.

Abstract: A device comprising: a physical unclonable function (PUF) device configured to generate an output value based on hardware characteristics of the PUF device; and a processor connected to the PUF device, the processor configured to: execute a cryptographic operation in a sequence of ordered stages including a first stage and a second stage, the executing comprising: in the first stage: recovering a first secret value based on a first output value obtained from the PUF device; executing a first sub-operation using the first secret value; and removing unobscured values from memory prior to execution of a subsequent stage; in the second stage: recovering a second secret value based on a second output value obtained from the PUF device; and executing a second sub-operation using the second secret value to enable execution of a cryptographic operation encoded with at least the first secret value and the second secret value.

Abstract: Systems and methods permit automatic joining of a network associated with a specified area within which wireless nodes reside. Network managers located in or near the specified area use wireless proximity detection to estimate distances to wireless nodes requesting to join the network. The network managers can use the estimated distances to determine whether or not a requesting wireless node is located within the specified area. If the requesting wireless node is located within the specified area, the network managers can permit the wireless node to join the wireless network associated with the respective specified area.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing and maintaining an efficient deadtime for a switching circuit as the input voltage varies. In example, a switching circuit can include a control circuit configured to alternately switch the first switch and the second switch into and out of a low impedance state, and to prevent the first switch and the second switch from shorting the first supply rail with the second supply rail using a dead-time before a transition to the low impedance state of each of the first and second switches. The control circuit can a delay element that includes a compensation delay circuit configured to change in-kind with a change of a voltage difference between a first input supply rail and a second input supply rail of the switching circuit, and to limit a range of the dead-time over a range of the voltage difference.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit can be configured to receive a differential input signal having a common mode component that can extend to at least one power supply rail for the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit can include an input stage, such as having a first differential transistor pair, and the input stage can receive the differential input signal and in response conduct a differential first current to a cascode output stage. The cascode output stage can include or use a cascode control signal that is adjusted in response to the differential input signal. The cascode control signal can be independent of a transconductance of the first differential transistor pair. In an example, the amplifier circuit includes a slew boost circuit configured to source or sink current at an output of the amplifier based on a magnitude and polarity of the differential input signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optically measuring displacement of an element include an emitter for emitting an optical signal, a first detector for detecting reflections of the optical signal from the element, a second detector for detecting reflections of the optical signal from a raised cover structure, a processor for receiving the detected reflections from the first and second detectors and removing distortions in the detected reflections from the first detector using the detected reflections from the second detector.

Abstract: The subject disclosure describes a structure and method that generates the average of two or more reference quantities (e.g., reference voltage potentials) and monitors the integrity of the voltage reference potentials. The subject technology produces a reference with improved accuracy and more accurate monitoring compared to traditional techniques. For example, the subject technology provides for a fault circuit that includes a monitoring circuit, and an averaging circuit configured to receive a plurality of reference signals and to produce an averaged reference signal based on the received plurality of reference signals. In some examples, the monitoring circuit is configured to receive the averaged reference signal from the averaging circuit, compare the averaged reference signal to each of the plurality of reference signals, and generate a fault signal when the averaged reference signal deviates from at least one of the plurality of reference signals by at least a threshold value.