Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device, a capacitive gesture system that can allow the same gestures be used in arbitrary locations within range of a mobile device. One such method includes receiving a first capacitive sensor measurement with a first capacitive sensor of the mobile device. The method further includes determining a value indicative of a material adjacent to the mobile device based on a correspondence between the first capacitive sensor measurement and stored values corresponding to different materials. The method further includes sending instructions to adjust a characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined value indicative of the material adjacent to the mobile device. In certain examples, gesture sensing can be performed using capacitive measurements from the capacitive sensors.

Abstract: Electrical overstress protection for high speed interfaces are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a semiconductor die with bidirectional protection against electrical overstress is provided. The semiconductor die includes a first pad, a second pad, a forward protection silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) electrically connected between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that increases a voltage of the first pad relative to a voltage of the second pad, and a reverse protection SCR electrically connected in parallel with the forward protection SCR between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that decreases the voltage of the first pad relative to the voltage of the second pad.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing operations comprising: accessing, by a transmitter physical layer (PHY) controller, data for transmission to a receiver PHY controller over a network connection; randomizing a delimiter independently of randomizing the data; selecting a disparity reset value based on the randomized delimiter to generate an initial miming disparity; encoding the randomized data based on the initial running disparity; generating a frame that includes the encoded randomized data and the randomized delimiter; and transmitting the frame from the transmitter PHY controller to the receiver PHY controller.

Abstract: One embodiment is a method for binning charge events in a photon-counting CT scanning system comprising a plurality of discriminators, wherein each discriminator is associated with a respective one of a plurality of threshold voltage levels, the method comprising detecting a transition in a signal output from one of the discriminators; and incrementing a count corresponding to the threshold voltage level associated with the one of the discriminators only if the detected discriminator output signal transition was immediately preceded by an opposite transition in the discriminator output signal.

Abstract: Columnar multi-axis microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices (such as gyroscopes) balanced against undesired linear and angular vibration are described herein. In some embodiments, the columnar MEMS device may comprise at least two multiple-mass columns, each having at least three proof masses and being configured to sense rotation about a respective axis. The motion and mass of the proof masses may be controlled to achieve linear and rotational balancing of the MEMS device. The columnar MEMS device may further comprise one or more modular drive structures disposed alongside each multiple-mass column to facilitate displacement of the proof masses of a respective column. The MEMS devices described herein may be used to sense roll, yaw, and pitch angular rates.

Abstract: A rate of change of current sensor includes two measurement coils, arranged such that the turns of the first and second measurement coils are interleaved. The rate of change of current sensor further comprises two return coils, arranged to progress in an opposite direction to the measurement coils. The coils form loops and progress substantially around a target measurement conductor. This ensures that the two measurement coils both receive the same electrostatic coupling from external conductors which are not the target of the measurement operation. Further, the two measurement coils are arranged such that the first coil and the second coil are, on average, the same distance to the current-carrying conductor of interest.

Abstract: According to some aspects, there is provided a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device wherein one or more components of the MEMS device exhibit attenuated motion relative to one or more other moving components. The MEMS device may comprise a substrate; a proof mass coupled to the substrate and configured to move along a resonator axis; and a first shuttle coupled to the proof mass and comprising one of a drive structure configured to drive the proof mass along the resonator axis or a sense structure configured to move along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the resonator axis in response to motion of the proof mass along the resonator axis, wherein displacement of at least a first portion of the proof mass is attenuated relative to displacement of the first shuttle and/or a second portion of the proof mass.

Abstract: A rate of change of current sensor includes two measurement coils, arranged on a substrate or printed circuit board. The coils form loops and progress substantially around a target measurement conductor. This ensures that the two measurement coils both receive the same electrostatic coupling from external conductors which are not the target of the measurement operation. Further, the two measurement coils are arranged such that the first coil and the second coil are, on average, the same distance to the current-carrying conductor of interest.

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: A magnetic sensor package comprising a magnetic multi-turn sensor die and a magnetic single turn sensor die, in which both sensor dies are packaged on the same lead frame. A method of manufacturing the magnetic sensor package is also provided. A magnetic sensor system comprising a rotating magnet and the magnetic sensor package, where the sensor package is arranged so that both sensor dies sit within a homogenous magnetic field, thereby ensuring that the output signal of each sensor is not corrupted by any stray fields.

Abstract: System and methods for reducing nonlinearity in radio frequency (RF) circuitries (e.g., RF switch circuitry and/or RF amplifier circuitry) are provided. A high-linearity RF integrated circuit device includes an input port; an output port; nonlinear circuitry arranged on a signal path between the input port and the output port; a shunt path including signal adjustment circuitry; and adjustable nonlinearity generation circuitry coupled to the signal adjustment circuitry, the adjustable nonlinearity generation circuitry including one or more metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices; and at least one nonlinearity generation activation element connected in parallel with a source terminal and a drain terminal of a first MOS device of the one or more MOS devices and responsive to an activation control signal. The nonlinear circuitry may include at least one of switching circuitry or amplifier circuitry. The shunt path may be coupled to the input port or the output port.

Abstract: A battery assembly is disclosed. The battery assembly can include a first electrode disposed in a first substrate section and a second electrode disposed in a second substrate section. The battery assembly can also include an adhesive that bonds the first substrate section to the second substrate section. The adhesive partially defines a chamber between the first and second electrodes. The battery assembly can also include an electrolyte disposed in the chamber between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Techniques are described for calibrating sensors for use in systems in the presence of offset. Sensors may be used to generate sense signals which represent true signals that are part of a system. When the sensors are not calibrated, inefficiency due to offset can be introduced into a system that incorporates the generated sense signal. Flipping techniques may be used to mitigate offset. Applicant has appreciated that when the sensor gains are mismatched, the offset calibration associated with a sensor is not independent from the offset calibration associated with the other sensors. Some of the flipping techniques described herein account for gain mismatch by flipping the polarity of each sensor in a one-at-a-time fashion, and by combining the results in a common system of equations to determine the gain mismatch and the offset of each sensor.

Abstract: Segmented power amplifier (PA) arrangements are disclosed. An example PA arrangement includes at least first and second PA segments, each having a respective combination of a PA and a feedforward adaptive bias circuit, configured to generate a bias signal for the corresponding PA. Each bias signal has a first DC component, at least one tone component, and at least one harmonic of the at least one tone component. The PA arrangement further includes a power splitting circuit, configured to split an input signal for the PA arrangement into a first PA input signal for the first PA segment and a second PA input signal for the second PA segment, where a power of the first PA input signal is greater than a power of the second PA input signal.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are systems and circuitry for protecting against overdrive and electrostatic discharge. For example, protection circuitry may include field effect transistors to discharge overdrive outside of an operational voltage range of a circuit in some embodiments to prevent damage to the circuit. Further, the protection circuitry may utilize diode features inherent in the field effect transistors to protect against electrostatic discharge in some embodiments. The circuitry may be implemented in radio frequency sampling analog-to-digital converters and can provide for single-ended signal input and/or output for the analog-to-digital converters.

Abstract: Radio transceiver control interfaces are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a semiconductor die includes a group of transmitters and a group of receivers that operate as a transceiver. Additionally, a group of common pins are used to control settings of both the transmitters and receivers. In one example, data received on the common pins can be used to establish enable settings for each of the transmitters and receivers. Thus, rather than using a one-to-one correspondence between a pin and the setting of a particular transmitter or receiver, a mapping is used between the common pins and the settings of the transmitters and receivers.

Abstract: Remote keyless entry (RKE) systems and devices are described. The RKE devices include one or more passive radios that respond to an interrogation signal from an interrogating device such as a vehicle. The passive radio sends a responsive signal that can include a decaying portion representing a ringdown signal. The passive radio includes a SAW resonator in some situations.

Abstract: A MEMS device is provided comprising a mass configured to move along a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis; a drive structure coupled to the mass and configured to cause the mass to move along the first axis; a sense structure coupled to the mass and configured to detect motion of the mass along the second axis; a stress relief structure coupled to one of the drive structure or the sense structure; and at least one anchor coupled to an underlying substrate of the MEMS device, wherein the stress relief structure is coupled to the at least one anchor and the at least one anchor is disposed outside of the stress relief structure.

Abstract: A measurement circuit comprises an input terminal to receive a current signal, a first circuit branch coupled to the first terminal and including one or more circuit elements to receive a portion of the current signal, a second circuit branch coupled to the first terminal and including one or more additional circuit elements to receive another portion of the current signal, a nonlinear circuit element coupling the first circuit branch to the second circuit branch, and a quantization circuit configured to produce an input current measurement of current in the first and second circuit branches, and to include current in the second circuit branch in the input current measurement according to a magnitude of the input current signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides magnetic sensor system that includes a magnetic sensor package comprising a magnetic single turn sensor and a magnetic multi-turn sensor, and a shield arrangement for shielding the magnetic sensor from stray magnetic fields. The shielding arrangement comprises a ferromagnetic tube that houses one or more magnets and connects to an end of rotating shaft, such that rotation of the shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the ferromagnetic tube and magnets. The magnetic sensor package is positioned on a surface of a PCB substrate, which is positioned in close proximity to the ferromagnetic tube and magnet arrangement. A shielding device is then arranged in close proximity to the magnetic sensor package, for example, on the opposite side of the PCB substrate or directly between the PCB substrate and the ferromagnetic tube, to provide additional shielding of any stray magnetic fields.