Abstract: Presently many audio chips suffer from pop issues, which is especially serious for single ended audio drivers. An audio pop is a disturbance in the output caused by a sudden transition of chip power, particularly when a chip is powered on or powered off. Furthermore, compensation networks included in the amplifiers on audio chips for stability offer a significant path for transmitting power disturbances to the output. Hence, circuitry is developed to suppress pops in the output stages of an amplifier.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for decoupling the mechanical drive systems of image scanners from the exposure system. A light source, such as an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), may be modulated in order to maintain a constant exposure for each scan-line, regardless of the document velocity. Accordingly, the present systems and methods allow for continuous document scanning at varying speeds. An automatic document feeder may dynamically adjust the velocity of a document without negatively impacting the exposure of the image scan. As the velocity of the document is changed, the modulation rate of the light source may be adjusted to maintain a constant exposure.

Abstract: The present invention significantly reduces the chip size of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) field-effect transistor, which serves as a driver for output impedance drivers, such as, but not limited to, double data rate (DDR2) synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). In an embodiment of the invention, a voltage drop across the driver is a decreased ratio of the supply voltage, e.g., three-tenths of the supply voltage, lower than half of the supply voltage. A smaller voltage drop allows a lower current and a higher impedance to be used in the driver. By having a higher impedance across the driver, the physical area needed for the DDR2 driver is reduced because a transistor with a smaller physical width can be used. A DDR2 driver operating at the decreased ratio is the functional equivalent of the driver operating with the supply voltage or half of the supply voltage, with the added advantage of the reduced area.

Abstract: A circuit for providing a reference voltage can be widely used in audio applications. However, at startup an abrupt start in the reference signal can cause undesirable audible artifacts. A circuit employing feedback of a reference voltage to control the charging of a capacitor which provides the reference voltage can be used to provide a smooth startup to the reference voltage. The circuit contains a differential pair for steering a fixed current source from one path to another as the reference voltage increases. The steered current can then be mirrored into one ore more current mirrors where the newly mirrored current can be squeezed to zero when the difference between a desired reference voltage and the reference voltage approaches zero. This newly mirrored current can be used to charge a capacitor which is used to provide the reference voltage.

Abstract: A driver controller comprising a state machine for controlling transitions between a plurality of states. An output switch for providing a low impedance path to ground during transition periods. An output stage for decoupling output signal from driver amplifier during the transition periods.

Abstract: A circuit comprising an inverter coupled to an input and receiving an input signal. A first pull-down transistor coupled to the inverter, pulling down an output when the input signal is low. A second pull-down transistor coupled to the input, pulling down a complementary output when the input signal is high. A first pull-up transistor coupled to the complementary output, pulling up the output when the input signal is high. A second pull-up transistor coupled to the output, pulling up the complementary output when the input signal is low. A first switch receiving a first control signal, coupled to the complementary output. A first strong pull-up transistor coupled to the first switch, assisting the pull up of the output. A second switch coupled to the output, receiving a second control signal. A second strong pull-up transistor coupled to the second switch, assisting the pull up of the complementary output.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for a copper stud bump wafer level package. There is provided a semiconductor package comprising a semiconductor die having a plurality of bond pads on an top surface thereof, a plurality of metallic stud bumps mechanically and electrically coupled to said plurality of bond pads, and a plurality of solder balls mechanically and electrically coupled to said plurality of metallic stud bumps. Advantageously, the metallic stud bumps may be provided using standard wirebonding equipment, avoiding the conventional wafer level package requirement for photolithography and deposition steps to provide a multi-layer metallic routing structure. As a result, reduced cycle times, lower cost, and reduced complexity may be provided. Alternative fabrication processes utilizing metallic stud bumps may also support multi-die packages with dies from different wafers and packages with die perimeter pads wirebonded to substrates.

Abstract: A battery assisted level shifter comprises a pull up transistor pulling up an output when a received input signal is high, a pull down transistor pulling down the output when the received input signal is low, and a battery element to provide voltage offsets. The battery element can be implemented using one or more pull-up transistors for assisting with pulling up the output. The level shifter can be used in class-D amplifiers, DC-DC power converters and interfaces between circuits having different reference voltages.

Abstract: Disclosed methods and systems measure acoustic responses to training signals activated prior to communication sessions. Profiles related to the acoustic responses are saved and adapted during communication sessions. Training signals may have uniform frequency distributions over a frequency range and may be in response to user inputs, timeouts, or predetermined events. In the next excessive divergence is detected, an adapted profile may be substituted by an original, trained profile.

Abstract: An integrated audio codec includes a high-pass filter to prevent damage to personal computer speakers and other components. The audio codec may be compliant with HD audio standards and can operate with generic software drivers. Tuning of the high-pass filter is provided through an external pin-out where either an external capacitor or external resistors provide an ability to tune the high-pass filter. In one implementation, a tuning voltage is digitized into a tuning code used by a digital high-pass filter. In addition, multiplexers can be used to insure only the audio path leading to the speakers is filtered.

Abstract: A system for calibrating a circuit comprising a delay to voltage converter for receiving an input signal and generating an output signal that represents a delay metric. A counter for receiving the output signal and generating a binary output as a function of the delay metric.

Abstract: Presently disclosed is method and apparatus for generating a random bit stream by generating a random bit according to a polynomial expression, providing a modification function operative on the polynomial expression, and modifying the polynomial expression by modifying the modification function.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for a spot plated leadframe and an IC bond pad via array design for copper wire. There is provided a semiconductor package comprising a leadframe having a pre-plated finish and a spot plating on said pre-plated finish, a semiconductor die including a bond pad on a top surface thereof, and a copper wire bonded to said spot plating and to said bond pad. Optionally, a novel corner via array design may be provided under the bond pad for improved package performance while maintaining the integrity of the copper wire bond. The semiconductor package may provide several advantages including high MSL ratings, simplified assembly cycles, avoidance of tin whisker issues, and low cost compared to conventional packages using gold wire bonds.

Abstract: Included are embodiments for utilizing a scanning threshold. More specifically, one embodiment of a method includes entering a standby mode, wherein in the standby mode, at least one component of a communications device is shutdown, and wherein in the standby mode, at least one channel is scanned to determine potential interference and monitoring exchanged traffic with the communications device. Some embodiments include determining a relative volume of the exchanged traffic, compared to a predetermined threshold and based on the determination of the relative volume of the exchanged traffic and the predetermined threshold, entering a power save standby mode, wherein in the power save standby mode, scanning of the at least one channel is terminated.

Abstract: A micro electro-mechanical sensor is provided. The micro electro-mechanical sensor includes a substrate, and a conducting plane disposed on the substrate. A conducting via is disposed on the substrate, such as adjacent to the conducting plane. A plurality of ribbon conductors are disposed over the conducting plane and electrically connected to the conducting via, such that the plurality of ribbon conductors form a transducer array in combination with the conducting plane, such as through capacitive coupling that changes in response to changes in the physical shape of the plurality of ribbons.

Abstract: Poly-phase filters are used to offer an efficient and low complexity solution to rate conversion. However, they suffer from inflexibility and are not easily reconfigured. A novel design for rate converters employ poly-phase filters but utilize interpolation between filter coefficients to add flexibility to rate conversion. This interpolation can be implemented as an interpolation of the poly-phase filter results. Additional approximations can be made to further reduce the amount of calculations required to implement a flexible rate converter.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for a shielded connector module with a molded hood and an LED light pipe. There is provided a shielded connector module comprising a system-in-package (SiP) device having a surface mounted light emitting diode (LED), a metallic shield surrounding the SiP device, a molded hood surrounding the metallic shield, and an LED light pipe in a proximity with the surface mounted LED, the LED light pipe being directed through the metallic shield and the molded hood. By designing the LED light pipe with a concave surface for surrounding the surface mounted LED and by using various techniques to reduce a gap between the LED and the light pipe, light capture and transmission may be optimized for easily viewable high intensity light. A fresnel lens may be optionally attached to the light pipe for wider viewing angles.

Abstract: Laser printers are plagued with an assortment of alignment issues. In color laser printers the issues are exacerbated. Variations in distance from the mirror to the drum can lines in different color planes to vary in size. Variations in angles in the facets of the mirror can cause alignment issues between lines. Even lack of synchronization between the dot clock and start of line indication can cause misalignment between rows. In addition, a cosine distortion occurs due to the non-constant linear velocity of the laser scan of a single line. A very high speed master clock can drive the laser scanning unit. By using a very high speed clock, the control circuitry has the resolution to compensate for many of these distortion types, by appropriately counting clock cycles and indicating such to the laser modulator.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for securely forwarding data packets at a data switching node in a data transport network is provided. The data switching node maintains a switching database of switching entries. Each switching entry has a modification protection feature preventing its modification when activated. Dynamic topology discovery of data network nodes can be disabled via topology discovery control flags associated with individual physical communications ports of the data switching node. Unknown destination flood data traffic is not replicated to physical communications ports having topology discovery disabled or specifying the suppression of replication of such unknown destination data traffic thereto. The advantages are derived from a data switching node being enabled to operate concurrently in friendly and hostile environments while detecting, preventing and reporting incidences of hostile MAC ADDR attacks.

Abstract: A raster to block converter and equivalently a block to raster converter can be implemented using enough memory to contain a single image band, that is a band of pixels of height equal to a single block but spanning the entire width of an image. The raster to block converter can operate at full rate so that as soon as a pixel is read out from the memory a new pixel can be stored in its place. The location of a pixel can be tracked using a mapping involving basic modular arithmetic. This raster to block converter is scalable so that it can work with any size image and block size.