Abstract: A dual-voltage receiver, comprising a voltage detector. A high voltage Schmitt trigger coupled to the voltage detector. A low voltage Schmitt trigger coupled to the voltage detector. A combined level shifter coupled to the high voltage Schmitt trigger and the low voltage Schmitt trigger, wherein the high voltage Schmitt trigger is on and the low voltage Schmitt trigger is off when the voltage detector outputs a high voltage detect signal.

Abstract: Modern electronic devices are getting more portable and smaller leading to smaller distances between speakers. In particular, computers are now so compact that the notebook computer is one of the most popular computer types. However, with the proliferation of media available in digital form, both music recordings and video features, the demand for high quality reproductions on computers has increased. Systems and methods for producing wider speaker effects and immersion effects disclosed can enhance a listener's experience even in a notebook computer.

Abstract: Provided is a fully differential adaptive bandwidth phase locked loop with differential supply regulation. One fully differential phase locked loop includes a differential active loop filter and regulator coupled to an output of a differential charge pump, a differential voltage-controlled oscillator coupled to differential control voltages developed by the differential active loop filter and regulator, and a bias circuit coupled to the differential control voltages and providing a bias current to the differential charge pump.

Abstract: A system for application management. A plurality of applications, each having an associated precedence, an include data string and an exclude data string. A plurality of daemons, each for monitoring a data port and extracting a data stream received at the data port. A system manager for receiving the precedence, the include data string and the exclude data string for each application and an extracted data stream from one of the daemons and selecting one of the plurality of applications as a function of the precedence, the include data string and the exclude data string for each application.

Abstract: A method for signal processing, receiving a time domain signal having a sample-rate Fs and generating N time domain signal bands, each having a bandwidth equal to Fs/N. Receiving the N signal bands and transforming a first time domain signal band to a frequency domain at a first resolution and a second time domain signal band to the frequency domain at a second resolution, where the first resolution may be different from the second resolution. Determining one or more first filter coefficients using the frequency domain components from the first signal band and one or more second filter coefficients using the frequency domain components from the second signal band. Transforming the first and second filter coefficients from the frequency domain to a time domain. Applying the first and second time domain filter coefficients to the first and second time domain signals, respectively.

Abstract: Wafer level packaging (WLP) packages semiconductor dies onto a wafer structure. After the wafer level package is complete, individual packages are obtained by singulating the wafer level package. The resulting package has a small form factor suitable for miniaturization. Unfortunately conventional WLP have poor heat dissipation. An interposer with a thermal pad can be attached to the semiconductor die to facilitate improved heat dissipation. In one embodiment, the interposer can also provide a wafer substrate for the wafer level package. Furthermore, the interposer can be constructed using well established and inexpensive processes. The thermal pad attached to the interposer can be coupled to the ground plane of a system where heat drawn from the semiconductor die can be dissipated.

Abstract: A satellite signal demodulator is configured to use frequency-based channel scanning to sense the presence of a channel and to obtain the frequency profile of the channel. Once the channel is identified and the profile is obtained, channel extraction is used to identify the frequency parameters for a given channel. A coarse parameter estimation is performed to obtain a coarse estimate of the symbol rate (SR) and the center frequency (fc) of the channel. The coarse estimation can then be followed by a fine estimation of the symbol rate and center frequency (fc), using a bit tracking loop (BTL) lock indicator.

Abstract: Presented is a method for fabricating a semiconductor package, and the associated semiconductor package. The method includes providing a compliant coverlay having a resin film disposed thereon. A plurality of metallic spheres may be placed at predetermined positions in the resin film. A top surface and a bottom surface of the metallic spheres may be flattened. Tamp blocks on opposing sides of the metallic spheres may be used. The resin film may then be cured to permanently set the metallic spheres in the resin film, and the compliant overlay may then be removed. A semiconductor die may then be placed on the plurality of metallic spheres. An encapsulating layer may then be deposited over the semiconductor die, the plurality of metallic spheres, and the resin film. The semiconductor package may then be diced. The method does not include fabricating a metal leadframe for the semiconductor die.

Abstract: A modem for use with a computer having a demodulator and a decoder, the modem comprises a hardware interface; a demodulator front-end having a first input and a first output, the first output of the demodulator front-end being configured to interface with the demodulator of the computer and to provide a demodulated front-end signal to the demodulator over the hardware interface; and a forward error correction (FEC) unit having a second input and a second output, the second input of the FEC unit being configured to interface with the demodulator of the computer and to receive a demodulated signal from the demodulator over the hardware interface, the demodulated signal being a demodulation of the demodulated front-end signal, and the second output of the FEC unit being configured to interface with the decoder of the computer and to provide an FEC signal to the decoder over the hardware interface.

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: A power-saving block may be isolated from a remainder of a digital circuit. To save power, the power-saving block may be powered down when not in use. To prevent the power-down process from creating metastable states in the remainder of the digital circuit, appropriate isolation gates may separate outputs of the power-saving block from the remainder of the digital circuit. Signals may be sent to the power-saving block to ensure that the output signals from the power-saving block are always the same value during the power-down process. The isolation gates may be chosen based on the value expected on the output signals during the power-down process. Assertions may be used to confirm that the correct isolation gates were selected.

Abstract: A system for isolating individual channels in a broadcast signal is provided. The system includes a plurality of multipliers, each having an input and an output. A summer coupled to the outputs of each of the plurality of multipliers is provided to generate an output. A multiplication factor system provides a multiplication factor to each of the multipliers to select a predetermined frequency channel of the input signal.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for preventing data loss in a VoIP system. In particular, during a VoIP call, it is determined whether incoming ringing on a POTS line causes an unacceptable level of signal loss or errors. If so, for subsequent VoIP calls, the CO handling calls to the POTS line is instructed to either answer each call with a busy signal or automatically forward calls to the POTS line to the VoIP line or other selected telephone. Calling returns to normal upon ending of the VoIP call. In this manner, incoming ringing on the POTS line does not result in call dropping or lengthy retraining processes.

Abstract: A grounding switch is described which operates properly even in the presence of negative voltages on a signal line. The grounding switch uses isolated field effect transistors that have their substrates tied to different voltages. The isolated field effect transistor has a gate voltage and substrate voltage which can be pulled down to a negative voltage when the signal line has a negative voltage allowing the switch to remain open even with a negative voltage.

Abstract: Dielectric heating is used to cause explosive nucleation of ink in an ink reservoir to expel a drop of ink from an inkjet print head. Conductive plates generate an alternating electric field at microwave frequencies across an ink reservoir causing the ink to heat. Since the ink is heated without heating the conductive plates, less heat dissipation of the inkjet print head is necessary.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits. In certain embodiments an ESD protection circuit may include two series resistor-capacitor (RC) circuits. One series RC circuit may have a short time constant and may selectively activate a current shunt between two power rails in response to an ESD event. Accordingly, the ESD circuit may be able to respond to fast ramping ESD events. The other series RC circuit has a longer time constant, and maintains the current shunt in an active state for a sufficient amount of time to allow the ESD event to be completely discharged.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling access to various tiers of functionality of core software are provided. A software developer/vendor can develop a single version of software having one or more limited-access functionalities and provide the single version of the software to various types of customers. Each customer, using the single version of the core software, may develop additional software that utilizes one or more functionalities of the core software as authorized by the software developer/vendor. Access to a certain functionality or set of functionalities by the customer developed software is obtained by adapting the customer developed software to submit a key, provided by the software developer/vendor, to the core software through, for example, an application programming interface (API) of the core software.

Abstract: A method is described that comprises suspending a currently executing thread at a periodic time interval, calculating a next time slot during which the currently executing thread is to resume execution, appending the suspended thread to a queue of threads scheduled for execution at the calculated time slot, and updating an index value of a pointer index to a next sequential non-empty time slot, where the pointer index references time slots within an array of time slots, and where each of the plurality of time slots corresponds to a timeslice during which CPU resources are allocated to a particular thread. The method further comprises removing any contents of the indexed non-empty time slot and appending the removed contents to an array of threads requesting immediate CPU resource allocation and activating the thread at the top of the array of threads requesting immediate CPU resource allocation as a currently running thread.

Abstract: Challenges to the implementation of equalization in the 2.1 environment arise from the constraints imposed by HD audio requirements and Windows® Vista™. A hybrid software hardware solution overcomes many of the challenges by exploiting the software capability for equalization and using a hardware codec to perform the separation into high frequency and low frequency audio streams needed to drive stereo speakers and a subwoofer.

Abstract: A system and method for defringing chromatic aberrations that occur in imaging devices such as scanners. The system comprises shift filters to shift lines in the various color planes together. In addition in each color plane, a spread filter is used to compensate for the unequal point spread functions of each color. Furthermore, the results can be enhanced by filtering in the luminance-chrominance space.