Abstract: In one embodiment, a first transistor is configured to switch ON to discharge accumulated charges on an interconnect line during a metallization process. This advantageously protects a second transistor, which is coupled to the interconnect line, from charge buildup. The gate of the first transistor may be coupled to the interconnect line by way of a coupling capacitor. The gate of the first transistor may remain floating during the metallization process, and subsequently coupled to ground at a topmost metal level. The metallization process may be physical vapor deposition, for example.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device may include a mask register that stores mask values writable from a processor interface; and mask logic that selectively masks status indications from each of a plurality of buffers according to stored mask values; wherein the buffers alter the status indications in response to accesses from at least one different interface other than the processor interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically reconfiguring a programmable system on a chip. A graphical user interface for dynamically reconfiguring a programmable system on a chip includes graphical user interface (GUI) display elements of a plurality of parameter values presently controlling operation of a device on a target apparatus. The GUI display elements are operable to accept modifications to the plurality of parameter values and for communicating the modifications to the programmable system on a chip. The GUI display elements may present parameter values in alphanumeric and/or graphical formats, and may accept changes via keyboard or cursor directing device input.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting activation of one or more capacitive keys when presences of the one or more touches are detected on unique combinations of three or more sensor elements at the respective locations of the capacitive keys on which the one or more touches are detected. In one embodiment, the method correctly detects the activations of multiple keys when multiple substantially simultaneous touches are detected.

Abstract: A speckle-based trackball apparatus with an optical architecture employing curved-wavefront illumination beam or a modified imaging lens and aperture configuration is provided. The apparatus includes a trackball configured to be rotated by a user. In the curved-wavefront embodiment, an illuminator is configured to illuminate a spot area of the curved surface of the trackball with a curved-wavefront illumination beam so that an ensemble of optical features used for motion sensing interact with the illumination beam at different phase points as a function of a location within the illuminated spot area on the curved surface of the trackball. In the modified imaging lens and aperture configuration, the aperture is positioned between the back focal plane and the image plane of the imaging lens, and the illuminator may be configured to illuminate a portion of the trackball with a planar-wavefront illumination beam. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment of an integrated circuit device may comprise an integrated circuit package, a sensor element attached within the integrated circuit package, a capacitance sensor coupled with the sensor element and situated within the integrated circuit package, wherein the capacitance sensor is configured to measure a capacitance of the sensor element, and an output pin positioned at the exterior of the integrated circuit package, wherein the output pin is configured to carry a signal based on the measured capacitance of the sensor element.

Abstract: A system and method for resetting semiconductor memory is disclosed. The present invention uses an array reset circuit to independently drive the bit lines of a volatile memory cell high or low so as to reset either a single memory cell or all memory cells in an array with all 0's or all 1's.

Abstract: A configurable switched capacitor block includes a switched-capacitor (SC) sampling circuit, a fully differential amplifier, an SC feedback circuit, and a comparator. The SC sampling circuit is coupled to receive an input signal and to selectively generate a sampled signal to a differential input of the amplifier. The SC feedback circuit is coupled between the differential inputs and the differential outputs of the amplifier to selectively control a feedback of the amplifier. The comparator is coupled to the differential outputs of the amplifier to generate an output signal. The configurable switched capacitor block has multiple modes of operation which are selectable by programming the SC sampling circuit and the SC feedback circuit.

Abstract: A single-layer touch-sensor device having a calibration mechanism coupled therewith is described. Included is a charge measurement circuit coupled, by a pair of electrical traces, with a slider of the single-layer touch-sensor device. A pair of calibration capacitors is included, each calibration capacitor coupled, between the slider and the charge measurement circuit, with one of the pair of electrical traces. A pair of connection switches is also included, each connection switch coupled with one of the pair of calibration capacitors.

Abstract: A technique for recognizing and rejecting false activation events related to a capacitance sense interface includes measuring a capacitance value of a capacitance sense element. The measured capacitance value is analyzed to determine a baseline capacitance value for the capacitance sensor. The capacitance sense interface monitors a rate of change of the measured capacitance values and rejects an activation of the capacitance sense element as a non-touch event when the rate of change of the measured capacitance values have a magnitude greater than a threshold level, indicative of a maximum rate of change of a touch event.

Abstract: A programmable system includes a core processing unit to perform various data operations. The programmable system includes a transceiver having programmable analog and digital devices that, when initially configured by the programmable system, receive and collect status information of other programmable systems independently of the data operations performed by the core processing unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to detect the presence of a material at a sensing device and to determine whether the material is a first material having a first material property or a second material having a second material property.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can filter noise that presents in a subset of electrodes in the proximity of a sense object (i.e., finger). A capacitance sensing system can include a sense network comprising a plurality of electrodes for generating sense values; a noise listening circuit configured to detect noise on a plurality of the electrodes; and a filtering circuit that enables a filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are above one level, and disables the filtering for localized noise events when detected noise values are below the one level.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor may include a transmit electrode and a receive electrode capacitively coupled with the transmit electrode. A capacitance sensing circuit senses a capacitance between the transmit and receive electrodes by applying a signal to the transmit electrode and rectifying a signal induced at the receive electrode. A compensation circuit reduces the effect of a mutual and parasitic capacitances of the transmit and receive electrode pair by adding a compensation signal to the rectified signal.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a LED lighting system and method. A transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding. A plurality of LED strings are coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer. At least one switch is coupled to at least one of the plurality of LED strings. A controller is coupled to the at least one switch and configured to control the operation of the at least one switch such that current flows through the plurality of LED strings in an alternating manner.

Abstract: A replica biased voltage regulator circuit and method of load regulation are provided herein. According to one embodiment, the replica biased voltage regulator circuit includes an operational amplifier and a comparator, wherein outputs of the operational amplifier and comparator are respectively and simultaneously supplied to a front gate and a back gate of an output stage transistor included for regulating an output voltage generated by the replica biased voltage regulator circuit.

Abstract: An address generation system and method is provided for internally storing and thereafter producing an address to be sent to a memory device. The address that is stored need not be sent from an external address bus at each clock cycle, but the processing can remain internal to the memory device. The burst-block starting address can be stored in the mirror register and output from a selector circuit, such as a multiplexer, when that address is chosen. Otherwise, the multiplexer can simply perform its normal operation of selecting between an address pointed to by a counter, the external address, or the incremented counter output, based on the state of the external counter control signals. The system includes a mirror register, a counter, and a multiplexer that selects either the mirror register stored address or the internally processed address.

Abstract: A carrier provides the ability to perform wet chemical processing on substrates using low cost equipment inspired by the electroplating methods typically utilized in leadframe-based semiconductor packaging or printed circuit board industries. Two frame pieces are mated together to form the carrier which enables transport of at least one substrate through wet chemical processing and includes a non-conductive frame with an exposed conductive flange to allow electrical coupling with processing equipment. Electrical contacts within the non-conductive frame make contact with the at least one substrate and are coupled to the conductive flange allowing an electrical potential to develop across the substrate while undergoing processing within the electroplating equipment.

Abstract: In embodiments described herein, a memory architecture has an array of non-volatile memory cells and a pair of independently controlled voltage pumps. The pair of voltage pumps is coupled for supplying both positive and negative voltage biases to the memory array during program and erase operations, such that a sum of the magnitudes of the positive and negative voltage biases is applied across a storage node of an accessed memory cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus receive first input through a touch screen and communicate over a cellular network responsive to the first input. The method and apparatus receive second input through the touch screen and use the second input to control, through a wireless network other than the cellular network, an image displayed on a screen of a second device.