Abstract: One inductive sensor is configured to maintain a fixed frequency in a resonant circuit. One apparatus includes an inductance-to-digital converter (LDC). The LDC includes a digital filter to measure an inductance change of a sensor and convert the inductance change to a digital value. The LDC further includes a digital control loop to maintain a fixed frequency in the sensor. The sensor forms an oscillator in the digital control loop. An output of the digital control loop is representative of the inductance change of the sensor.

Abstract: A time-to-digital converter (TDC) circuit includes phase error calculation circuitry to: determine phase error values based on a time difference between a input reference clock and a feedback clock of a digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) circuit, the input reference clock and the feedback clock being unsynchronized; and provide the phase error values to a digital loop filter (DLF) of the DPLL circuit. The TDC circuit further includes clock generation circuitry to: generate a filter clock that asserts a clock pulse in response to detecting each last-received pulse of the input reference clock and the feedback clock; and provide the filter clock to the DLF concurrently with providing the phase error values to the DLF that are synchronized to the filter clock.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods use a first communication interface to connect with a local device via a first protocol and use a second communication interface to connect with a server via a second protocol. Embodiments relay secure communications between the local device and the server for authentication of the at least one local device by the server and responsive to authentication of the local device by the server, transmit information for storage in a secure memory of the authenticated local device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices implement supplemental scanning for establishing network connections in wireless networks. Methods include sending a request to a wireless device, the request including a plurality of scanning parameters, the plurality of scanning parameters identifying a plurality of requested wireless network parameters. Methods also include receiving a reply from the wireless device, the reply including a result of one or more scanning operations performed based on the plurality of scanning parameters. Methods further include selecting, using one or more processors, one or more network connection operations based, at least in part, on the result of the one or more scanning operations, the one or more network connection operations identifying a timing relative to a plurality of wireless projection packets. Methods additionally include performing, using the one or more processors, the one or more network connection operations based, at least in part, on the identified timing.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed describe systems and methods that include establishing, by a wireless device, a communication link with a wireless access point (AP) device over an operating channel, the wireless AP device providing a single-band access within a first frequency band; time-multiplexing, by the wireless device, transmitting beacons or probes within a second frequency band with communicating with the wireless AP device over the operating channel within the first frequency band; and configuring the beacons or probes to advertise, to other wireless devices in the second frequency band, availability of connection to the wireless AP device over the operating channel within the first frequency band.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of high-distance directional proximity sensors are described. One apparatus includes at least three electrodes in a sensor layer, an electrode in a shield layer, and an insulator located between the layers. A processing device is configured to scan the at least three electrodes over a period of time to obtain a digital signal for each of the at least three electrodes while driving a shield signal on the electrode of the shield layer. The processing device detects a gesture by an object using the digital signals. The processing device measures an amplitude value of the digital signal for each of the at least three electrodes and outputs an indication of the gesture responsive to a ratio of a highest amplitude value and a lowest amplitude value satisfying a first threshold criterion that represents the object being within a proximity detection area above the sensor layer.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of capacitance-to-digital code conversion are described. One apparatus includes a bridge circuit and a modulator front-end circuit. The bridge circuit includes a first terminal to couple to a reference cell and a second terminal to couple to a sensor cell. The modulator front-end circuit includes a comparator coupled to the bridge circuit, a first modulation capacitor coupled to a first input of the comparator, and a second modulation capacitor coupled to a second input of the comparator. The modulator front-end circuit provides a digital bitstream. A duty cycle of the digital bitstream is representative of a ratio between a capacitance of the sensor cell and a reference capacitance of the reference cell.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices enable coexistence of traffic for collocated transceivers. Methods may include generating a target-wake-time (TWT) agreement based on availability of a first transceiver and a plurality of wireless devices. Methods also include generating a medium access schedule for the first transceiver using a first transmission protocol based on transmission events determined based on a second transmission protocol of a second transceiver, the second transceiver being collocated in the same device as the first transceiver, and the medium access schedule being a TWT schedule including active times for the first transceiver and each of the plurality of wireless devices determined based on a timing and duty cycle of the second transmission protocol and activity of the second transceiver. Methods also include transmitting the TWT schedule to the plurality of wireless devices, the TWT schedule identifying the one or more active times to the plurality of wireless devices.

Abstract: A touch screen display and corresponding devices and methods are disclosed, the touch screen display comprising a touchscreen having a plurality of capacitive sensors and a passive dial having one or more conductive elements, the passive dial mounted within an active area of the touchscreen such that the one or more conductive elements are proximate to the face of the touchscreen and move in conjunction with a rotation of the passive dial. The touch screen display may further include a touchscreen controller to detect an angle of the passive dial using conventional capacitive sensing techniques.

Abstract: An IC controller for USB Type-C device includes an error amplifier (EA), which includes an EA output coupled to a PWM comparator of a buck-boost converter; a first transconductance amplifier to adjust a current at the EA output, the first transconductance amplifier operating in a constant voltage mode; and a second transconductance amplifier to adjust the current at the EA output, the second transconductance amplifier operating in a constant current mode. A first set of programmable registers is to store a first set of increasingly higher transconductance values. A second set of programmable registers is to store a second set of increasingly higher transconductance values. Control logic is to: cause the first transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the first set of programmable registers; and cause the second transconductance amplifier to operate while sequentially using transconductance values stored in the second set of programmable registers.

Abstract: An example method for estimating the angle-of-arrival (AoA) and other parameters of radio frequency (RF) signals that are received by an antenna array comprises: receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signal power measurements by a plurality of antenna elements at a plurality of RF channels; computing, by applying a machine learning model to the plurality of RF signal power measurements, an estimated RF signal parameter value; and outputting the RF signal parameter value.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices seamlessly playback data files using one or more wireless connections. Methods include establishing a first wireless connection between a source device and a sink device, the first wireless connection using a first transmission protocol and transmitting audio data via the first wireless connection. Methods further include determining a switch should be initiated based on one or more signal quality metrics, the one or more signal quality metrics representing, at least in part, an estimate of a quality of the first wireless connection. Methods also include switching to a second wireless connection between the source device and the sink device, the second wireless connection using a second transmission protocol, and the second wireless connection using data packets encapsulated for transmission in accordance with the second transmission protocol.

Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) device includes a USB Type-C connector having a configuration channel (CC) terminal and an integrated circuit (IC) controller. The IC controller comprises a VCONN pin coupled to the CC terminal of the USB Type-C connector, an output terminal, and an on-chip voltage protection circuit coupled between the VCONN pin and the output terminal. The on-chip voltage protection circuit comprises a switch coupled between the VCONN pin and the output terminal, a pump logic coupled to a gate of the switch, a resistor coupled between the VCONN pin and the gate of the switch, and a diode clamp coupled between the gate of the switch and ground.

Abstract: An IC controller for a USB Type-C device includes a register that is programmable to store a pulse width and a frequency. A buck-boost converter of the controller includes a first high-side switch and a second high-side switch. Control logic is coupled to the register and gates of the first/second high-side switches. To perform a soft start in one of buck mode or boost mode, the control logic: causes the second high-side switch to operate in diode mode; retrieves values of the pulse width and the frequency from the register; causes the first high-side switch to turn on using pulses having the pulse width and at the frequency; detects an output voltage at the output terminal of the buck-boost converter that exceeds a threshold value; and in response to the detection, transfers control of the buck-boost converter to an error amplifier loop coupled to the control logic.

Abstract: A USB-power delivery integrated circuit controller includes: one or more driver circuits configured to control operation of a buck-boost converter; a regulator configured to regulate an internal supply voltage of the controller from a variable input voltage of the buck-boost converter in a regulation mode, and to pass the variable input voltage as the internal supply voltage without regulation in a bypass mode, the regulator being in the bypass mode when the variable input voltage is below the internal supply voltage, the regulator including an amplifier and a pass transistor configured to pass a current that is inversely proportional to an output of the amplifier; a clamping circuit configured to limit an overdrive voltage of the pass transistor during an inrush current event; and an override circuit configured to deactivate the clamping circuit in the bypass mode when the current passed by the pass transistor is below a current threshold.

Abstract: A mode-transition architecture for USB controllers is described herein. In an example embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) controller includes a controller coupled to a slope compensation circuit, the controller to detect a transition of a buck-boost converter from a first mode having a first duty cycle to a second mode having a second duty cycle that is less or more than the first duty cycle. The controller controls the slope compensation circuit to nullify an error in an output caused by the transition. The controller can cause the slope compensation circuit to apply a charge stored in a capacitor during a first cycle to start a second cycle with a higher voltage than the first cycle.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the accuracy of a secure phase-based ranging procedure and a Direction Finding procedure. The method includes receiving radio frequency signals from a second communication device. The method includes operating in a first mode including generating first location data based on the radio frequency signals and, transferring the first location data to a second processor in compliance with a Bluetooth Host Control Interface. The method includes comparing one or more conditions to one or more threshold values and responsive to the comparing transitioning from operating in the first mode to operating in a second mode. The method includes, while operating the second mode, generating second location data based on the radio frequency signals and, transferring the second location data to the second processor at a higher data transfer rate than the transferring of the first location data to the second processor.

Abstract: A multicarrier phase ranging system and method are provided. Generally, the method includes performing a handshake between first and a second transceiver to negotiate a list of channels and a start-time for a multicarrier phase ranging process. The process includes in a first cycle exchanging a Constant Tone (CT) between the first and second transceiver in a first epoch on a first channel, and processing the CT received in the first and second transceiver to measure a difference in phase between the CT received and a reference signal. The CT received is checked for interference using software or hardware in either or both of the first and second transceiver. If no interference is detected the first and second transceiver switch to another channel and exchange the CT at a next epoch. If interference is detected, at least one channel is skipped for at least a subsequent epoch.

Abstract: A system and method for centrally logging and aggregating miscompares on chip during a memory test. The method includes performing, by a built-in self-test (BIST) unit of a memory device, a memory test on one or more memory banks of the memory device using a first algorithm. The method includes generating miscompare results responsive to performing the memory test on the one or more memory banks of the memory device. The method includes determining failure diagnostic information based on the miscompare results. The method includes generating an error packet comprising the failure diagnostic information and the miscompare results. The method includes placing the error packet in a queue of a plurality of error packets to generate a queued error packet.

Abstract: A system and method for using a programmable macro built-in self-test (BIST) to test an integrated circuit. The method includes receiving, by a built-in self-test (BIST) controller of an integrated circuit (IC) device from a testing equipment, a test vector of a first type for testing a first region of the IC device. The method includes identifying, based on the test vector of the first type, a first BIST engine of a plurality of BIST engines associated with the first region of the IC device. The method includes generating, based on the test vector of the first type, a first command of the second type. The method includes configuring, based on the first command of the second type, the first BIST engine of the plurality of BIST engines to cause the first BIST engine to perform a first set of tests on the first region of the IC device.