Abstract: A system and methods for an interface for magnetic sensors to determine a rotational angle has been achieved. This interface can be used for magnetic sensors providing analog signals of the sine and cosine values of the angle to be determined. Analog signals are being processed in two measurement paths for the sine and cosine signal each until the desired angle is computed by a CORDIC processor. The first stage of the measurement path is the conversion of the sine and cosine signals from analog to digital by 2nd order delta-sigma modulators with an over-sampling ratio. A low-pass decimation filter with sinc3 characteristic performs the digital value computation. The next stage normalizes the digitized sine and cosine values to correct offset and scaling deviations.

Abstract: Methods to achieve low power consumption, high output amplitude and an improved high frequency stability, and high speed for voltage-controlled oscillators are disclosed These methods includes to provide a current mirror, a power supply voltage Vdd, two single-ended outputs, a lower layer of gain providing structure comprising cross-coupled transistors, an upper layer of gain providing structure, a control voltage, a pair of capacitors to block a DC-connection to the gates of said cross-coupled transistors, a pair of resistors, and an LC-tank. Important steps of these methods include to set the time instances when said transistors of lower layer of gain providing structure open and close, to shut-down the transistors of lower layer of gain providing structure as soon as the energy required to keep the oscillations in said LC-tank is secured, to add additional gain in the amplification loop; and to pump-out charges of the channels of said transistors of said lower layer gain providing structure.

Abstract: Circuits and methods are given, to realize and implement an oscillator circuit with an Average Controlled (AC) Resonator Driver. A newly introduced additional Field Effect Transistor within a voltage average stabilizing regulation loop controlling the crystal oscillator's amplifier element produces an average voltage value stabilized sinusoidal oscillation signal which is then transformed into a square wave with a precise duty-cycle of exactly 50%. Said circuits and methods are designed in order to be implemented with a very economic number of components, capable to be realized with modern integrated circuit technologies.

Abstract: A circuit and a method are given, to realize and implement an oscillator circuit with a Smart Current Controlled (SCC) Resonator Driver. A newly introduced controlled current source for a crystal oscillator's amplifier element produces a controlled driving current for the resonator element during operation in both phases of the oscillation cycle to reach for low phase noise and reduced power consumption of the circuit. Said circuit and method are designed in order to be implemented with a very economic number of components, capable to be realized with modern integrated circuit technologies.

Abstract: Methods and systems to achieve linear and exponential control over a current to drive color LEDs have been achieved. Current digital-to-analog converters (IDAC) comprising each an exponential current digital-to analog converter and a linear IDAC, being cascaded to each other are used for a linear and an exponential control of a current driving a set of color LEDs, preferably RGB LEDs. The linear part of the IDAC, which is converting the mantissa of a floating-point number is used to control the color composition of the color LEDs. The exponential part of the IDAC, which is converting the exponent of the floating-point number is used to control the brightness of the color LEDs. While fading from one color to a next color a linear color change is required. The exponential part of the IDAC is used to dim the LEDs from bright to dark and vice versa. In order to get the visual perception of a linear dimming an exponential current change is required.

Abstract: A battery charging, discharging, and protection switch circuit with enhanced reverse voltage protection is achieved. The circuit comprises, first, field effect transistor (FET) switches having gate, source, drain, and bulk. The FET switches may comprise either NMOS devices or PMOS devices. Second, means of controlling the FET switch's gate and bulk are included. The FET switch gate voltage determines the OFF and ON state of said FET switches. The bulk is switchable coupled between the battery terminal and the load terminal. To achieve high voltage breakdown limits the FET switch is realized with cascaded MOSFETs, where as a novelty here under certain operating conditions, i.e. the battery charger coupled in reverse condition—one FET is working as a source follower. All the necessary MOSFET switches are integrated onto a single chip, together with its controller logic. To form these MOSFETs within a single IC together with the other circuit elements is much less expensive.

Abstract: A method and circuits to improve the stability of low dropout voltage regulators having an adaptive biased driving stage. Said improvement of stabilization is valid through the total range of output current possible. A serial impedance is added to the gate capacitance of the PMOS pass device of said LDO. Said serial impedance could be a resistor or a transistor. In case of low load currents said impedance is not dominating, for high load currents said impedance keeps the gate pole close to the resonance frequency of the output tank. In case of medium load currents, wherein the inner resistance of the driving stage is about equal to said serial impedance, the gate pole could get too low. This problem is solved by reducing said serial impedance by shunting. Said shunting can be performed stepwise depending on the size of the load current.

Abstract: A circuit and a method are given, to realize a dynamical biasing of memory sense amplifiers for Sense Electronics Endowed (SEE) memory devices. Fast memories uses sense amplifiers in the read path in order to react fast with the data being delivered from a given address position. In order to achieve short response times, these sense amplifiers are normally supplied with a high bias current. Dynamically reducing the bias current after a certain “on” time of operation will save power for fast memories used in conditions where the utmost speed is not needed. Said circuit and method are designed in order to be implemented with a very economic number of components, capable to be realized with modern integrated circuit technologies.

Abstract: Actual switching DC—DC converters have disadvantages in specific operating regions due to different reasons for power losses. Large switching transistors provide favorable efficiency at high output currents, but need high currents to charge/discharge the switching transistor's gate, resulting in poor efficiency at low output currents. Small transistors are more efficient at low currents, but are poor at high currents. The disclosed invention changes the size of the MOSFET switching transistors proportional to the output current, thus combining the efficiency of small transistors at low output currents and of large transistors at high output currents.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to methods and systems for distributing image capture devices, images, and prints. One embodiment of the present invention advantageously provides cameras, such as digital cameras or film cameras, to consumers for free or at a discounted cost. In exchange, the consumer makes a commitment that a certain number of image reproduction or prints will be purchased by the consumer and/or by others. In another embodiment, a user receives prints with associated advertisements attached at a reduced price.

Abstract: A method for tracking the MOS oxide thickness by the native threshold voltage of a “native” MOS transistor without channel implantation for the purpose of compensating MOS capacitance variations is achieved. The invention makes use of the fact that in MOS devices the threshold voltage is proportionally correlated to the oxide thickness of said MOS device. Said threshold voltage can therefore be used to build a reference voltage Vx+Vth which accurately tracks the MOS capacitance variations in integrated circuits. Circuits are achieved to create a frequency reference and a capacitance reference using said method. Additionally a method is introduced to create a capacitance reference in integrated circuits using said MOSFET capacitors.

Abstract: A method for tracking the MOS oxide thickness by the native threshold voltage of a “native” MOS transistor without channel implantation for the purpose of compensating MOS capacitance variations is achieved. The invention makes use of the fact that in MOS devices the threshold voltage is proportionally correlated to the oxide thickness of said MOS device. Said threshold voltage can therefore be used to build a reference voltage Vx+Vth which accurately tracks the MOS capacitance variations in integrated circuits. Circuits are achieved to create a frequency reference and a capacitance reference using said method Additionally a method is introduced to create a capacitance reference in integrated circuits using said MOSFET capacitors.

Abstract: A method and a system for the compensation of Fixed Pattern Noise (FPN) in digital images have been achieved. The FPN compensation is based on processing done during the production of said images. The fixed pattern noise is here defined as the fixed pattern seen in the individual pixel offsets. The fixed pattern noise is uncorrelated noise but it has a statistical distribution that can be scaled to fit all images. The general idea is to measure the distribution for each individual camera, compress it, and save it in the module. For each image that is then taken with the module the noise pattern can be retrieved and rescaled to fit the image. Covered pixels are employed to normalize the FPN data to the current frame. In order to minimize memory requirements a compression scheme has to be used. A method combining a quantization step with a non-lossy compression is used. The black level is corrected for as part of the operation.

Abstract: A circuit and a related method to sense the inductor current of CD/DC buck converters have been achieved. The inductor current is sensed by generation of a voltage drop across a fully integrated sense resistor. The voltage drop is proportional to the inductor current in the pass device by supplying a fraction of the inductor current out of a source-follower, which matches to the pass device. The source of said source-follower is connected to a sense-resistor that is connected to the same supply as the pass device. The current, which is needed to generate the voltage drop, is fed back into the inductor current minimizing therefore the efficiency loss. Mirroring, amplification and offset correction of the voltage drop across the sense-resistor is performed by using a single matching pair of source-follower, which is supplied by a current tracking the internal reference voltage and the process variations of the resistors.

Abstract: There is shown an single chip CMOS device for capturing a video image. The device includes an APS imager containing an array of pixels for providing a signal representing a scene, a row of extended dynamic range sample and hold circuits for receiving a signal from the array of pixels and a row of linear sample and hold circuits for receiving another signal for said array of pixels. Also included is an image processor for determining a controllable function and for processing a plurality of signals received from the extended dynamic range sample and hold circuits and the linear sample and hold circuits according to said controllable function to form a processed video signal. Further included is a memory for storing the controllable function and the processed video signal.

Abstract: A new electronic imaging system is achieved. The system comprises a sensor having a first color region, a second color region, and a third color region. A prism system comprises a first prism having a first index of refraction and overlying the first color region. The first prism directs incident light of the first color to the first color region of the sensor. A second prism has a second index of refraction and overlies the second color region. The second prism directs incident light of the second color to the second color region of the sensor. A third prism has a third index of refraction and overlies the third color region. The third prism directs incident light of the third color to the third color region of the sensor.

Abstract: A method and circuits of a high isolation and high-speed buffer amplifier capable to handle frequencies in the GHz range have been achieved. The output to input isolation is primary dependent on the gate-source capacitance of the active buffer transistor. Having two or more in series and by reducing the impedance between them a high isolation can be achieved. The input signals are split in several signal paths and are amplified in the push-pull mode using source follower amplifiers. Then the amplified signals are being combined again. The amplified output current is mirrored applying a multiplication factor. Said method and technology can be used for buffer amplifiers having differential input and differential output or having single input and single output or having differential input and single output. A high reversed biased (output to input) isolation and a reduced quiescent current have been achieved.

Abstract: A motor bridge driver interlace, implemented in an ASIC using cost-efficient CMOS technology, is designed to control four external MOS power transistors in a H-bridge configuration for DC-motor driving to achieve accurate and fast switching. Main components of the interface are a charge pump for generating the control voltage for the high-side N-channel MOS transistors, high-side (HSD) circuits, low-side (LSD) circuits and a complex digital interlace for supplying the control signals in a programmable timing scheme. A “strong” charge pump is used to realize a simple CMOS switch to steer the output to the high-side transistors of said H-bridge. The motor bridge is connected to the battery supply by an additional N-channel MOS transistor to implement a reverse supply protection.

Abstract: A circuit and a related method to measure very precisely the resistance Rm of a small resistor independent from process and temperature variations. This resistor may be the RON resistance of an external sensor or e.g. the resistance of a safety device as a squib. A constant current source provides a current IBIAS causing a voltage drop Vm at the resistor to be measured. Using a configuration of operational amplifiers and current mirrors, wherein one of the current mirrors has a gain of n, an output voltage VOUT is achieved, which is defined by VOUT=n×Rm×IBIAS. The gain n of a current mirror allows a very precise measurement of the resistance Rm of the resistor to be measured. The output voltage is finally converted from analog to digital values.

Abstract: A system and methods to convert a digital bit stream to analog values without previous knowledge of the sample rate of the incoming digital bit stream has been achieved. The system comprises a sample rate measurement device being able to measure the sample rate out of the incoming digital bit stream. Another device is removing all bits, which are not required for the digital to analog conversion from the incoming bit stream. The measured and calculated sample rate is added to the “cleaned” bit stream and a digital to analog conversion device is performing the conversion using the sample rate which has been added to the bit stream.