Abstract: An isolated switching power converter communication channel is provided that comprises a pair of capacitors. A transmitter on a first side of a transformer for the converter transmits a transmitter signal over a first one of the capacitors. The transmitter also transmits a complement of the transmitter signal over a second one of the capacitors. A receiver on a second side of the transformer recovers a signal responsive to a high-pass-filtered difference of the received signals from the pair of capacitors.

Abstract: An electronic biasing circuit provides a DC bias voltage to a circuit to be biased. The biasing circuit has a first transistor and a second transistor. A gate of the first transistor is connected to a gate of the second transistor and supplies the DC bias voltage. A source of the first transistor is connected to a supply reference voltage. A source of the second transistor is connected to the supply reference voltage via a resistor element. The currents flowing through the first and second transistor are forced to be equal. A third transistor is connected in series with the first transistor and a fourth transistor is connected in series with the second transistor. Currents flowing through the third and fourth transistors are forced to be equal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stopping a linear resonant actuator is presented. A control system for use with an oscillating device has a response signal having a back electromotive force component and a driver adapted to provide a drive signal to the oscillating device. The control system has a sensor adapted to sense an electrical parameter of the response signal and a controller coupled to the sensor and to the driver. The controller has a calculator adapted to determine a sign of curvature of a portion of the response signal based on the electrical parameter, and the controller is adapted to provide a control signal to adjust the amplitude of the drive signal to slow down the oscillating device, and withdraw the drive signal upon identifying a change in the sign of curvature.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which provides feedback voltage DC level cancelling for a configurable output of a DC-DC switching converter. By simplifying the design, the operational amplifier can be used for a wider output voltage range. Extension of the usage case to a Boost DC-DC switching converter can give noticeable performance improvements. Offset introduction using a flying capacitor is attractive because it does not require trimming. The proposal also allows for improvements for DC-DC switching converters designed for lower supply voltages, with no decrease in the differential input signal swing.

Abstract: A system in package is provided comprising an embedded trace substrate having redistribution layers therein, at least one passive component mounted on one side of the embedded trace substrate and embedded in a first molding compound, at least one silicon die mounted on an opposite side of the embedded trace substrate and embedded in a second molding compound wherein electrical connections are made between the at least one silicon die and the at least one passive component through the redistribution layers, and solder balls mounted through openings in the second molding layer to the redistribution layers wherein the solder balls provide package output.

Abstract: A dimmer for dimming light emitted by a light source is presented. The dimmer includes a regulation switch for regulating a current flowing through the light source and a regulator circuit that provides an electronic parameter to control the regulation switch. The regulator circuit has a dimmer switch for passing or blocking the electronic parameter, and a signal generator generating a plurality of modulated signals configured to operate the regulator circuit in a first phase and in a second phase. In the first phase the regulation circuit maintains the electronic parameter to a target value. In the second phase the regulation circuit monitors a variation of the electronic parameter and maintains the electronic parameter to a predetermined value.

Abstract: Linear voltage regulators and a method for low-dropout LDO regulators are presented. Specifically, LDO regulators with circuits for noise reduction are discussed. A linear voltage regulator has a first noise reduction filter, an error amplifier circuit, and a pass device. The pass device may be coupled between an input and output terminal of the regulator. The error amplifier circuit generates a control signal for controlling the pass device based on a filtered reference signal and an output voltage at the output terminal of the regulator. The first noise reduction filter generates the filtered reference signal based on a reference voltage of a reference voltage source by reducing noise originating from the reference voltage source or noise generated by one or more passive components coupled between the reference voltage source and the first noise reduction filter.

Abstract: A system in package is described comprising a substrate having a top side and a bottom side, having redistribution layers therein, and having a cavity extending partially into the top side of the substrate. At least one passive component is mounted on the top side of the substrate and into the cavity and embedded in a first molding compound. At least one silicon die is mounted on the bottom side of the substrate and embedded in a second molding compound wherein electrical connections are made between the at least one silicon die and the at least one passive component through the redistribution layers. Solder balls are mounted through openings in the second molding compound to the redistribution layers wherein the solder balls provide package output.

Abstract: A direct AC LED lighting device is provided with a variable current source and a controller. The controller controls the variable current source to conduct a THD compensation current while an LED string in the direct AC lighting device is not conducting to improve power factor and reduce the THD.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for driving a switch, such as a power switch. A driver comprises a voltage sensor to sense a drive voltage, and an electrical source to provide a drive signal having a drive value. The driver is adapted to adjust the drive value based on the drive voltage to limit a switch-current flowing through the switch.

Abstract: A power converter for providing an output voltage is presented. The power converter includes an inductor, a charge pump circuit and a controller. The charge pump circuit has a plurality of charge pumps; each charge pump being selectively coupled to the inductor via a coupling switch. Each charge pump is operable in at least three modes. Each mode is associated with a different conversion ratio. The controller is adapted to provide a first set of control signals to control the coupling switches; and a second set of control signals to operate the charge pump circuit. The second set of control signals is configured to operate a charge pump coupled to the inductor with a sequence of modes.

Abstract: A solid state lighting SSL assembly comprises an SSL device, a capacitor, a directional conducting device and a supply switch. The capacitor is coupled in parallel with the SSL device. The directional conducting device is coupled between an output terminal of the capacitor and a supply terminal which provides a supply voltage for the SSL assembly. The directional conducting device is configured to conduct in a direction from the output terminal to the supply terminal and to isolate in the opposite direction. The supply switch is coupled between the output terminal and ground. In addition, a method for operating a solid state lighting SSL assembly is proposed.

Abstract: A solution is provided for suppressing audio noise in a DC-DC switching converter. A means for limiting the minimum switching frequency of a pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) control is described. A first order gm amplifier dissipates the excess energy added to the inductor, when magnetizing at faster rate than the native PFM. A higher resistance, low-side scaled switch helps reduce wasted energy losses. The low-side scaled switch reduces the rise in the inductor current during magnetization, and hence keeps efficiency up at low loads, when the PFM minimum switching frequency is active.

Abstract: A multi-level switching converter and a method which converts an input voltage provided at an input node to an output voltage provided at an output node is described. The multi-level switching converter has a first converter branch with a first set of switches and a first flying capacitor, and a second converter branch with a second set of switches and a second flying capacitor. Furthermore, the switching converter has a joint inductor for the first and second converter branch, and control circuitry. The control circuitry controls the first and second set of switches to set the output voltage in accordance to a reference voltage, and by doing so it provides a robust regulation of the capacitor voltages across the first and second flying capacitors.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods of video decoding and recording in real-time video communications for use in lossy network environments. The disclosed systems and methods can employ a plurality of wait time thresholds for retransmission of missing video packets, based at least on the processing performed on the respective video packets, such processing including video decoding in a real-time video communication between client devices, and video recording and storing in a video file. The disclosed system and methods can also adaptively perform error concealment on video frames in the bitstream domain prior to recording and storing encoded video frame data in a video file, based at least on estimates of the complexities of the respective video frames.

Abstract: A wafer level chip scale package is described. The wafer level chip scale package comprises a plurality of redistribution layer (RDL) traces connected to a silicon wafer through openings through a first polymer layer to metal pads on a top surface of the silicon wafer. A plurality of underbump metal (UBM) layers each contact one of the plurality of RDL traces through openings in a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer. A plurality of solder bumps lie on each UBM layer. A metal plating layer lies under the first polymer layer and does not contact any of the plurality of RDL traces. At least one separator lies between at least two of the plurality of RDL traces. The separator is a metal fencing between the two neighboring RDL traces or an air gap between the two neighboring RDL traces.

Abstract: A power converter which converts electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is presented. It has a power stage with a high side switching element, a low side switching element and an inductor. The power converter has a voltage-to-current converter coupled to the power stage to convert a voltage indicative of a current flowing into the inductor into an indicator current. A peak current detector receives the indicator current to determine a pedestal component of the indicator current in a first time interval during which the high side switching element is open, and to generate a calibrated indicator current by subtracting the pedestal component from the indicator current. The peak current detector compares the calibrated indicator current with a threshold value for detecting a more precise peak current flowing into the inductor, taking into account the effects of temperature or circuit aging.

Abstract: A bias generator and a method for generating a bias voltage are presented. The bias generator is for use with an electronic circuit comprising a first switch coupled in series with a second switch. The bias generator is adapted to generate a reference voltage, a first bias voltage, and a second bias voltage. The second bias voltage is based on the reference voltage. After applying the first voltage to the first switch and the second voltage to the second switch, the bias generator controls a voltage across the first switch. The bias generator may be adapted to set a value of the reference voltage to control the voltage across the first switch. For instance, the reference voltage may be set to a fix value so that the voltage across the first switch is maintained at a constant value.

Abstract: A method for estimating reception time of beacon signals includes receiving a beacon from a transmitting device, checking the real-time clock (RTC) of a receiving device, checking a timing synchronization function (TSF) of the received beacon, and estimating a reception time of a next beacon according to the RTC, TSF and a period of the beacon.

Abstract: A two-stage power converter includes a dual-level driver to control a current conducted by a switch transistor in a charge pump to control the charging of a flying capacitor in the charge pump.