Abstract: A charge pump circuit using more than one parallel source is described. A flying capacitor of the charge pump maintains a break-before-make time with respect to the switches within a side of the charge pump. A flying capacitor of the charge pump takes advantage of a make-before-break time with respect to the switches between the sides of the charge pump. This results in the shared load of the charge pump always receiving current from a flying capacitor. This slight change of control of the flying capacitor switching phases removes the need for a filtering capacitor within the charge pump.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein describe a switching power converter that includes a switch, an inductor, a diode, and a controller that generates a control signal to turn on and turn off the switch. The controller generates the control signal by generating a reference signal, integrating a difference between a voltage value of the generated reference signal, and a voltage difference between voltage values of the switching node and the second output terminal, and generating the control signal by processing the integrated voltage difference.

Abstract: A multi-phase DC-to-DC converter is configured to achieve fast transient response and to optimize efficiency over the load range. Phase shedding changes the active number of phases according to output currents. Each phase of the converter has an inductor configured to optimize the efficiency for a range of load currents in which that phase is used. A converter may have 3 phases, the first used only in sleep mode and has a large inductance with low AC losses, the second used in sync mode at low currents and having a lower inductance with low AC losses, the third phase is used in sync mode at high currents and has small inductance with low DC losses. The number of phases is ?2.

Abstract: Systems and methods that employ an application-assisted approach to adaptive spatio-temporal error concealment in video decoders. The systems and methods employ a video receiver that can receive real-time video frames from a video transmitter over a wired and/or wireless network. The video receiver includes an end system configurable as an application for consuming the content of the real-time video frames. The end system application can determine whether each received real-time video frame is complete or incomplete, whether each received slice is complete or incomplete, and provide such information to the video decoder for use in avoiding errors while decoding the respective real-time video frames.

Abstract: A control circuit included within a multi-phase switched-mode converter is configured for adjusting operational signals for adding power stages of the multi-phase switched-mode converter to dynamically respond to transient changes in load current for minimizing undershoot while avoiding overshoot of an output voltage of the multi-phase switched-mode converter. The control circuit has panic comparators configured such that each panic comparator has an input terminal connected to receive the output voltage for comparison with one of a plurality of reference voltages. A panic controller receives panic indicator signals from the panic comparators and determines which of the power stages are to be activated to match the transient change to the load current to prevent for minimizing undershoot and for preventing overshoot of the output voltage of the multi-phase switched-mode converter. The multi-phase switched-mode converter may operate in a continuous or discontinuous conduction mode.

Abstract: An on-chip thermoelectric generator comprises an integrated circuit comprising a substrate and at least one thermocouple integrated with the substrate, wherein the thermocouple is configured to convert a temperature difference into a voltage. A metal bump or metal pillar is thermally connected to a portion of the thermocouple for generating the temperature difference. The metal bump or metal pillar is electrically insulated from said at least one thermocouple. The metal bump or metal pillar is electrically connected to a component of the integrated circuit which is different from the thermocouple.

Abstract: This application relates to an active diode circuit for letting current pass in one direction and blocking current in the opposite direction. The active diode circuit comprises a transistor, a control voltage generation circuit for generating a control voltage that is supplied to a control terminal of the transistor, and a sensing circuit for detecting a quantity indicative of a current flowing through the transistor. The control voltage generation circuit generates the control voltage in dependence on the detected quantity. The application further relates to a method of controlling a transistor to function as an active diode so that current may pass in one direction and is blocked in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The present document relates to a start-up circuit comprising a power switch wherein a circuit charges a supply voltage capacitor. The capacitor provides a supply voltage to a power switch; the power switch forms a switched power converter with a power converter network. The circuit comprises a source and gate interface for coupling the circuit to the power switch; a capacitor interface couples the circuit to the supply voltage capacitor; a start-up path couples the gate interface to the capacitor interface; wherein the startup path provides a voltage at the gate interface which is at or above a threshold voltage of the power switch; and a charging path couples the source interface to the capacitor interface; wherein the charging path provides a charging current to the capacitor interface, when the power switch is in on-state.

Abstract: A device for determining impedance at a data pin of a communication interface. In one embodiment, the device includes a current source configured to selectively inject a test current to the data pin. The device also includes a sensing circuit for sensing a first test voltage corresponding to a voltage at the data pin without the test current injected, and a second test voltage corresponding to another voltage at the data pin with the test current injected. The sensing circuit determines the impedance at the data pin based on the first test voltage and the second test voltage.

Abstract: A multi-mode control scheme for an LED lamp system uses the detected firing angle of an AC input voltage waveform to select from multiple regulation modes. In operation, a current controller compares the detected firing angle to one or more specified thresholds and selects the appropriate regulation scheme based on the comparison result. When the detected firing angle is less than a first firing angle threshold, the controller employs a current shaping regulation mode. When the detected firing angle is greater than a second firing angle threshold, the controller employs a switching cycle-I_Peak modulation regulation mode. And when the detected firing angle is greater than the first firing angle threshold and less than the second firing angle threshold, the controller employs a hybrid regulation mode.

Abstract: A device for true random number generation is disclosed. The device comprises an antenna and an analog processing unit for analog processing of a signal received from the antenna. An analog to digital (AD) converter is used for converting an analog signal generated by the analog processing unit into a digital signal. An isolation means is applied for temporarily isolating the antenna from the analog processing unit and the AD converter to generate a noise signal. A sampling means is used for sampling output values generated by the AD converter when the antenna is isolated from the analog processing unit and the AD converter. A digital processing unit is used for processing the sampled output values generated by the AD converter. The digital processing unit is configured to generate a random number based on one or more of the output values generated by the AD converter.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit with an oscillator stage and a first current source arranged to drive the oscillator stage is presented. The oscillator stage has an oscillator stage input terminal, an oscillator stage output terminal, an oscillator arranged to provide an oscillating signal between the oscillator stage input terminal and the oscillator stage output terminal. The oscillator circuit has an operational amplifier with an inverting input, a non-inverting input and an operational amplifier output. The oscillator stage input terminal and the oscillator stage output terminal are coupled to the inverting input and non-inverting input. The operational amplifier output is coupled to the oscillator stage input terminal such that the oscillator stage input terminal and the oscillator stage output terminal are controlled to have a same DC voltage level.

Abstract: In order to accelerate the response of buck converters to load transients buck converters having asymmetric phase designs having a load step detection are used. When a relatively large and fast load step is detected, the clock frequency of “fast”valley mode phases is reduced, which are populated with fast, low value inductors. The clock frequency is returned to its normal rate when the current in the “slow” phases has reached a suitable level.

Abstract: The present document relates to a pre-charge circuit of electronic circuits having Miller compensation and significant output capacitance such as LDOs or multistage amplifiers. The pre-charge circuit limits an inrush current right after enabling of the electronic circuit. The pre-charge circuit limits and clamps the fast charging of the Miller capacitor. A delay circuit disables the pre-charge circuit when the bias conditions of the Miller capacitor are close to normal bias conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and circuits to measure independently of duty cycles a pulsed current of a pass transistor of a switched circuit. Methods and circuits of one embodiment may be applied to precisely operate DC-to-DC converters such as buck converters in the most efficient operation modes. Another embodiment can be used to measure the pulsed current independently of duty cycle over a wide range of current values.

Abstract: The present document relates to the compensation of voltage variations within power converters. A driver circuit for a solid state light source is described. The driver circuit comprises a switched-mode power converter comprising a switch; wherein the switched-mode power converter is configured to convert an input voltage at an input of the switched-mode power converter into an output voltage at an output of the switched-mode power converter. Furthermore, the driver circuit comprises current sensing means configured to determine a sensed current signal indicative of a current through the switch; and voltage sensing means configured to determine a sensed voltage signal indicative of the input voltage. In addition, the driver circuit comprises a control unit configured to determine a gate control signal for putting the switch into an off-state, based on the sensed current signal and based on the sensed voltage signal.

Abstract: A system for assessing blood circulation in a subject's limb, including detection means for detecting a signal dependent upon the arterial blood volume in a limb of the subject when the subject is in a first posture and also when the subject is in a second posture, different to the first posture; and processing means for calculating a quantitative indicator that is dependent upon the ratio of the signal for the first posture to the signal for the second posture.

Abstract: This specification relates to a method and a system for detecting light emitting diode (LED) short circuit in a plurality of LED strings or detecting matching among the plurality of LED strings, wherein one end of each of the plurality of LED strings is connected to a same output end of a power supply, and the other end is respectively connected to a corresponding switch. According to the present invention, first current of each of LED strings is obtained when the output end of the power supply outputs a first voltage; differences between the minimum of the first currents of LED strings and other first currents are calculated; the differences are compared with a comparing threshold; it is determined that the LED strings corresponding to the other currents for which differences are larger than the comparing threshold include short circuit or mismatch with the LED string corresponding to the minimum current. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of pins and area of a control chip.

Abstract: A highly efficient voltage conversion circuit device with both asymmetric and symmetric gate voltages is disclosed, to obtain high efficiency for low or medium load currents through the asymmetric gate voltage control and high efficiency for high load currents through the symmetric gate voltage control. The device includes an intermediate voltage generation circuit unit, gate voltage driver circuits connected to the intermediate voltage generation circuit unit, and multi-phase switches connected to the asymmetric gate voltage driver circuits, etc. The intermediate voltage generation circuit unit includes a voltage reference circuit unit that provides the reference voltage for the intermediate voltage generation, an active current pull-down circuit unit, a current pull-up that is supplied by a high value resistor, and a charge storage capacitor.

Abstract: A circuit and method for providing an improved efficiency for a DCDC converter. A power converter, comprising a buck converter comprising an adaptive output, an adaptive transconductance block configured to evaluate resistive power terms, a multiplier block configured to provide capacitive power terms, and a comparator configured to compare resistive power and capacitive power terms for determining the selection of the branches of said adaptive output. The method for improved efficiency includes providing a switching converter with an adaptive output stage comprising the steps of providing a switching converter, evaluate capacitive power loss, evaluate resistive power loss, compare capacitive power loss and resistive power loss, and lastly adapting the output stage size.