Abstract: A power interface device includes a main switching converter, an auxiliary switching converter, and a feedback sense circuit. The main switching converter is coupled to an input terminal and an output terminal and configured to operate at a first switching frequency to source a low frequency current from the input terminal to the output terminal. The auxiliary switching converter is coupled to the input terminal and the output terminal in parallel with the main switching converter and configured to operate at a second and higher switching frequency than the first switching frequency to source a fast transient high frequency current from the input terminal to the output terminal.

Abstract: A control system is provided for controlling a power receiving circuit which is configured for receiving power wirelessly and producing an output voltage. The power receiving circuit has a resonant LC circuit including an inductive element and a capacitive element coupled in parallel. The control system includes a switching circuit coupled in parallel to the resonant LC circuit, and a feedback loop circuit configured for regulating the output voltage by controlling duration during which the switching circuit is in a conductive state in each cycle of a voltage developed across the resonant LC circuit.

Abstract: A method synchronizes clock signals generated by a system that includes multiple PLLs that are connected in parallel and output frequency dividers driven by the PLLs. The system receives a common frequency reference signal and a common synchronization signal. Each PLL may have a reference signal frequency divider. The reference frequency divider may be phase-reset, for example, by a transition to a first logic state in the synchronization signal, and the output frequency dividers are each phase-reset, for example, by a transition to a second logic state following the transition to the first logic state in the synchronization signal. The transition to the first logic state may be, for example, a rising edge.

Abstract: An energy storage stack balancing circuit may balance a set of serially connected energy storage devices. An electronic switching system may control the delivery of energy into and out of the inductor. A controller may control the electronic switching system so as to cause energy to be transferred: from one of the energy storage devices into the inductor and then out of the inductor and into a different one, a subset, or all of the energy storage devices; or from a subset of the energy storage devices into the inductor and then out of the inductor and into one, a different subset, or all of the energy storage devices; or from all of the energy storage devices into the inductor and then out of the inductor and into one or a subset the energy storage devices.

Abstract: In a multiphase, current mode controlled switching power supply, current through the inductors in the various phases is sensed to determine when to turn off the switching transistors. An AC current feedback path, sensing the ramping ripple current, is separate from the DC current path, sensing the lower frequency average current. A shared differential amplifier has its inputs multiplexed to receive only the DC component signals from all the phases. The gain of the amplifier is set so that the DC sense signal has the proper proportion to the AC sense signal. The output of the amplifier is sampled and held for each phase using a second multiplexer. The AC sense signal and the amplified DC sense signal, for each phase, are combined by a summing circuit. The composite sense signal is applied to a comparator for each phase to control the duty cycle of the associated switch.

Abstract: A system for monitoring an energy storage system composed of multiple cells connected in series has a chain of monitors including at least first and second monitors. The first monitor is configured for monitoring at least a first cell in the energy storage system to produce first monitored data. The second monitor is configured for monitoring at least a second cell in the energy storage system to produce second monitored data. The first monitor is further configured for transferring the first monitored data to the second monitor for delivery to a controller.

Abstract: A device reduces its energy consumption using a relatively lower frequency and lower power secondary oscillator to maintain timing information when a higher frequency and higher power primary oscillator is inactivated. The secondary oscillator maintains timing information at a higher resolution than the period of the oscillator, so as to conserve synchronization when the higher frequency, higher power primary oscillator is inactivated. In some embodiments, a microsequencer is programmably configured to control an integrated radio receiver and transmitter using less power than an associated microprocessor would use to perform the same functions. In other embodiments, flexible event timing facilitates the merging of wake-up events to reduce the energy consumed by wake-up operations in the device.

Abstract: A Power Over Data Lines (PoDL) system includes Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) supplying DC power and Ethernet data over a single twisted wire pair to a Powered Device (PD). The PSE supplies the DC current and AC data through a cascaded coupling network including a series of AC-blocking inductor stages having different inductances to substantially filter out the AC component and pass the DC component. The data is supplied to the wires via capacitors. The PD may have a matched decoupling network for providing the separated DC power and data to a PD load.

Abstract: A monitoring device includes an input terminal configured to receive an input signal from a battery system management (BSM); an output terminal configured to output cell parameters used to determine an open cell voltage associated with one of a plurality of cells within the battery stack connected to the monitoring circuit based on the input signal received from the BSM; a processor; and a memory storing executable instructions for causing the processor to: measure a cell voltage associated with the one of the plurality of cells within the battery stack; measure a voltage drop associated with a measured balancing current; calculate the open cell voltage by adjusting the measured cell voltage based on the measured voltage drop; and balance the battery stack based on the calculated open cell voltage, wherein balancing and calculating the open cell voltage are performed concurrently.

Abstract: A double-balanced FET mixer may include: single-ended RF port that receives or delivers single-ended RF signal; RF balun that converts the received single-ended RF signal into differential RF signal or generates delivered single-ended RF signal from received differential RF signal; local oscillator input port receives local oscillator signal; direct IF port receives or delivers an IF signal; and at least two FETs process the local oscillator signal and generate or process the differential RF signal and IF signal. The mixer may have no IF balun separate and distinct from tRF balun; may receive an input signal at RF port and generates output signal at IF port. The mixer may receive input signal at IF port and generate an output signal at the RF port, the output signal in either case being plus or minus the local oscillator signal. The double-balanced FET mixer may operate with IF frequencies down to DC.

Abstract: Novel system and methodology for adjusting a current limit threshold in a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system in accordance with requirements of a Powered Device (PD). A system for supplying power to a PD over a communications link has a requirement determining circuit for determining a PD's requirement, and a control circuit for setting a parameter restricting an output signal of the PSE in accordance with the determined PD's requirement. The control circuit may set a current limit threshold of the PSE and/or the PD in accordance with the determined PD's requirement, such as a power requirement.

Abstract: An inductor current-sensing circuit for measuring a current in an inductor includes (a) a first RC network coupled between a first terminal of the inductor and a reference voltage source; and (b) a second RC network coupled between a second terminal of the inductor and the reference voltage source. The first RC network and the second RC network each have a time constant substantially equal to the ratio between the inductance and the DC resistance of the inductor. The inductor which current is being measured may be a primary inductor of a four-switch buck boost converter receiving an input voltage and providing an output voltage.

Abstract: Novel techniques for balancing power or current drawn from multiple power supply inputs by controlling switching circuits associated with the respective power supply inputs. Each switching circuit may be controlled so as to limit current in its transformer or inductor in each switching cycle to a peak or average current value common to all switching circuits.

Abstract: A system and a method generate clock signals using an output divider with modulus steps of half-integers (i.e., the output circuit includes a divider which divides by one or more of 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 . . . ).

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit package that contains a semiconductor die having one or more electrical connections to an electronic circuit within the semiconductor die. The method may include: encapsulating the semiconductor die and its electrical connections in non-electrically conductive, encapsulation material; laser drilling the encapsulation material to expose one of the electrical connections within the integrated circuit package, thereby creating a via opening in an external surface of the encapsulation material to the electrical connection; and electroplating or sputtering over the via opening in the encapsulation material to create a conductive routing layer from the exterior surface of the encapsulation material to the electrical connection.

Abstract: A maximum voltage selection circuit may include multiple inputs, each for receiving a different input voltage, an output for delivering the highest of the input voltages, and a voltage selection circuit. The voltage selection circuit may automatically select the input having the largest voltage magnitude, automatically deliver the voltage at the selected input to the output, and not draw quiescent operating current from any of the inputs.

Abstract: A notch filter is controlled synchronously with a chopper to filter out chopping ripple. In one embodiment, the notch filter is coupled to the differential output of the chopper and includes a sampling capacitor, a hold capacitor, and a second set of switches between the sampling capacitor and the hold capacitor. The second set of switches is temporarily closed once per chopper switching cycle to transfer charge from the sampling capacitor to the hold capacitor such that the ripple from the chopper is not transferred to the hold capacitor. The voltage across the hold capacitor may be coupled to any other circuit, such as to the differential inputs of an amplifier.

Abstract: Circuitry for detecting faults in a system for supplying power from an input node to an output node and having at least one switch coupled between the input node and the output node. The fault detecting circuitry is configured for indicating a fault condition of the switch when the switch is commanded to turn on and at least one of the following conditions is detected: a voltage across the switch exceeds a predetermined value or a value of the switch control signal is insufficient to turn the switch on. The fault condition is indicated only if the detected condition is present for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A ripple monitoring circuit may generate information indicative of a failing component in a power supply. At least one input may receive a ripple signal from the power supply that has a ripple component. A quantization circuit may repeatedly quantize the amplitude of the ripple component. A ripple amplitude statistics counter bank may count and store the number of times that different quantized amplitudes or different ranges of quantized amplitudes of the ripple component occurred. A ripple monitoring circuit may generate information about a power supply. At least one input may receive a ripple signal from the power supply that has a ripple component. A ripple measurement circuit may measure a characteristic of the ripple component. A storage circuit may store information about the measurement. A comparison circuit may compare information stored in the storage circuit with a threshold value and indicate when the stored information meets or exceeds this threshold value.

Abstract: A device is configured to control a transition timing of a switching DC/DC converter for providing power to a load device. The load device has a first operational phase that is sensitive to external noise and a second operational phase that is immune to the external noise. The device includes an input terminal coupled to an external device to receive a start signal of the first operational phase for the load device. The device also includes control circuitry configured to, responsive to the start signal, control a transition frequency of the DC/DC converter to avoid transitioning an output of the switching DC/DC converter during the first operational phase.