Abstract: Systems and methods herein use a sensing circuit to detect an overvoltage at a voltage node as a drain current. A current-mode comparator converts the detected current into a control signal, which is provided to a control circuit. The control circuit uses the control signal cut of a bias current to turn off switches in a protection circuit to create a high-impedance electrical path between the voltage node and the to-be-protected voltage node.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide secure, end-to-end high-speed data encoding and communication. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by modifying a header portion of a data packet received from a first device and complying with a one Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) protocol to create a modified data packet that complies with a faster MIPI protocol. The header portion of the modified data packet is validated during a tunnel mode operation using an error detection process to validate the modified data packet, which can then be securely transmitted to a second device that complies with the faster MIPI protocol.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for generating short load current pulses using an H-bridge. In various embodiments, this is accomplished by controlling, in a shunting mode, a low-side switch of the H-bridge to drive a first average current and controlling, in a non-shunting mode, a high-side switch of the H-bridge to drive a second average current such that the first and second average currents are substantially the same and reduce a current pulse width of the load current.

Abstract: A powered device interface assembly includes an optocoupler and a powered device interface. The opto-coupler is electrically coupled with a microcontroller of the power device interface. The powered device interface includes a telemetry circuit coupled with the opto-coupler and configured to generate encoded telemetry information for output via a single pin of the powered device interface for transmission to the microcontroller of the powered device, wherein the opto-coupler is coupled with the single pin and is configured to electrically isolate the single pin from the microcontroller.

Abstract: Described herein are embodiments for reducing haptic vibrations for electronic devices. Embodiments of an oscillation reduction scheme learned offline are disclosed for minimizing the acceleration for a haptic vibrator. A pattern and braking generation module outputs a pattern signal for amplification and then for driving the haptic vibrator. An accelerometer measures acceleration induced by vibration from the haptic vibrator. The pattern and braking generation module adjusts the pattern signal based on the measured acceleration to identify an optimal amplitude for a braking signal at each time frame. Such a closed-loop braking optimization process may be implemented to achieve an optimal or desired braking scheme for enhanced user haptic feedback.

Abstract: Systems and methods increase power efficiency in communication systems by examining a digital signal to determine whether a threshold corresponding to an increase in a power requirement is likely to be exceeded. The signal is encoded with information indicating the likely change and communicated to a driver that, upon extracting the information, uses it to cause instruct an amplifier to increase a power output to accommodate the increase in power requirement. Once the threshold is no longer exceeded, the driver circuit, advantageously, decreases the power output to conserve energy. In various embodiments, an amplifier may increase power efficiency by switching from a low-power circuit configuration to a high-circuit configuration.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods that prevent against fault injection attacks. In various embodiments this is accomplished by taking advantage of the fact that an attacker cannot utilize a result that has been faulted to recover a secret. By using infective computation, an error is propagated in a loop such that the faulted value will provide to the attacker no useful information or information from which useful information may be extracted. Faults from a fault attack will be so large that a relatively large number of bits will change. As a result, practically no secret information can be extracted by restoring bits.

Abstract: A current based resonant frequency tracking system and methods can include: providing a haptic pattern with a processor, the haptic pattern including both a haptic pattern start time and a haptic pattern stop time; driving a linear resonant actuator according to the haptic pattern with an amplifier coupled to the processor, and the amplifier having an output coupled to the linear resonant actuator; detecting a current sense signal having a back electromotive force current after the haptic pattern stop time with a current frequency tracker coupled to the output of the amplifier; measuring a frequency of the back electromotive force current as a resonant frequency of the linear resonant actuator; and detecting cycles in the back electromotive force current after the haptic pattern stop time.

Abstract: A coupled inductor includes first and second magnetic rails, a plurality of connecting magnetic elements, and a plurality of windings. The first and second magnetic rails are separated from each other in a first direction, and the first magnetic rail has a first cross-sectional area A1 as seen when viewed in the first direction. Each connecting magnetic element is disposed between the first and second magnetic rails in the first direction. The plurality of connecting magnetic elements collectively have a second cross-sectional area A2 as seen when viewed in the first direction, and a ratio of A2/(A1?A2) is at least 1.5. A respective winding is wound at least partially around each connecting magnetic element.

Abstract: A sensor package, a sensor system, and a method for fabricating the sensor package are described that include a sensing chip having dispense chemistry disposed over an array of conductive elements. In an implementation, the sensor package may include a sensing chip that may include at least one conductive element, wherein the at least one conductive element may be part of an array of conductive elements defining a M by N matrix, where M is a number of rows of the at least one conductive element and N is a number of columns of the at least one conductive element. The sensing chip may further include dispense chemistry that may be disposed on the at least one conductive element and at least one contact pad. The sensor package may further include a microfluidic cap that may be positioned over at least a portion of the sensing chip, wherein the microfluidic cap and the sensing chip may define a cavity that may be configured to receive a fluid sample.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a magnetic-field image sensor and method of use. In accordance with implementations of the magnetic-field image sensor, a sample can be placed on top of the magnetic field image sensor. An image of the magnetic nanoparticles or superparamagnetic nanoparticles can be created immediately afterwards based upon detection of a change in magnetic field caused by the magnetic nanoparticles or superparamagnetic nanoparticles. From this image, computer imaging algorithms can determine attributes (e.g., size, shape, type, quantity, distribution, etc.) of the target entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods reduce unwanted effects caused by mismatch in amplifier circuits having components that are trimmable during and post-production to minimize DC offset. Various embodiments of the invention trim out amplifier mismatch by determining trim codes for two or more phases of operation of an amplifier circuit and use those trim codes to determine a final trim code for use in regular operation.

Abstract: Described herein are system and method embodiments for adaptive noise control for headphones, specifically for open-ear headphones. A leakage detection module in an ambient sound control (ASC) circuit implements leakage detection to determine a leakage mode. Based on the determined leakage mode, an ASC profile may create, select or modify an ASC profile for the ASC circuit to operate. Pilot tone, ambient noise, or audio playback may be used respectively or in combination for leakage detection. Experimental results show that embodiments of adaptive ASC approach may achieve improved performance compared to a default ASC, especially under loose fitting of an earphone.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for identifying the phase and polarization of independent modulation streams in quadrature channels of a coherent transmission system by using digital code. As a result, phase rotation and polarization of streams that during transmission may have become rotated and swapped around in the channel are correctly labeled and depermuted according to a known and predictable order.

Abstract: An audio amplifier employs an idle mode to reduce power consumption and improve efficiency of the amplifier. The audio amplifier comprises a modulator configured to receive an analog input signal. The modulator is operable to convert the analog input signal to differential first and second quantized signals, each having a common mode duty cycle. The modulator causes the common mode duty cycle of each of the first and second quantized signals to be shifted when the level of the analog input signal is below a threshold level so that the common mode duty cycle is one of greater than or less than fifty percent (50%). The amplifier further includes a power stage that receives the first and second quantized signals and generates corresponding first and second output signals configured to drive a load, wherein the first and second output signals switched between a supply voltage and a second voltage based on the respective first and second quantized signals.

Abstract: A first system includes first and second buck-boost amplifiers. The first amplifier is connected to a battery, includes a first inductor and a first plurality of switches connected to the first inductor, and drives first and second loads. The second amplifier is connected to the battery, includes a second inductor and a second plurality of switches connected to the second inductor, and drives the first and second loads. A controller drives the first and second plurality of switches to operate each of the first and second amplifiers in a single inductor multiple output mode. A second system includes multiple buck-boost amplifiers connected to a battery and driving respective loads. Each amplifier includes inductors and switches connected to the inductors. A controller drives the switches to utilize one or more inductors based on an amount of power used by each amplifier to drive the respective loads.

Abstract: A charger device includes a Single-Input-Multiple-Output (SIMO) device and a controller. The SIMO device includes a first transistor connected to an input and a first end of an inductor, a second transistor connected to ground and the first end of the inductor, a third transistor connected to a second end of the inductor and a first output, and a fourth transistor connected to the second end of the inductor and a second output. The controller is connected to the SIMO device and is configured to cause the SIMO device to charge the inductor using a first power source coupled to the input during a first time period and discharge the inductor to charge a second power source coupled to the first output during a second time period.

Abstract: Real-time systems and methods prevent duplication of independent signal streams in a coherent receiver subject to source separation controlled by multiplicative coefficients under adaptive feedback control. In various embodiments, this is achieved by first obtaining a first set of coefficients associated with a first signal stream and a second set of coefficients associated with a second signal stream. In response to the sets of coefficients satisfying a condition, the first set modified into a set of coefficients that is mutually orthogonal with respect to and replaces the second set of coefficients. The resulting series of coefficient values may then be used to perform source separation of independent signal streams without duplicating independent signal streams.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of authenticating the electronic device using a challenge-response process that is based on a physically unclonable function (PUF). The electronic device comprises a PUF element, a processor and a communication interface. The PUF element generates an input signal based on at least one PUF that has unique physical features affected by manufacturing variability. A challenge-response database, comprising a plurality of challenges and a plurality of corresponding responses, is set forth by the processor based on the PUF-based input and further provided to a trusted entity. During the trusted transaction, the processor generates a response in response to a challenge sent by the trusted entity based on the PUF-based input, and thereby, the trusted entity authenticates the electronic device by comparing the response with the challenge-response database.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods that allow for correcting a residual frequency offset in the GHz frequency range by using low-complexity analog circuit implementations of a broad-band frequency detector that comprises two analog polyphase filters in a dual configuration. Each filter comprises an RC network of cross-coupled capacitors that facilitate filters with opposite passbands and opposite stop-bands. In various embodiments, the outputs of the two filters are combined to obtain power metrics that when subtracted from each other, deliver a measure of the imbalance between the positive and negative halves of a frequency spectrum. Since the measure is substantially proportional to a frequency offset within a linear range spanning 5 GHz or more, the polyphase filters may be used in a broad-band frequency detector that, based on the measure, adjusts the frequency offset.