Abstract: A method is disclosed to at least partially prevent back powering of power sourcing equipment. In one or more implementations, the method includes detecting a magnitude of current through a current sensor, such as a transistor and/or a resistor. The active FET bridge is configured to rectify input power supplied by power sourcing equipment to a power over Ethernet (PoE) powered device. The method also includes causing the transistor to transition from a closed configuration to an open configuration to at least substantially prevent current flow through the transistor when the magnitude of current is below a predefined threshold to at least substantially prevent back powering of the PSE.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for controlling the amplitude of a current from a diode bridge into an EMI filter and LED array. Due to the manner in which certain dimmers (i.e., leading edge dimmers) operate, there is a delay on its output in transmitting a voltage when the voltage crosses zero.

Abstract: A semiconductor package device that includes an integrated circuit device package having a storage circuitry is disclosed. In an implementation, the semiconductor package device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor substrate includes one or more integrated circuits formed proximal to (e.g., adjacent to, in, or on) the first surface. The semiconductor package device also includes an integrated circuit device disposed over the second surface, the integrated circuit device including storage circuitry for storing sensitive data. In one or more implementations, the semiconductor package device includes a through-substrate via that furnishes an electrical connection to the integrated circuit package. The semiconductor package device also includes an encapsulation structure disposed over the second surface and at least substantially encapsulates the integrated circuit device package.

Abstract: A semiconductor package device is disclosed that includes a passive energy component integrated therein. In an implementation, the semiconductor package device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor substrate includes one or more integrated circuits formed proximal to the first surface. The semiconductor package device also includes a passive energy component positioned over the second surface. The passive energy component is electrically connected to one or more integrated circuits. The semiconductor package device also includes an encapsulation structure disposed over the second surface and at least substantially encapsulates the passive energy component.

Abstract: A memory is organized into blocks. In a write operation, data to be stored is combined with an address-dependent value (ADV) to form a block of information, and this block is encrypted. The block of encrypted information is written into a block of memory identified by the write address of the write operation. In a read operation, the block of encrypted information is read back from the memory and is decrypted to recover the data and the ADV. The address of the memory block from which the block of encrypted information was read is used to check the ADV to confirm that the ADV is related in the proper way to the address of the memory block that stored the encrypted information. If the check fails, the processor is prevented from executing the data, thereby preventing the processor from executing blocks of code that are in incorrect locations in memory.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device, set forth by way of example and not limitation, includes an IC package provided with a plurality of leads and enclosing: a) a buffer amplifier, b) a switching-mode power amplifier having an input coupled to the output of the buffer amplifier and having an output coupled to at least one of the plurality of leads, and c) a digital controller. A method, set forth by way of example and not limitation, for controlling the power output of a RF transmitter circuit without the need for an attenuator includes developing a signal source, applying the signal source to a buffer amplifier to provide an amplified signal, applying the amplified signal to a switching-mode power amplifier to provide a power output signal, and controlling a gain of the switching-mode power amplifier in response to a digital command.

Abstract: A piezo driver is described that is configured to furnish electric charge to a piezo component during a first operational state and configured to transfer electric charge from the piezo component to a passive energy storage component during a second operational state. In one or more implementations, the piezo driver includes a passive energy storage component configured to store electric charge. The piezo driver also includes a voltage converter configured to electrically connect between a piezo component and the passive energy storage component. The voltage converter is configured to furnish electric charge from the passive energy storage component to the piezo component during a first state of operation and configured to furnish electric charge from the piezo component to the passive energy storage component during a second state of operation.

Abstract: A piezo driver is described that is configured to furnish electric charge to a piezo component and configured to transfer electric charge from the piezo component to a passive energy storage component during various operational states of the piezo driver. In one or more implementations, the piezo driver includes a first passive energy storage component and a second passive energy storage component configured to store electric charge. The piezo driver also includes a voltage converter configured to electrically connect between a piezo component and the first passive energy storage component and the second passive energy storage component. The voltage converter is configured to furnish electric charge from the first passive energy storage component to the piezo component, and vice versa. The voltage converter is also configured to furnish electric charge from the second passive energy storage component to the piezo component, and vice versa.

Abstract: N-channel multi-time programmable memory devices having an N-conductivity type substrate, first and second P-conductivity type wells in the N-conductivity type substrate, N-conductivity type source and drain regions formed in the first P-conductivity type well, the source and drain regions being separated by a channel region, an oxide layer over the N-conductivity type substrate; and a floating gate extending over the channel region and over the second P-conductivity type well in the N-conductivity type substrate, the multi-time programmable memory cell being programmable by hot electron injection and erasable by hot hole injection.

Abstract: A mixed signal correlator utilizes coherent detection within a capacitance measurement application. In some applications, the mixed signal correlator is used to measure capacitance of a touch screen display. An external capacitor whose capacitance is measured is kept small for improved sensitivity and can be used for a variety of applications having varied integration periods for measurement. The external capacitor is kept small and can be used for varied applications by adjusting the output voltage within a range that is less than the supply voltage, and maintaining a count of the adjustments to later reconstruct an actual output voltage for the integration period. An output is a weighted sum of an analog integrator output and a digital counter output.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to parallel, pipelined, integrated-circuit implementations of computational engines designed to solve complex computational problems. One embodiment of the present invention is a family of video encoders and decoders (“codecs”) that can be incorporated within cameras, cell phones, and other electronic devices for encoding raw video signals into compressed video signals for storage and transmission, and for decoding compressed video signals into raw video signals for output to display devices. A highly parallel, pipelined, special-purpose integrated-circuit implementation of a particular video codec provides, according to embodiments of the present invention, a cost-effective video-codec computational engine that provides an extremely large computational bandwidth with relatively low power consumption and low-latency for decompression and compression of compressed video signals and raw video signals, respectively.

Abstract: A switching power supply includes a circuit having at least two reactive components to provide an output voltage and capable of being switched from a first output state to a second output state. A switching component switches the circuit between at least two switching states including the first output state and the second output state. A pulse width modulator receives a duty cycle and drives the switching component to cause switching between two of the at least two switching states. A nonlinear controller component provides a duty cycle to the pulse width modulator. The duty cycle corresponds to at least one predetermined power supply state variable. The nonlinear controller component includes a processor to apply an optimization technique to minimize a predetermined function of the duty cycle and internal states of the power supply and to obtain a relationship between the duty cycle and at least one predetermined state variable.

Abstract: A gesture sensing device having a single illumination source is disclosed. In one or more implementations, the gesture sensing device includes a single illumination source configured to emit light and a light sensor assembly configured to detect the light reflected from an object and to output time dependent signals in response thereto. The gesture sensing device also includes a processing circuit coupled to the light sensor assembly and configured to analyze the time dependent signals received from the light sensor assembly to determine object directional movement proximate to the light sensor assembly.

Abstract: Techniques are described to furnish a light sensor that includes a patterned IR interference filter integrated with a patterned color pass filter. In one or more implementations, the light sensor includes a substrate having a surface. An IR interference filter configured to block infrared light is disposed over the surface of the substrate. The light sensor also includes one or more color pass filters placed above or below the IR interference filter. The color pass filters are configured to filter visible light to pass light in a limited spectrum of wavelengths to the one or more photodetectors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a secure device, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of reducing power consumption of the secure device by limiting the amount of secure volatile memory that needs to be supplied by a battery. In a transport power mode, a sensitive data originally stored in a volatile memory is backed up in an encrypted format to a non-volatile memory, such that none or only a small area of the secure volatile memory has to be retained and powered by the battery for preserving cryptographic keys that are used to backup and recover the sensitive data. This secure device is applied in high security applications such as secure financial terminals.

Abstract: Wafer-level package (semiconductor) devices are described that have a pillar structure that extends at least partially into a solder bump to mitigate thermal stresses to the solder bump. In implementations, the wafer-level package device may comprise an integrated circuit chip having a surface and a solder bump disposed over the surface. The wafer-level package device may also include a pillar structure disposed over the surface that extends at least partially into the solder bump.

Abstract: A method for providing a semiconductor chip package with side wettable plating includes singulating a semiconductor chip package from an array of packages formed in a block format, immersing the semiconductor chip package in a bath of plating solution, contacting a lead land of the semiconductor chip package with conductive contact material within the bath of plating solution, connecting the conductive contact material to a cathode electrical potential, connecting an anode within the bath of plating solution to an anode electrical potential, and plating the lead land of the semiconductor chip package.

Abstract: A zero-crossing detector with effective offset cancellation includes a set of series connected capacitors and an amplifier having an input terminal. An offset capacitor is operatively connected between the amplifier and the set of series connected capacitors. A switch is operatively connected to the input terminal, and an offset sampling capacitor is operatively connected to the switch. The switch connects the offset sampling capacitor to the input terminal of the amplifier during a charge transfer phase.

Abstract: An analog front end circuit utilizes coherent detection within a capacitance measurement application. The analog front end circuit uses coherent detection to measure capacitance of a touch screen display. An analog excitation signal is modulated by a capacitor to be measured. The modulated signal is synchronously demodulated using a correlator, which includes an integrated mixing and integration circuit. The correlator includes a programmable impedance element that generates a time-varying conductance according to a controlling digitized waveform.

Abstract: Enhanced voltage-based fuel gauges and methods that increase the accuracy of voltage-based fuel gauges and allow the use of voltage-based fuel gauges to detect current, and particularly excessive current from a battery without the use of a sense resistor. When used with a coulomb counter, the outputs of a voltage-based fuel gauge and a coulomb counter may be combined in a manner that allows the combination to provide better performance that either alone may provide. Various embodiments and methods of operation are disclosed.