Abstract: A multi-stage charge pump including a first stage configured to generate a first output voltage, a last stage configured to receive the first output voltage from the first stage and output a second output voltage, a switch configured to receive the second output voltage from the last stage, and a voltage regulator circuit configured to control the second output voltage of the last stage to maintain a substantially constant on-resistance of the switch.

Abstract: A power amplifier. The power amplifier includes a plurality of parallel coupled transistors. Each transistor has a control terminal coupled to receive a signal to be amplified and an output terminal coupled to a node. The power amplifier also includes a matching network having an input coupled to the node and an output coupleable to a load. The power amplifier further includes a first circuit branch forming a choke and harmonic trap of the power amplifier. The first circuit branch includes a first inductance, a second inductance and a first capacitor. The first inductance has a first terminal coupled to the node and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of the second inductance. A second terminal of the second inductance is coupled to AC ground. The first capacitor is coupled in parallel with the second inductance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating electromagnetic signals and/or power and, more particularly for example, to power combiners and similar systems and methods for communicating electromagnetic signals and/or power generated by amplifiers to loads, are described herein. In at least example embodiment, a power amplifier system includes first and second amplifier circuits and a power combiner circuit coupled to each of the first and second amplifier circuits and having a first microstrip transmission line component, a slotline formation, and an additional coupling component that is capable of being at least indirectly coupled to a load, where the first microstrip transmission line component and additional coupling component are electromagnetically coupled by way of the slotline formation.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods for providing a logic built-in self-test (LBIST) using an LBIST logic circuit and an auxiliary logic circuit. An example method includes using switch circuitry in an integrated circuit (IC) to change modes of operation associated with functional logic circuit, the modes of operation including an LBIST mode and an application mode, and to provide an internally generated digital clock signal to the functional logic circuitry and an LBIST logic circuit in response to the LBIST mode. The method further includes performing an LBIST using the internally generated digital clock signal, the LBIST logic circuit to test select nodes in the IC via control of the functional logic circuitry and via application of digital logic sequences provided as inputs to the I/O pad cells of the IC.

Abstract: The present application relates to a differential Colpitts voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit, which comprises a pair of transistors with control terminals biased by a common biasing voltage and a pair of couplers arranged to cross-couple corrector/drain of the transistors and the base/gate of the differential transistors. The pair of couplers have a coupling factor kc, which used to enhance the transconductance of the transistor pair, therefore can be used for power consumption reduction and phase noise minimalization.

Abstract: A packet processing architecture includes a plurality of packet processing stages, wherein at least one of the packet processing stages includes multiple next processing stage modules that are operably coupled to respective further processing stages, wherein the multiple next processing stage modules are dynamically configurable.

Abstract: A communication circuit for communication over a voltage isolation barrier, the communication circuit including a pulse driven transformer coupled to a current sensing input, wherein information is transferred in the current domain and wherein during the information transfer, the receiver input is made low ohmic, a current pulse transformer including a primary winding, a core, and a secondary winding, a resistor in parallel with the secondary winding, a current sensor having a low ohmic input to receive a pulse from the secondary winding, and a signal processing unit to extract information from the received pulse.

Abstract: One embodiment of a packaged semiconductor device includes: a redistributed layer (RDL) structure formed over an active side of a semiconductor die embedded in mold compound, the RDL structure includes a plurality of solder ball pads that in turn includes: a set of first solder ball pads located on a front side of the packaged semiconductor device within a footprint of the semiconductor die, and a set of second solder ball pads located on the front side of the packaged semiconductor device outside of the footprint of the semiconductor die, each first solder ball pad includes a first center portion having a first diameter measured between opposite outer edges of the first center portion, each second solder ball pad includes a second center portion having a second diameter measured between opposite outer edges of the second center portion, and the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a patch module connected between a data bus and a ROM memory controller. The patch module may include: at least one patch address register configured to store a ROM address; a patch data register corresponding to each patch address register, each patch data register configured for storing an instruction; an address comparator configured to compare an address received on the data bus with an address stored in each patch address register and output a first signal identifying a matching patch address register and a second signal indicating whether there is a matching address; and a first multiplexer configured to select the patch data register corresponding to the matching patch address register and output the contents of the patch data register to the data bus.

Abstract: A data processing system and method for protecting a memory from unauthorized accesses are provided. The data processing system includes a system bus, a memory coupled to the system bus through a memory controller, and a processing core including a cache system. The memory controller is coupled to the system bus for controlling accesses to the memory that are requested by the processing core. A memory protection circuit uses one or more memory safety violation (MSV) indicators stored in out-of-bounds areas of the memory for detecting when the processing core attempts to access an out-of-bounds area of the memory. The processing core generates an error signal, such as an interrupt, when an attempt to access the out-of-bounds area is detected. The out-of-bounds area may be an unallocated area of the memory. The MSV indicator may be written to the memory by executing a flush instruction of the cache system, and may include the same number of bits as a cache line of the cache system.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a device are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for operating an impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) device is disclosed. The method involves acquiring a signal, integrating one or more synchronization symbols in a synchronization field of the signal to determine an initial channel impulse response (CIR) measurement, and detecting whether a start-of-frame delimiter (SFD) field of the signal is identified during integration. When the SFD field of the signal is identified, the method further involves ceasing integration of the one or more synchronization symbols, scaling the initial CIR measurement, and determining a final CIR measurement based on the scaled CIR measurement. When the SFD field is not identified, the method further involves incrementing a counter configured to count the number of the one or more synchronization symbols integrated, and continuing integration of the one or more synchronization symbols until the SFD field is identified.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for operating a charge pump and a charge pump are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for operating a charge pump involves during a first operating phase of the charge pump, setting a first current source of the charge pump according to a second current source of the charge pump, and, during a second operating phase of the charge pump that is subsequent to the first operating phase, providing current from the first current source to a load of the charge pump.

Abstract: A hardware device includes a frequency lock loop (FLL) that includes a phase loop filter, and a phase lock loop (PLL) such as an all digital PLL (ADPLL) that includes a frequency loop filter. A controller provides a first control signal to the FLL and a second control signal to the PLL when the device operates the same. The device can also include a digital controlled oscillator (DCO) and part of one or more of the FLL and the PLL. The FLL and the PLL include first and second filters, respectively. The filters are coupled to the DCO. A time-to-digital converter (TDC) and a divider receive an input from the DCO. The controller forms a first loop with the first filter, the TDC, and the divider, and the controller forms a second loop with the second filter, the TDC, and the divider.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises: an extrinsic base region; a first dielectric spacer on at least a part of a sidewall of the extrinsic base region adjacent to an emitter window region; an intrinsic base region; a base link region coupling the intrinsic base region and the extrinsic base region; a collector region underlying the intrinsic base region and having a periphery underlying the base link region; and a second dielectric spacer, separating the base link region from at least the periphery of the collector region; wherein said second dielectric spacer extends laterally beyond said first dielectric spacer to underlie said emitter window region.

Abstract: A semiconductor switch device and a method of making the same. The device includes a semiconductor substrate having a major surface. The device also includes a first semiconductor region located in the substrate beneath the major surface. The device includes an elongate gate located on the major surface. The device also includes a source region and a drain region located in the first semiconductor region adjacent respective first and second elongate edges of the gate. The device also includes electrical contacts for the source and drain regions. The contacts include at least two contacts located on either the source region or the drain region, which are spaced apart along a direction substantially parallel the elongate edges of the gate. The device further includes an isolation region located between the at least two contacts. The isolation region extends through the source/drain region from the major surface to the first semiconductor region.

Abstract: Embodiments of a packaged electronic device and method of fabricating such a device are provided, where the packaged electronic device includes: a pressure sensor die having a diaphragm on a front side; an encapsulant material that encapsulates the pressure sensor die, wherein the front side of the pressure sensor die is exposed at a first major surface of the encapsulant material; an interconnect structure formed over the front side of the pressure sensor die and the first major surface of the encapsulant material, wherein an opening through the interconnect structure is generally aligned to the diaphragm; and a cap attached to an outer dielectric layer of the interconnect structure, the cap having a vent hole generally aligned with the opening through the interconnect structure.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for contact detection in battery packs are disclosed. The battery pack may comprise at least a first battery cell and a second battery cell, and a power bar for coupling a first electrode of the first battery cell to a second electrode of the second battery cell. The first battery cell comprises a supervisor, which comprises a transmitter/receiver for signal communication with the second battery cell via a communication wire, and a voltage difference detector coupled to the power bar and the communication wire, for detecting a voltage difference between the power bar and the communication wire. The supervisor may indicate degraded contact of the power bar if the detected voltage difference is out of a predetermined threshold range. A battery cell and a method for monitoring a battery pack are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tunable capacitor that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include: a substrate; a first dielectric layer over the substrate; a plurality of bias lines encapsulated between the substrate and the tunable dielectric layer; a first metal layer over the tunable dielectric layer (wherein the first metal layer has a plurality of first gaps); an upper bias layer over the first metal layer (herein each of a plurality of portions of the upper bias layer extend through a respective one of the plurality of first gaps to come into contact with the first dielectric layer, and wherein at least a second gap is disposed in the upper bias layer); and a second metal layer (wherein a portion of the second metal layer extends through the second gap to come into contact with the first metal layer). Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to circuitry to control a gate voltage. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, a voltage level is controlled for a field effect transistor (FET) having a floating gate and a target operating voltage above which the FET would be overcharged and around which the FET has a nominal operating range. Pulse circuitry is configured to apply energy to the floating gate in pulses, in operation the applied energy being pulsed low relative to the gate's target operating voltage, and then being changed by adjusting successive pulses until the gate reaches the target operating voltage. A feedback circuit samples a voltage level of, and enables the pulse circuitry to apply pulsed energy to, the floating gate for directing operation of the FET based on the target operating voltage in the nominal operating range.

Abstract: Self-regulating body-biasing techniques for Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) fluctuation compensation in Fully-Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator (FDSOI) semiconductors are disclosed. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an electronic device may include a logic cell having a plurality of FDSOI transistors manufactured thereon; and at least one current source coupled to a body terminal of each transistor in a subset of the FDSOI transistors, wherein the current source is configured to output a high-impedance current.