Abstract: A differential crystal oscillator circuit is disclosed. The differential crystal oscillator circuit includes an output port. The output port includes a first terminal and a second terminal. A resonance port is included to couple a resonance element to the differential crystal oscillator circuit. The differential crystal oscillator includes a current source. A differential amplifier is included to excite the resonance element. The differential amplifier is coupled to the current source and the resonance port. The differential amplifier includes a plurality of transistors. The differential crystal oscillator circuit further includes a low pass filter that in combination with a transistor in the differential amplifier exhibits characteristics of a high pass filter. The differential amplifier is configured to use the current source as an active load.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to voltage-controlled-oscillator circuit comprising: a charge-pump configured to generate a tuning-voltage, the tuning-voltage having a minimum-operating-voltage; an offset-voltage-source configured to generate an offset-voltage in accordance with the minimum-operating-voltage; and a voltage-controlled-oscillator, VCO, configured to provide an oscillator frequency in accordance with the tuning-voltage and the offset-voltage.

Abstract: A network security device configured to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic allows for concurrently or parallel access to a network session table by multiple session managers in order to increase the network session setup rate within the device. Each of the multiple session managers can gain access to the session table in parallel with each other when the session managers are processing packets associated with different network sessions. Session managers utilize an identifier unique to each network session to be established in the network session table, which is used to determine which session managers can concurrently access the network session table.

Abstract: In a wireless charging system, a power-transmitting node (TX) has a transmitter for transmitting power wirelessly to a power-receiving node (RX), and a signal receiver for receiving signals from the RX. During a power-transfer session, the TX accumulates data corresponding to its transmitted power level, detects an end of a received power (RP) packet from the RX, and then identifies a subset of the accumulated data. The TX calculates its transmitted power level using the subset of the accumulated data. The TX extracts a received power level of the RX from the received RP packet and compares its calculated transmitted power level with the RX's received power level to determine a presence of a foreign object. Accuracy of FO detection when packets from the RX are not properly received by the TX is improved.

Abstract: A technique for tuning a ladder-shaped inductor that achieves a finer tuning resolution by severing one or more shorts, skipping the severing of one or more shorts, and severing one or more subsequent shorts within the ladder-shaped inductor. This technique can be applied to a voltage-controlled oscillator using a differential or single-ended ladder-shaped inductor as part of the resonant circuit. Within an oscillator, such a technique provides for a more precise modulation of the effective inductance of the ladder-shaped inductor, which enables an improved tuning resolution of the operating frequency of the oscillator.

Abstract: A method for performing a secure evaluation of a decision tree, including: receiving, by a processor of a server, an encrypted feature vector x=(x1, . . . , xn) from a client; choosing a random mask ?0; calculating m0 and sending m0 to the client, wherein m0=xi0(0)?t0(0)+?0 and t0(0) is a threshold value in the first node in the first level of a decision tree ?; performing a comparison protocol on m0 and ?0, wherein the server produces a comparison bit b0 and the client produces a comparison bit b?0; choosing a random bit s0?{0,1} and when s0=1 switching a left and right subtrees of ?; sending b0?s0 to the client; and for each level =1, 2, . . . , d?1 of the decision tree ?, where d is the number of levels in the decision tree ?, perform the following steps: receiving from the client yk where k=0, 1, . . .

Abstract: Example discloses a conductive plane antenna, including, a non-conductive substrate; a conductive plane coupled to the non-conductive substrate; wherein the conductive plane includes an open cavity over the non-conductive substrate; wherein the cavity includes a closed end and an open end; a first feed point coupled to the conductive plane and configured to pass a first polarity of a set of electromagnetic signals; and a second feed point coupled to the conductive plane and configured to pass a second polarity of the set of electromagnetic signals wherein the conductive plane is configured to generate a first antenna gain pattern in response to the first and second polarity signals; wherein the cavity is configured to generate a second antenna gain pattern in response to the first and second polarity signals; and wherein a magnitude of the first antenna gain pattern is greater than a magnitude of the second antenna gain pattern.

Abstract: An example communications apparatus includes a plurality of communicatively-interconnected communication domains and an electronic switch, integrated as part of a first domain of the plurality of communicatively-interconnected communications domains. The electronic switch effects secure communications of data over the one or more channels specific to the first domain, by using a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is used to obtain and process sampled channel properties associated with the one or more channels specific to the first domain. The second circuit is used to generate, in response to the first circuit, a domain-specific code that is generated pseudo-randomly using the processed sampled channel properties, the domain-specific code being used for coding data conveyed over the one or more channels specific to the first domain.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to pattern detection unit and associated method. The unit comprises a shift register configured to over-sample a multi-bit input signal such that each bit of the input signal is represented by a plurality of samples in the shift register; and a correlator configured to compare a target pattern with two or more sample-sets, each sample-set comprising a corresponding sample from each of the plurality of samples of each bit, and classify each compared sample-set as one of: an exact match; an inexact match; or a non-match to the target pattern in order to determine whether or not the input signal matches the target pattern.

Abstract: A delay line includes one or more phase-shifting cells, where each phase-shifting cell includes a high-pass filter circuit that may be selectively coupled to or decoupled from a transmission line. The filter circuit is couplable in parallel with the transmission line and shifts a signal conveyed through the transmission line by a predetermined phase angle. The high-pass filter circuit includes one or more capacitors and one or more reactance elements (e.g., inductors). The selective coupling may be achieved using multi-gate transistors.

Abstract: One example discloses a near-field electromagnetic induction (NFEMI) device, including: a near-field magnetic antenna having an inductive coil responsive to near-field magnetic signals; wherein the near-field magnetic antenna is configured to be coupled to a tuning circuit having a variable capacitance adjusting a resonance frequency of the NFEMI device and variable resistance adjusting a bandwidth of the NFEMI device; and a near-field electric antenna having a set of conductive surfaces; wherein the near-field electric antenna is configured to be directly connected to a receiver circuit.

Abstract: A method is provided for authenticating a device in a system having a blockchain. The method includes executing a one-side authentication of the device. The results of the one-side authentication are submitted to the blockchain at a first blockchain node of a plurality of blockchain nodes. The one-side authentication is later verified at a second blockchain node of the plurality of blockchain nodes. The device may be a tag in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system.

Abstract: A wireless charging system (transmitter) has multiple transmit coils that allows for multiple receiver devices (receivers), such as cell phones, to be charged simultaneously. The receivers send data packets that include a receiver ID to the transmitter so that one of the transmitter coils can be paired with a respective one of the receivers. The transmitter can then distinguish between the communications with the receivers using the IDs such that communications with receivers connected with adjacent ones of the transmitter coils do not interfere with each other.

Abstract: An analog switch circuit is provided. The circuit includes a branch coupled between an input terminal and an output terminal. The branch is configured to transfer an input signal at the input terminal to the output terminal when a control signal is at a first state. A transistor in the branch includes a current electrode coupled at the input terminal and is configured for receiving the input signal having a voltage exceeding a voltage rating of the transistor. A level shifter includes an output coupled to a control electrode of the transistor and is configured to provide a first voltage sufficient to cause the transistor to be conductive without exceeding the voltage rating of the first transistor when the control signal is at the first state. A voltage generator is coupled to the level shifter and is configured to generate the first voltage based on the input signal.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a method includes detecting an error in a local memory shared by redundant computing modules executing in delayed lockstep. The method includes pausing execution in the redundant computing modules and handling the error of the local memory. The method includes resuming execution in delayed lockstep of the redundant computing modules in response to the handling of the error.

Abstract: A receiver is provided. The receiver includes a first plurality of transistors configured and arranged as diodes connected in series and coupled between an input terminal and an output terminal. A first transistor of the first plurality is configured and arranged for receiving a signal at the input terminal having a voltage exceeding a voltage rating of the first transistor. A second plurality of transistors is configured and arranged as diodes connected in series and coupled between the output terminal and a voltage supply terminal. A second transistor includes a first current electrode coupled to a control electrode and a first current electrode of the first transistor and a control electrode coupled to a voltage source terminal. A third transistor includes a first current electrode coupled to a second current electrode of the second transistor at a first node.

Abstract: A method of removing an oxide layer is provided. A metal layer is deposited over an oxide layer formed at a top surface of a germanium substrate. A metal oxide layer is deposited over the metal layer. The metal oxide layer includes a same metal material as the metal layer. The metal layer and the oxide layer are reacted and combined with the metal oxide layer to form a dielectric layer during an anneal process. During the anneal process, the oxide layer is reacted with the metal layer and removed.

Abstract: A processing system tags read and write transaction packets that are functionally safe and suppresses redundant processing and error checking for functionally safe tagged transaction packets. The processing system includes compute elements that are interconnected via an interconnect fabric that includes resources to route operations. The interconnect fabric includes redundant resources to execute the same routing operations and comparator elements to indicate an error in response to detecting a mismatch between the output of a resource and its corresponding duplicate resource. The interconnect fabric selectively activates the duplicate resources and comparator elements in response to a tag associated with a transaction packet indicating that the transaction packet is safety-critical.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for operating a communications device are described. In an embodiment, a method for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves adjusting a phase configuration of the communications device in response to at least one system or environmental parameter, modulating a carrier signal with the adjusted phase configuration using active load modulation (ALM), and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the communications device for inductive coupling.

Abstract: A method performed by a first wireless communication device is provided, which includes exchanging rate information with a second wireless communication device in response to a determination that the second wireless communication device is configured with the multi-rate extension mechanism, wherein the first and second wireless communication devices support two or more different data transfer rates that are faster or slower than a legacy data transfer rate specified by the legacy protocol; determining an appropriate data transfer rate based on the rate information and link quality information regarding a communication link between the first and second wireless communication devices; and communicating the appropriate data transfer rate to the second wireless communication device, wherein the appropriate data transfer rate is utilized during communication between the first and second wireless communication devices.