Abstract: Embodiments include packaged semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing packaged semiconductor devices. A semiconductor die includes a conductive feature coupled to a bottom surface of the die. The conductive feature only partially covers the bottom die surface to define a conductor-less region that spans a portion of the bottom die surface. The die is encapsulated by attaching the encapsulant material to the bottom die surface (e.g., including over the conductor-less region). The encapsulant material includes an opening that exposes the conductive feature. After encapsulating the die, a heatsink is positioned within the opening, and a surface of the heatsink is attached to the conductive feature. Because the heatsink is attached after encapsulating the die, the heatsink sidewalls are not directly bonded to the encapsulant material.

Abstract: Embodiments of a constant-on-time pulse generator circuit for a DC-DC converter, a pulse width calibration circuit for a DC-DC converter, and a method for operating a constant-on-time pulse generator circuit for a DC-DC converter are disclosed. In an embodiment, a constant-on-time pulse generator circuit for a DC-DC converter includes serially connected digital buffers and a latch circuit having a set terminal, a reset terminal, and an output terminal. The set terminal and the reset terminal are coupled to the serially connected digital buffers. The latch circuit is configured to output a pulse signal with a constant pulse width through the output terminal.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a device are disclosed. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes a plurality of input ports configured to receive at least two serial communication signals, an encoder circuit configured to encode the at least two serial communication signals based on signal edges of the at least two serial communication signals to generate an encoded serial communication signal, the encoded serial communication signal enabling reconstruction of the at least two serial communication signals independent of a clock signal, and a transmitter configured to transmit the encoded serial communication signal.

Abstract: A Doherty amplifier has a first amplifier path that includes a first amplifier, a second amplifier path that includes a second amplifier, a power divider, and a short-circuited stub. The power divider receives an RF signal and divides the RF signal into first and second input signals. The power divider includes first and second power divider outputs that produce the first and second input signals, respectively. The short-circuited stub is coupled between the first power divider output and the first amplifier or between the second power divider output and the second amplifier. The first and second amplifier paths are characterized by first and second frequency-dependent insertion phases, respectively. A slope of the first or second frequency-dependent insertion phase is altered by the short-circuited stub. The power divider produces the first and second input signals with a quadrature phase shift.

Abstract: Methods and system for On/Off Key (OOK) communication are described. In one embodiment, a method for OOK communication involves detecting an average symbol energy of an OOK modulated sequence and performing bit synchronization for the OOK modulated sequence in response to the detected average symbol energy. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for determining the position of a node in a communication network is conceived, wherein said network comprises said node and a plurality of anchors, the method comprising: the node transmits a poll message to the plurality of anchors; a first anchor of said plurality transmits a response message to the node and to one or more other anchors of said plurality of anchors; a processing unit calculates the position of the node using timing information of the poll message transmission by the node, of the poll message reception by the plurality of anchors, of the response message transmission by the first anchor, and of the response message reception by the node and the other anchor or anchors. In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program and a corresponding system for determining the position of a node in a communication network is provided.

Abstract: A system and method for packaging a semiconductor device that includes a wall to reduce electromagnetic coupling is presented. A semiconductor device has a substrate on which a first circuit and a second circuit are formed proximate to each other. An isolation wall of electrically conductive material is located between the first circuit and the second circuit, the isolation wall being configured to reduce inductive coupling between the first and second circuits during an operation of the semiconductor device. Several types of isolation walls are presented.

Abstract: A method for updating firmware in a wireless charger is implemented when the wireless charger charges a chargeable device. A wireless link is established between the charger and the chargeable device for transferring energy from the charger to the chargeable device. The wireless link also is used to transfer a new version of a firmware program running on the charger, from the chargeable device to the charger. The wireless charger can detect interruption in reception of the new version of the firmware program and identify a breakpoint where the data transfer was interrupted. The wireless charger can resume reception of the firmware program from the breakpoint when the wireless link is re-established. The firmware update can be initiated by an app on the chargeable device.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting an attack on a keyless entry system for a vehicle. The method includes receiving a wireless transmission by the keyless entry system. The wireless transmission is filtered in a first filter to produce a filtered wireless transmission. The wireless transmission is filtered in a second filter to produce a reference filtered wireless transmission. A frequency band of the filtered wireless transmission is compared to a frequency band of the reference filtered wireless transmission. Based on the comparison, it is determined if the wireless transmission is from a key fob that complies with the specification of the wireless transmission. In another embodiment, a wireless receiver is provided for performing the method.

Abstract: An integrated charge redistribution successive approximate register (CR-SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes a sample-and-hold switch, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a comparator and a logic circuit. The sample-and-hold switch obtains a sample input voltage (Vin). The DAC includes a plurality of digital multiplexers that selects between a superposition phase, which superimposes an analog offset voltage onto Vin, and a conversion phase which determines values for a digital output register which determines the input values to each control line. Each digital multiplexer presents input values to a control line. The comparator has two inputs coupled to the sample-and-hold switch and to the DAC such that the output of the converter determines a value of each successive bit in the digital output register. The logic circuit is coupled to the comparator and to digital multiplexers and includes the digital output register.

Abstract: Internally-shielded microelectronic packages having increased resistances to electromagnetic cross-coupling are disclosed, as are methods for fabricating such microelectronic packages. In embodiments, the internally-shielded microelectronic package includes a substrate having a frontside and a longitudinal axis. A first microelectronic device is mounted to the frontside of the substrate, while a second microelectronic device is further mounted to the frontside of the substrate and spaced from the first microelectronic device along the longitudinal axis. An internal shield structure includes or consists of a shield wall, which is positioned between the first and second microelectronic devices as taken along the longitudinal axis. The internal shield structure is at least partially composed of a magnetically-permeable material, which decreases electromagnetic cross-coupling between the first and second microelectronic devices during operation of the internally-shielded microelectronic package.

Abstract: A data processing system including a cache operably coupled to an interconnect and a cache controller. The cache is accessible by each bus initiator of a plurality of bus initiators. The cache includes a plurality of entries. Each entry includes a status field having coherency bits. When an entry of the plurality of entries is in a first protocol mode, the cache controller uses the coherency bits of the entry in implementing a first cache coherency protocol for data of the entry. When the entry is in a second protocol mode, the cache controller uses the coherency bits of the entry in implementing a second cache coherency protocol. The second cache coherency protocol is utilized in implementing a paced data transfer operation between a first bus initiator of the plurality of bus initiators and a second bus initiator of the plurality of bus initiators using the cache entry.

Abstract: A critical conduction mode (CRM) bridgeless PFC system includes a PFC converter connected to an Alternating Current (AC) source, a zero-current detection (ZCD) circuit for detecting a zero-current state of the PFC converter, a zero-voltage switching (ZVS) detection circuit, and a processor. Voltage divider circuits receive a first voltage and a supply voltage from the PFC converter and the AC source. The ZCD circuit receives divided voltages generated by the voltage divider circuits and generates a ZCD signal. The ZCD signal is used by the ZVS detection circuit to generate a ZVS flag, which is used by the processor to control switching of first through fourth transistors of the PFC converter.

Abstract: A client station receives from an access point (AP) a downlink packet that includes a trigger frame that is configured to prompt the client station to transmit an uplink packet to the AP. The trigger frame includes an indication of whether the client station is required to perform a channel sensing procedure to determine if one or more subchannels are not idle prior to transmitting the uplink packet. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is required to perform the channel sensing procedure: the client station does not transmit the uplink packet in response to determining that the one or more subchannels are not idle. In response to the trigger frame indicating that the client station is not required to perform the channel sensing procedure, the client station transmits the uplink packet without measuring the one or more energy levels in the one or more subchannels.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method for time delay estimation in a wireless communication system. A signal received, from a transmitter, is delayed due to hardware components in the receiver. A time domain representation of a computed complex channel impulse response (CIR) is generated. A first set of peaks of a time domain representation of the complex CIR is determined and a first peak, having a lowest time delay of the first set of peaks relative to the arrival time of the signal at the receiver, is identified. Following the interpolation of a region corresponding to the first peak, a second set of peaks is determined, and a more accurate estimation of the delay experienced by the signal through the receiver is determined.

Abstract: A system includes a magnetic sense element for detecting an external magnetic field and a magnetic field source proximate the magnetic sense element for providing an internal magnetic field that is detectable by the magnetic sense element. The system selectively functions in-situ in either of an operational mode and a standstill mode. The magnetic sense elements detects the external magnetic field in the operational mode. The external magnetic field is not available for detection in the standstill mode, and the internal magnetic field is provided only when the system is in the standstill mode. The system further includes a processing circuit that processes an output signal produced by the magnetic sense element in response to the internal magnetic field to determine operability of the system and to detect failures within the entire signal processing chain.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for contact detection in battery packs are disclosed.

Abstract: One example discloses a near-field antenna, comprising: a magnetic (H) field antenna; an electric (E) field antenna; wherein the E-field antenna is galvanically insulated from the H-field antenna; and wherein the E-field antenna is configured to be inductively charged by the H-field antenna.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to assessing characteristics of stored data, as may be implemented for verification thereof. As may be implemented in connection with one or more apparatus or method-based embodiments, a first data signature is generated, which corresponds to a logical derivation of configuration data sent over a data bus. Outputs that correspond to data read out from each of a plurality of configuration registers, which receive the configuration data over the data bus, are logically combined into a second data signature. The first data signature and the second data signature are processed and compared for ascertaining that stored data, as stored in each of the plurality of configuration registers, accurately corresponds to the configuration data sent over the data bus for writing into each of the plurality of configuration registers.

Abstract: An example network communication device include a communication circuit and a processing circuit. The communication circuit securely communicates over a network using a rotating code and the processing circuit enter a sleep mode at which time values of the rotating code are unknown by the network communication device. The processing circuit enters the sleep mode by requesting another network communication device of the network to authorize entering the sleep mode, and entering the sleep mode responsive to an indication verifying that the network communication device and the other network communication device agree on a set of secure parameters that is created pseudo-randomly, wherein the processing circuit enters the sleep mode with the set of secure parameters as stored for awakening but without storage of the values of the rotating key.