Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward apparatuses, methods, and systems for presenting boosted power regulation to a load. These aspects include a power-switching circuit that selectively passes current in response to a boost-converter control circuit. A current-control circuit selectively powers the load in response to the power-switching circuit passing current.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for implementing a circuit design within an integrated circuit (IC) package. A respective capacitance is determined for each die contact of a circuit design. A respective target inductance range is selected for each of the plurality of die contacts based on the determined capacitance. A segmentation of the circuit design is determined as a function of the target inductance ranges. The segmentation defines an implementation of the circuit design on a plurality of IC dies. The IC dies are placed at respective locations on the substrate, based on the resulting inductances of connections (e.g., conductive traces) between the die contacts and terminals of the IC package.

Abstract: An apparatus for restricting execution of software is disclosed. The apparatus includes a telecommunication device configured to communicate with a wireless device (e.g., an RFID device) using a first wireless communication protocol. The telecommunication device is configured to determine whether or not the telecommunication device is located in an authorized wireless environment, based on wireless devices detected by the telecommunication device. The telecommunication device is also configured to execute a program in response to determining that it is located in an authorized wireless environment. Conversely, the telecommunication device is also configured to inhibit execution of the program in response to determining that it is not located in an authorized wireless environment.

Abstract: The use of a data link between two or more smart devices for voice communication allows for the enhancement of voice quality in a collaborative way through the exchange of well-defined meta-data between the smart devices. The meta-data may be exchanged on a separate IP data link or as part of the exchanged voice data packets.

Abstract: A proximity integrated circuit card bias adjustment. In one example, a decoding circuit, having an decoding range, for translating a data-frame signal having an information portion and a bias portion into an output code; and a bias adjust circuit coupled to receive the output code from the decoding circuit, and adjust the bias portion of the data-frame signal such that the output code is within the decoding range is disclosed. In another example, a method for proximity integrated circuit card bias adjustment, comprising: translating a data-frame signal having an information portion and a bias portion into an output code; and adjusting the bias portion of the data-frame signal such that the output code is within a decoding range is disclosed.

Abstract: Wireless power and data transfer can be implemented for powering and communicating with a variety of devices, in a manner that facilitates device access under such wireless power conditions. As consistent with one or more embodiments, wireless power and data are communicated in an apparatus such as a mobile device having a power circuit (e.g., a battery) that powers a processor under normal operating conditions, and that also operates in a low-power state (e.g., in which the processor is not operating and/or not operating using the power circuit). Power is generated using wireless power signals and used to power the power circuit and to both extract and store data from wireless data signals. With this approach, data can be transferred in a low-power state, and the processor can use the stored data upon transitioning to an on state in which the processor is active and powered by the power circuit/battery.

Abstract: A method for verifying the integrity of navigation data used to produce random values for a white-box cryptography system including: receiving information from a navigation system; verifying the integrity of the received navigation information; extracting random information from the received navigation information; and performing a white-box cryptography operation using the extracted random information. Also, a method for determining that the random information samples used to produce random values for a white-box cryptography system have sufficient entropy, including: determining a number of random samples to initially collect; collecting the number of random samples from an external random number generator; calculating the entropy of the collected random samples; encrypting or hashing the collected random samples using the white-box cryptography system and a secret key; and performing a white-box cryptography operation using the encrypted collected random samples.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (30) comprising a logic circuit (42) and reception means (34) for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit (42), and it relates to a device coupled to such an integrated circuit and to methods for manufacturing and operating such an integrated circuit and for transmitting control data to a device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tilt correction method and a corresponding apparatus for correcting tilt of RF signals in a wanted channel having a predetermined frequency range, in a signal path of a communication equipment, wherein the RF signals are down-converted to an intermediate frequency of an IF domain. The method comprises the steps of: providing a predetermined RF signal having a particular frequency to the signal path, detecting an output signal in the intermediate frequency (IF) domain and outputting a detection result, repeating the providing step and the detecting step for plural RF signals of different frequencies within the channel frequency range, determining the tilt of the RF signals in the frequency range by comparing the detection results, and correcting the tilt to obtain a minimized tilt of the wanted channel depending upon the determined tilt.

Abstract: Embodiments of a packaged semiconductor device with interior polygon pads are disclosed. One embodiment includes a semiconductor chip and a package structure defining a rectangular boundary and having a bottom surface that includes interior polygonal pads exposed at the bottom surface of the package structure and located on a centerline of the bottom surface of the package structure and edge polygonal pads exposed at the bottom surface of the package structure, located at an edge of the rectangular boundary, and including one edge polygonal pad in the vicinity of each corner of the rectangular boundary. The interior polygonal pads are configured such that a line running between at least one vertex of each of the interior polygonal pads is parallel to an edge of the rectangular boundary of the package structure.

Abstract: A switched mode power supply (SMPS) controller is disclosed. The controller comprises a monitoring circuit adapted to monitor the rate of change of a voltage at an input (1) and to monitor the drop in voltage at the input (1) from a peak value. The controller is adapted to generate a signal for closing the switch when the monitored rate of change falls below a first predetermined threshold and the monitored drop in voltage exceeds a second predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including: a RF interface; a wired interface connectable to a host; a volatile memory having a first block and a last block configured to store data transferred between the RF interface and the wired interface; and a memory controller configured to detect when the last block of the volatile memory has been written and to indicate that the volatile memory is ready to read. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a tag including: determining that data is to be received on the first interface; blocking the second interface; writing data from the first interface to a volatile memory; detecting that the last block of the volatile memory has been written; unblocking the second interface; indicating that data is available for reading; blocking the first interface; and reading data from the volatile memory to the second interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit comprising a substrate (10) including at least one light sensor (12); an interconnect structure (20) over the substrate; at least one passivation layer (30) over the interconnect structure, said passivation layer including a first area over the at least one light sensor; and a gas sensor such as a moisture sensor (50) at least partially on a further area of the at least one passivation layer, wherein the gas sensor comprises a gas sensitive layer (46?) in between a first electrode (42) and a second electrode (44), the gas sensitive layer further comprising a portion (46?) over the first area. A method of manufacturing such an IC is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus 1 comprising a broadcast receiver circuit, an embedded antenna for receiving broadcast signals and a tuning circuit coupled between the antenna and the receiver circuit, which tuning circuit comprises a filter circuit coupled to ground, wherein the tuning circuit is designed to have a first resonance at a first frequency below a broadcast band of interest, and a second resonance at a second frequency above the broadcast band and wherein the tuning circuit comprises an amplifier with an output to the receiver circuit and with an input to the filter circuit, and wherein the tuning circuit is provided with a carrier to noise ratio (CNR) which is substantially flat across the broadcast band.

Abstract: As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an event manager provides control of a battery-powered internal power supply. The power supply has a control port that receives a control signal for activating and deactivating the internal power supply, and one or more output ports for providing a power signal. The event manager includes a plurality of system-event circuits that detect activity signals corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of system events. An event validation circuit, which is powered by the power signal, provides a validation signal that is based upon an activity signal detected by the event manager circuit and that indicates that the internal power supply should provide the power signal in a non-sleep power-operation mode.

Abstract: Various aspects are directed to communications, as may be implemented in an automotive network. An input transistor has a gate coupled to an input port and to a voltage-limiting circuit, connected between the gate and a power rail. The voltage-limiting circuit presents a voltage to the gate corresponding to a voltage on the input port and less than the supply voltage level, and clamps a gate-source voltage of the transistor. In a power-saving mode, current is blocked on the current path when the input port is at the supply or ground voltage levels. When the input port transitions away from the threshold voltage, the apparatus transitions to a wake-up mode in which current is no longer blocked in the current path and in which a wake-up signal is provided based on the voltage at the input port and a bias voltage.

Abstract: A bond wire transformer comprises a plurality of primary bond wires coupled in parallel; and a plurality of secondary bond wires coupled in parallel, each secondary bond wire being spaced apart from and oriented relative to a corresponding primary bond wire so as to achieve a desired mutual inductance between the corresponding primary and secondary bond wires, thereby providing magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary bond wires.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip (1, 91) for a transponder (3, 93) comprises a chip substrate (4) with a surface (5), chip terminals (6, 7) arranged on the surface (5), and a passivation layer (22) covering the surface (5) and completely covering the chip terminals (6, 7), so that an antenna (2, 30) with antenna terminals (24, 25) can be attached to the chip (1, 91) above the chip terminals (6, 7), so that the chip terminals (6, 7), the passivation layer (22) and the antenna terminal (24, 25) form first capacitors.

Abstract: Method of synchronizing the playback of an audio broadcast on a plurality of network output devices. The present invention relates to method of synchronizing the playback of an audio broadcast on a plurality of network output devices. Said method comprises the steps of: detecting (11) a set of network output devices located in a same neighborhood which are able to play the audio broadcast, selecting (12) at least one network output device from among the set of network output devices, preventing (13) the network output devices of the set other than the at least one selected network output device to play the audio broadcast.

Abstract: Wireless charging and data communication are effected. In accordance with various example embodiments, a transceiver-type circuit wirelessly charges portable devices, such as hand-held telephones via wireless signals, and also wirelessly communicates data with remote transponders. The data communication is carried out to facilitate authentication of the remote transponders and may, for example, be limited relative to a power-carrying capability of the transponders. Such aspects may be implemented, for example, in a transceiver for both transponder-based operation and (high-power) wireless charging applications in vehicle-based circuits.