Abstract: A mechanism is provided to reduce a distance of a waveguide antenna from transmit and receive circuitry in an integrated circuit device die. This distance reduction is performed by providing vertical access to radio frequency connections on a top surface of the IC device die. A cavity in the encapsulant of the package can be formed to provide access to the connections and plated to perform a shielding function. A continuous connection from the RF pads is used as a vertical interconnect. The region around the vertical interconnect can be filled with encapsulant potting material and back grinded to form a surface of the semiconductor device package. A waveguide antenna feed can be plated or printed on the vertical interconnect on the surface of the package.

Abstract: Optical control modules for integrated circuit device patterning and reticles and methods including the same. The methods include exposing, via a reticle, initial and subsequent reticle exposure fields on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The initial and subsequent reticle exposure fields pattern corresponding array regions and margin regions on the semiconductor substrate. The initial and subsequent reticle exposure fields partially overlap such that an initial optical control module (OCM), which is patterned during exposure of the initial reticle exposure field, and a subsequent OCM, which is patterned during exposure of the subsequent reticle exposure field, both are positioned within a single control module die. The reticles include reticles that can be utilized during the methods or that can form the integrated circuit devices. The integrated circuit devices include integrated circuit devices formed utilizing the methods or the reticles.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for processing instructions in a microcontroller is disclosed. In the embodiment, the method involves, upon receipt of an interrupt while an instruction is being executed, completing execution of the instruction by a shadow functional unit and, upon servicing the interrupt, terminating re-execution of the instruction and updating a main register file with the result of the execution of the instruction by the shadow functional unit.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes first and second sensor packages adjacent to one another and directly overmolded with an overmold material without being attached to a carrier structure. The first sensor package includes a first sensor die, a first set of connector pins electrically connected to the first sensor die, a first housing in which the first sensor die is located, the first housing having first and second surfaces spaced apart from one, and a first component positioned in proximity to the second surface of the first housing. The second sensor package includes a second sensor die, a second set of connector pins electrically connected to the second sensor die, a second housing in which the second sensor die is located, the second housing having third and fourth surfaces spaced apart from one another, and a second component positioned in proximity to the fourth surface of the second housing.

Abstract: A method for current limiting an operational amplifier includes sensing a first current through a first branch of the operational amplifier. The first branch conducts the first current from a limited current supply connected to an operational amplifier output. The first current is compared to a reference current to generate a regulation signal. A variable current source is controlled with the regulation signal. An output current of a transconductance amplifier is limited with the variable current source to limit the first current in response thereto.

Abstract: Multiple trigger frames are generated at a first communication device to trigger an uplink orthogonal frequency multiple access (OFDMA) transmission by multiple second communication devices. The multiple trigger frames include a broadcast trigger frame that includes information to indicate transmission parameters for a first subset of the second communication devices, and one or more unicast trigger frames, each of the one or more unicast trigger frame including information to indicate transmission parameters for a particular second communication device in a second subset of the second communication devices. The broadcast trigger frame is transmitted, in a first frequency portion of a downlink OFDMA transmission, to the first subset of the second communication devices, and respective unicast trigger frames are transmitted, in respective second frequency portions of the downlink OFDMA transmission, to the second subset of the second communication devices.

Abstract: One example discloses a multi-channel near-field electromagnetic induction (NFEMI) device, including: a sub-channel controller configured to be coupled to a near-field magnetic antenna (H-field) and a near-field electric antenna (E-field) and configured to receive a message to be transmitted to a second near-field device in a near-field body-network through the near-field electric and magnetic antennas; wherein the sub-channel controller is configured to divide a narrow-band near-field channel into a set of sub-channels; and wherein the sub-channel controller is configured to calculate a signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) for each sub-channel and select a sub-channel, from the set of sub-channels, for transmission of the message that has a higher SNR than another sub-channel in the set of sub-channels.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for determining a location of a mobile device, a mobile device, and a location beacon system are described. In an embodiment, a method for determining a location of a mobile device involves receiving, at a dual-antenna receiver of the mobile device, a plurality of ultra wide band (UWB) signals from a group of unsynchronized beacons having a quadrilateral formation, at the mobile device, determining angle of arrival (AoA) information from the UWB signals, and at the mobile device, calculating the location of the mobile device based on the AoA information. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods described herein provide a method for padding a signal extension of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. A transceiver may obtain a plurality of data symbols for transmission, and determine that a number of information bits for a last symbol of the plurality of data symbols is not an integer value. A special padding rule may be applied to add padding bits to the last symbol. A number of coded bits for the last symbol may be determined when the number of information bits for the last symbol has changed, and the plurality of data symbols for data transmission may be encoded based on the determined number of coded bits for the last symbol.

Abstract: A wafer includes a process control monitor (PCM) structure formed on a substrate. The PCM structure includes detection and reference structures. The detection structure includes a first electrically conductive line arrangement formed in a first structural layer on the substrate and a first protection layer surrounding the first electrically conductive line arrangement. The reference structure includes a second electrically conductive line arrangement formed in the first structural layer on the substrate, a second protection layer surrounding the second electrically conductive line arrangement, an insulator material formed overlying the second electrically conductive line arrangement and the second protection layer, and a second structural layer overlying the insulator material. The insulator material does not overlie the detection structure.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control system for a radio frequency (RF) communication device is provided, the system comprising: a communication controller configured to control an RF communication of the RF communication device; a detector configured to detect the presence of an external communication device and to initiate a wake-up of the communication controller in dependence on said presence; wherein the detector is configured to detect said presence by detecting a first load on an RF interface of the RF communication device, said first load resulting from a first transmitted RF pulse; and wherein the detector is configured to initiate said wake-up if a difference between the first load and a reference load is above a high threshold, and to perform a presence verification if the difference between the first load and the reference load is between a low threshold and the high threshold.

Abstract: This specification discloses methods and devices to enable high resolution configuration of a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector), which in turn is implemented allowing for very coarse threshold detection (i.e., the detectable threshold levels are widely spaced apart from each other) due to power consumption and design reasons. Based on this invention, the detection resolution can be enhanced from 10 mV steps to <1 mV steps. This makes the detection configuration more accurate, which allows for improved calibration, and reduces false wake-ups by smartly controlling hardware at no additional cost in power consumption. In some embodiments, the invention to enable high resolution configuration of a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector) can be implemented by using a wake-up threshold control to control both a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector) and an attenuator belonging to a receiver.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a fingerprint sensing device is provided, comprising a plurality of sensor cells, wherein each sensor cell comprises: at least one sense plate and a discharge electrode insulated from the sense plate; a first discharge path for discharging a first static electricity charge to a first electric potential terminal; a second discharge path for discharging a second static electricity charge to a second electric potential terminal; a charge reservoir coupled between the first electric potential terminal and the second electric potential terminal. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of producing a fingerprint sensing device is conceived.

Abstract: A method is provided for securely activating or deactivating functionality in a data processing system. The method includes determining to activate or deactivate a selected functional block of a plurality of functional blocks in the data processing system. An authentication key and a unique identifier are provided to a key derivation function of a function control circuit to produce a derived key value. The key derivation function is iteratively input with a sequence of function set identifiers, where each function set identifier is for identifying one or more of the functional blocks. Each function set identifier is paired with a previously derived key value from a previous iteration. A final iteration of the key derivation function provides a verification key for verifying the authenticity of the derived key value corresponding to the selected functional block to be activated or deactivated.

Abstract: A method for operating system to transmit a plurality of frames from a first communication device to a second communication device is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a Laterally Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor (LDMOS) comprising a drain connectable to a drift region and a source connectable to a body region. A diode comprises a cathode electrically coupled to the drift region, wherein during an operating condition, the anode is charged to a bias voltage less than a high voltage applied to the drain and greater than a low voltage applied to the source. The anode is laterally displaced from the drain by a first distance. A first deep trench isolation (DTI) is proximate to the source and disposed to laterally surround the LDMOS. A shield junction is proximate to the first DTI and on an opposite side of the source, and electrically connected to the anode.

Abstract: A substance treatment apparatus includes an RF signal source, power detection circuitry, a controller, and a transmission path between the RF signal source and a first electrode that radiates electromagnetic energy into a chamber. The RF signal source includes a solid-state amplifier that generates an RF signal. The power detection circuitry detects reflected signal power along the transmission path. Based on the reflected signal power, the controller modifies values of variable components within an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path to adjust a magnitude of the reflected signal power. The impedance matching network may have a double-ended input connected to a balun, and a double-ended output connected to the first electrode and to a second electrode. Alternatively, the impedance matching network may have a single-ended input connected to the RF signal source, and a single-ended output connected to the first electrode. The second electrode may be grounded.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method and system for encoding data to be stored in a memory, including: encoding the data to be stored in memory with an error detection code (EDC), that can detect up to 4 bit errors, as first encoded data; determining the Hamming weight of the first encoded data; inverting the determined Hamming weight; concatenating the first encoded data and three copies of the inverted Hamming weight as concatenated data; encoding the concatenated data with an error correcting code (ECC), that can correct 1 bit error, as second encoded data; and storing the second encoded data in the memory.

Abstract: An adjustable high resolution timer (100) for synchronizing a local clock to an external reference clock includes frequency offset acquisition and compensation unit (110) configured to acquire a frequency offset difference between the local and external reference clock and to generate frequency adjustment signals based on the frequency offset difference; a time drift tracking and adjustment unit (120) configured to continuously monitor the local and external reference clocks for phase offset differences therebetween and to generate timing adjustment signals based on the phase offset difference; a nanosecond timer core unit (140) configured to generate a frequency and phase adjusted nanosecond timer output signal in response to the frequency adjustment signals and timing adjustment signals; and a pulse generation unit (130) for generating a plurality of output pulse signals that are synchronized with the external reference clock in response to the frequency and phase adjusted nanosecond timer output signal.

Abstract: A structure is provided that reduces the stress generated in a semiconductor device package during cooling subsequent to solder reflow operations for coupling semiconductor devices to a printed circuit board (PCB). Stress reduction is provided by coupling solder lands to metal-layer structures using traces on the PCB that are oriented approximately perpendicular to lines from an expansion neutral point associated with the package. In many cases, especially where the distribution of solder lands of the semiconductor device package are uniform, the expansion neutral point is in the center of the semiconductor device package. PCB traces having such an orientation experience reduced stress due to thermal-induced expansion and contraction as compared to traces having an orientation along a line to the expansion neutral point.