Abstract: One example discloses a near-field communications device, including: an energy harvesting circuit configured to be coupled to a near-field antenna that is responsive to non-propagating quasi-static near-field energy; wherein the harvesting circuit is configured to harvest energy from the non-propagating quasi-static near-field energy; and wherein the harvesting circuit includes a harvesting filter configured to input a first set of near-field energy and output a second set of near-field energy; and wherein the second set of near-field energy is a sub-set of the first set of near-field energy.

Abstract: One example discloses a near-field wireless device, including: a near-field antenna having a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface; wherein the conductive surfaces are configured to carry non-propagating quasi-static near-field electro-induction (NFEI) signals; a tuning circuit coupled to the near-field antenna and having a set of tuning parameters; a controller coupled to the tuning circuit; wherein the controller is configured to monitor a loading of the near-field antenna; wherein the controller is configured to adjust the tuning parameters if the loading is different from a preselected loading; and wherein the controller is configured to set a user present status in response to a predefined threshold change in the set of tuning parameters.

Abstract: A system includes a magnet having an axis of rotation, the magnet being configured to produce a magnetic field. The system further includes a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements, each of the magnetoresistive sensor elements having a magnetic free layer configured to generate a vortex magnetization pattern in the magnetic free layer, and the magnetoresistive sensor elements being configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field. A rotation angle of a rotating element to which the magnet is coupled may be determined using the plurality of output signals.

Abstract: A resistive memory apparatus and a method of operating a resistive memory apparatus are disclosed. In an embodiment, a resistive memory apparatus can include a memory cell that includes at least two transistors and a resistive element. The resistive memory apparatus can further include a bit line through which data is exchanged with the memory cell, wherein the bit line electronically interconnects with the memory cell, and a bit line regulator connected to the bit line. The bit line regulator can regulate the bit line based on the state of the resistive element. The forming signals and voltage settings can be transmitted over the bit line regulator and across the bit line to the memory cell.

Abstract: A wide band communications circuit buffer can include a pair of NPN bipolar transistor emitter followers deployed as a voltage buffer and disposed at inputs before and outputs after an equalization module, and a pair of diode connected NPN transistors deployed as a level shifter and disposed following the emitter followers before an output of the wide band driver to keep an output level at the output of the wide band buffer close to a desired level. Resistors connected between emitters and a VEE terminal can be used to further adjust the DC level. An LC tank filter can be provided between emitters of the voltage buffer components and the circuit's outputs to pass and boost high frequency signals provided to next stage components. The wide band buffer is, inter alia, appropriate for use in providing a DC level shift function as used in wired data communication systems circuitry.

Abstract: A circuit for asynchronous data transfer includes a slave device having an asynchronous slave clock for transferring data to a master device having a master clock. The slave clock is a non-continuous clock signal. The slave device includes a clock detection circuit, a register bank, a temporary storage register, and a datapath selector. The slave device receives a data transfer command from the master device. The clock detection circuit detects a presence of the slave clock signal and generates a sync signal. To transfer the data to the master device, the datapath selector selects one of the temporary storage register and the register bank based on the sync signal. The slave device ensures seamless data transfer to the master device regardless of the presence or absence of the slave clock signal.

Abstract: A system includes a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field, the magnet having an asymmetric magnetization configuration that produces a distinct feature in the magnetic field. The asymmetric magnetization configuration can be produced via an asymmetric physical characteristic, nonuniform magnetization strengths, nonuniform magnetization distributions, off-centered magnet, and so forth. Magnetic field sensors are configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field, the output signals being indicative of the distinct feature in the magnetic field. A processing circuit receives the output signals and determines a rotation angle for the magnet using the output signals, the rotation angle having a range of 0-360°.

Abstract: A system and method for defrosting or heating are presented. A radio frequency (RF) signal source provides, through a transmission path, an RF signal to an electrode that is proximate to a cavity of a defrosting system. A rate of change of a ratio of a reflected RF power measurement and a forward RF power measurement along the transmission path is determined to have transitioned from a relatively high value to a relatively low value. At a point in time when the determination is made, the RF signal is provided to the electrode for an additional time duration beyond the point in time, and provision of the RF signal to the electrode is ceased when the additional time duration has expired.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided to secure integrated circuit devices that combines a high degree of security with a low overhead, both in area and cost, thereby making it appropriate for smaller, cheaper integrated circuits. A determination is made whether a device die is on a wafer or if the device die is incorporated into a package. Only if the device die is incorporated in a package can the functional logic of device die be activated, and then only if a challenge-response query is satisfied. In some embodiments, a random number generator is used during wafer testing to form a pair of numbers, along with a die identifier, that is unique for each device die. A final test is then performed in which the device die can be activated if the device die is incorporated in a package, and the die identifier—random number pair is authenticated.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package that incorporates a waveguide usable for high frequency applications, such as radar and millimeter wave is provided. Embodiments employ a rigid-flex printed circuit board structure that can be folded to form the waveguide while, at the same time, mounting one or more semiconductor device die or packages. Embodiments reduce both the area of the mounted package and the distance signals need to travel between the semiconductor device die and antennas associated with the waveguide.

Abstract: A device for measuring voltage and temperature in a power supply is disclosed. The device includes a pin to be coupled to a temperature measuring circuit and power inputs of the power supply. The device is configured to measure a voltage at the power inputs and when the voltage changes are within a predetermined threshold for a predetermined time period, the device is configured to measure the temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is receiver apparatus including a first input configured to receive a first signal, a second input configured to receive a second signal, a switching circuit configured to alternate between the first and second signal from the first and second inputs, a receiver configured to sample the input signal to produce a plurality of input samples, a reference sequence generator configured to generate a reference signal, and a correlator configured to correlate the first and second signals with the reference signal to detect a correlation event, the correlator including a first buffer configured to receive signals from the first input and a second buffer configured to receive signals from the second input, wherein the correlator is configured to process the first signal in the first buffer, while the second buffer receives the second signal.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that apply adaptive sub-tiles to captured images for distortion correction in vision-based assistance systems and methods. A captured image is processed to generate corrected tiles, and selected numbers of sub-tiles are used to generate each of the corrected tiles depending upon the pixel densities for regions of the captured image. The corrected sub-tiles are combined to form corrected tiles, and corrected tiles are combined for form a corrected image. The corrected image can be used to output control signals to cause actions to be issued to a user of the system such as a driver of a vehicle. For one embodiment, the corrected tiles are generated one at a time, and corrected sub-tiles for each corrected tile are also generated one at a time based upon individual source data blocks determined by a pre-determined sub-tile configuration. Efficient memory use and data transfers are provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method for calibration of a center frequency of a BPF in an FSK transceiver, the method including the steps of filtering a carrier frequency signal by the BPF to produce a filtered signal, detecting, by a phase-frequency detector (“PFD”), a difference in phase between the carrier frequency signal and the filtered signal from the BPF, sweeping a calibration code of the BPF, detecting a transition in the sign of the phase difference and capturing a calibration code associated with the transition in the sign of the phase difference for calibration of the BPF.

Abstract: A fixed-width pulse generator includes a metastability detector circuit, a delay signal generator, and a combinational logic circuit. The metastability detector circuit is configured to receive a trigger signal and generate state detection signals. The delay signal generator is configured to receive the state detection signals and the trigger signal, and delay the trigger signal by two different delay values to generate two different delayed signals. One of the delay values is based on the state detection signals. The combinational logic circuit is configured to receive the two delayed signals and an error signal, and generate a fixed-width pulse that remains constant over process, voltage, and temperature variations.

Abstract: A protection circuit including a pad configured to input an external voltage from a connector, a first circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to receive a fast ramp-up surge at the pad, a second circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to receive a ramp-up surge at the pad, a third circuit branch connected to the pad and configured to output a surge detection signal when a surge voltage is received at the pad, an enabling transistor connected between the second circuit branch and the third circuit branch, at least one switch to be protected, and a controller configured to control components of the second circuit branch and third circuit branch of the protection circuit based on an on-state of the at least one switch to be protected.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a battery management device, method, and a chip.

Abstract: An LC oscillator has a tank driver connected to cause a matched-resistance LC tank to oscillate. The LC tank has an inductor leg in parallel with a capacitor leg. The inductor leg has an explicit inductor having an implicit resistance level RL. The capacitor leg has an explicit capacitor having an implicit resistance level RC connected in series with an explicit resistor having an explicit resistance level RR, where RM=(RC+RR) is substantially equal to RL. The LC oscillator may have a non-trimmable LC tank and be part of a temperature-compensated frequency reference generator having standalone frequency adjustment circuitry that offers better than ±0.1% frequency accuracy (after single trim and batch calibration) over process, voltage, and temperature variations, and lifetime, which can serve as a low-cost replacement for a crystal oscillator for many applications.

Abstract: Disclosed is a RF system (100) having at least one transceiver node device (110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120) that is capable to assume, at a controllable point in time and/or for a controllable time period, each one of the following roles (210, 220, 230, 240): a first role (210) comprising listening or answering to a message from an active communication session, in particular ranging sessions, a second role (220) comprising listening for new communication sessions, in particular ranging sessions, a third role (230) comprising staying idle, and optionally a third role (230) comprising scanning for ongoing communication sessions, in particular ranging sessions, of other RF systems.

Abstract: A system can obtain an operational metric associated with the transceiver, determine a target figure of merit based on a compromise between a desired transmitter performance and a desired receiver, determine a current figure of merit based on the operational metric, and adjust the variable reactance component of the impedance matching circuit based on a comparison of the current figure of merit with the target figure of merit. Other embodiments are disclosed.