Abstract: A multiphase power stage that includes addressing and communication techniques to read temperatures of the phases for thermal load balancing is disclosed. The disclosure describes driver modules that can be assigned addresses for serial communication on a common communication bus by temporarily communicating the addresses over dedicated pulse width modulation connections between the driver modules and the controller. After assignment, a temperature request message, addressed to a driver module, can trigger the driver module to transmit an analog temperature signal to a common temperature bus coupled between the driver modules and the controller. The temperatures of the driver modules may be collected in order to activate and deactivate driver modules based on their temperatures, which can balance a thermal load on the multiphase power stage.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a lateral bipolar device disposed in the semiconductor layer. The apparatus can further include an isolation trench disposed in the semiconductor layer in a base region of the lateral bipolar device. The isolation trench can be disposed between an emitter implant of the lateral bipolar device and a collector implant of the lateral bipolar device. The emitter implant and the collector implant can be of a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type.

Abstract: In one form, an acoustic distance measuring circuit includes a frequency generator, a transmitter amplifier, an acoustic transducer, and a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes an input adapted to be coupled to the acoustic transducer, for receiving an input signal. The sensing circuit provides an in-phase portion and a quadrature portion of the input signal to a filter. The sensing circuit filters the in-phase portion and the quadrature portion and calculates a phase of the input signal in response to the filtered in-phase and quadrature portions. The sensing circuit determines a frequency slope of the input signal in response to calculating the phase and provides the frequency slope of the input signal to an output.

Abstract: A MOSFET device die includes an active area formed on a semiconductor substrate. The active area includes a first active area portion and a second active area portion. At least one mesa is formed in the semiconductor substrate extending in a longitudinal direction through the active area. The at least one mesa includes a channel region extending in a longitudinal direction. The channel region includes low threshold voltage channel portions and high threshold voltage channel portions. The first active area portion includes the channel portions in a first ratio of low threshold voltage channel portions to high threshold voltage channel portions, and the second active area portion includes channel portions in a second ratio of low threshold voltage channel portions to high threshold voltage channel portions. The first ratio is larger than the second ratio.

Abstract: A repeater circuit includes at least a first input, and output, and a repeater. The first input for receiving a single-ended data signal from an embedded universal serial bus (eUSB) host. The output provides a differential data signal in a differential universal serial bus (USB) format. The repeater is coupled between the first input and output for converting the single-ended data signal to a differential data signal, the repeater includes an adaptive delay element operable for both sides of the differential data signal to delay one, but not both, of a rising edge and a falling edge of the differential data signal in order to meet a crossover specification for the USB format.

Abstract: In at least one general aspect, an inductive sensor can include a shaft having an axis of rotation, and a rotor physically coupled to the shaft and including a rotor coil. The rotor and the rotor coil can be aligned along a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation. The inductive sensor can include a stator including a stator layer, an excitation coil, and an eccentricity receiver coil where the excitation coil and the eccentricity receiver coil are physically coupled to the stator layer.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a package includes an optical sensor die fabricated in a semiconductor wafer. The optical sensor die has an optically active area on a front side of the semiconductor wafer generating a raw image signal. A transparent cover attached to the front side of the semiconductor wafer above the optically active area of the optical sensor die. An image signal processor (ISP) die processing the raw image signal is embedded in a layer of molding material attached to a back side the semiconductor wafer opposite the front side of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A substrate includes a ceramic tile and a three-dimensional (3D) conductive structure. The 3D conductive structure includes a planar base layer having a bottom surface bonded to a top surface of the ceramic tile, and a block disposed above the planar base layer. The block is monolithically integrated with the planar base layer. A top surface of the block is configured as a die attach pad. The planar base layer has a base vertical thickness from the top surface of the ceramic tile to a top surface of the planar base layer. The block and the planar base layer have a combined vertical thickness from the top surface of the ceramic tile to a top surface of the block that is greater than the base vertical thickness.

Abstract: A package includes a dielectric fill material layer embedding a first semiconductor die, a connector clip, and a second semiconductor die. The connector clip has a segment disposed above the dielectric fill material layer embedding the first semiconductor die. This segment of the connector clip is aligned along a same direction as a top surface of the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die is disposed on the segment of the connector clip disposed above the dielectric fill material layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device includes providing a work piece comprising a first material, a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, and a first CTE. The method includes providing recesses extending into the work piece from the first side and comprising a pattern. The method includes providing a second material comprising a second CTE within the recesses and over the first material between the recesses. The method includes providing a third material comprising a third CTE over one of the second side or the second material. The third CTE and the second CTE are different than the first CTE.

Abstract: In one form, a switching controller includes a buck controller and a bypass circuit. The buck controller has an input for receiving a variable voltage, an output for providing a buck voltage by switching the variable voltage into an inductive output filter according to a switching signal having a variable duty cycle to regulate a current into a load. The bypass circuit is coupled to the buck controller for comparing the variable duty cycle of the switching signal to a threshold, for activating a bypass signal in response to the variable duty cycle exceeding the threshold, and for subsequently de-activating the bypass signal according to a predetermined algorithm.

Abstract: Implementations of a method of designing a module semiconductor product may include receiving a selection of a module type, one or more die, a placement of one or more wires, clips, or pins; and generating, using a processor, a module configuration file. The method may include generating a module bonding diagram using a build diagram system module; selecting one or more SPICE models corresponding with the die; and generating a product SPICE model and a three dimensional model for the module semiconductor product. The method may include generating one or more datasheet characteristics of the module semiconductor product with at least the product SPICE model and the product simulation module, generating a product datasheet for the module semiconductor product using the datasheet formation module, and providing access to at least the module bonding diagram, the product SPICE model, the three dimensional model, and the product datasheet to the user.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include forming a recess and a mesa in a metal layer associated with a substrate, and disposing a first portion of a conductive-bonding component on the mesa and a second portion of the conductive-bonding component in the recess. The method can include disposing a semiconductor component on the conductive-bonding component such that the second portion of the conductive-bonding component is disposed between an edge of the semiconductor component and a bottom surface of the recess.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an electronic device assembly includes a circuit including at least one semiconductor die, and a molded body encapsulating the circuit. The molded body has a primary surface arranged in a plane and a side surface that is non-parallel with the plane. The assembly also includes a slot defined in the primary surface of the molded body, and a signal lead extending out of the side surface of the molded body. The signal lead is electrically coupled with the circuit and has a plurality of bends that include a bend of that is at least partially disposed in the slot.

Abstract: An oscillator includes first and second capacitors, an inverter, a voltage shifting circuit, and a hysteresis buffer. The first and second capacitors have first terminals adapted to be coupled to respective first and second nodes, and second terminals coupled to ground. The inverter has an input coupled to the first node, and an output coupled to the second node. The voltage shifting circuit is coupled to the first and second nodes and has an input for receiving a tuning signal. The voltage shifting circuit changes an average voltage at the first node according to the tuning signal when an oscillation occurs in response to a crystal being coupled between the first and second nodes. The hysteresis buffer has an input coupled to one of first node and the second node, and an output for providing a clock signal having a duty cycle responsive to the tuning signal.

Abstract: Hearing instruments, such as hearing aids, may improve a quality of presented audio through the use of a binaural application, such as beamforming. The binaural application may require communication between the hearing instruments so that audio from a left hearing instrument may be combined with audio from a right hearing instrument. The combining at a hearing instrument can require synchronizing audio sampled locally with sampled audio received from wireless communication. This synchronization may cause a noticeable delay of an output of the binaural application if the latency of the wireless communication is not low (e.g., a few samples of delay). Presented herein is a low-latency communication protocol that communicates packets on a sample-by-sample basis and that compensates for delays caused by overhead protocol data transmitted with the audio data.

Abstract: A galvanically isolated gate driver for a power transistor is disclosed. The gate driver provides various temperature protection features that are enabled by (i) diagnostic circuitry to generate fault signals and monitoring signals, (ii) signal processing to enable communication over a shared communication channel across an isolation barrier, (iii) signal processing to reduce operating current needed for real-time thermal monitoring, and (iv) a disable circuit for unused temperature sensing pins.

Abstract: A power converter with secondary side active clamp. At least one example is a method including: limiting a push-phase voltage excursion of a phase node on a secondary side of a power converter during a push phase of a primary side of the power converter, the limiting by extracting current from the phase node and storing the current on a clamp capacitor; limiting a pull-phase voltage excursion of the phase node on the secondary side of the power converter during a pull phase of the primary side of the power converter, the limiting by extracting current from the phase node and storing the current on a clamp capacitor; and utilizing the current stored on the clamp capacitor to drive a component on the secondary side.

Abstract: A first semiconductor substrate contains a first semiconductor material, such as silicon. A second semiconductor substrate containing a second semiconductor material, such as gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, is formed on the first semiconductor substrate. The first semiconductor substrate and second semiconductor substrate are singulated to provide a semiconductor die including a portion of the second semiconductor material supported by a portion of the first semiconductor material. The semiconductor die is disposed over a die attach area of an interconnect structure. The interconnect structure has a conductive layer and optional active region. An underfill material is deposited between the semiconductor die and die attach area of the interconnect structure. The first semiconductor material is removed from the semiconductor die and the interconnect structure is singulated to separate the semiconductor die. The first semiconductor material can be removed post interconnect structure singulation.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein may include receiving from a user a selection of at least one die, a package type, and at least one test condition; generating, using a processor, a product die configuration and a product package configuration using a predictive modeling module and the at least one die and the package type; generating a graphic design system file; generating a package bonding diagram; generating a product spice model of the discrete device product using a technology computer aided design module; generating, using a processor, one or more datasheet characteristics of the discrete device product with the product SPICE model; generating a product datasheet for the discrete device product using the graphic design system file; and using a second interface generated by a computing device to provide access to the graphic design system file, the package bonding diagram, the product datasheet, and the product SPICE model.