Patents Assigned to Silicon Laboratories
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Patent number: 8922418Abstract: A voltage reference circuit includes a capacitor including a first terminal and including a second terminal coupled to a power supply node. The voltage reference circuit further includes an amplifier, a first transistor, and a switch. The amplifier includes a first input configured to receive a reference voltage input signal, a second input configured to receive a feedback signal, and an output. The first transistor includes a source coupled to the second input of the amplifier and to an output node, a gate coupled to the capacitor, and a drain. The first transistor is configured to provide a reference voltage at the source based on a charge provided to the gate by the capacitor. The switch includes a first terminal coupled to the output of the amplifier, and includes a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Mohamed Elsayed, Xiaodong Wang, Shouli Yan
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Publication number: 20140375374Abstract: An integrator circuit includes a switched capacitor bridge including first and second inputs and first and second outputs. The switched capacitor bridge is configured to sample first and second reference voltages twice per unit time interval. The integrator circuit further includes an integrator coupled to the first and second outputs and configured to integrate charge dumped into the first and second outputs twice per unit time interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2013Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Louis Nervegna, Bruce Del Signore
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Patent number: 8918067Abstract: The impedance of the elements of a capacitor array in the transmitter is kept substantially constant over changes in process, temperature, and supply voltage. The impedance is maintained substantially constant by compensating a gate voltage supplied to switches in each element of the capacitor array to adjust for changes in temperature and supply voltage to thereby maintain a substantially constant RC product for each unit element in the capacitor array and thereby improve the quality factor of the capacitor array.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2010Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: James F. Parker, Jeffrey L. Sonntag
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Publication number: 20140370832Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first signal path to receive and process a radio frequency (RF) signal of a first band and which has a first programmable digitizer to convert the RF signal of the first band into a digitized signal without downconversion. In addition, the apparatus further includes a second signal path to receive and process an RF signal of a second band, where at least portions of one or more of the paths may be shared during operation in the different bands.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2013Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Mark May, Carlos Briseno-Vidrios, Junsong Li
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Patent number: 8913051Abstract: An LCD controller includes a charge pump circuit for generating a charge voltage responsive to an external voltage and a clock signal. An oscillator generates the clock signal responsive to at least one bias voltage. The oscillator has a high power mode of operation and a low power mode of operation. Bias circuitry for applies the at least one bias voltage to the oscillator. The at least one bias voltage is applied to the oscillator from an external source in the high power mode of operation and the at least one bias voltage is applied to the oscillator from a source within the oscillator in the low power mode of operation. An LCD driver voltage circuit generates a plurality of LCD driver voltages for driving segments of an LCD display responsive to the charge voltage.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2009Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Douglas Piasecki, Thomas S. David, Timothy Thomas Rueger, Stefan Mastovich, Jia-Hau Liu
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Patent number: 8914563Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a shared synchronization bus having a plurality of channels assigned to one or more of a plurality of peripheral modules. The integrated circuit further includes a first peripheral module of the plurality of peripheral modules including a control output coupled to the shared synchronization bus and configured to communicate event timing data to an input of a second peripheral module of the plurality of peripheral modules through a selected one of the plurality of channels.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Bradley Martin, Thomas Saroshan David, Alan Lee Westwick
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Patent number: 8914624Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory, a processor and a controller. The processor is adapted to begin executing instructions based on content stored starting at a predetermined address in the memory upon reset of the processor. The controller is adapted to, in response to the reset of the processor, provide to the processor content for the predetermined address other than the content that is stored starting at the predetermined address.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Kenneth W. Fernald, Paul I. Zavalney
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Patent number: 8912496Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor integrated circuit (IC) that is adapted for ambient light sensing (ALS) and/or proximity detection. The sensor integrated circuit (IC) includes an integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that is adapted to convert at least one signal related to ambient light sensing (ALS) and/or proximity detection to at least one digital signal, and an integrated light emitting diode (LED) driver that is adapted to drive at least one LED. The sensor IC also includes an integrated power management unit (PMU) that is adapted to reduce power dissipation of the sensor IC by running at a low duty cycle the integrated LED driver and the integrated ADC.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Timothy T. Rueger, William Hong, David Andreas
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Patent number: 8912785Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to radio frequency (RF) power detection. In one embodiment, a power detection circuit includes a multiplier circuit configured to multiply a first voltage signal by a second voltage signal. The multiplier circuit receives the first voltage signal at gates of a first transistor pair and receives the second voltage signal at gates of second and third transistor pairs. In some embodiments, a drain of a first transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the second transistor pair, and drain of a second transistor in the first transistor pair is coupled to sources of the third transistor pair. In some embodiments, the power detection circuit includes a comparison circuit that compares the first pair of currents and a second pair of currents associated with a threshold voltage signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventor: Andras Vince Horvath
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Patent number: 8914564Abstract: A method of controlling a port in an apparatus includes receiving an instruction for execution by a processor. The method further includes executing the instruction, by writing a value to a storage location corresponding to the port, and by initializing a count operation. The method further includes proceeding with the count operation until a final count value is reached, and providing to the port the value written to the storage location.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventor: Thomas Saroshan David
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Publication number: 20140361844Abstract: A technique decouples a MEMS device from sources of strain by forming a MEMS structure with suspended electrodes that are mechanically anchored in a manner that reduces or eliminates transfer of strain from the substrate into the structure, or transfers strain to electrodes and body so that a transducer is strain-tolerant. The technique includes using an electrically insulating material embedded in a conductive structural material for mechanical coupling and electrical isolation. An apparatus includes a MEMS device including a first electrode and a second electrode, and a body suspended from a substrate of the MEMS device. The body and the first electrode form a first electrostatic transducer. The body and the second electrode form a second electrostatic transducer. The apparatus includes a suspended passive element mechanically coupled to the body and electrically isolated from the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: December 11, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Emmanuel P. Quevy, Daniel N. Koury, JR.
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Publication number: 20140361661Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a temperature compensating structure including a first beam suspended from a substrate and a second beam suspended from the substrate. The first beam is formed from a first material having a first Young's modulus temperature coefficient. The second beam is formed from a second material having a second Young's modulus temperature coefficient. The body may include a routing spring suspended from the substrate. The routing spring may be coupled to the first beam and the second beam. The routing spring may be formed from the second material. The first beam and the second beam may have lower spring compliance than the routing spring. The MEMS device may be a resonator and the temperature compensating structure may have dimensions and a location such that the temperature compensation structure modifies a temperature coefficient of frequency of the resonator independent of a mode shape of the resonator.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2013Publication date: December 11, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Emmanuel P. Quevy, Daniel N. Koury, JR.
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Patent number: 8908750Abstract: In a particular embodiment, a circuit device includes a peak detector to receive a signal and to generate peak output data related to the received signal and an average detector to generate average output data related to the received signal. The circuit device further includes a logic circuit to generate a data output related to the received signal based on the generated peak output data and the generated average output data.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Hendricus de Ruijter, Ping Xiong
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Publication number: 20140357211Abstract: An apparatus includes an input terminal to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to communicate the RF signal to a low noise amplifier (LNA) via an input signal path, and a capacitor attenuator coupled to the input terminal to attenuate the RF signal by a controllable amount and having a first portion controllable to include a used part configured on the input signal path and an unused part coupled between the input signal path and an AC reference node, and a second portion coupled between the LNA and the AC reference node.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Mark May, Steve Hanawalt
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Publication number: 20140354582Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes a wireless transceiver and a touchpad detection circuit is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes oscillators in the pad area of the device, thus minimizing silicon area used for this function. The oscillators consist of an inverting input buffer, such as a Schmidt trigger with a resistive feedback path from the output of the input buffer back to its input. The input of the buffer is also in communication with the external connection pad within the pad area. This allows an external component, such as a capacitor or touch sensor to be coupled to the oscillator. The method of operating a touchpad is also disclosed, where the oscillators may be selectively enabled.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Horne, Philip Jones
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Patent number: 8904076Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to coding data in an apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a coder circuit coupled to a data bus, where the coder circuit is configured to receive an indication that data is being transmitted over the data bus from a first circuit to a second circuit. The coder circuit is configured to perform a coding operation on the data in response to receiving the indication. In some embodiments, the coder circuit is configured to operate in a mode in which the coder circuit captures data of a data transmission via the data bus without being specified as a participant of the data transmission. When the coder circuit is not operating in the mode, the coder circuit is not configured to capture data of a data transmission without being specified as a participant of the data transmission.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventor: Kenneth W. Fernald
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Patent number: 8903332Abstract: In an embodiment, a circuit device for coupling to an antenna includes a first impedance matching circuit configured to couple to the antenna and a second impedance matching circuit configured to couple to the antenna. The circuit device further includes a power amplifier coupled to the first impedance matching circuit and includes a low-noise amplifier coupled to the second impedance matching circuit. Additionally, the circuit device includes a selectable impedance adjustment circuit coupled between the low-noise amplifier and the second impedance matching circuit, which selectable impedance adjustment circuit is configured to selectively adjust an impedance associated with the low-noise amplifier when the power amplifier is transmitting a signal through the antenna.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2009Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Péter Onódy, Attila Zolomy, Eric Unruh
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Patent number: 8885106Abstract: An apparatus includes a splitter to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to provide the RF signal to multiple channels of a tuner. Each channel may include an amplifier to amplify the RF signal, a mixer to downconvert the amplified RF signal to a second frequency signal using a local oscillator (LO) signal, where each of the channels is configured to receive a different LO signal, a filter to filter the downconverted second frequency signal, and a digitizer to digitize the downconverted second frequency signal. A clock generation circuit has multiple interpolative dividers and a frequency synthesizer to generate a reference clock signal. Each of the interpolative dividers is configured to receive the reference clock signal, generate a corresponding LO signal, and provide the corresponding LO signal to the mixer of at least one of the channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Mustafa H. Koroglu, Abdulkerim L. Coban
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Patent number: 8877536Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit including a MEMS device includes forming a structural layer above a substrate including at least one semiconductor device. The method includes forming an attachment to a first portion of the structural layer, the attachment having a thickness substantially greater than a thickness of the structural layer. In at least one embodiment of the method, the attachment is conjoined with the first portion of the structural layer and the first portion of the structural layer and the attachment are operative to mechanically move in unison. In at least one embodiment of the method, forming the attachment includes forming a patterned filler layer of a first material above the structural layer and forming a patterned conformal layer of a second material on the patterned filler layer. The filler layer has a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the structural layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2011Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Emmanuel P. Quevy, Carrie W. Low
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Patent number: 8880749Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of pads adapted to send or receive signals, and a plurality of mixed signal interface blocks, each of which is coupled to a corresponding pad in the plurality of pads. Furthermore, each mixed signal interface block in the plurality of mixed signal interface blocks is adapted to be configurable to provide selected functionality independently of the other mixed signal interface blocks.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2012Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.Inventors: Jinwen Xiao, Pavel Konecny, Axel Thomsen, Clayton Daigle, Xiaodong Wang, John Khoury, Alan Westwick, Shahram Tadayon