Abstract: A method of performing a single step/single solvent edge bead removal (EBR) process on a photolithography layer stack including a photoresist layer and a top coat layer using propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) or a mixture of PGMEA and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) is disclosed. The single step/single solvent EBR process is compatible with organic and inorganic BARC layers.

Abstract: A method to adjust the programming voltage in flash memory when the programming time exceeds specification. A method to adjust the programming voltage of flash memory after a predetermined number of erase/write cycles.

Abstract: A method for converting a sampled analog signal into digital is provided. An input signal is sampled at a sampling instant to generate a sample voltage. A first current is then applied to a node to change a voltage on the node, and a first interval to change the voltage on the node to a reference voltage from the sample voltage using the first current is determined. A second current is then applied to the node to change a voltage on the node prior to a subsequent sampling instant, and a determination of a second interval to change the voltage on the node to the reference voltage from the sample voltage using the second current is made.

Abstract: There are a variety of duty cycle systems, such as low noise amplifiers or LNAs, that have a large time varying current consumption, and parasitic inductances and resistance (usually from bondwires in the package) that can significantly affect supply currents. Thus, to compensate for these parasitics, a boost circuit is provided that allows for current to be supplied from a separate supply using a feedforward scheme to perform active decoupling.

Abstract: To achieve peak acoustic and power performance, the coil or applied current should be in phase or substantially aligned with the back electromotive force (back-EMF) voltage. However, there are generally phase differences between the applied current and back-EMF voltage that are induced by the impedance of the brushless DC motor (which can vary based on conditions, such as temperature and motor speed). Traditionally, compensation for these phase differences was provided manually and on an as-needed basis. Here, however, a system and method are provided that automatically perform a commutation advance by incrementally adjusting a drive signal over successive commutation cycles when the applied current and back-EMF voltage are misaligned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wheelchair control. The position and distance of a touch point on a touch pad is used to set speed and wheel differential control. The two major wheels of the wheelchair are controlled according to these set quantities. Exceeding either of two horizontal accelerations measured by an accelerometer limits the set speed. Wheelchair control is shut down upon exceeding a vertical acceleration limit.

Abstract: A method of detecting a signal in radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder (FIG. 1) is disclosed. The method includes receiving a signal (FIG. 7) having a first time in a first logic state (high) and having a second time in a second logic state (low). A weight (700, 702) is determined in response to the first time and the second time. An output signal (from A2D) is produced in response to the weight and one of the first and second logic states.

Abstract: An integrated circuit containing an SRAM array having a strap row and an SRAM cell row. The strap row includes a tap connecting region that connects two columnar regions of a first polarity well. The strap row also includes a well tap active area in a tap connecting well region. The well tap active area includes a tap layer and a well contact plug that is disposed on the top surface of the tap layer.

Abstract: Plural scan test paths (401) are provided to reduce power consumed during testing such as combinational logic (101). A state machine (408) operates according to plural shift states (500) to control each scan path in capturing data from response outputs of the combinational logic and then shifting one bit at a time to reduce the capacitive and constant state power consumed by shifting the scan paths.

Abstract: A method of through substrate via (TSV) die assembly includes positioning a plurality of TSV die with their topside facing down onto a curable bonding adhesive layer on a carrier. The plurality of TSV die include contactable TSVs that include or are coupled to bondable bottomside features protruding from its bottomside. The curable bonding adhesive layer is cured after the positioning. A plurality of second IC die each having a plurality of second bonding features are bonded onto the plurality of TSV die to form a plurality of stacked die assemblies on the carrier. Debonding after the bonding separates the carrier from the plurality of stacked die assemblies. The plurality of stacked die assemblies are then singulated to form a plurality of singulated stacked die assemblies.

Abstract: Compressive sensing is an emerging field that attempts to prevent the losses associated with data compression and improve efficiency overall, and compressive sensing looks to perform the compression before or during capture, before energy is wasted. Here, several analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architectures are provided to perform compressive sensing. Each of these new architectures selects resolutions for each sample substantially at random and adjusts the sampling rate as a function of these selected resolutions.

Abstract: Power amplifiers (PAs) using a Doherty or other power output level sensitive configuration have been employed for several years in telecommunications (as well as other applications) to take advantage of efficiency gains. For many of these applications, baseband signals are predistorted to compensate for nonlinearities in the PAs, but because there is a “switching event” in a Doherty-type amplifier (for example), the nonlinearities become dynamically varying. As a result, digital predistortion (DPD) becomes increasingly difficult to perform. Here, DPD modules are provided that adapt to changes in dynamically varying PAs based on a determination of the average power or other relevant metric prior to transmission.

Abstract: A class D power amplifier (PA) is provided. The PA generally comprises a driver, output capacitor, a matching network, and a cancellation circuit. The driver has an input, an output, and a parasitic capacitance, and the input of the driver is configured to receive complementary first and second radio frequency (RF) signals, where there is a free-fly interval between consecutive pulses from the first and second RF signals. The output capacitor and cancellation circuit are each coupled to the output of the driver such that the cancellation circuit provides harmonic restoration at least during the free-fly interval, and the matching network is coupled to the output capacitor.

Abstract: A system for managing AC energy harvested from a harvesting device (1) including a coil (4) including switching circuitry (S1-S4) coupled between first (7A) and second (7B) terminals of the coil. The switching circuitry includes first (S1), second (S2), third (S1), and fourth (S4) switches. A switch controller (17) closes the second and fourth switches to allow build-up of current (ILh) in the coil, opens one of the second and fourth switches, and closes a corresponding one of the third and first switches in response to the built-up inductor current reaching a predetermined threshold value (Ihrv) to steer the built-up inductor current through the corresponding one of the third and first switches to a current-receiving device (24 and/or RL, CL).

Abstract: Conventional transceivers do provide some compensation for in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) imbalance. However, these techniques do not separately compensate for I/Q imbalance for the transmitter and receiver sides of the transceiver. Here, a transceiver is provided that allows for compensation of I/Q imbalance in the transmitter and receiver irrespective of the other to allow for a more accurate transceiver.

Abstract: Various apparatuses, methods and systems for detecting simultaneous touches at multiple locates are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide an apparatus for detecting a touch, the apparatus including a resistive touch screen and a controller connected to the touch screen. The touch screen includes a number of electrically conductive columns and rows. In various embodiments, the touch screen is an analog matrix, with the overlapping columns and rows forming a matrix of cubics that can each detect one touch at a time, and with the location of the touch detectable in an analog fashion within each cubic. The resolution of the analog matrix in these embodiments is thus higher than that of the columns and rows. The controller includes an analog to digital converter switchably and sequentially connected to each of the columns and rows. The controller also includes a voltage source switchably and sequentially connected to each of the columns and rows.

Abstract: A hermetic MEMS device (100) comprising a carrier (110) having a surface (111) including a device (101) and an attachment stripe (122), the stripe spaced from the device and surrounding the device; a metallic foil (102) having a central bulge portion (103) and a peripheral rim portion (104) meeting the stripe, the bulge cross section parallel to the carrier monotonically decreasing from the rim (104) towards the bulge apex (105); and the foil positioned over the carrier surface so that the bulge arches over the device and the rim forms a seal with the stripe.

Abstract: A circuit (1-2) for compensating for variations in the current gain ? of a sensing transistor (Q1) having a collector coupled to a reference voltage (GND) includes a first current mirror (20) having an input coupled to a base of the sensing transistor. A second current mirror (21) has an input coupled to an output of the first current mirror. A current source (13) is coupled to provide emitter current for the sensing transistor. An output of the second current mirror circuit (21) feeds base current of the sensing transistor back to its emitter to cause the collector current of the sensing transistor to be precisely equal to the current (I1) provided by the current source.

Abstract: In conventional analog-to-digital converter (ADC) systems, jitter can be a problem because of delay circuits within the sample signal path. Here, an ADC system is provided with a modified delay locked loop (DLL), namely having a variable delay and a fixed delay. The modification to the delay line of DLL enables the removal of delay circuits from the sample path, improve the overall signal to noise ration (SNR).

Abstract: Over the years, parallel processing has become increasingly common. Conventional circuit simulators have not taken full advantage of these developments, however. Here, a circuit simulator and system are provided that partitions circuit matrices to allow for more efficient parallel processing to take place. By doing this, the overall speed and reliability of the circuit simulator can be increased.