Abstract: A decoder for code excited LP encoded frames with both adaptive and fixed codebooks; erased frame concealment uses repetitive excitation plus a smoothing of pitch gain in the next good frame, plus multilevel voicing classification with multiple thresholds of correlations determining linear interpolated adaptive and fixed codebook excitation contributions.

Abstract: A chopper-stabilized amplifier (1B) having a first output (25) includes an input chopper (9) for chopping an input signal and applying it to the input of a first amplifier (2) and an output chopper (10) for chopping an output signal of the first amplifier and applying it to the input of a switched capacitor notch filter (30-1).

Abstract: Special test circuitry in an IC for wafer level testing selectively connects the specialized test circuitry to the functional circuitry during wafer test. Following wafer test the special test circuitry is electrically isolated from the functional circuitry and power supplies such that it does not load functional circuit signals nor consume power.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interleaving multiple frames of data as disclosed provide for an extremely streamlined approach to achieving both methods of interleaving as defined in the IS-2000 standard while meeting the complex requirement of frame puncturing. Output addressing is directly driven by a PN index or a counter locked to the reverse link timing, it is a simple manner of range selection to achieve all possible configurations required in the IS-2000 standard. Puncturing of sub-20 ms frames is also easily accomplished by using a single contiguous memory and interleaver engine that resides in the input side of the interleaver memory.

Abstract: A method for forming a MEMS device is disclosed, where a final release step is performed just prior to a wafer bonding step to protect the MEMS device from contamination, physical contact, or other deleterious external events. Without additional changes to the MEMS structure between release and wafer bonding and singulation, except for an optional stiction treatment, the MEMS device is best protected and overall process flow is improved. The method is applicable to the production of any MEMS device and is particularly beneficial in the making of fragile micromirrors.

Abstract: A track-and-hold circuit is provided. This track-and-hold circuit is adapted to track an analog input signal and hold a sampled voltage of the analog input signal at a sampling instant for processing by other circuitry, in response to a track signal that alternates with a hold signal. Preferably, the track-and-hold circuit includes a bi-directional current source that sources and sinks current through a first output node and a second output node, a unity gain amplifier that is coupled to first and second output nodes of the bi-directional current source and that receives the analog input signal, a resistor coupled to an output of the unity gain amplifier, and a capacitor coupled between the resistor and ground. Of interest, however, is the bi-directional current source, which includes a differential input circuit that is adapted to receive the track signal and the hold signal and that is coupled to the first and second output nodes and an RC network that is coupled to the differential input circuit.

Abstract: A track-and-hold or sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided. A difference between the disclosed S/H circuit and conventional S/H circuits is the use of a peaking circuit. This peaking circuit generally provides increased current to switching transistor when transitioning between track and hold which can increase the Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) as low frequencies, by as much as 15 dB.

Abstract: A system and method for sharing a communications link between multiple protocols is described that comprises a system comprising a communications interface configured to exchange information with other systems using at least one of a plurality of protocols; a protocol select register that stores a value that selects a protocol from among the plurality of protocols to become an active protocol; and a state machine accessible to the communications interface, the state machine used to control the exchange of information through the communications interface according to the active protocol. The active protocol is used by the communications interface to exchange information while the remaining protocols of the plurality of protocols remain inactive. The state machine sequences through a series of states that cause the communications interface to operate according to the active protocol, and that are designated as inert sequences under the remaining protocols.

Abstract: The distance between a first Multi Band Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (MB-OFDM) data transceiver and a second or more such transceiver is determined using known techniques. The radio frequency path loss between transceivers is estimated given said distance, using a known relationship between distance and path loss, and further accounting for line-of-sight or non-line-of-sight conditions if desired. This path loss value is added to the typically minimum transmit power level, absent path loss, needed for reliable data communication. This modified initial transmit power level is then used by the first transceiver to begin the known iterative feedback process of transmit power control (TPC). Because this modified initial transmit power level, based on distance, is closer to the final optimum level, convergence in the TPC process occurs in fewer steps and less time than had the initial transmit power been maximum power as is typical in known TPC systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a CMOS buffer circuit for liquid crystal display (LCD) drivers, which includes a single stage operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) with a differential of transistors for receiving a differential input voltage, a bias current source coupled to the differential pair and a single-ended output, the first bias current generating stage with a differential pair of transistors coupled to receive the differential input voltage to produce an output current in an output current path in response to a positive differential input voltage, a second bias current generating stage with a differential pair of transistors coupled to receive the inverted differential input voltage to produce an output current in an output current path in response to a negative input voltage, wherein the output current paths of both bias current generating stages are combined in a common current path and the current in the common current path is mirrored to the bias current source of the single stage OTA, s

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide methods and structures for controlling work function values of dual metal gate electrodes for transistor devices. Specifically, the work function value of one of the PMOS and NMOS metal gate electrodes can be controlled by a reaction between stacked layers deposited on a gate dielectric material. The stacked layers can include a first-metal-containing material such as Al2O3, and/or AlN overlaid by a second-metal-containing material such as TaN, TiN, WN, MoN or their respective metals. The reaction between the stacked layers can create a metal gate material with a desired work function value ranging from about 4.35 eV to about 5.0 eV. The disclosed methods and structures can be used for CMOS transistors including MOSFET devices formed on a bulk substrate, and planar FET devices or 3-D MuGFET devices (e.g., FinFET devices) formed upon the oxide insulator of a SOI.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for obviating interference effects in packet detection within a wireless communications network. A plurality of reference signals is provided—a first of which corresponds to desired packets, and the remainder of which correspond to undesired packets or interference. A plurality of cross-correlation constructs corresponds, respectively, to the plurality of reference signals. Each cross-correlation construct correlates an incoming signal to a plurality of repetitions of its respective reference signal. An analysis construct compares output from each cross-correlation construct with other cross-correlation construct outputs, and with a threshold value, to determine which incoming signal corresponds to desired packet data. Once this incoming signal is identified, packets from the signal may be reliably received.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, noisy automatic speech recognition employing joint compensation of additive and convolutive distortions and a digital signal processor incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) an additive distortion factor estimator configured to estimate an additive distortion factor, (2) an acoustic model compensator coupled to the additive distortion factor estimator and configured to use estimates of a convolutive distortion factor and the additive distortion factor to compensate acoustic models and recognize a current utterance, (3) an utterance aligner coupled to the acoustic model compensator and configured to align the current utterance using recognition output and (4) a convolutive distortion factor estimator coupled to the utterance aligner and configured to estimate an updated convolutive distortion factor based on the current utterance using differential terms but disregarding log-spectral domain variance terms.

Abstract: System and method for increasing the frequency tuning range of a RF/microwave LC oscillator. An electronic communications device includes a controller to regulate the operation of the electronic communications device, a modem coupled to the controller, a radio frequency unit coupled to the controller and to the modem, an oscillator coupled to the controller and to the radio frequency unit, and an amplifier coupled to the radio frequency unit. The oscillator produces a timing and reference signal for the radio frequency unit based on control information from the controller. The oscillator includes a multi-tap inductor that may controllably alter its effective inductance to change the timing and reference signal provided to the radio frequency unit.

Abstract: The transmit window size of a Simple Packet Relay Transport protocol packet transmission system can determine the efficiency of transmission and the memory requirements of the transmitter. A sufficiently large transmit window must be maintained to avoid transmission waits which can reduce the utilization of available transmission path bandwidth. However, an oversize window will require excess buffer capacity and therefore utilize additional storage space on the transmitter. A balance in window size is dynamically achieved through monitoring of the buffer write operations to determine the accessibility of the transmit buffer based upon packet transmission utilization and packet consumption acknowledgment.

Abstract: Charge pump circuitry (30) compares bottom plate voltages of first (C1) and second (C2) flying capacitors in a current mode charge pump (1B) to a reference value (VDD?V28) by means of a comparator (20) which drives a flip-flop (22) that generates first (F1) and second (F2) complementary phase signals. The first and second phase signals control switching of the flying capacitors to determine a flying capacitor swapping frequency just low enough to prevent saturation of a discharge current source (10) that discharges the flying capacitors into an output conductor (3).

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of forming a system-in-a-package includes providing a first substrate, coupling a first die to a top surface of the first substrate, coupling one or more surface mount devices to a top surface of a second substrate, coupling the second substrate to a top surface of the first die, interconnecting the first substrate, the second substrate, and the first die, and encapsulating the first die, the second substrate and the surface mount devices.

Abstract: An electronic package comprising a semiconductor device, a heat spreader layer, and a thermal interface material layer located between the semiconductor device and the heat spreader layer. The thermal interface material layer includes a resin layer having heat conductive particles suspended therein. A portion of the particles are exposed on at least one non-planar surface of the resin layer such that the portion of exposed particles occupies a majority of a total area of a horizontal plane of the non-planar surface.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system for retrieving data relating to at least one of a student's homework, exam or solution to a problem from at least one calculator via a network, wherein the handheld calculator is utilized by the student. The method includes presenting an invitation from at least one of a computer or a calculator of an instructor on the calculator of the student for requesting the data from the calculator of the student, wherein the invitation identifies a location on a computer or a calculator for transmitting the data, attaching the data to at least a portion of the invitation, wherein the data includes identification identifying at least one of the calculator of the student or the student, and transmitting the data from the calculator to the location identified in the invitation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a massive multi-site (MMS) testing architecture. The MMS architecture includes a MMS interface on each of a plurality of devices under test. The MMS interface includes a test protocol manager that may receive test stimulus and send the test stimulus to cores of the device under test. The test protocol manager may receive test responses from cores of the device under test and generate test comparisons based on comparisons between the test responses and expected responses. The test protocol manager may store the test comparisons on the device under test and communicate the stored test comparisons to automated test equipment (ATE) upon being queried by the ATE. The device under test may send the test comparisons to the ATE over a low-bandwidth communication.