Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, devices, and methods for creating a worldwide network of low-power, wireless devices using drive-by connectivity gateways. An example system may comprise: a device comprising a sensor and a first short-range communication module that is configured to use a short-range communication standard; and a plurality of gateways disposed on a plurality of moving vehicles, wherein each gateway comprises (i) a second short-range communication module that is configured to use the short-range communication standard and a (ii) long-range communication module, wherein the first short-range communication module is in intermittent wireless communication with one or more second short-range communication modules of one or more gateways of the plurality of gateways, and wherein during the intermittent wireless communication, the first short-range communication module is configured to transmit data from the sensor to the one or more second short-range communication modules.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) using a lowered or an adjustable negative transconductance (?gm) compared to conventional VCOs. This ?gm degeneration technique suppresses the noise injected into an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank of the VCO, thereby providing lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given VCO voltage swing, lower power consumption, and decreased phase noise. One example VCO generally includes a resonant tank circuit, an active negative transconductance circuit connected with the resonant tank circuit, and a bias current circuit for sourcing or sinking a bias current through the resonant tank circuit and the active negative transconductance circuit to generate an oscillating signal. The active negative transconductance circuit includes cross-coupled transistors and an impedance connected between the cross-coupled transistors and a reference voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus includes amplification circuitry configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal. The apparatus also includes differential inductors coupled to an output of the amplification circuitry. The differential inductors include a first inductor serially coupled to a second inductor, and the differential inductors are configured to filter the RF signal and to provide a differential output.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) using a lowered or an adjustable negative transconductance (?gm) compared to conventional VCOs. This ?gm degeneration technique suppresses the noise injected into an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank of the VCO, thereby providing lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given VCO voltage swing, lower power consumption, and decreased phase noise. One example VCO generally includes a resonant tank circuit, an active negative transconductance circuit connected with the resonant tank circuit, and a bias current circuit for sourcing or sinking a bias current through the resonant tank circuit and the active negative transconductance circuit to generate an oscillating signal. The active negative transconductance circuit includes cross-coupled transistors and an impedance connected between the cross-coupled transistors and a reference voltage.

Abstract: A method calibrates a spread spectrum receiver having a received signal strength below a noise floor. The method includes estimating an input noise power, and measuring a noise power output from the receiver. The method also includes comparing the estimated input noise power with the measured output noise power to determine at least one calibration value. The method further includes calibrating the receiver based upon the at least one calibration value.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) using a lowered or an adjustable negative transconductance (?gm) compared to conventional VCOs. This ?gm degeneration technique suppresses the noise injected into an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank of the VCO, thereby providing lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given VCO voltage swing, lower power consumption, and decreased phase noise. One example VCO generally includes a resonant tank circuit, an active negative transconductance circuit connected with the resonant tank circuit, and a bias current circuit for sourcing or sinking a bias current through the resonant tank circuit and the active negative transconductance circuit to generate an oscillating signal. The active negative transconductance circuit includes cross-coupled transistors and an impedance connected between the cross-coupled transistors and a reference voltage.

Abstract: One aspect of an apparatus for wireless communications is disclosed. The apparatus includes a controller, a first transceiver, and a second transceiver. The first transceiver is configurable by the controller to support first communications through a cellular network to at least one of a packet-based network and a circuit-switched network. The second transceiver configurable by the controller to operate with the first transceiver to support first communications through the cellular network in a first mode and support second communications through an access point to the packet-based network in a second mode. In an aspect, the second transceiver is further configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode by moving its wireless connection from the cellular network to the access point while maintaining a network-layer connection to the cellular network.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a plurality of amplification stages, each stage comprising a cascode transistor; and a bridge circuit coupled between gate terminals of cascode transistors in two adjacent stages of the plurality of amplification stages, the bridge circuit including a plurality of diodes.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for temperature-dependent adjustment of a resonant circuit, such as that found in a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). Such adjustment may be performed in an effort to compensate for the frequency drift of the resonant circuit due to temperature changes. One example adjustment circuit for temperature-dependent adjustment of a resonant circuit generally includes at least one varactor and two sets of semiconductor devices configured to apply, across the at least one varactor, a differential adjustment voltage based on an ambient temperature of the semiconductor devices to adjust a capacitance of the at least one varactor, wherein each device in the sets of semiconductor devices has a temperature-dependent junction and wherein the two sets of semiconductor devices are configured such that voltage changes of the temperature-dependent junctions in the two sets of semiconductor devices are added in the differential adjustment voltage.

Abstract: One aspect of an apparatus for wireless communications is disclosed. The apparatus includes a controller, a first transceiver, and a second transceiver. The first transceiver is configurable by the controller to support first communications through a cellular network to at least one of a packet-based network and a circuit-switched network. The second transceiver configurable by the controller to operate with the first transceiver to support first communications through the cellular network in a first mode and support second communications through an access point to the packet-based network in a second mode. In an aspect, the second transceiver is further configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode by moving its wireless connection from the cellular network to the access point while maintaining a network-layer connection to the cellular network.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first capacitor, an inductor coupled to the first capacitor, and a second capacitor coupled to the inductor. The second capacitor is coupled to a first output of a differential amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus includes amplification circuitry configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal. The apparatus also includes differential inductors coupled to an output of the amplification circuitry. The differential inductors include a first inductor serially coupled to a second inductor, and the differential inductors are configured to filter the RF signal and to provide a differential output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for concurrently transmitting and/or receiving two or more communication signals by a wireless device. The communication signals may include signals described by two or more communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi communication signals and BLUETOOTH communication signals. For at least some embodiments, the Wi-Fi communication signals may be within a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequency band. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a configurable switch unit to couple the Wi-Fi communication signals and/or the BLUETOOTH communication signals to an antenna through a diplexer and a filter.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a plurality of amplification stages, each stage comprising a cascode transistor; and a bridge circuit coupled between gate terminals of cascode transistors in two adjacent stages of the plurality of amplification stages, the bridge circuit including a plurality of diodes.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a first amplifier stage configured to receive an input signal through a first gate inductor and a first source inductor; and a second amplifier stage configured to receive the input signal through the first gate inductor in series with a second gate inductor and the first source inductor in series with a second source inductor.

Abstract: A dynamic latch is disclosed that may reduce power consumption in frequency dividers while widening their frequency operation ranges. The dynamic latch includes a sense component to detect an input voltage in response to a first state of a mode select signal, and to generate an output voltage based, at least in part, on the input voltage; a hold component to retain the output voltage in response to a second state of the mode select signal; and a first transistor, coupled between the sense component and ground potential, including a gate responsive to the mode select signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first capacitor, an inductor coupled to the first capacitor, and a second capacitor coupled to the inductor. The second capacitor is coupled to a first output of a differential amplifier.

Abstract: Aspects of circuits and methods for generating an oscillating signal are disclosed. The circuit includes a phase detector configured to output first and second signals responsive to a phase difference between two input signals. The phase detector is further configured to disable the first signal when outputting the second signal and to disable the second signal when outputting the first signal. The circuit further includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to generate an oscillating signal having a tunable frequency responsive to the first and second signals.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) using a lowered or an adjustable negative transconductance (?gm) compared to conventional VCOs. This ?gm degeneration technique suppresses the noise injected into an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank of the VCO, thereby providing lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given VCO voltage swing, lower power consumption, and decreased phase noise. One example VCO generally includes a resonant tank circuit, an active negative transconductance circuit connected with the resonant tank circuit, and a bias current circuit for sourcing or sinking a bias current through the resonant tank circuit and the active negative transconductance circuit to generate an oscillating signal. The active negative transconductance circuit includes cross-coupled transistors and an impedance connected between the cross-coupled transistors and a reference voltage.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for processing wireless signals received from one or more communications systems. In a particular implementation, one or more signals received from one or more communication systems such as a GNSS may be processed in two or more separate wireless signal receiver paths and combined in baseband to share one analog-to-digital converter.