Abstract: To protect against physical and side-channel attacks, circuit assemblies may mount a main processor opposite of a cryptographic processor such that traces between the two processors are hidden in a substrate. Another substrate defining a cavity may be mounted on the bottom of the substrate to enclose the cryptographic processor and prevent physical access without disrupting the cryptographic operations. Voltage converters with integrated inductors may also be included in the cavity to generate electromagnetic noise that will disrupt the sensitive equipment used in side-channel attacks. An electromagnetic shield may be sputtered on top of the main processor to block electromagnetic sniffing attacks while still allowing the processor to be coupled with a heat sink.

Abstract: To protect against physical and side-channel attacks, circuit assemblies may mount a main processor opposite of a cryptographic processor such that traces between the two processors are hidden in a substrate. Another substrate defining a cavity may be mounted on the bottom of the substrate to enclose the cryptographic processor and prevent physical access without disrupting the cryptographic operations. Voltage converters with integrated inductors may also be included in the cavity to generate electromagnetic noise that will disrupt the sensitive equipment used in side-channel attacks. An electromagnetic shield may be sputtered on top of the main processor to block electromagnetic sniffing attacks while still allowing the processor to be coupled with a heat sink.

Abstract: A broadband tuner includes a tracking filter with calibration to compensate for component errors and drift. The filters use off-die inductors that are preferably within a system-in-package (SIP) with other critical tuner components, which produces a highly integrated tuner front end with high Q filters within a single package. High voltage varactors with a large tuning range can be used for variable capacitors. The integration of the tuner into a SIP allows the tuner design to be optimized for cost and performance while keeping the critical RF layout requirements within the tuner. A configurable tuner front end enables modes for low noise, high linearity, good input return loss (S11) across the entire RF band, and applying a test tone in the calibration mode. The switchable mode enables the tuner to be effective during weak terrestrial reception, strong terrestrial reception, and connection to a cable plant.

Abstract: A broadband tuner includes a tracking filter with calibration to compensate for component errors and drift. The filters use off-die inductors that are preferably within a system-in-package (SIP) with other critical tuner components, which produces a highly integrated tuner front end with high Q filters within a single package. High voltage varactors with a large tuning range can be used for variable capacitors. The integration of the tuner into a SIP allows the tuner design to be optimized for cost and performance while keeping the critical RF layout requirements within the tuner. A configurable tuner front end enables modes for low noise, high linearity, good input return loss (S11) across the entire RF band, and applying a test tone in the calibration mode. The switchable mode enables the tuner to be effective during weak terrestrial reception, strong terrestrial reception, and connection to a cable plant.

Abstract: An N×M crosspoint switch allows a signal from any one of the N inputs to be routed to one or more of the M crosspoint switch outputs. The switches within the crosspoint switch can be configured as voltage mode or current mode switches. In voltage mode switching an input to the crosspoint switch is provided to an input device, such as an amplifier, having a low output impedance. The output of the low impedance device is provided to a switch that connects the output of the low impedance device to a high input impedance device, such as a band translation device. In current mode switching, the low impedance output of the input device is connected to selectively activated high isolation transconductance devices having high input impedances. The outputs of the transconductance devices are connected to low impedance devices that operate as summing nodes.

Abstract: Multiple input signal sources in predetermined frequency bands are each applied to block frequency converters. Each block frequency converter frequency converts an input signal to one of a plurality of predetermined frequency bands. A crosspoint switch is configured to route the frequency converted input signals at one of the plurality of predetermined frequency bands to any one of a plurality of available band translation devices. Each of the band translation devices is configured to frequency convert the signal from a first predetermined frequency band to a second predetermined frequency band. Output signals from one or more band translation devices can be combined into a composite signal.

Abstract: An N×M crosspoint switch allows a signal from any one of the N inputs to be routed to one or more of the M crosspoint switch outputs. The switches within the crosspoint switch can be configured as voltage mode or current mode switches. In voltage mode switching an input to the crosspoint switch is provided to an input device, such as an amplifier, having a low output impedance. The output of the low impedance device is provided to a switch that connects the output of the low impedance device to a high input impedance device, such as a band translation device. In current mode switching, the low impedance output of the input device is connected to selectively activated high isolation transconductance devices having high input impedances. The outputs of the transconductance devices are connected to low impedance devices that operate as summing nodes.

Abstract: An N×M crosspoint switch allows a signal from any one of the N inputs to be routed to one or more of the M crosspoint switch outputs. The switches within the crosspoint switch can be configured as voltage mode or current mode switches. In voltage mode switching an input to the crosspoint switch is provided to an input device, such as an amplifier, having a low output impedance. The output of the low impedance device is provided to a switch that connects the output of the low impedance device to a high input impedance device, such as a band translation device. In current mode switching, the low impedance output of the input device is connected to selectively activated high isolation transconductance devices having high input impedances. The outputs of the transconductance devices are connected to low impedance devices that operate as summing nodes.

Abstract: An LO generation circuit generates an LO signal by doubling and quadrupling the frequency of a VCO signal. The frequency doubling and quadrupling provides high VCO-RF isolation as well as suppression of spurious noise signals in the LO output. The frequency doubler takes a quadrature signal input and utilizes mixer cores having double balanced transistor pairs to provide an output signal having doubled frequency but maintaining the phase balance of the input signal.