Abstract: A touch sensing interface (101) includes a noise touch sensing circuit (110) that utilizes electromagnetic (EM) noise in a touch panel (102) to determine whether a pad of the touch panel is touched, such as by a finger of a user. The noise touch sensing circuit detects noise in a first pad (104) and in a second pad (105) of the touch panel, compares power of the noise in the first pad to power of noise in the second pad, and outputs a signal (132) indicative of the first pad being touched when power of noise in the first pad exceeds power of noise in the second pad by a pre-selected amount. The touch sensing interface may include a capacitive touch sensing circuit (120) and a controller (130) that selectively actuates the noise touch sensing circuit and the capacitive touch sensing circuit.

Abstract: A device (200) includes a circuit (202) and a driver stage (204) therefor. The circuit includes two sub-circuits (231 and 232). The driver stage includes switcher logic (206) that produces signals that control switching on and off of the sub-circuits. The switcher logic also produces other signals in advance of the signals that control the switching of the sub-circuits. The driver stage includes delay compensations circuits (221 and 222), coupled to the switcher logic and to the circuit, that produce timing signals for the switcher logic. The timing signals are closely aligned with moments that a changing voltage at a node between the sub-circuits passes through threshold voltages. The timing signals compensate for all delays of signals through the device such that a period that both sub-circuits are off is minimized, while ensuring that both sub-circuits are not on at a same time.

Abstract: A testing circuit (100) in an integrated circuit (102) indirectly measures a voltage at a node of other circuitry (104) in the integrated circuit. The testing circuit includes a transistor (120) having a control electrode (121), a first conducting electrode (122) coupled to a first pad (150), a second conducting electrode (123) coupled to a terminal of a power supply, and one or more switches (131 and 133) for selectively coupling the control electrode to one of the node and a second pad (140). A method includes determining a relationship between drain current and gate voltage of the transistor when the control electrode is coupled to the second pad. A voltage at the node is determined by relating the current through the first conducting electrode of the transistor when control electrode is coupled to the node.

Abstract: A touch sensing interface (101) includes a noise touch sensing circuit (110) that utilizes electromagnetic (EM) noise in a touch panel (102) to determine whether a pad of the touch panel is touched, such as by a finger of a user. The noise touch sensing circuit detects noise in a first pad (104) and in a second pad (105) of the touch panel, compares power of the noise in the first pad to power of noise in the second pad, and outputs a signal (132) indicative of the first pad being touched when power of noise in the first pad exceeds power of noise in the second pad by a pre-selected amount. The touch sensing interface may include a capacitive touch sensing circuit (120) and a controller (130) that selectively actuates the noise touch sensing circuit and the capacitive touch sensing circuit.

Abstract: A device includes a current source circuit to separately provide a first current and a second current and a thermal detection device coupleable to the output of the current source circuit. The device further includes a voltage detection circuit to provide a first indicator of a first voltage representative of a voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a second indicator of a second voltage representative of a voltage difference between the voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a voltage at the voltage detection device in response to the first current. The device further includes a temperature detection circuit to provide an over-temperature indicator based on the first indicator and the second indicator, wherein an operation of a circuit component of the device can be adjusted based on the over-temperature indicator.

Abstract: A sanitary napkin including a central absorbent pad, the central absorbent pad having a liquid pervious cover layer, a liquid impervious barrier layer and an absorbent core between the cover layer and barrier layer. The central absorbent pad includes a pair of flaps adapted to fold over a crotch portion of an undergarment in use. The central absorbent pad further includes two preferential bending axes, each axis being inward from and adjacent to a respective longitudinal side edge and extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal centerline, the axes converging towards the longitudinal centerline in the first distal end of the central absorbent pad. The preferential bending axes are adapted to enable the sanitary napkin to be folded from an initial substantially hourglass shape to a tapered shape.

Abstract: An absorbent article including a absorbent core having a plurality of first regions and a second region, each one of said first regions being arranged in spaced relationship from each of the other first regions and each of the first regions being entirely surrounded by the second region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for providing a current mirror type high voltage switching circuit (60) having a reference branch (M2, M3, R1) and a tracking branch (M1, M5), where the output peak current is limited by adding an additional branch (M4, M6) to the current mirror circuit which includes an additional mirror transistor (M4) and cascode transistor (M6), and where over voltage protection is provided by including a shut-off circuit (Q1, Q2) which turns “OFF” the cascode transistors (M5-M8) whenever the output voltage (Vout) exceeds the first reference voltage (Vbat) by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining the value of a capacitance. A system for sensing capacitance comprises an oscillator arrangement comprising a plurality of oscillators and a mismatch compensation arrangement coupled between the oscillator arrangement and a first capacitive element having a first capacitance. The mismatch compensation arrangement is configured to selectively couple the first capacitive element to a respective oscillator of the plurality of oscillators, wherein an oscillation frequency of the respective oscillator is influenced by the first capacitance.

Abstract: A voltage reference module of an integrated circuit device includes a current source to apply a current to a set of voltage cells, thereby generating a voltage drop across each cell. The voltage cells are configured such that the individual voltage drop associated with each cell in response to the application of the current is relatively stable over a temperature range. The voltage reference module generates a voltage based on the voltage drops across the voltage cells, and therefore the generated voltage is also stable over the temperature range. Bypass switches can be connected across each voltage cell whereby the switches can be individually opened and closed to include or exclude cells in generation of the reference voltage. In an embodiment, the switches are set during a trimming process for the integrated circuit device so that the voltage reference module provides a specified voltage.

Abstract: A device includes a current source circuit to separately provide a first current and a second current and a thermal detection device coupleable to the output of the current source circuit. The device further includes a voltage detection circuit to provide a first indicator of a first voltage representative of a voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a second indicator of a second voltage representative of a voltage difference between the voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a voltage at the voltage detection device in response to the first current. The device further includes a temperature detection circuit to provide an over-temperature indicator based on the first indicator and the second indicator, wherein an operation of a circuit component of the device can be adjusted based on the over-temperature indicator.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining the value of a capacitance. A system for sensing capacitance comprises an oscillator arrangement comprising a plurality of oscillators and a mismatch compensation arrangement coupled between the oscillator arrangement and a first capacitive element having a first capacitance. The mismatch compensation arrangement is configured to selectively couple the first capacitive element to a respective oscillator of the plurality of oscillators, wherein an oscillation frequency of the respective oscillator is influenced by the first capacitance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for providing a current mirror type high voltage switching circuit (60) having a reference branch (M2, M3, R1) and a tracking branch (M1, M5), where the output peak current is limited by adding an additional branch (M4, M6) to the current mirror circuit which includes an additional mirror transistor (M4) and cascode transistor (M6), and where over voltage protection is provided by including a shut-off circuit (Q1, Q2) which turns “OFF” the cascode transistors (M5-M8) whenever the output voltage (Vout) exceeds the first reference voltage (Vbat) by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A transceiver suitable for interfacing a logic device to a shared bus includes a transmit node that receives an input signal from the logic device and an I/O node, that is coupled to the shared bus. The transceiver may be designed for use with a shared-bus, single master, multiple slave architecture, e.g., a Local Interconnect Network (LIN). In a LIN compliant implementation, the transceiver may be suitable for use in at least some types of automobiles and other motorized vehicles. Control logic coupled to the transmit node may assert a current driver enable signal in response to detecting an assertion of the input signal. A current driver of the transceiver is configured to draw a time varying driver current from the shared bus node after detecting an assertion of the current driver enable signal. The driver current may cause a sinusoidal transition of the shared bus voltage.

Abstract: An absorbent article including an absorbent core having a plurality of first regions and a second region, each one of said first regions being arranged in spaced relationship from each of the other first regions and each of the first regions being entirely surrounded by the second region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an absorbent article including a absorbent core having a plurality of first regions and a second region, each one of said first regions being arranged in spaced relationship from each of the other first regions and each of the first regions being entirely surrounded by the second region. The present invention also relates to a method of making such a core structure.

Abstract: An absorbent article including a absorbent core having a plurality of first regions and a second region, each one of said first regions being arranged in spaced relationship from each of the other first regions and each of the first regions being entirely surrounded by the second region.

Abstract: A voltage reference module of an integrated circuit device includes a current source to apply a current to a set of voltage cells, thereby generating a voltage drop across each cell. The voltage cells are configured such that the individual voltage drop associated with each cell in response to the application of the current is relatively stable over a temperature range. The voltage reference module generates a voltage based on the voltage drops across the voltage cells, and therefore the generated voltage is also stable over the temperature range. Bypass switches can be connected across each voltage cell whereby the switches can be individually opened and closed to include or exclude cells in generation of the reference voltage. In an embodiment, the switches are set during a trimming process for the integrated circuit device so that the voltage reference module provides a specified voltage.

Abstract: A transceiver suitable for interfacing a logic device to a shared bus includes a transmit node that receives an input signal from the logic device and an I/O node, that is coupled to the shared bus. The transceiver may be designed for use with a shared-bus, single master, multiple slave architecture, e.g., a Local Interconnect Network (LIN). In a LIN compliant implementation, the transceiver may be suitable for use in at least some types of automobiles and other motorized vehicles. Control logic coupled to the transmit node may assert a current driver enable signal in response to detecting an assertion of the input signal. A current driver of the transceiver is configured to draw a time varying driver current from the shared bus node after detecting an assertion of the current driver enable signal. The driver current may cause a sinusoidal transition of the shared bus voltage.

Abstract: A device includes a current source circuit to separately provide a first current and a second current and a thermal detection device coupleable to the output of the current source circuit. The device further includes a voltage detection circuit to provide a first indicator of a first voltage representative of a voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a second indicator of a second voltage representative of a voltage difference between the voltage at the thermal detection device in response to the second current and a voltage at the voltage detection device in response to the first current. The device further includes a temperature detection circuit to provide an over-temperature indicator based on the first indicator and the second indicator, wherein an operation of a circuit component of the device can be adjusted based on the over-temperature indicator.