Abstract: Active circuits with isolation switches are described. In one design, an apparatus includes first and second amplifiers coupled in parallel. Each amplifier receives an input signal and provides an output signal. Each amplifier has a switch that isolates the amplifier when the amplifier is turned off. The first and second amplifiers may be high and low gain amplifiers or two low noise amplifiers (LNAs). The first and second amplifiers may be for different communication systems, different frequency bands, and/or different gain ranges. In general, any number of amplifiers may be coupled in parallel, and each amplifier may have a switch to isolate that amplifier when turned off. A switch for an amplifier may be a shunt switch coupled between an internal node of the amplifier and ground. The shunt switch may be closed when the amplifier is turned off and may be opened when the amplifier is turned on.

Abstract: A wireless device is equipped with multiple (e.g., two) antennas, which may be of different designs. Each antenna interacts with the wireless environment in a different manner and achieves different scattering effect. The wireless device has one transmit signal path for each antenna. Each transmit signal path generates an RF output signal for transmission from the associated antenna. The wireless device controls the operation of one or more transmit signal paths to achieve a larger received signal level at a receiving base station. The wireless device may (1) autonomously adjust the transmit signal path(s) without relying on any feedback from the base station or (2) adjust the transmit signal path(s) based on transmit power control (TPC) commands received from the base station. The wireless device may selectively enable and disable each transmit signal path, vary the phase and/or gain of each transmit signal path, and so on.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, an amplifier may include a transconductance stage, a tail current source stage, and an adaptive biasing stage. The transconductance stage may be configured to receive an input voltage. The tail current source stage may be configured to provide current to the transconductance stage. The adaptive biasing stage may capacitively couple the transconductance stage to the tail current source stage.

Abstract: An approach provides a satellite air interface to efficiently support communication with a terrestrial network. One or more packets associated with a data communication session are received from a terrestrial network configured to provide cellular communications. A frame representing the packet for transmission is generated over a satellite link to a user terminal. Signaling information for the transmission of the packet over the terrestrial network is modified or eliminated for transmission over the satellite link.

Abstract: A capacitance multiplier circuit is configured to sense a current through a capacitor in an RC filter of the circuit and to multiply the current so as to achieve a capacitance multiplier effect without adding additional circuitry or requiring additional power. The circuit includes an RC filter, a first signal path connected to a filter output, and a second signal path connected to an input to the filter. A current output through the filter (iout) is split between the two paths, sensed in the first path and multiplied in the second path. The multiplied current is fed back from the second path to the filter input to raise the effective capacitance of capacitor C. The capacitance multiplier circuit, in raising the effective capacitance of the capacitor in the filter, does not affect the frequency response, linearity performance and/or stability of the overall circuit.

Abstract: A capacitance multiplier circuit is configured to sense a current through a capacitor in an RC filter of the circuit and to multiply the current so as to achieve a capacitance multiplier effect without adding additional circuitry or requiring additional power. The circuit includes an RC filter, a first signal path connected to a filter output, and a second signal path connected to an input to the filter. A current output through the filter (iout) is split between the two paths, sensed in the first path and multiplied in the second path. The multiplied current is fed back from the second path to the filter input to raise the effective capacitance of capacitor C. The capacitance multiplier circuit, in raising the effective capacitance of the capacitor in the filter, does not affect the frequency response, linearity performance and/or stability of the overall circuit.

Abstract: A bandgap voltage reference circuit and methods for generating a bandgap reference voltage are disclosed. An operational amplifier receives first and second input voltages from a first and second current path, respectively. A buffer stage is coupled to an output of the operational amplifier and generates third and fourth voltages on the first and second path. A temperature dependent current is generated using the third and fourth voltages in combination with a first diode, second diode and a resistor. A third current path mirrors the temperature dependent current and a temperature independent voltage is generated for the bandgap reference voltage in the third current path using the temperature dependent current in combination with a second resistor and related diode.

Abstract: The present patent application comprises a linear transconductor having at least one input and at least one output, comprising a differential amplifier having a plurality of transistors and a plurality of inputs, wherein a difference of input signals is amplified, a cascode circuit having a plurality of transistors, wherein the transistors are operably connected to the differential amplifier, wherein reverse isolation between an input and an output of the linear transconductor is improved by decoupling the input and the output of the linear transconductor by mounting at least one transistor of the plurality of transistors of the cascode circuit as a common-gate stacked on the at least one transistor of the differential amplifier, an active load having a plurality of transistors operably connected between the cascode circuit and supply voltage, and an auxiliary device operably connected to the connection between the active load, the cascode device and ground.

Abstract: Active circuits with isolation switches are described. In one design, an apparatus includes first and second amplifiers coupled in parallel. Each amplifier receives an input signal and provides an output signal. Each amplifier has a switch that isolates the amplifier when the amplifier is turned off. The first and second amplifiers may be high and low gain amplifiers or two low noise amplifiers (LNAs). The first and second amplifiers may be for different communication systems, different frequency bands, and/or different gain ranges. In general, any number of amplifiers may be coupled in parallel, and each amplifier may have a switch to isolate that amplifier when turned off. A switch for an amplifier may be a shunt switch coupled between an internal node of the amplifier and ground. The shunt switch may be closed when the amplifier is turned off and may be opened when the amplifier is turned on.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a frequency-selective low noise amplifier (LNA) with wide-band impedance and noise matching. The LNAS may include a closed loop circuit that supports wideband input matching. For example, the closed loop circuit may be configure to impedance match an input signal and provide a low noise figure. In addition, the LNA may include an open loop circuit that amplifies the input signal and provides a high output impedance. The open loop circuit may further include a selectivity filter that filters out frequencies outside a desired frequency band. The LNA may drive a tunable band-pass filter via the open loop circuit.

Abstract: An amplifier with integrated filter (e.g., an LNA) is described. In one design, the amplifier may include a gain stage, a filter stage, and a buffer stage. The gain stage may provide signal amplification for an input signal. The filter stage may provide filtering for the input signal. The buffer stage may buffer a filtered signal from the filter stage. The amplifier may further include a second filter stage and a second buffer stage. The second filter stage may provide additional filtering for the input signal. The second buffer stage may buffer a second filtered signal from the second filter stage. All of the stages may be stacked and coupled between a supply voltage and circuit ground. The filter stage(s) may implement an elliptical lowpass filter. Each filter stage may include an inductor and a capacitor coupled in parallel and forming a resonator tank to attenuate interfering signals.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from nickel and cobalt containing laterite ores, said method comprising: a) roasting feed ore in a reducing atmosphere in a rotary kiln to selectively reduce the nickel and cobalt, wherein either no, or less than 2.5% w/w reductant is added to the feed ore prior to roasting; b) leaching the reduced ore with an aerated ammoniacal ammonium carbonate solution to extract the nickel and cobalt into a leach solution; and c) separating the leach solution from the ore tailings and recovering the nickel and cobalt by a process selected from ammoniacal solvent extraction, precipitation techniques or ion exchange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of primers in polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of fungal pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, Ateniaria spp., and Cladosporium carpophilum. Specific primers are identified as being useful for the identification of fungal isolates using PCR based techniques. Also described are novel extraction buffer solutions for use in isolating DNA from an organism, methods of extracting DNA from tissue, and methods of performing PCR analysis on DNA extracted from tissue.

Abstract: Primers specific for races of pathogenic fungi which are resistant to certain fungicides are used in polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of fungal pathogens. The use of these primers enables the detection of specific isolates of fungal pathogens and the monitoring of disease development in plant populations. The invention includes DNA sequences which show variability between different fungal pathotypes. Such DNA sequences are useful in the method of the invention as they can be used to derive primers for use in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic assays. These primers generate unique fragments in PCR reactions in which the DNA template is provided by specific fungal pathotypes and can thus be used to identify the presence or absence of specific pathotypes in host plant material before the onset of disease symptoms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to diagnostic assays for the identification of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, a bacterial pathogen of melons. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel protein that is specific for A. avenae subsp. citrulli, as well as antibodies specific thereof. The invention also relates to the use of primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli. The use of these primers and antibodies enables the detection of specific isolates of bacterial pathogens and the monitoring of disease development in plant populations.

Abstract: A vehicle, such as a garden tractor, riding mower or golf cart, with sport bottles, having fluid refreshment therein, removably adhered thereto in which the various body parts of the vehicle are disposed in different planes and the sport bottles are formed with attachment devices which are removably adherent to the various body parts to support the sport bottle, irrespective of the plane of the body part to which it is adhered.

Abstract: An analyzer reads biological probes arranged in a probe pattern on a slide carried by a slide carriage. Each probe may or may not generate a probe signal, which is typically fluorescent light, to indicate prior exposure to a predetermined substance or absence of such prior exposure. A detector includes sensors arranged in a first pattern. The probe pattern is denser than the first pattern and includes plurality of first patterns. The detector can sense multiple subsets of the probes within a probe pattern. The probes are contained in wells configured to facilitate reading of the probes, and alignment indicia may be used to check alignment of the slide with the detector.

Abstract: A hand-portable spreader blows particles, such as salt or sand, over an outdoor surface to increase friction. The spreader has a grip and accepts an extension cord to power the blower motor. The motor drives a vane impeller mounted in a housing and connected to a nozzle, similar to a leaf blower, but the intake to the impeller is arranged to suck up particles from a storage chamber. The air passes through the particles in the storage area and then through an orifice, where the air stream velocity increases and particles are picked up and levitated up into a conduit that passes to impeller. After passing through the impeller, the particles and air are ejected from a nozzle to scatter the particles over a surface such as a street or sidewalk to melt ice and snow, for use as a friction (anti-slip) agent.

Abstract: A hand-portable spreader blows particles, such as salt or sand, over an outdoor surface to increase friction. The spreader has a grip and accepts an extension cord to power the blower motor. The motor drives a vane impeller mounted in a housing and connected to a nozzle, similar to a leaf blower, but the intake to the impeller is arranged to suck up particles from a storage chamber. The air passes through the particles in the storage area and then through an orifice, where the air stream velocity increases and particles are picked up and levitated up into a conduit that passes to impeller. After passing through the impeller, the particles and air are ejected from a nozzle to scatter the particles over a surface such as a street or sidewalk to melt ice and snow, for use as a friction (anti-slip) agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for immunoassay of analytes employing mutant glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) enzymes as labels. In particular, the invention relates-to the use of conjugates of an analyte or analyte analog and a mutant NAD+ dependent G6PDH differing from any precursor G6PDH by the deletion, substitution, or insertion, or any combination thereof of at least one amino acid per subunit. The invention also involves the construction of several mutations in precursor glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) enzymes. Typically, the mutations involve deletion or substitution of one or more lysine residues, or introduction of one or more cysteine residues by insertion of cysteine to precursor G6PDH or substitution of precursor G6PDH amino acids residues with cysteine.