Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor die comprising a first capacitor, and a second semiconductor die in contact with the first semiconductor die and comprises a diode. The first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die are arranged along a first direction, and a diode is configured to direct electrons accumulated at the first capacitor to a ground.

Abstract: Multimedia devices such as portable digital music and video players may be provided with enhanced functionality by providing the multimedia device with a connection program stored in the memory of the device such that upon connection to a PC the connection program is loaded to the PC and executed in the PC. Once connected to the PC the device mimics a logical device connected to the PC and allows the autorun of application programs stored in the device.

Abstract: An exponential charge pump uses a number of identical or similar charging stages, each having a first and second capacitor. During a first clock phase, the first capacitor of each stage is charged by the second capacitor of the preceding stage, and, during a complementary second clock phase, the positive plate of the first capacitor of each stage is pushed to an increased voltage by the first capacitor of the preceding stage and charges the second capacitor of the next stage to the increased voltage at the same time. A similar mechanism occurs to the second capacitors in each stage, but with complementary timing. The increased voltage of the first capacitor of the last stage is pumped to an output capacitor during the second clock phase, and the increased voltage of the second capacitor of the last stage is pumped to an output capacitor during the first clock phase.

Abstract: A voltage mirror circuit using a symmetrically matched transistor structure is provided. The circuit includes an input reference voltage node on a first side of said circuit and an output mirror voltage node on a second side of said circuit, and a plurality of matched transistor pairs wherein the transistors in each pair have the same aspect ratio and wherein one transistor in each pair is provided on the first side of the circuit and the second transistor in each pair is provided on the second side of said circuit.

Abstract: A single inductor multiple-input multiple-output (SI-MIMO) switching converter time-multiplexes different input power sources through only one inductor to provide multiple regulated output voltages, which can be used to power up different blocks of a portable electronic device (or whatever else it is used for) and at the same time to charge up a rechargeable battery. Power multiplexing is achieved by input switches that are also the switching elements of the switching converter, thus eliminating an additional power multiplexer.

Abstract: An uninterruptable power supply system is connected to motherboard and hard disk respectively. An interrupt signal is sent to power management circuit to command power management circuit to control the power switching circuit to switch the power of motherboard and hard disk to battery when a power interrupt is detected in a running computer by power detecting circuit. At the same time, central processing unit (CPU) on motherboard is commanded to save running programs and data in the hard disk. As such, CPU on motherboard can read the stored programs and data from hard disk when computer is turned on again. Thus computer may recover to the previous normal state. This can effectively avoid data lost once blackout occurred.

Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is electrically coupled to a main board, a hard disk and a power supply of the computer. The UPS comprises a power detection circuit for detecting a power supplying state of the power supply when the computer is halting, a power management circuit for receiving a blackout signal sent from the power detection circuit when a blackout in the power supply is detected, and a power switch circuit is commanded by the power management circuit to switch power of the main board and the hard disk from the power supply to the rechargeable battery for maintaining a normal operation. At the same time, the power management circuit sends a power ready signal to the main board through a power switch on the main board to cause CPU to boot the computer normally and the CPU commands to store temporary data and programs in the memory in the hard disk. Such safely stored data and programs may be retrieved from hard disk by CPU for use when computer is powered on again.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner including a dirty air inlet (12, 14) communicating with a clean air outlet by way of an airflow path has a cyclone (18) arranged in the airflow path. In use, air flowing along the airflow path from the dirty air inlet (12, 14) to the clean air outlet passes through the cyclone (18). At least one bleed valve (20) is arranged in the wall of the airflow path upstream of the cyclone (18). Preferably, three bleed valves (20) are located in the wall of the airflow path and, more preferably, the bleed valves (20) are substantially identical to one another. Control may be provided for controlling the amount of air bled through the bleed valve (76) when a single bleed valve is provided.

Abstract: A back-pack vacuum cleaner comprises a back-pack harness, an upper casing attached to the harness and a lower casing rotatably mounted on the upper casing. A cyclonic cleaning assembly is mounted within the upper casing such that at least part of the assembly extends into the lower casing. The motor is positioned within the upper casing above the cyclonic cleaning assembly.