Abstract: This application describes a noise reduction apparatus (800) for a microphone device (100) having an acoustic port (110). The apparatus has a spectrum peak detect block (301) for receiving a microphone signal (SMIC) and determining, from the microphone signal, at least one characteristic of a resonance peak (202) associated with the acoustic port of the microphone. The at least one characteristic may comprise a resonance frequency (fH) and/or quality factor (QH). A noise reduction block (801) is configured to process the microphone signal based on the resonance characteristic so as to reduce noise in the processed microphone signal due to said resonance. The noise reduction block may apply a function which is the inverse of the determined resonance characteristic.

Abstract: This application describes an apparatus (300) for monitoring for blockage of an acoustic (110) port of a microphone device (100). The apparatus has a spectrum peak detect block (301) for receiving a microphone signal (SMIC) and determining, from the microphone signal, a resonance frequency (fH) and a quality factor (QH) of a resonance (202) associated with the acoustic port. A condition monitoring block (302) is configured to determine any change in resonance frequency and quality factor and to determine a blockage status for the microphone based on said detect changes. The condition monitoring block identifies a change in blockage status if there is a change in quality factor.

Abstract: This application relates to an apparatus (300) for monitoring an operating temperature condition of a microphone device (100) having an acoustic port (110). The apparatus includes a spectrum peak detect block (301) for receiving a microphone signal (SMIC) and determining, from the microphone signal, a resonance frequency (fH) and a quality factor (QH) of a resonance (202) associated with the acoustic port of the microphone. A condition monitoring block (302) is configured to determine any change in resonance frequency and quality factor with respect to respective reference values of resonance frequency and quality factor and to determine a temperature condition for the air temperature within the acoustic port based on said determined changes.

Abstract: This application describes an apparatus (300) for monitoring for blockage of an acoustic (110) port of a microphone device (100). The apparatus has a spectrum peak detect block (301) for receiving a microphone signal (SMIC) and determining, from the microphone signal, a resonance frequency (fH) and a quality factor (QH) of a resonance (202) associated with the acoustic port. A condition monitoring block (302) is configured to determine any change in resonance frequency and quality factor and to determine a blockage status for the microphone based on said detect changes. The condition monitoring block identifies a change in blockage status if there is a change in quality factor.

Abstract: This application relates to audio amplifier circuitry (100). An amplifier module (103) is located in a signal path between an input (101) and an output (102). A detection module (106) is configured to detect a characteristic of a load (104) electrically coupled, in use, to the output. A distortion setting controller (107) is provided for selecting one of a plurality of stored distortion settings {pi} based on the detected characteristic of the load; and a pre-distortion module (105) is configured to apply a first transfer function to a signal in the signal path prior to said amplifier module. The first transfer function is based on the selected distortion setting and for at least one of the stored distortion settings the corresponding first transfer function comprises a non-linear distortion function.

Abstract: This application relates to circuitry for processing sense signals generated by MEMS capacitive transducers for compensating for distortion in such sense signals. The circuitry has a signal path between an input (204) for receiving the sense signal and an output (205) for outputting an output signal based on said sense signal. Compensation circuitry (206, 207) is configured to monitor the signal at a first point along the signal path and generate a correction signal (Scorr); and modify the signal at at least a second point along said signal path based on said correction signal. The correction signal is generated as a function of the value of the signal at the first point along the signal path so as to introduce compensation components into the output signal that compensate for distortion components in the sense signal. The first point in the signal path may be before or after the second point in the signal path.

Abstract: This application relates to analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). An ADC 200 has a first converter (201) for receiving an analog input signal (AIN) and outputting a time encode signal (DT), such as a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, based on input signal and a first conversion gain setting (GIN). In some embodiments the first converter has a PWM modulator (401) for generating a PWM signal such that the input signal is encoded by pulse widths that can vary continuously in time. A second converter (202) receives the time encoded signal and outputs a digital output signal (DOUT) based on the time encoded signal (DT) and a second conversion gain setting (GO). The second converter may have a first PWM-to-digital modulator (403). A gain allocation block (204) generates the first and second conversion gain settings based on the time encoded signal (DT).

Abstract: This application relates to audio amplifier circuitry (100). An amplifier module (103) is located in a signal path between an input (101) and an output (102). A detection module (106) is configured to detect a characteristic of a load (104) electrically coupled, in use, to the output. A distortion setting controller (107) is provided for selecting one of a plurality of stored distortion settings {pi} based on the detected characteristic of the load; and a pre-distortion module (105) is configured to apply a first transfer function to a signal in the signal path prior to said amplifier module. The first transfer function is based on the selected distortion setting and for at least one of the stored distortion settings the corresponding first transfer function comprises a non-linear distortion function.

Abstract: This application relates to analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs). An ADC 200 has a first converter (201) for receiving an analogue input signal (AIN) and outputting a time encode signal (DT), such as a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, based on input signal and a first conversion gain setting (GIN). In some embodiments the first converter has a PWM modulator (401) for generating a PWM signal such that the input signal is encoded by pulse widths that can vary continuously in time. A second converter (202) receives the time encoded signal and outputs a digital output signal (DOUT) based on the time encoded signal (DT) and a second conversion gain setting (GO). The second converter may have a first PWM-to-digital modulator (403). A gain allocation block (204) generates the first and second conversion gain settings based on the time encoded signal (DT).

Abstract: This application relates to circuitry for processing sense signals generated by MEMS capacitive transducers for compensating for distortion in such sense signals. The circuitry has a signal path between an input (204) for receiving the sense signal and an output (205) for outputting an output signal based on said sense signal. Compensation circuitry (206, 207) is configured to monitor the signal at a first point along the signal path and generate a correction signal (Scorr); and modify the signal at at least a second point along said signal path based on said correction signal. The correction signal is generated as a function of the value of the signal at the first point along the signal path so as to introduce compensation components into the output signal that compensate for distortion components in the sense signal. The first point in the signal path may be before or after the second point in the signal path.

Abstract: This application relates to audio amplifier circuitry (100). An amplifier module (103) is located in a signal path between an input (101) and an output (102). A detection module (106) is configured to detect a characteristic of a load (104) electrically coupled, in use, to the output. A distortion setting controller (107) is provided for selecting one of a plurality of stored distortion settings {pi} based on the detected characteristic of the load; and a pre-distortion module (105) is configured to apply a first transfer function to a signal in the signal path prior to said amplifier module. The first transfer function is based on the selected distortion setting and for at least one of the stored distortion settings the corresponding first transfer function comprises a non-linear distortion function.

Abstract: This application relates to analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs). An ADC 200 has a first converter (201) for receiving an analogue input signal (AIN) and outputting a time encode signal (DT), such as a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, based on input signal and a first conversion gain setting (GIN). In some embodiments the first converter has a PWM modulator (401) for generating a PWM signal such that the input signal is encoded by pulse widths that can vary continuously in time. A second converter (202) receives the time encoded signal and outputs a digital output signal (DOUT) based on the time encoded signal (DT) and a second conversion gain setting (GO). The second converter may have a first PWM-to-digital modulator (403). A gain allocation block (204) generates the first and second conversion gain settings based on the time encoded signal (DT).

Abstract: This application relates to circuitry for processing sense signals generated by MEMS capacitive transducers for compensating for distortion in such sense signals. The circuitry has a signal path between an input (204) for receiving the sense signal and an output (205) for outputting an output signal based on said sense signal. Compensation circuitry (206, 207) is configured to monitor the signal at a first point along the signal path and generate a correction signal (Scorr); and modify the signal at at least a second point along said signal path based on said correction signal. The correction signal is generated as a function of the value of the signal at the first point along the signal path so as to introduce compensation components into the output signal that compensate for distortion components in the sense signal. The first point in the signal path may be before or after the second point in the signal path.

Abstract: This application relates to analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs). An ADC 200 has a first converter (201) for receiving an analogue input signal (AIN) and outputting a time encode signal (DT), such as a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, based on input signal and a first conversion gain setting (GIN). In some embodiments the first converter has a PWM modulator (401) for generating a PWM signal such that the input signal is encoded by pulse widths that can vary continuously in time. A second converter (202) receives the time encoded signal and outputs a digital output signal (DOUT) based on the time encoded signal (DT) and a second conversion gain setting (GO). The second converter may have a first PWM-to-digital modulator (403). A gain allocation block (204) generates the first and second conversion gain settings based on the time encoded signal (DT).

Abstract: A communication system on an IP network between an automation equipment and one or more remote devices. The communication system is based on the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) for the. purpose of providing the remote device with automation equipment supervision, display, control, configuration or programming functions. The automation equipment comprises at least one WEB service and/or one WEB client able to interact with a program of the automation equipment, capable of decoding messages received from the IP network encoded according to the SOAP protocol and capable of encoding messages to be sent according to the SOAP protocol. A service description document, accessible to a remote device describes the capacities of one or more WEB services implanted in an automation equipment. This document may be stored or constructed dynamically by a generator.

Abstract: A communication system for automation equipment on a TCP/IP network. The automation equipment controls an automation application by executing an application program written according to standard IEC1131-3. The communication system includes at least a reception WEB function block integrated into the application program to implement a WEB server function, and/or at least one send WEB function block integrated into the application program to implement a WEB client function, and an HTTP interface capable of routing messages between the TCP/IP network and WEB function blocks identified by a URL address. The contents of HTTP requests may be an XML frame or a UEL encoded frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for accessing a programmable automatism unit (10) based on a WAP architecture, from at least a standalone communicating mobile device (40), such as a portable telephone, which integrates a navigator (41) complying with WAP architecture. This system includes a Web server (20), embedded in a piece of automatism equipment of the automatism unit (10), capable of generating static or dynamic informative data according to the WML language, and a network interface (30), connected to the Web server (20) through a network (25) of the Internet type, which authorizes access to said informative data from a WAP navigator (41) of a mobile device (40) communicating through a wireless network (35), in such a way that a user of such a WAP navigator (41) may access functions for monitoring, viewing and controlling the automatism unit (10).

Abstract: This invention relates to a programmable adapter device between a higher level communication protocol supported by a higher level equipment (30) and at least one lower level communication protocol supported by a lower level automation equipment (40). The device comprises an adapter (20) provided with a first memory (25) containing a conversion program (15) between the higher level protocol and a lower level protocol, downloadable from the higher level equipment (30) and that can be executed by the adapter (20), and provided with a second non-volatile memory (26) containing a resident driver program (16) in order to initialise communication with the higher level equipment (30). A memory area (17) is used as an intermediate buffer to manage asynchronism between protocols. The lower level connecting cable (14) is used to identify a complete or partial identifier of the lower level protocol.

Abstract: The present invention describes a communication system on an IP network (50) between an automation equipment (10) and one or more remote devices (30). The communication system is based on the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) for the purpose of providing the remote device (30) with automation equipment (10) supervision, display, control, configuration or programming functions. The automation equipment (10) comprises at least one WEB service (21) and/or one WEB client (22) able to interact with a program (20) of the automation equipment (10), capable of decoding messages received (51, 54) from the IP network (50) encoded according to the SOAP protocol and capable of encoding messages to be sent (52, 53) according to the SOAP protocol. A service description document (61), accessible to a remote device (30, 30″) describes the capacities of one or more WEB services (21) implanted in an automation equipment (10). This document may be stored or constructed dynamically by a generator (62).

Abstract: This invention relates to a communication system for automation equipment (10) on a TCP/IP network (50). The automation equipment (10) controls an automation application by executing an application program (20) written according to standard IEC1131-3. The communication system comprises at least a reception WEB function block (21) integrated into the application program (20) to implement a WEB server function and/or at least one send WEB function block (22) integrated into the application program (20) to implement a WEB client function and an HTTP interface (15) capable of routing messages between the TCP/IP network (50) and WEB function blocks identified by a URL address. The contents of HTTP requests may be an XML frame or a URL encoded frame.