Abstract: A tuning circuit for a near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) system suitable for near field communication (NFC) is disclosed. The NFMI system includes a tuning circuit that is configured to measure a phase across a series capacitor coupled between a resonant circuit and a transmit circuit in order to determine a resonant condition of the resonant circuit. When the resonant condition is above resonance or below resonance, the tuning circuit can tune an adjustable capacitor of the resonant circuit. The tuning can continue until the phase measurement indicates that the resonant circuit is at resonance. The phase-based tuning allows for the tuning to operate continuously and concurrently with NFC.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an antenna may be formed by applying an insulator to a package body and forming at least a portion of the antenna as a conductor on the insulator.

Abstract: A terahertz detector circuit can include a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) having multiple gates that can be controlled by gate signals to generate a gate-induced modulation pattern in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of the HEMT. When the gate induced modulation pattern substantially matches a signal induced modulation pattern generated by an incident terahertz signal then a detection efficiency of the incident terahertz signal is improved. Accordingly, an electronically tunable THz detector with high efficiency can be realized. When these THz detectors are arranged in an array and electrically coupled, THz images and/or multi-spectral THz images may be generated.

Abstract: A tunable resonant inductive coil system includes an electrical circuit having an alternating current (AC) voltage source, a barium strontium titanate (BST) variable capacitor coupled in series with a first terminal of the AC voltage source, a coil coupled in series with the BST variable capacitor, and a return line coupling the coil with a second terminal of the AC voltage source and/or a ground. The electrical circuit forms an LC circuit (resonant circuit). The electrical circuit adjusts between two configurations. In the first configuration the resonant circuit has a first resonant frequency configured for wireless power transfer and in the second configuration it has a second resonant frequency configured for near field communication (NFC). An entire length of the coil is used for both resonant frequencies. Adjusting between the first and second configurations includes varying a capacitance of the BST variable capacitor in response to receiving a control signal.

Abstract: A wireless power transmission (WPT) system. Implementations may include a power source coupled with a first wireless power transmission (WPT) system and a load coupled with a second WPT system including a sense circuit. The second WPT system, using the sense circuit, may be configured to dynamically tune a resonance of the second WPT system with the first WPT system to a desired resonance frequency value to allow transfer of a desired voltage or a desired power to the load. The desired resonance frequency value may be less than a maximum possible resonance frequency value. The first WPT system may be capable of transmitting more voltage or more power than the second WPT system or the load can receive without inducing damage to the second WPT system or the load.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an antenna may be formed by applying an insulator to a package body and forming at least a portion of the antenna as a conductor on the insulator.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes a heatsink platform, with a ceramic isolation layer bonded to the heatsink platform. A semiconductor die may be disposed on the ceramic isolation layer, with mold material disposed on the ceramic isolation layer and surrounding at least a portion of the semiconductor die. A redistribution layer may be disposed on the semiconductor die and the mold material. Such packages, and similar, enable the use of a thin, inexpensive device substrate, while providing an efficient thermal path to the heatsink platform, while the redistribution layer enables electrical connections that are short, low-resistance, low-inductance, and low-loss connections.

Abstract: A radio frequency switch is disclosed. The RF switch uses a combination of transistor technology and a topology to create an RF switch that has a high isolation and a high voltage breakdown at frequencies including those above a gigahertz.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a delay line circuit may include forming a first ferro-electric material between a first conductor and a second conductor wherein the first conductor and the second conductor have a first resistivity. The first conductor may be configured to receive a d.c. bias signal. An embodiment may include forming a third conductor overlying the second conductor, the third conductor having a second resistivity that is less than the first resistivity, the third conductor connected to the second conductor at least at a plurality of points along a length of the third conductor. The third conductor may be configured to receive an RF signal and conduct the RF signal along the length of the third conductor.

Abstract: A wireless power transmission (WPT) system. Implementations may include a power source coupled with a first wireless power transmission (WPT) system and a load coupled with a second WPT system including a sense circuit. The second WPT system, using the sense circuit, may be configured to dynamically tune a resonance of the second WPT system with the first WPT system to a desired resonance frequency value to allow transfer of a desired voltage or a desired power to the load. The desired resonance frequency value may be less than a maximum possible resonance frequency value. The first WPT system may be capable of transmitting more voltage or more power than the second WPT system or the load can receive without inducing damage to the second WPT system or the load.

Abstract: A radio frequency switch is disclosed. The RF switch uses a combination of transistor technology and a topology to create an RF switch that has a high isolation and a high voltage breakdown at frequencies including those above a gigahertz.

Abstract: A directional coupler includes an electrically conductive main line coupled at least partially in and/or on a dielectric layer and having input and output ports. An electrically conductive coupled line separated from the main line includes a coupled port and is at least partially formed in and/or on the dielectric layer. An electrically conductive ground layer couples with the dielectric layer and is electrically isolated from the main and coupled lines. One or more tuning elements, formed of electrically conductive elements arranged in a pattern (but electrically isolated from the main and coupled lines and ground layer) and/or formed using an electrically conductive layer (the electrically conductive layer electrically isolated from the main and coupled lines and ground layer and with or without a pattern of openings therein) are at least partially encapsulated in the dielectric layer and increase a coupling coefficient and/or directivity of the directional coupler.

Abstract: A tunable resonant inductive coil system includes an electrical circuit having an alternating current (AC) voltage source, a barium strontium titanate (BST) variable capacitor coupled in series with a first terminal of the AC voltage source, a coil coupled in series with the BST variable capacitor, and a return line coupling the coil with a second terminal of the AC voltage source and/or a ground. The electrical circuit forms an LC circuit (resonant circuit). The electrical circuit adjusts between two configurations. In the first configuration the resonant circuit has a first resonant frequency configured for wireless power transfer and in the second configuration it has a second resonant frequency configured for near field communication (NFC). An entire length of the coil is used for both resonant frequencies. Adjusting between the first and second configurations includes varying a capacitance of the BST variable capacitor in response to receiving a control signal.

Abstract: A wireless power transmission (WPT) system. Implementations may include a power source coupled with a first wireless power transmission (WPT) system and a load coupled with a second WPT system including a sense circuit. The second WPT system, using the sense circuit, may be configured to dynamically tune a resonance of the second WPT system with the first WPT system to a desired resonance frequency value to allow transfer of a desired voltage or a desired power to the load. The desired resonance frequency value may be less than a maximum possible resonance frequency value. The first WPT system may be capable of transmitting more voltage or more power than the second WPT system or the load can receive without inducing damage to the second WPT system or the load.

Abstract: A passive tunable integrated circuit (PTIC) includes a semiconductor die (die) having a plurality of barium strontium titanate (BST) tunable capacitors. The plurality of BST tunable capacitors collectively define a capacitative area of the die. At least one electrical contact is electrically coupled with the plurality of BST tunable capacitors. A redistribution layer electrically couples the at least one electrical contact with at least one electrically conductive contact pad (contact pad). The at least one contact pad is located over the capacitative area. A bump electrically couples with the at least one contact pad and is located over the capacitative area. An electrically insulative layer couples between each contact pad of the PTIC and the plurality of BST tunable capacitors.

Abstract: A transceiver, receiver, and transmitter are provided. The transceiver may also include a programmable matching block configured to implement impedance-matching between an antenna and the receiver and/or between the antenna and the transmitter. The programmable matching block may implement the impedance-matching through a shared matching circuit block. The programmable matching block may include at least one of a programmable inductor and a programmable capacitor.

Abstract: A transceiver, receiver, and transmitter are provided. The transceiver may also include a programmable matching block configured to implement impedance-matching between an antenna and the receiver and/or between the antenna and the transmitter. The programmable matching block may implement the impedance-matching through a shared matching circuit block. The programmable matching block may include at least one of a programmable inductor and a programmable capacitor.

Abstract: A transceiver, receiver, and transmitter are provided. The transmitter includes an in-phase path for an in-phase signal, a quadrature path for a quadrature signal, a first path associated with a first local frequency, a second path associated with a second local frequency, and a band selector for swapping the in-phase and quadrature paths with respect to the first and second paths so that one of the in-phase and quadrature paths communicates with the first path and the other communicates with the second path. The receiver includes an in-phase path, a quadrature path, a polyphase filter having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, and a selector for swapping the in-phase and quadrature receive paths to switch connection between the in-phase and quadrature receive paths and the first and second inputs. The transceiver may include the receiver and the transmitter.

Abstract: An antenna and a method for direct matching the antenna to a transceiver is provided. The method includes designing the antenna to directly match an antenna impedance to at least one of an input impedance of the transceiver and an output impedance of the transceiver. The step of designing includes modeling the antenna and the transceiver and implementing an electromagnetic field simulation using a human body phantom model with the antenna to determine the value of an antenna parameter for the antenna model. The antenna for a communication device having a transceiver, includes an antenna element directly coupled with the transceiver having a transmitter and a receiver, an antenna parameter of the antenna element being tuned so that the real part of the impedance of the antenna is maximized, and a plate for optimizing the reactive part of the impedance of the antenna. The impedance of the antenna is directly matched to at least one of an impedance of the transmitter and an impedance of the receiver.

Abstract: A CCD sensor includes a readout register formed in substrate, the readout register including a channel, a bus structure and a connection structure. The bus structure includes plural spaced element sets, each element set including a first clock conductor. The first clock conductor of a first element set is a dual function conductor. The connection structure isolates the dual function conductor while coupling together the first clock conductor of each other set of the element sets. Alternatively, the sensor includes vertical and readout registers formed in a well in a substrate. The vertical register includes a vertical channel, a vertical bus structure and a vertical connection structure, and the readout register includes a readout channel, a readout bus structure and a readout connection structure. The readout bus structure includes plural spaced readout element sets, each readout element set including a first readout clock conductor.