Abstract: A method of controlling current through a transistor is provided. A voltage and current through the transistor are measured. A safe operating current for the voltage is determined. For each of a first sequence of current pulses, a voltage of a voltage pulse applied to a control node of the transistor using a feedback controller is adjusted until the current measured through the transistor is not greater than a first function of the safe operating current. For each of a second sequence of current pulses after the first sequence of current pulses, the voltage of the voltage pulse applied to the control node of the transistor using the feedback controller is adjusted until the current measured through the transistor is not greater than a second function of the safe operating current.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a switch, a current monitor, and a controller. During operation, the switch controls an amount of current through the load. The current monitor samples a magnitude of the current through the load, a magnitude of which varies over time during a time duration. Based on integrating the sample magnitudes of the current through the load over the time duration, the current monitor produces a current sense value. The current sense value is representative of an amount of current through the load. The controller controls an operational state of the switch based upon a comparison of the current sense value with respect to an over-current threshold value. For example, in response to detecting a condition in which the current sense value is greater than the overcurrent threshold value, the controller turns OFF (deactivates) the switch, reducing or eliminating delivery of current through the load.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a switch, a current monitor, and a controller. During operation, the switch controls an amount of current through the load. The current monitor samples a magnitude of the current through the load, a magnitude of which varies over time during a time duration. Based on integrating the sample magnitudes of the current through the load over the time duration, the current monitor produces a current sense value. The current sense value is representative of an amount of current through the load. The controller controls an operational state of the switch based upon a comparison of the current sense value with respect to an over-current threshold value. For example, in response to detecting a condition in which the current sense value is greater than the overcurrent threshold value, the controller turns OFF (deactivates) the switch, reducing or eliminating delivery of current through the load.

Abstract: In some examples, a device includes a gate driver circuit and a control circuit configured to generate a first signal and a second signal, a duty cycle of the first signal encoding an amplitude of an electrical current having a sinusoidal shape, and a duty cycle of the second signal encoding a phase angle of the electrical current. The control circuit is configured to deliver the first and second signals to the gate driver circuit, which is configured to determine a duty cycle of a driver signal as a function of the first signal and of the second signal. The gate driver circuit is also configured to deliver the driver signal to a switch to cause the electrical current having the sinusoidal shape to be delivered to an electrical load.

Abstract: In some examples, a device includes a gate driver circuit and a control circuit configured to generate a first signal and a second signal, a duty cycle of the first signal encoding an amplitude of an electrical current having a sinusoidal shape, and a duty cycle of the second signal encoding a phase angle of the electrical current. The control circuit is configured to deliver the first and second signals to the gate driver circuit, which is configured to determine a duty cycle of a driver signal as a function of the first signal and of the second signal. The gate driver circuit is also configured to deliver the driver signal to a switch to cause the electrical current having the sinusoidal shape to be delivered to an electrical load.

Abstract: An embodiment bus device with a programmable address includes a bus communication circuit connected to a bus terminal, a first pin terminal, a memory having a first register with a first address stored therein and a second register, and a state logic circuit. The state logic circuit detects a chip select signal on the first pin terminal, receives a first message through the bus communication circuit while the chip select signal is asserted, determines that the first message indicates an address set command, and saves an address value in the first message as a second address in the second register in response to a target address in the first message matching the first address. The state logic circuit further processes a second message received through the bus communication circuit in response to a target address of the second message matching the second address.

Abstract: An embodiment bus device with a programmable address includes a bus communication circuit connected to a bus terminal, a first pin terminal, a memory having a first register with a first address stored therein and a second register, and a state logic circuit. The state logic circuit detects a chip select signal on the first pin terminal, receives a first message through the bus communication circuit while the chip select signal is asserted, determines that the first message indicates an address set command, and saves an address value in the first message as a second address in the second register in response to a target address in the first message matching the first address. The state logic circuit further processes a second message received through the bus communication circuit in response to a target address of the second message matching the second address.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Abstract: An NFC-enabled device including tag emulation circuitry and reader emulation circuitry operates so as to provide a signal strength meter function. The signal strength meter function, in tag emulation mode, measures and reports on how well the tag is coupled to a third party reader field. In reader emulation mode, the signal strength meter function measures and reports how well the reader of the NFC-enabled device couples to a tag that is being read. One exemplary method includes detecting an NFC reader field, operating reader receiver circuitry at the NFC-enabled device so as to at least determine the strength of a signal received from the reader field, generating information representative of the determined strength of the signal received from the reader field at a first time, and performing one or more predetermined actions based at least in part on the one or more signals representative of the determined strength.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that interacts with other NFC devices to exchange information and/or the data. An operator may touch, or be sufficiently proximate to, an antenna module of the NFC device to operate and/or control the NFC device. The antenna module includes antenna components that are characterized by a corresponding characteristic impedance. The touch, or sufficient proximity, of the operator changes the corresponding characteristic impedance of antenna components. The NFC device may determine a location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator based upon this change. The NFC device may interpret the location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator as information from the operator to operate and/or control the NFC device.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that interacts with other NFC devices to exchange information and/or the data. An operator may touch, or be sufficiently proximate to, an antenna module of the NFC device to operate and/or control the NFC device. The antenna module includes antenna components that are characterized by a corresponding characteristic impedance. The touch, or sufficient proximity, of the operator changes the corresponding characteristic impedance of antenna components. The NFC device may determine a location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator based upon this change. The NFC device may interpret the location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator as information from the operator to operate and/or control the NFC device.

Abstract: An NFC-enabled device including tag emulation circuitry and reader emulation circuitry operates so as to provide a signal strength meter function. The signal strength meter function, in tag emulation mode, measures and reports on how well the tag is coupled to a third party reader field. In reader emulation mode, the signal strength meter function measures and reports how well the reader of the NFC-enabled device couples to a tag that is being read. One exemplary method includes detecting an NFC reader field, operating reader receiver circuitry at the NFC-enabled device so as to at least determine the strength of a signal received from the reader field, generating information representative of the determined strength of the signal received from the reader field at a first time, and performing one or more predetermined actions based at least in part on the one or more signals representative of the determined strength.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that interacts with other NFC devices to exchange information and/or the data. An operator may touch, or be sufficiently proximate to, an antenna module of the NFC device to operate and/or control the NFC device. The antenna module includes antenna components that are characterized by a corresponding characteristic impedance. The touch, or sufficient proximity, of the operator changes the corresponding characteristic impedance of antenna components. The NFC device may determine a location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator based upon this change. The NFC device may interpret the location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator as information from the operator to operate and/or control the NFC device.

Abstract: A container holder includes a base section and a top section. The base section has a base bottom that is configured to rest on a surface. The base section also has a base top which terminates in a circular lip. An area defined by the circular lip is substantially angled with respect to the base bottom. The top section has an opening configured to receive a container and a circular rim for slidably engaging the circular lip of the base section such that the top section is rotatable with respect to base section. A rotatable circular joint is formed between the top section and the base section. The top section is tilted by an amount that changes as the rotatable circular joint is rotated.

Abstract: An NFC-enabled device including tag emulation circuitry and reader emulation circuitry operates so as to provide a signal strength meter function. The signal strength meter function, in tag emulation mode, measures and reports on how well the tag is coupled to a third party reader field. In reader emulation mode, the signal strength meter function measures and reports how well the reader of the NFC-enabled device couples to a tag that is being read. One exemplary method includes detecting an NFC reader field, operating reader receiver circuitry at the NFC-enabled device so as to at least determine the strength of a signal received from the reader field, generating information representative of the determined strength of the signal received from the reader field at a first time, and performing one or more predetermined actions based at least in part on the one or more signals representative of the determined strength.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Abstract: A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Abstract: A method of providing, over a near-field communications link, portable application-specific personal information to a web-based application, includes storing a list of at least one web-based application, storing at least one set of credentials in a corresponding at least one memory region within an NFC-enabled device, each set of credentials associated with a corresponding web-based application from the list of web-based applications, disposing the NFC-enabled device within a near-field operational range of a computational platform, near-field communicating the list of web-based applications to the computational platform, and near-field communicating the plurality of sets of credentials to the computational platform. Alternative methods further include one or more of communicating commands to a near-field coupled computational platform, storing sets of cookies, and communicating sets of cookies to a near-field coupled computational platform.