Abstract: In some examples, a controller is configured to generate a key based on a physics-based output of a component. The controller may, for example, use the key to authenticate communication between at least two nodes, to encrypt data, or to decrypt data. In some examples, the component includes one or more subcomponents, each subcomponent including a cell filled with a gas, a light source configured to transmit a light through the gas cell, and a photodetector configured to sense light transmitted through the gas cell. The photodetector of each subcomponent is configured to generate an electrical signal that changes as a function of one or more properties of the light sourced by the light source, transmitted through the gas cell. The output of the component can is based on the signals generate by the one or more photodetectors.

Abstract: In some examples, a controller is configured to generate a key based on a physics-based output of a component. The controller may, for example, use the key to authenticate communication between at least two nodes, to encrypt data, or to decrypt data. In some examples, the component includes one or more subcomponents, each subcomponent including a cell filled with a gas, a light source configured to transmit a light through the gas cell, and a photodetector configured to sense light transmitted through the gas cell. The photodetector of each subcomponent is configured to generate an electrical signal that changes as a function of one or more properties of the light sourced by the light source, transmitted through the gas cell. The output of the component can is based on the signals generate by the one or more photodetectors.

Abstract: A radiation sensor and a method for making the radiation sensor are described. An ionizing radiation sensitive area is formed in a radiation insensitive or hardened die. When the sensitive area is impacted by ionizing radiation, properties of the sensitive area change. For example, the changed property may be charge density, threshold voltage, leakage current, and/or resistance. Circuitry for measuring these property changes is located in a radiation hardened area of the die. As a result, a radiation sensor may be fabricated on a single die.

Abstract: A radiation hard design for oscillator circuits and circuits having differential outputs is described. The design includes connecting or otherwise coupling outputs of these circuits to a passive polyphase filter. The passive polyphase filter provides four quadrature outputs that are free of glitches that may have occurred at the filter input.

Abstract: A radiation hard design for oscillator circuits and circuits having differential outputs is described. The design includes connecting or otherwise coupling outputs of these circuits to a passive polyphase filter. The passive polyphase filter provides four quadrature outputs that are free of glitches that may have occurred at the filter input.

Abstract: A radiation sensor and a method for making the radiation sensor are described. An ionizing radiation sensitive area is formed in a radiation insensitive or hardened die. When the sensitive area is impacted by ionizing radiation, properties of the sensitive area change. For example, the changed property may be charge density, threshold voltage, leakage current, and/or resistance. Circuitry for measuring these property changes is located in a radiation hardened area of the die. As a result, a radiation sensor may be fabricated on a single die.

Abstract: At least one magnetic field sensing device and an RF transceiver are integrated in a discrete, single-chip package. Rather than requiring at least two separate chips to wirelessly transmit the device output, an integrated, single chip solution can be used. The single chip integration of the at least one magnetic field sensing device and the RF transceiver can reduce the physical space required and, therefore, allow such devices to be smaller, lighter, and possibly more portable.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a radiation hardened Phase Locked Loop (PLL) are presented. The radiation hardened PLL includes an adjustable bandwidth loop filter. The adjustable filter modifies an unfiltered voltage control signal and provides a stable voltage control signal to a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) during detected radiation induced transient events. The adjustable filter filters out radiation effects by decreasing its bandwidth when a radiation event is detected.

Abstract: A system and method directed to using a dither signal during conversion of an analog input signal to a digital output signal without summing the dither signal to the analog input signal. Such conversion may include generating a digital dither signal with a pseudo-random noise generator and converting the digital dither signal to an analog dither signal. The analog dither signal is provided to an impedance network that responsively produces a set of reference dither signals proportional to the analog dither signal. A plurality of comparators compares the proportional dither signals to the analog input signal so as to generate a first output code. A dither signal reference code that indicates the effects of passing the dither signal through the analog-to-digital converter is subtracted from the first output code so as to produce a second output code that is a digital representation of the analog input signal.

Abstract: A monitoring system is provided with a two tier communication network. Multiple first tier nodes comprising wireless or RF sensors are each equipped with transceivers operating at a first, low power level. Multiple second tier nodes are spaced to communicate with selected sensors at the lower bandwidth level, and also communicate with each other at a higher power level and higher bandwidth, to route sensor communications to a central controller. The sensors comprise standard home and small business sensors such as motion detectors, glass breakage, pressure, temperature, humidity and carbon monoxide sensors to name a few, each equipped with a transceiver. The sensors are placed throughout a structure to be protected or monitored. Since such structures can be quite large, several second tier routers are provided such that at least one is within range of each sensor to receive its low power signals.

Abstract: Multiple pulses of narrow band signals of varying frequency are detected by multiple spaced apart receivers such that average time difference of arrivals of the signals from an item to be located are determined. The average time differences are used to calculate a position of the item to be located with a desired accuracy, such as within one meter in one embodiment. One of multiple receivers or rangers initiates a location process by transmitting a sync pulse. The sync pulse is received by a scout and other rangers. The scout is a small robot which acts as a transponder, sending out its own narrow band return pulse in response to the sync pulse. Each ranger then determines a difference in time between the sync pulse it receives and the return pulse generated by the scout. The location process is then repeated again at different selected narrow band frequencies, and an average of the difference in time at each ranger is determined.

Abstract: A telemetry transmitter having a dielectric resonator for frequency stabilization, a frequency or phase shift keying modulator and a high efficiency power amplifier. The transmitter can be implemented on gallium arsenide or other kinds of substrates The transmitter is of monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. The transmitter may obtain its power from a power supply of a local or an associated system, thus not needing an integral power supply of its own.