Abstract: A switching transducer driver operable in: a first mode in which first and second output stage switches are controlled to generate a two-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the first output stage switch is substantially the same as an impedance of the second output stage switch; and a second mode in which the first and second output stage switches and a third switch are controlled to generate a three-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the third switch is substantially greater than the impedance of the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch.

Abstract: Circuitry for detecting application of an electrochemical sensor to a subject, the electrochemical sensor comprising an ion-selective electrode and a first potentiostatic electrode, the circuitry comprising: measurement circuitry configured to: measure a ion-selective signal at the ion-selective electrode; measure a potentiostatic signal at the first potentiostatic electrode; processing circuitry configured to: detect application of the electrochemical sensor to the subject based on the ion-selective signal and the potentiostatic signal.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing a condition of a first headset enclosed in a headset enclosure. The method comprises playing a first audio stimulus through a first speaker of the headset; detecting a first response signal derived by a first transducer; and determining a condition of the first speaker and/or first transducer based on the first response signal.

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for switching drivers. The switching driver has first and second switches for selectively connecting an output node to first and second switching voltages respectively to generate a first output voltage. A compensator is configured to receive a first monitor signal indicative of a sum of the first and second switching voltages and a second monitor signal indicative of a difference between the first and second switching voltages and to apply compensation to the input signal based on the first and second monitor signals so as to compensate for variations in the first and second switching voltages from defined nominal values of the first and second switching voltages. A modulator controls a duty cycle of the first and second switches based on the input signal after said compensation has been applied.

Abstract: There is described a two-terminal multi-level memristor element synthesised from binary memristors, which is configured to implement a variable resistance based on unary or binary code words. There is further described a circuit such as a synapse circuit implemented using a multi-level memristor element. There is further described programmable resistance cells using charge-trapping-transistors (CTTs) and analog signal processing circuits using CTTs to provide tuneability.

Abstract: Circuitry for determining one or more characteristics of an electrochemical cell comprising a first working electrode and a counter electrode, the circuitry comprising: drive circuitry configured to apply a first stimulus to the first working electrode; measurement circuitry configured to measure a first response at the first working electrode; and processing circuitry configured to: applying compensation to the first response to obtain a first corrected response of the electrochemical cell to the first stimulus; and determine a first characteristic of the one or more characteristics of the electrochemical cell based on the first corrected response, the first characteristic associated with the first working electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a neuron for an artificial neural network, the neuron comprising: a first dot product engine and a second dot product engine. The first dot product engine is operative to: receive a first set of weights; receive a set of inputs; and calculate the dot product of the set of inputs and the first set of weights to generate a first dot product engine output. The second dot product engine is operative to: receive a second set of weights; receive the set of inputs; and calculate the dot product of the set of inputs and the second set of weights to generate a second dot product engine output. The neuron further comprises a combiner operative to combine the first dot product engine output and the second dot product engine output to generate a combined output, and an activation function module arranged to apply an activation function to the combined output to generate a neuron output.

Abstract: A switching transducer driver operable in: a first mode in which first and second output stage switches are controlled to generate a two-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the first output stage switch is substantially the same as an impedance of the second output stage switch; and a second mode in which the first and second output stage switches and a third switch are controlled to generate a three-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the third switch is substantially greater than the impedance of the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch.

Abstract: This application relates to voltage regulators and, particular, to low-dropout regulators (LDOs). The regulator (300) has an output stage (102) which receives an input voltage (Vin) and outputs an output voltage (Vout) and which includes at least one transistor (103) as an output device configured to pass an output current to the output, based on a drive voltage (V1). A differential amplifier (101) is configured to receive a feedback signal derived from the output voltage and also a reference voltage (REF) to generate an amplifier output to control the drive voltage (V1) to minimise any difference between the feedback signal and the reference voltage. A controller (301) is operable to selectively reconfigure the output stage to provide a change in output current in response to a load activity signal (ACT), which is indicative of a change in load activity that results in a change in load current demand for a load connected, in use, to the output.

Abstract: Circuitry comprising excitation circuitry for supplying a transducer with an excitation signal to generate a detection signal and current monitor circuitry for monitoring current through the transducer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a piezoelectric transducer to generate an audio output. The circuitry comprises pre-processor circuitry configured to process an input audio signal to generate a processed signal; driver circuitry coupled to the pre-processor circuitry and configured to generate a drive signal, based on the processed signal, for driving the piezoelectric transducer; and processor circuitry configured to determine a resonant frequency of the piezoelectric transducer. The pre-processor circuitry is configured to process the input audio signal based on the determined resonant frequency so as to generate the processed signal.

Abstract: This application describes method and apparatus for data conversion. An analogue-to-digital converter circuit receives an analogue input signal (SIN) and outputs a digital output signal (SOUT) The circuit has a sampling capacitor, a controlled oscillator and a counter for generating a count value based on a number of oscillations in an output of the controlled oscillator in a count period during a read-out phase. The digital output signal is based on the count value. The converter circuit is operable in a sampling phase and the read-out phase. In the sampling phase, the sampling capacitor is coupled to an input node for the input signal, e.g. via switch. In the read-out phase, the sampling capacitor is coupled to the controlled oscillator, e.g. via switch, such that capacitor powers the first controlled oscillator and a frequency of oscillation in the output of the first controlled oscillator depends on the voltage of the first capacitor.

Abstract: A method of cough detection in a headset, the method comprising: receiving a first signal from an external transducer of the headset; receiving a second signal from an in-ear transducer of the headset; and detecting a cough of a user of the headset based on the first and second signals.

Abstract: Circuitry for measuring a characteristic of a sensor having a reactive impedance, the circuitry comprising: a first integrator having a first integrator input, a first integrator output, and an integrating element coupled between the first integrator input and the first integrator output, the integrating element comprising the sensor; And processing circuitry configured to: determine a state of the sensor based on an output signal derived from the first integrator output.

Abstract: Circuitry for processing an analyte signal obtained from an electrochemical cell, the circuitry comprising: a first input node for receiving the analyte signal; measurement circuitry having a first signal path coupled to the first input node, the measurement circuitry configured to output an output signal based on the analyte signal, the measurement circuitry comprising a first circuit element having a first impedance, the first circuit element coupled to the first signal path; and control circuitry configured to reset one or more first voltages in the first signal path of the measurement circuitry to a respective first reference value.

Abstract: A switching transducer driver operable in: a first mode in which first and second output stage switches are controlled to generate a two-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the first output stage switch is substantially the same as an impedance of the second output stage switch; and a second mode in which the first and second output stage switches and a third switch are controlled to generate a three-level output signal, wherein an impedance of the third switch is substantially greater than the impedance of the first output stage switch and the second output stage switch.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter for converting an input voltage at an input node, the converter comprising: first and second inductor nodes for connection of an inductor therebetween; first and second flying capacitor nodes for connection of a flying capacitor therebetween; a first switching network for selectively connecting the first flying capacitor node to each of the input node and the first inductor node; a second switching network for selectively connecting the second flying capacitor node to each of the input node and a reference voltage node; and reservoir circuitry, comprising: first and second reservoir capacitor nodes for connection of a reservoir capacitor therebetween; a third switching network for selectively connecting the first reservoir capacitor node to each of the first and second flying capacitor nodes; a fourth switching network for selectively connecting the second reservoir capacitor node to each of the second flying capacitor node and the reference voltage node.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising: an audio input for receiving an input audio signal; an tuning input for receiving a tuning signal; a filter chain comprising a plurality of filters for filtering the audio signal to produce a filtered input audio signal, the filter chain comprising: a first filter module operating at a first sampling rate; and a second filter module operating at a second sampling rate greater than the first sampling rate, wherein a phase response of the first filter module is dependent on the tuning input and wherein a magnitude response of the first filter module is substantially independent of the tuning input.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter for converting an input voltage at an input node, the converter comprising: first and second inductor nodes for connection of an inductor therebetween; first and second flying capacitor nodes for connection of a flying capacitor therebetween; a first switching network for selectively connecting the first flying capacitor node to each of the input node and the first inductor node; a second switching network for selectively connecting the second flying capacitor node to each of the input node and a reference voltage node; and reservoir circuitry, comprising: first and second reservoir capacitor nodes for connection of a reservoir capacitor therebetween; a third switching network for selectively connecting the first reservoir capacitor node to each of the first and second flying capacitor nodes; a fourth switching network for selectively connecting the second reservoir capacitor node to each of the second flying capacitor node and the reference voltage node.

Abstract: Circuitry for processing an analyte signal obtained from an electrochemical cell, the circuitry comprising: measurement circuitry having a first measurement input coupled to a first electrode of the electrochemical cell, the measurement circuitry configured to convert the analyte signal at the first measurement input to a first analog output signal; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having an first ADC input for receiving the first analog output signal, the ADC configured to convert the first analog output signal to a first digital output signal at an ADC output; compensation circuitry configured in a measurement mode to: apply a first compensation to the first digital output signal to obtain a first compensated digital output signal, the first compensation to compensate for non-linearity in the ADC; and apply a second compensation to the first compensated digital output signal to obtain a second compensated digital output signal, the second compensation to compensate for non-linearity in the measurement c