Abstract: A method is provided for forming a redistribution layer (RDL) structure. An RDL feature is formed over a die, and the RDL feature is electrically connected to a contact of the die. A passivation layer is formed over the RDL feature. A patterned etch mask layer is formed over the passivation layer, and has an opening over a portion of the RDL feature. The passivation layer is patterned using the patterned etch mask layer disposed thereon. The patterned etch mask layer is removed after the passivation layer is patterned using the patterned etch mask layer disposed thereon. The passivation layer is etched to form a passivation opening in the passivation layer, and the portion of the RDL feature is exposed through the passivation opening.

Abstract: In order to reduce the incidence of stress concentration areas in an etched opening, a thinner polyimide layer is deposited to minimize gap formation therein, and a descum process is then performed to increase the angle of the presented layer surface. Reduction of the stress in this manner reduces the incidence of cracking of the later formed metal contact, which improves the overall pass rates of semiconductor devices so manufactured.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to an integrated chip that includes a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region disposed in a substrate. A plane that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate traverses the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. Agate electrode extends over a channel region in the substrate between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. The gate electrode is separated from the channel region by way of a charge trapping dielectric structure. The charge trapping dielectric structure includes a tunnel dielectric layer, a charge trapping dielectric layer over the tunnel dielectric layer, and a blocking dielectric layer over the charge trapping dielectric layer. The channel region has a channel width measured perpendicularly to the plane, and the tunnel dielectric layer has different thicknesses at different respective points along the channel width.

Abstract: A method for determining a State of Charge of a battery module with a first battery having a first rated capacity and a second battery having a second rated capacity including determining an adjusted rated capacity according to at least one of property data of the first battery, property data of the second battery and a system requirement, wherein the adjusted rated capacity is smaller than a summation of the first rated capacity and the second rated capacity; and determining a State of Charge (SoC) which indicates a level of charge of the battery module relative to a total capacity of the battery module according to the level of charge of the battery module and the adjusted rated capacity.

Abstract: A device estimates the health of a battery by first collecting measurements of the battery over multiple charging and discharging cycles. Scores are assigned to the measurements according to scoring rules stored in a memory of the device. The device calculates battery based on an average of the measurements, where each measurement has an assigned score greater than a threshold.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-battery system including a plurality of devices and a processing circuit. Each of the plurality of devices includes a battery, a measurement circuit and a communication interface, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure the battery to generate battery information, and the communication interface is configured to transmit the battery information. The processing circuit is configured to receive the plurality of battery information of the plurality of devices, and use a universal gauge master algorithm to process the battery information of the plurality of devices to generate a plurality of gauge results, respectively.

Abstract: A device estimates the health of a battery by first collecting measurements of the battery over multiple charging and discharging cycles. Scores are assigned to the measurements according to scoring rules stored in a memory of the device. The device calculates battery based on an average of the measurements, where each measurement has an assigned score greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A method for estimating a battery power percentage of a battery includes: performing a first fuel gauge operation upon the battery; and using the first fuel gauge operation to generate the battery power percentage of the battery by referring to information measured by a second fuel gauge operation performed upon the battery wherein the second fuel gauge operation is different from the first fuel gauge operation.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a coulomb counting based state-of-charge (SOC) estimation of a battery cell includes: determining whether the battery cell is in a specific charge state; calibrating an initial value for use in the coulomb counting based SOC estimation according to an open circuit voltage (OCV)-based SOC of the battery cell if the battery cell is not in the specific charge state; calibrating the initial value according to a predetermined value if the battery cell is in the specific charge state; and applying the calibrated initial value to the coulomb counting based SOC estimation and restarting an integration of the coulomb counting based SOC estimation based on the calibrated initial value.

Abstract: A method used between a portable device and a battery pack including at least one battery cell includes: transmitting information for the battery cell from the portable device to the battery pack via the connecting interface or from the battery pack to the portable device via the connecting interface; and according to the information for the battery cell, performing at least one control operation that is associated with the battery cell; wherein there is an analog communication from the battery cell of the battery pack to the portable device to provide a voltage level actually from the battery cell.

Abstract: A method for power throttling upon a system includes: obtaining at least one characteristic information of a power source that is used for providing energy for the system; and, determining an available power range for the system according to the at least one characteristic information, so as to make the system control a behavior of the system according to the available power range.

Abstract: A method for controlling a state of a battery includes: providing and using a specific connecting interface to connect the battery and a portable device; and controlling the battery to enter a shipping mode and exit the shipping mode by using the specific connecting interface.

Abstract: A method applied into an electronic device and capable of measuring at least one resistance parameter includes: launching a program/application on the electronic device; and using the program/application to measure the at least one resistance parameter that is at least associated with a battery cell connected to and used for providing power to the electronic device.

Abstract: A method applied into an electronic device and capable of automatically measuring at least one parameter includes: launching an automatic program/application on the electronic device; and using the automatic program/application to measure the at least one parameter that is at least associated with a battery cell connected to and used for providing power to the electronic device.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a coulomb counting based state-of-charge (SOC) estimation of a battery cell includes: determining whether the battery cell is in a specific charge state; calibrating an initial value for use in the coulomb counting based SOC estimation according to an open circuit voltage (OCV)-based SOC of the battery cell if the battery cell is not in the specific charge state; calibrating the initial value according to a predetermined value if the battery cell is in the specific charge state; and applying the calibrated initial value to the coulomb counting based SOC estimation and restarting an integration of the coulomb counting based SOC estimation based on the calibrated initial value.

Abstract: An apparatus used with a processor to perform fuel gauge operation for a battery of a portable device includes a voltage measuring circuit and a control circuit. The voltage measuring circuit periodically measures and records a battery pack voltage for the battery according to time information received from the processor after the processor enters a sleep mode. The control circuit generates an accumulation result by calculating and accumulating at least one value of battery characteristics according to the battery pack voltage, and compares the accumulation result with a reference threshold of battery characteristics to determine whether to trigger an interrupt to wake up the processor, so as to cause the processor to update a battery cell voltage and an internal battery resistance of the battery for performing fuel gauge operation.

Abstract: A method used between a portable device and a battery pack including at least one battery cell includes: transmitting information for the battery cell from the portable device to the battery pack via the connecting interface or from the battery pack to the portable device via the connecting interface; and according to the information for the battery cell, performing at least one control operation that is associated with the battery cell; wherein there is an analog communication from the battery cell of the battery pack to the portable device to provide a voltage level actually from the battery cell.

Abstract: A state-of-charge (SOC) indication method includes: determining estimated values of a SOC of a battery cell according to at least information regarding a characteristics measurement of the battery cell; performing a smooth and monotonic processing on the estimated values of the SOC to process unusual change in the estimated values, so as to generate processed values of the SOC; remapping the processed values of the SOC according to a remapping threshold setting to obtain remapped values of the SOC; and indicating the SOC of the battery cell with the remapped values.

Abstract: A method applied into an electronic device and capable of measuring at least one resistance parameter includes: launching a program/application on the electronic device; and using the program/application to measure the at least one resistance parameter that is at least associated with a battery cell connected to and used for providing power to the electronic device.

Abstract: A method used between a portable device and a battery pack including at least one battery cell includes: transmitting information for the battery cell from the portable device to the battery pack via the connecting interface or from the battery pack to the portable device via the connecting interface; and, according to the information for the battery cell, performing at least one control operation that is associated with the battery cell.