Abstract: A monitoring circuit is implemented for comparing a sampled voltage taken from a selected sampling capacitor and a reference voltage from a voltage buffer. The voltage buffer is configurable according to programming provided to a programmable logic controller, PLC. Comparisons may be made on a periodic basis, such as a time-division multiplexed basis, in connection with register settings in the PLC.

Abstract: A fuel dispensing system includes a fuel tank adapted to contain a quantity of fuel. A fuel dispenser in is fluid communication with the fuel tank via piping. A pump is operative to transfer fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel dispenser. A corrosive detection assembly operative to identify presence of a corrosive substance in the fuel is also provided. The corrosive detection assembly has at least one thermoelectric detector positioned to be in contact with fuel vapor in the fuel dispensing system, the thermoelectric detector producing a detector signal indicating presence of the corrosive substance. Electronics are in electrical communication with the thermoelectric detector, the electronics being operative to interpret the detector signal and produce an output if the corrosive substance is present. The at least one thermoelectric detector may comprises a plurality of thermoelectric detectors at different locations in the fuel dispensing system.

Abstract: In a described example, an apparatus includes: a capacitor coupled to receive a current at a first terminal and having a second terminal coupled to ground; a first comparator coupled to a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor and to a first reference voltage; a second comparator coupled to the voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor and to a second reference voltage that is different from the first reference voltage, and having an enable input coupled to the output of the first comparator; a discharge circuit coupled to the capacitor and enabled by the output of the second comparator; and a toggle circuit coupled to the output of the second comparator. Methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a housing, a battery, a battery pack output voltage path that includes a charge power switch and a discharge power switch, and a battery sense output. A switch can be operably coupled between the battery and the battery sense output and configured to selectively open and close a battery sense path between the battery and the battery sense output. By one approach a first control circuit controls the open and close state of the aforementioned switch (in response, for example, to a comparison of the voltage differential across the switch to a predetermined threshold such that the switch is opened when the voltage differential across the switch becomes too positive or too negative with respect to battery voltage).

Abstract: In a described example, an apparatus includes: a capacitor coupled to receive a current at a first terminal and having a second terminal coupled to ground; a first comparator coupled to a voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor and to a first reference voltage; a second comparator coupled to the voltage at the first terminal of the capacitor and to a second reference voltage that is different from the first reference voltage, and having an enable input coupled to the output of the first comparator; a discharge circuit coupled to the capacitor and enabled by the output of the second comparator; and a toggle circuit coupled to the output of the second comparator. Methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure presented herein provides example embodiments of systems for accurate multiplexing. The systems and methods presented may be suitable for non-limiting examples of analog to digital conversion with a switched input voltage (for a switched capacitor application) or any circuit with high voltage/high accuracy voltage multiplexing. In an example embodiment, pulsed current sources may be implemented to rapidly turn on and turn off the selected and unselected multiplexer ports while maintaining relatively low power consumption. A Kelvin input port may allow a high voltage input to be accurately sensed by avoiding a voltage drop associated with a selected pass gate p-channel FET channel resistance and parasitic wire resistance. The Kelvin input port biases the gate of a pass FET structure whose body terminals are allowed to remain floating.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit device having an internal circuitry that requires voltage protection (e.g. negative voltage protection), the voltage protection is provided by a FET. In some embodiments, the source and drain of the FET are connected in series with the internal circuitry and an I/O node through which the voltage can be received (e.g. the source connected to the internal circuitry and the drain connected to the I/O node). In some embodiments, the FET is drain-extended (e.g. a drain-extended PFET).

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods of low offset switched capacitor comparator reduce settling errors. The system operates in two major phases. During a first phase, the input voltage is sampled on the input capacitors and a differential amplifier is configured in a unity gain configuration to sample the amplifier offset. During the second phase, the input voltage difference is amplified at the output of the comparator. The amplifier transient sampling error is reduced by shorting the outputs of the differential amplifier for a shorting period at the start of the second phase. A clocked comparator at the output of the differential amplifier provides a fast comparison using internal positive feedback. The differential amplifier should have developed sufficient differential output voltage to overcome the offset of the clocked comparator.

Abstract: Systems and devices for dynamically scaled charge pumping are presented. Example embodiments of the disclosed systems of dynamically scaled charge pumping enable regulation of the output voltage at a particular ratio and to dynamically control the ratio based on the input voltage. A charge pumping circuit is enabled by an oscillator. The charge pump oscillator is enabled by the output of a comparator. The comparator compares an input voltage to a comparator voltage, which is a divided version of the output voltage. The output voltage is referenced to a regulated voltage and the comparison voltage is divided between the two voltages by a resistor divider. The regulated voltage remains flat until the input voltage equals the reference voltage. At that point, the regulated voltage will begin to rise and follow the input voltage. Before the reference voltage is reached, the output voltage equals the input voltage multiplied by the resistor divider ratio.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods of low offset switched capacitor comparator reduce settling errors. The system operates in two major phases. During a first phase, the input voltage is sampled on the input capacitors and a differential amplifier is configured in a unity gain configuration to sample the amplifier offset. During the second phase, the input voltage difference is amplified at the output of the comparator. The amplifier transient sampling error is reduced by shorting the outputs of the differential amplifier for a shorting period at the start of the second phase. A clocked comparator at the output of the differential amplifier provides a fast comparison using internal positive feedback. The differential amplifier should have developed sufficient differential output voltage to overcome the offset of the clocked comparator.

Abstract: The disclosure presented herein provides example embodiments of systems for accurate multiplexing. The systems and methods presented may be suitable for non-limiting examples of analog to digital conversion with a switched input voltage (for a switched capacitor application) or any circuit with high voltage/high accuracy voltage multiplexing. In an example embodiment, pulsed current sources may be implemented to rapidly turn on and turn off the selected and unselected multiplexer ports while maintaining relatively low power consumption. A Kelvin input port may allow a high voltage input to be accurately sensed by avoiding a voltage drop associated with a selected pass gate p-channel FET channel resistance and parasitic wire resistance. The Kelvin input port biases the gate of a pass FET structure whose body terminals are allowed to remain floating.

Abstract: Systems and devices for dynamically scaled charge pumping are presented. Example embodiments of the disclosed systems of dynamically scaled charge pumping enable regulation of the output voltage at a particular ratio and to dynamically control the ratio based on the input voltage. A charge pumping circuit is enabled by an oscillator. The charge pump oscillator is enabled by the output of a comparator. The comparator compares an input voltage to a comparator voltage, which is a divided version of the output voltage. The output voltage is referenced to a regulated voltage and the comparison voltage is divided between the two voltages by a resistor divider. The regulated voltage remains flat until the input voltage equals the reference voltage. At that point, the regulated voltage will begin to rise and follow the input voltage. Before the reference voltage is reached, the output voltage equals the input voltage multiplied by the resistor divider ratio.

Abstract: A differential gain boosted amplifier is provided. The differential amplifier includes at least one current mirror, at least one differential pair, at least one cascode, at least one differential gain boosting amplifier for differential current mirror voltage control, and at least one common mode amplifier comprising a common mode voltage to control the output common mode of the differential gain boosting amplifier. The common mode voltage includes a mirrored bias voltage. The mirrored bias voltage feeds directly into the common mode amplifier. A differential input voltage feeds directly into the differential gain boosting amplifier and the differential pair. A gain of the current mirror is boosted by the differential gain boosting amplifier. A differential output voltage is indicative of the differential input voltage with an increase in gain. The differential output voltage is connected to the cascode.

Abstract: A method for using machine learning to solve problems having either a “positive” result (the event occurred) or a “negative” result (the event did not occur), in which the probability of a positive result is very low and the consequences of the positive result are significant. Training data is obtained and a subset of that data is distilled for application to a machine learning system. The training data includes some records corresponding to the positive result, some nearest neighbors from the records corresponding to the negative result, and some other records corresponding to the negative result. The machine learning system uses a co-evolution approach to obtain a rule set for predicting results after a number of cycles. The machine system uses a fitness function derived for use with the type of problem, such as a fitness function based on the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the rules. The rules are validated using the entire set of training data.

Abstract: A method for using machine learning to solve problems having either a “positive” result (the event occurred) or a “negative” result (the event did not occur), in which the probability of a positive result is very low and the consequences of the positive result are significant. Training data is obtained and a subset of that data is distilled for application to a machine learning system. The training data includes some records corresponding to the positive result, some nearest neighbors from the records corresponding to the negative result, and some other records corresponding to the negative result. The machine learning system uses a co-evolution approach to obtain a rule set for predicting results after a number of cycles. The machine system uses a fitness function derived for use with the type of problem, such as a fitness function based on the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the rules. The rules are validated using the entire set of training data.

Abstract: A method for using machine learning to solve problems having either a “positive” result (the event occurred) or a “negative” result (the event did not occur), in which the probability of a positive result is very low and the consequences of the positive result are significant. Training data is obtained and a subset of that data is distilled for application to a machine learning system. The training data includes some records corresponding to the positive result, some nearest neighbors from the records corresponding to the negative result, and some other records corresponding to the negative result. The machine learning system uses a co-evolution approach to obtain a rule set for predicting results after a number of cycles. The machine system uses a fitness function derived for use with the type of problem, such as a fitness function based on the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the rules. The rules are validated using the entire set of training data.

Abstract: A method for using machine learning to solve problems having either a “positive” result (the event occurred) or a “negative” result (the event did not occur), in which the probability of a positive result is very low and the consequences of the positive result are significant. Training data is obtained and a subset of that data is distilled for application to a machine learning system. The training data includes some records corresponding to the positive result, some nearest neighbors from the records corresponding to the negative result, and some other records corresponding to the negative result. The machine learning system uses a co-evolution approach to obtain a rule set for predicting results after a number of cycles. The machine system uses a fitness function derived for use with the type of problem, such as a fitness function based on the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the rules. The rules are validated using the entire set of training data.

Abstract: A method for using machine learning to solve problems having either a “positive” result (the event occurred) or a “negative” result (the event did not occur), in which the probability of a positive result is very low and the consequences of the positive result are significant. Training data is obtained and a subset of that data is distilled for application to a machine learning system. The training data includes some records corresponding to the positive result, some nearest neighbors from the records corresponding to the negative result, and some other records corresponding to the negative result. The machine learning system uses a co-evolution approach to obtain a rule set for predicting results after a number of cycles. The machine system uses a fitness function derived for use with the type of problem, such as a fitness function based on the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the rules. The rules are validated using the entire set of training data.