Abstract: A bandgap apparatus includes an error amplifier; a bandgap core including 2 BJT devices and core resistors for proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) and complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current generations; a reference resistor for reference voltage generation; an NMOS current mirror having NMOS devices; a PMOS current mirror having PMOS devices; and 4 switches for controlling operation in a high-power mode or a low-power mode, wherein the high-power mode consumes more power than the low-power mode, wherein the error amplifier is switched on and the NMOS current mirror is switched off in the high-power mode, or the error amplifier is switched off and the NMOS current mirror is switched on in the low-power mode.

Abstract: A technique for adjusting a power supply for a device is provided. The technique includes detecting a low-power trigger for a device; switching a power supply for the device from a high-power power supply to a low-power power supply; detecting a high-power trigger for a device; and switching a power supply for the device from the low-power power supply to the high-power power supply, wherein the high-power power supply consumes a larger amount of power than the low-power power supply, and wherein the high-power power supply provides a greater amount of noise reducing and a greater tolerance to temperature differences than the low-power power supply.

Abstract: A technique for adjusting a power supply for a device is provided. The technique includes detecting a low-power trigger for a device; switching a power supply for the device from a high-power power supply to a low-power power supply; detecting a high-power trigger for a device; and switching a power supply for the device from the low-power power supply to the high-power power supply, wherein the high-power power supply consumes a larger amount of power than the low-power power supply, and wherein the high-power power supply provides a greater amount of noise reducing and a greater tolerance to temperature differences than the low-power power supply.

Abstract: A high voltage protection circuit for a non-tolerant integrated circuit is described herein. A non-tolerant integrated circuit may be a powered down integrated circuit or a low voltage tolerant integrated circuit, that may be exposed to a high voltage source such as an external circuit, device or power supply. The high voltage protection circuit includes a limiting transistor circuit, a control transistor circuit, and an isolation transistor circuit. The limiting transistor circuit limits or holds the voltage at the signal bump to be less than a voltage that can damage the circuit. The isolation transistor circuit disconnects input/output signal circuitry from normal protection circuitry. Both the limiting transistor circuit and the isolation transistor circuit are controlled by the control transistor circuit and are responsive to the power supply voltage being off.

Abstract: A soft-start/soft-stop (SS) controller for a voltage regulator. The SS controller includes a power up/down detector configured to perform at least one selected from a group consisting of detecting a power on condition of the voltage regulator to determine a start-up time period and detecting a power off condition of the voltage regulator to determine a shut-down time period, and a ramped reference voltage signal generator configured to perform at least one selected from a group consisting of increasing a voltage level of a ramped reference voltage signal using a pre-determined ramp-up rate during the start-up time period and decreasing the voltage level of the ramped reference voltage signal using a pre-determined ramp-down rate during the shut-down time period, wherein the ramped reference voltage signal is supplied to the voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage level of the voltage regulator.

Abstract: A high voltage protection circuit for a non-tolerant integrated circuit is described herein. A non-tolerant integrated circuit may be a powered down integrated circuit or a low voltage tolerant integrated circuit, that may be exposed to a high voltage source such as an external circuit, device or power supply. The high voltage protection circuit includes a limiting transistor circuit, a control transistor circuit, and an isolation transistor circuit. The limiting transistor circuit limits or holds the voltage at the signal bump to be less than a voltage that can damage the circuit. The isolation transistor circuit disconnects input/output signal circuitry from normal protection circuitry. Both the limiting transistor circuit and the isolation transistor circuit are controlled by the control transistor circuit and are responsive to the power supply voltage being off.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a transmitting entity within a micro-area network to establish a data transmission within the network includes processing that begins by determining the identity of a target entity within the micro-area network. The processing then continues by determining transmission characteristics of at least one communication path between the transmitting entity and target entity of the micro-area network. The processing then continues by determining a transmission convention based on the transmission characteristics. The processing then continues by providing the transmission convention to the target entity.

Abstract: According to particular example embodiments, an integrated circuit includes one or more serializing data transmitters. Each such data transmitter is arranged to transmit data on a respective data output port of the integrated circuit, wherein the respective data output port for at least one of the data transmitters is dedicated to transmitting periodic data used for clocking a respective target circuit. In other particular embodiments involving feedback, phase-locked loop (PLL) signal control and/or delay-locked loop (DLL) signal control is achieved in functional blocks of a programmable logic device (PLD). The PLD is responsive to a source clock and includes a configurable logic array that includes configurable logic blocks and configurable routing blocks, and the respective data output port for at least one of the data transmitters provides a respective target clock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide various mechanisms to improve yield of an integrated circuit (IC) employing serial input/output (I/O) communication devices. A single error correction model provides one spare transceiver per group of primary transceivers, whereby reconfiguration of the IC isolates the defective transceiver and configures the replacement transceiver for operation in its place. A multiple error correction model is also provided, whereby multiple replacement transceivers may be configured to replace multiple defective transceivers. The replacement mechanism may occur during various phases of the IC, such as during wafer testing, final testing, or post-deployment testing.

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having a single stage ring-oscillator having both coarse and fine control of the frequency of oscillation is described. In an embodiment the VCO may include a first n-channel latch having a first output and a second output; a first P-channel transistor coupled between a voltage supply and a first VCO output, where a gate of the first P-channel transistor is coupled to the first output of the first n-channel latch; a first programmable resistor circuit coupled between the first VCO output and the first output of the first n-channel latch; and a second n-channel latch coupled to the first VCO output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capacitance multiplication using two charge pumps. A first charge pump (206) provides a current signal (I216) that is first conducted by a resistor (310) of an RC network and then split into three current paths prior to being conducted by a capacitor of the RC network. A first current path provides current to the capacitor (306) of the RC network from node (320). A second current path multiplies the current conducted by capacitor (306) by a first current multiplication factor. A third current path provides current to a second charge pump, which multiplies the current from the first charge pump by a second current multiplication factor that has a fractional value with an inverse magnitude sign relative to the first current multiplication factor. The combination of the second and third current paths effectively multiplies the capacitance magnitude of capacitor (306).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network includes processing that begins by obtaining a data unit for transmission by a first data transceiving entity of a micro area network. The processing then continues when the first data transceiving entity formats the payload data using a first transmission format convention. The first data transceiving entity also formats the overhead data using a second transmission formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data. The formatting of the overhead data and/or payload data may include encoding and/or modulating the data. The processing continues when the first data transceiving entity transmits the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to at least one target entity within the micro-area network. The process continues when a target entity receives the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data.

Abstract: A high-speed, wide bandwidth data detection circuit includes a phase detection module, a data detection module, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator. The phase detection module is operably coupled to produce a controlled current based on a current mode mathematical manipulation of differences between an incoming data stream and a recovered clock. The phase detection module performs the current mode mathematical manipulations and produces the controlled current in the current domain. The data detection module is operably coupled to produce the detected data based on the incoming data stream and the recovered clock. The loop filter is operably coupled to convert the controlled current into a controlled voltage. The voltage controlled oscillator is operably coupled to convert the control voltage into the recovered clock.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for a bidirectional transceiver cell is described. Each bidirectional transceiver cell has a transmitter and a receiver, where the transmitter and the receiver share a phase-locked loop. The bidirectional transceiver cell is configured to act as either a transmitter or a receiver. The bidirectional transceiver cell is for multi-gigabit data rates.

Abstract: A transceiver includes a receiver section and a transmitter section. The receiver section includes a clocking circuit, a serial-to-parallel module, and compensation. The transmitter section includes a clocking circuit, parallel-to-serial module, and compensation. The compensation within the receiver section and transmitter section compensates for integrated circuit (IC) processing limits and/or integrated circuit (IC) fabrication limits within the clocking circuits, serial-to-parallel module, and parallel-to-serial module that would otherwise limit the speed at which the transceiver could transport data.

Abstract: A VCO (110) can be configured to convert an analog input signal (105) to a digital output signal (125). In accordance with the inventive arrangements, the VCO can convert the analog input signal to at least one intermediate signal (130) having a frequency dependent on the analog input signal. A frequency detector (115) can be configured to determine a frequency of at least one intermediate signal. Subsequently, a mapping circuit (120) can be configured to map the determined frequency of the at least one intermediate signal to an output value representing the digital output signal (125).

Abstract: A high speed data communication system includes a receiver to recover data and clock signals from communicated data. The receiver circuit has a dual phase lock loop (PLL) circuit. A fine loop of the PLL includes a phase detector providing a differential analog voltage output. Transconductance circuitry converts the differential analog voltage output to a low current analog output. The transconductance circuitry has a high impedance output, a small transconductance value and can provide variable gain control. A coarse loop of the PLL allows for frequency acquisition of an internal oscillator.

Abstract: Electronic devices are typically coupled together to operate as systems that require the communication of data between two or more devices. Many of these devices includes a communications circuit, such as receiver, transmitter, or transceiver for this purpose. A typical component in these communication circuits is the phase-lock loop, a circuit that in receiver circuits determines the timing of pulses in a received data signal and in transmitter circuits clocks the data out at a predetermined rate. One problem with phase-lock loops and thus the receiver and transmitter circuits that incorporate them is that they are generally tuned, or tailored, to operate at a certain frequency. This means that one cannot generally use a receiver or transmitter circuit having phase-lock loops tuned for one frequency to communicate at another frequency. The inability to communicate at other frequencies limits the usefulness of not only the receiver and transmitter circuits but also their electronic devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multilevel signaling includes processing that begins by determining multilevel signaling operation conditions. The processing then continues by generating an adjust signal based on the determined multilevel signaling operation conditions. The adjust signal is used to change the magnitude of the multilevel signals produced via the multilevel encoding. The adjust signal may vary a supply voltage and/or vary gain of an amplifier stage.

Abstract: In many electronic systems, it is common to communicate data from a transmitter in one device to a receiver in another. Accurate communications requires use of several matched clock signals. Mismatches in these clock signals cause transmitters to add “jitter” to transmitted data or receivers to be more intolerant of jitter in received signals, increasing the chances of mis-interpreting the data. Accordingly, the inventors devised an exemplary clock-distribution method which entails generating a base set of matched clock signals, deriving at least two separate sets of matched clock signals from the base set, and distributing one of the sets of clock signals to a set of matched components in a circuit and the other set of matched clock signals to a different set of components in the same circuit. The clock signals driving the matched components are isolated from mismatched aspects of the other components, and thus exhibit better matching.