Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic device and a method for DC-DC-conversion. The electronic device includes energizing switch and a commutating switch coupled at a switching node. The switching node is configured to be coupled to an inductor. The electronic device is configured to repeatedly suspend the regular synchronous switching of the commutating switch during a load detection period, to sense the voltage at the output node during the load detection period and to determine a high-load condition or a light-load condition of the DC-DC-conversion based on the sensed voltage at the output node.

Abstract: A converter has a main feedback path and two auxiliary feedback paths from an output node to an auxiliary differential input pair of a comparator. The auxiliary feedback paths have different RC time constants so that a differential ramp signal is effectively applied to the auxiliary differential inputs of the comparator. The circuit design compensates for a negligibly small equivalent series resistor of an output capacitor so that modern capacitors may be used without compromising the stable oscillation of the converter.

Abstract: This invention relates to aryl urea compounds in combination with cytotoxic or cytostatic agents for use in treating raf kinase mediated diseases such as cancer.

Abstract: An electronic device for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level, comprising a first power switch and a second power switch, being connected in parallel and having a different gate width, and a driving stage that is configured to selectively drive the first power switch and/or second power switch depending on a load current output.

Abstract: An electronic device controlling a frequency modulation index has a frequency modulation index control loop having an input adapted to be connected to a frequency output of a frequency controllable oscillator. The oscillator has a center frequency Fc and an output adapted to be connected to an input of a frequency-modulation unit, the modulation index control loop being adapted to determine the modulation index. Further provided is a method of frequency-modulating with a modulation frequency Fm a non-linear controllable oscillator having a center frequency Fc with a constant modulation index.

Abstract: A self-oscillating DC-DC buck converter with zero hysteresis is described. The converter comprises a comparator with a supply input, a non-inverting input to which a reference voltage is applied, an inverting input to which a feedback signal is applied, and an output to which a filter network is connected. The feedback signal is derived from the filter network and the output voltage of the converter is determined by the reference voltage. Connecting a filter network with an inductor and a capacitor to the output of the comparator and deriving the feedback signal from the filter network, results in an output of the comparator which is a DC output with a superimposed ripple. The level of the DC output is controlled by the reference voltage applied to the non-inverting input of the comparator, and the inductor current develops the ripple in the equivalent series resistance of the load circuit connected to the comparator output. The ripple can be regarded as the ramp signal in a conventional DC-DC converter.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided for switched DC-DC conversion of an input voltage level into an output voltage level comprising a driving stage for controlling a control gate of a high side power switch so as to vary the voltage level on a switching node and an auxiliary switch, wherein the auxiliary switch is coupled between the control gate of the power switch and the switching node so as to feed a charge released from the control gate in a switching operation to the switching node.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic device and a method for DC-DC conversion using a comparator for generating an output signal for driving a power switch of a switch mode DC-DC converter. The electronic device is configured to reduce a bias current of the comparator with a first slope in response to a decreasing load and to increase the bias current of the comparator with a second slope in response to an increasing load, wherein the second slope is steeper than the first slope.

Abstract: An integrator is provided with protection against drift in the value of an integral during power save mode. An N-bit counter (12) is driven by the output of a comparator (11) to provide a digital count representation of the integral. The digital count is fed as an input to a current-steering digital-to-analog converter (14) which provides a current of corresponding analog magnitude to other circuitry, such as to an input stage of an error amplifier. The digital count is maintained during power save mode, preserving the integral value until resumption of normal operation.

Abstract: A converter has a main feedback path and two auxiliary feedback paths from an output node to an auxiliary differential input pair of a comparator. The auxiliary feedback paths have different RC time constants so that a differential ramp signal is effectively applied to the auxiliary differential inputs of the comparator. The circuit design compensates for a negligibly small equivalent series resistor of an output capacitor so that modern capacitors may be used without compromising the stable oscillation of the converter.

Abstract: For controlling the light intensity in a multi-lamp illumination device an automatic sequencing of the PWM dimming distributes the burst dimming pulses during the display's frame period. Specifically, the method includes the steps of generating a plurality of synchronized pulse-width modulated lamp activation signals of equal duty-cycles; individually controlling the phase of each lamp activation signal within the frame periods; and separately supplying each lamp of the illumination device with one of the lamp activation signals. The lamp activation signals are preferably all derived from a common pulse-width modulated intensity control signal. By evenly distributing the lamp activation signals, or pulses, within the display's frame period, the EMI emission is minimized, the refresh rate is artificially enhanced, and the peak to average current is reduced.

Abstract: An integrator is provided with protection against drift in the value of an integral during power save mode. An N-bit counter (12) is driven by the output of a comparator (11) to provide a digital count representation of the integral. The digital count is fed as an input to a current-steering digital-to-analog converter (14) which provides a current of corresponding analog magnitude to other circuitry, such as to an input stage of an error amplifier. The digital count is maintained during power save mode, preserving the integral value until resumption of normal operation.

Abstract: A self-oscillating DC-DC buck converter with zero hysteresis is described. The converter comprises a comparator with a supply input, a non-inverting input to which a reference voltage is applied, an inverting input to which a feedback signal is applied, and an output to which a filter network is connected. The feedback signal is derived from the filter network and the output voltage of the converter is determined by the reference voltage. Connecting a filter network with an inductor and a capacitor to the output of the comparator and deriving the feedback signal from the filter network, results in an output of the comparator which is a DC output with a superimposed ripple. The level of the DC output is controlled by the reference voltage applied to the non-inverting input of the comparator, and the inductor current develops the ripple in the equivalent series resistance of the load circuit connected to the comparator output. The ripple can be regarded as the ramp signal in a conventional DC-DC converter.

Abstract: A switch mode power converter is provided which includes a switching cell with a supply input, an output and a control input. A summing comparator has first and second differential input pairs and an output. The output is connected to the control input of the switching cell. An oscillator provides a periodic waveform that is applied to a first one of the inputs of the first differential input pair of the summing comparator. An adjustable reference voltage source provides an adjustable reference voltage a predetermined fraction of which is applied to a second one of the inputs of the first differential input pair of the summing comparator. An error amplifier has differential outputs coupled to the second pair of differential inputs of the summing comparator and a differential input pair.

Abstract: In the proposed method of generating a pulsed output signal from a periodic ramp signal and a reference voltage, the linear range of duty cycles of the pulsed output signal is significantly extended to minimum values. The ramp signal and the reference voltage are applied to inputs of a comparator and the output signal is taken from an output of the comparator. The ramp signal has a ramp that extends between a minimum voltage level and a maximum voltage level. The duty cycle of the pulse signal is controlled by varying the reference voltage between the minimum and maximum voltage levels. The ramp has an initial start section extending from the minimum voltage level and a main section extending between the initial section and the maximum voltage level. The ramp slope has a constant value over the main ramp section and a value greater than the constant value over the initial section.

Abstract: This invention relates to aryl urea compounds in combination with cytotoxic or cytostatic agents for use in treating raf kinase mediated diseases such as cancer.

Abstract: For controlling the light intensity in a multi-lamp illumination device an automatic sequencing of the PWM dimming distributes the burst dimming pulses during the display's frame period. Specifically, the method includes the steps of generating a plurality of synchronized pulse-width modulated lamp activation signals of equal duty-cycles; individually controlling the phase of each lamp activation signal within the frame periods; and separately supplying each lamp of the illumination device with one of the lamp activation signals. The lamp activation signals are preferably all derived from a common pulse-width modulated intensity control signal. By evenly distributing the lamp activation signals, or pulses, within the display's frame period, the EMI emission is minimized, the refresh rate is artificially enhanced, and the peak to average current is reduced.

Abstract: In the proposed method of generating a pulsed output signal from a periodic ramp signal and a reference voltage, the linear range of duty cycles of the pulsed output signal is significantly extended to minimum values. The ramp signal and the reference voltage are applied to inputs of a comparator and the output signal is taken from an output of the comparator. The ramp signal has a ramp that extends between a minimum voltage level and a maximum voltage level. The duty cycle of the pulse signal is controlled by varying the reference voltage between the minimum and maximum voltage levels. The ramp has an initial start section extending from the minimum voltage level and a main section extending between the initial section and the maximum voltage level. The ramp slope has a constant value over the main ramp section and a value greater than the constant value over the initial section.

Abstract: A switch mode power converter is provided which includes a switching cell with a supply input, an output and a control input. A summing comparator has first and second differential input pairs and an output. The output is connected to the control input of the switching cell. An oscillator provides a periodic waveform that is applied to a first one of the inputs of the first differential input pair of the summing comparator. An adjustable reference voltage source provides an adjustable reference voltage a predetermined fraction of which is applied to a second one of the inputs of the first differential input pair of the summing comparator. An error amplifier has differential outputs coupled to the second pair of differential inputs of the summing comparator and a differential input pair.

Abstract: A method for the detection of a target nucleic acid, which method comprises contacting template nucleic acid from a sample with (i) a signalling system and (ii) a tailed nucleic acid primer having a template binding region and the tail comprising a linker and a target binding region, in the presence of appropriate nucleoside triphosphates and an agent for polymerisation thereof, under conditions such that the template binding region of the primer will hybridise to a complementary sequence in the template nucleic acid and be extended to form a primer extension product, separating any such product from the template whereupon the target binding region in the tail of the primer will hybridise to a sequence in the primer extension product corresponding to the target nucleic acid, and wherein any such target specific hybridisation causes a detectable change in the signalling system, such that the presence or absence of the target nucleic acid in the sample is detected by reference to the presence or absence of a de