Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of coil transducers and galvanic isolators configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. A coil transducer is provided across which data or power signals may be transmitted and received by primary and secondary coils disposed on opposing sides thereof without high voltage breakdowns occurring therebetween. At least portions of the coil transducer are formed of an electrically insulating, non-metallic, non-semiconductor, low dielectric loss material. Circuits are disclosed herein that permit high speed data signals to be transmitted through the coil transducer and faithfully and accurately reconstructed on the opposing side thereof. The coil transducer may be formed in a small package using, by way of example, printed circuit board, CMOS and other fabrication and packaging processes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of coil transducers and galvanic isolators configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. A coil transducer is provided across which data or power signals may be transmitted and received by primary and secondary coils disposed on opposing sides thereof without high voltage breakdowns occurring therebetween. At least portions of the coil transducer are formed of an electrically insulating, non-metallic, non-semiconductor, low dielectric loss material. Circuits are disclosed herein that permit high speed data signals to be transmitted through the coil transducer and faithfully and accurately reconstructed on the opposing side thereof. The coil transducer may be formed in a small package using, by way of example, printed circuit board, CMOS and other fabrication and packaging processes.

Abstract: Galvanic isolators are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a galvanic isolator comprises a generally planar electrically insulating substrate comprising opposing first and second surfaces, the substrate comprising an electrically insulating, low dielectric loss material and having a transmitter coil disposed on the first surface and a receiving coil disposed on the second surface. A transmitter circuit is operably connected to the transmitter coil. The transmitter circuit comprises a first detector that detects a rising edge of an input signal; a first pulse generator that generates a plurality of first pulses upon detection of the rising edge; a second detector that detects a falling edge of the input signal; and a second pulse generator that generates a plurality of second pulses upon detection of the falling edge. A receiver circuit is operably connected to the second receiving coil.

Abstract: An imaging pixel array and associated method and system are disclosed in which the array contains first pixels each having a first photo-conversion device, and second pixels each having a first photo-conversion device and a second photo-conversion device. The first photo-conversion devices are configured to acquire an image during a first integration period. The second photo-conversion devices are configured to acquire a plurality of images during the first integration period. A circuit uses the plurality of image signals and determines from them relative motion between the array and an image during a portion of the first integration period and provides a signal representing the motion which is used for image stabilization.

Abstract: In an opto-isolator, a common mode pulse compensation circuit is provided that senses when a common mode pulse event occurs and that adds current to the LED drive current to compensate for a decrease in the LED drive current caused by the occurrence of the event. The common mode pulse compensation circuit is capable of operating effectively over a very wide range of common mode pulse slopes by automatically adjusting the amount of current that is added to the LED drive current based at least in part on the slope of the sensed common mode pulse. In addition, the common mode pulse compensation circuit is capable of being implemented with LEDs that operate at very low drive currents, which allows the power consumption requirements of the opto-isolator to be reduced.

Abstract: Various embodiments of means and methods for reducing the pick-up of electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) by coil transducers are described and shown that are configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. In some embodiments, the lengths, heights, and horizontal distances between wires electrically connecting transmitter circuits and receiver circuits to coil transducers are minimized and optimized respecting one another.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the invention provides a coil transducer isolator package comprising at least one lead frame, at least two integrated circuits (ICs) and a flex circuit comprising at least a first coil transducer. The first coil transducer comprises at least one metal coil. The coil transducer isolator package is fabricated such that no portion of the lead frame is physically located within a spatial volume extending substantially perpendicular to the at least one metal coil. The boundaries of the spatial volume are defined by a periphery of the at least one metal coil. At least one of the two ICs is at least partially located within the spatial volume extending substantially perpendicular to the at least one metal coil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of coil transducers and galvanic isolators configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. A coil transducer is provided across which data or power signals may be transmitted and received by primary and secondary coils disposed on opposing sides thereof without high voltage breakdowns occurring therebetween. At least portions of the coil transducer are formed of an electrically insulating, non-metallic, non-semiconductor, low dielectric loss material. Circuits are disclosed herein that permit high speed data signals to be transmitted through the coil transducer and faithfully and accurately reconstructed on the opposing side thereof. The coil transducer may be formed in a small package using, by way of example, printed circuit board, CMOS and other fabrication and packaging processes.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the invention provides a coil transducer isolator package comprising at least one lead frame, at least two integrated circuits (ICs) and a flex circuit comprising at least a first coil transducer. The first coil transducer comprises at least one metal coil. The coil transducer isolator package is fabricated such that no portion of the lead frame is physically located within a spatial volume extending substantially perpendicular to the at least one metal coil. The boundaries of the spatial volume are defined by a periphery of the at least one metal coil. At least one of the two ICs is at least partially located within the spatial volume extending substantially perpendicular to the at least one metal coil.

Abstract: A method and circuit is provided for reducing power consumption in a power transformer, typically incorporated into an electrical or electronic device such as a consumer device. In an embodiment, a detection/isolation circuit is coupled to an input of a power transformer/rectifier via a switching device. The switching device can be, for example, a solid state relay. The detection/isolation circuit is configured to sense the occurrence of no-load conditions in the power transformer and responsively disengage the power transformer from a coupled source of power (e.g., wall outlet) via the coupled switching device.

Abstract: In an opto-isolator, common mode pulses that occur are compensated for by either adding current to the electrical-to-optical converter (EOC) drive current to compensate for a decrease in the EOC drive current caused by the occurrence of a common mode pulse or by pulling some of the drive current away from the EOC to compensate for an increase in the EOC drive current caused by the occurrence of a common mode pulse.

Abstract: In an opto-isolator, a common mode pulse compensation circuit is provided that senses when a common mode pulse event occurs and that adds current to the LED drive current to compensate for a decrease in the LED drive current caused by the occurrence of the event. The common mode pulse compensation circuit is capable of operating effectively over a very wide range of common mode pulse slopes by automatically adjusting the amount of current that is added to the LED drive current based at least in part on the slope of the sensed common mode pulse. In addition, the common mode pulse compensation circuit is capable of being implemented with LEDs that operate at very low drive currents, which allows the power consumption requirements of the opto-isolator to be reduced.

Abstract: Galvanic isolators are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a galvanic isolator comprises a generally planar electrically insulating substrate comprising opposing first and second surfaces, the substrate comprising an electrically insulating, low dielectric loss material and having a transmitter coil disposed on the first surface and a receiving coil disposed on the second surface. A transmitter circuit is operably connected to the transmitter coil. The transmitter circuit comprises a first detector that detects a rising edge of an input signal; a first pulse generator that generates a plurality of first pulses upon detection of the rising edge; a second detector that detects a falling edge of the input signal; and a second pulse generator that generates a plurality of second pulses upon detection of the falling edge. A receiver circuit is operably connected to the second receiving coil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of means and methods for reducing the pick-up of electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) by coil transducers configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. In some embodiments, the lengths, heights, and horizontal distances between wires electrically connecting transmitter circuits and receiver circuits to coil transducers are minimized and optimized respecting one another.

Abstract: A method and circuit is provided for reducing power consumption in a power transformer, typically incorporated into an electrical or electronic device such as a consumer device. In an embodiment, a detection/isolation circuit is coupled to an input of a power transformer/rectifier via a switching device. The switching device can be, for example, a solid state relay. The detection/isolation circuit is configured to sense the occurrence of no-load conditions in the power transformer and responsively disengage the power transformer from a coupled source of power (e.g., wall outlet) via the coupled switching device.

Abstract: An imaging pixel array and associated method and system are disclosed in which the array contains first pixels each having a first photo-conversion device, and second pixels each having a first photo-conversion device and a second photo-conversion device. The first photo-conversion devices are configured to acquire an image during a first integration period. The second photo-conversion devices are configured to acquire a plurality of images during the first integration period. A circuit uses the plurality of image signals and determines from them relative motion between the array and an image during a portion of the first integration period and provides a signal representing the motion which is used for image stabilization.

Abstract: In an opto-isolator, common mode pulses that occur are compensated for by either adding current to the electrical-to-optical converter (EOC) drive current to compensate for a decrease in the EOC drive current caused by the occurrence of a common mode pulse or by pulling some of the drive current away from the EOC to compensate for an increase in the EOC drive current caused by the occurrence of a common mode pulse.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of coil transducers and galvanic isolators configured to provide high voltage isolation and high voltage breakdown performance characteristics in small packages. A coil transducer is provided across which data or power signals may be transmitted and received by primary and secondary coils disposed on opposing sides thereof without high voltage breakdowns occurring therebetween. At least portions of the coil transducer are formed of an electrically insulating, non-metallic, non-semiconductor, low dielectric loss material. Circuits are disclosed herein that permit high speed data signals to be transmitted through the coil transducer and faithfully and accurately reconstructed on the opposing side thereof. The coil transducer may be formed in a small package using, by way of example, printed circuit board, CMOS and other fabrication and packaging processes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a circuit measures picoampere current levels. The circuit comprises: an operational-amplifier that has differential inputs and differential outputs; a switching structure that switchably couples an input line to one of the differential inputs in response signals from a timing circuit; a first integrating capacitor coupled to one of the differential inputs and to one of the differential outputs; a second integrating capacitor coupled to the other of the differential inputs; and a charge injection compensation structure that selectively injects charge into the input line and removes charge from the input line in response to signals from the timing circuit.

Abstract: A logarithmic amplifier includes the base and emitter of a bipolar junction transistor coupled in a feedback path between the output and the input of a gain element. When the bipolar junction transistor is a PNP transistor, the logarithmic amplifier can be made compatible with CMOS semiconductor circuitry and processes.