Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first switch having a control terminal, coupled to a voltage source and coupled to a switch node; a second switch having a control terminal, coupled to the switch node and to a voltage reference; a first inductor coupled to the switch node and to a load; a third switch having a control terminal, coupled to the voltage source and to an auxiliary node; a fourth switch having a control terminal, coupled to the auxiliary node and to the voltage reference; a second inductor coupled to the switch node and the auxiliary node; a fifth switch having a control terminal, coupled to the switch node and to the auxiliary node; and timing circuitry configured to output signals to the control terminals of the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, the fourth switch and the fifth switch to supply current to the load.

Abstract: A method of controlling a power converter, including executing a plurality of cycles, including: turning on a first switch during a first period, the first switch coupled to a power supply and a switch node; turning on a second switch during a second period, the second switch coupled to the switch node; turning on a third switch at a first time during the second period and turning the third switch off at a second time after the second period by a first open signal including a high discharge signal followed by a lower discharge signal, the third switch coupled to an auxiliary node and to a second inductor coupled to the auxiliary node; and turning on a fourth switch at a third time after the second time and turning the fourth switch off during the first period of a succeeding cycle, the fourth switch coupled to the auxiliary node.

Abstract: Disclosed examples provide DC-DC converters and control circuits to provide high and low-side driver signals and to selectively adjust a delay time between a low-side switching device turning off and a high-side switching device turning on according to a comparator signal, including a clocked comparator circuit referenced to a switching node to sample the voltage across the high-side switching device in response to a first edge of the high-side driver signal, and to generate the comparator signal indicating a polarity of the sampled high-side switch voltage to facilitate zero voltage switching of the high-side switching device.

Abstract: A power converter includes a power stage having a switch-node of a switched-mode power supply that is coupled to an input voltage node by a power field-effect transistor (FET) to energize an inductive circuit and is coupled to a ground node by a synchronous rectifier in parallel with the inductive circuit. The power converter also includes a controller coupled to the power stage. The controller controls switching of the power FET and synchronous rectifier in a complimentary manner. The controller switches on the power FET during a first switching cycle. Subsequently, the controller switches on the synchronous rectifier and, in response to a current through the inductive circuit being approximately zero, switches off the synchronous rectifier. Subsequently, the controller switches on the synchronous rectifier again to generate a negative current through the inductive circuit prior to entering a second switching cycle.

Abstract: A power converter includes a power stage having a switch-node of a switched-mode power supply that is coupled to an input voltage node by a power field-effect transistor (FET) to energize an inductive circuit and is coupled to a ground node by a synchronous rectifier in parallel with the inductive circuit. The power converter also includes a controller coupled to the power stage. The controller controls switching of the power FET and synchronous rectifier in a complimentary manner. The controller switches on the power FET during a first switching cycle. Subsequently, the controller switches on the synchronous rectifier and, in response to a current through the inductive circuit being approximately zero, switches off the synchronous rectifier. Subsequently, the controller switches on the synchronous rectifier again to generate a negative current through the inductive circuit prior to entering a second switching cycle.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a biometric object is part of a live individual is described. In one such method, image information is acquired from the biometric object by using a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor. The image information may be analyzed in at least two analysis stages. One of the analysis stages may be a temporal analysis stage that analyzes changes in the image information obtained during a time period throughout which the biometric object was continuously available to the sensor. For example, a dead/alive stage may analyze differences between image information taken at two different times in order to identify changes from one time to the next. Other stages may focus on aspects of a particular image information set, rather than seeking to assess changes over time. These other stages seek to determine whether an image information set exhibits characteristics similar to those of a live biometric object.

Abstract: A liveness-detection method and/or system is disclosed. A method of detecting liveness can comprise obtaining a single ultrasonic image of a biometric object. The single ultrasonic image can be subdivided into a plurality of overlapping sample blocks. Feature vectors can be extracted in a spatial domain and a frequency domain from each of the plurality of sample blocks. The feature vectors can be compared from each of the plurality of sample blocks to a classification model.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for determining whether an object is detected by a scanner are disclosed. Fast-Fourier-Transforms (“FFT”) are determined, modified and evaluated. Each FFT may be determined with regard to a subset of gain-compensated pixel-values corresponding to pixel-values of an acquired image.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for automatically enabling a touchscreen of a mobile device based on detection of the presence of a human finger. A mobile device can capture an image of an object with a fingerprint sensor. The mobile device may then enable a touchscreen display of the mobile device in response to a determination that the object captured within the image is a specific type of object.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques and systems for extracting energy from the endocochlear potential (EP) in animal subjects (e.g., human subjects) and using the extracted energy to operate circuits (e.g., electronic device, sensors, and transmitters). The subject matter of this disclosure is embodied, for example, in a system for extracting energy from an endocochlear potential of an animal, wherein the system includes a pair of electrodes, and a circuit coupled to the pair of electrodes. The circuit includes a boost converter, an energy buffer component configured to receive voltage from the boost converter, a start-up rectifier configured to provide voltage to the energy buffer component, and a control component configured to provide control signals to the boost converter. The power extracted from the endocochlear potential is equal or larger than the quiescent power of the circuit.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for determining whether an object is detected by a scanner are disclosed. Fast-Fourier-Transforms (“FFT”) are determined, modified and evaluated. Each FFT may be determined with regard to a subset of gain-compensated pixel-values corresponding to pixel-values of an acquired image.

Abstract: A liveness-detection method and/or system is disclosed. A method of detecting liveness can comprise obtaining a single ultrasonic image of a biometric object. The single ultrasonic image can be subdivided into a plurality of overlapping sample blocks. Feature vectors can be extracted in a spatial domain and a frequency domain from each of the plurality of sample blocks. The feature vectors can be compared from each of the plurality of sample blocks to a classification model.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a biometric object is part of a live individual is described. In one such method, image information is acquired from the biometric object by using a sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor. The image information may be analyzed in at least two analysis stages. One of the analysis stages may be a temporal analysis stage that analyzes changes in the image information obtained during a time period throughout which the biometric object was continuously available to the sensor. For example, a dead/alive stage may analyze differences between image information taken at two different times in order to identify changes from one time to the next. Other stages may focus on aspects of a particular image information set, rather than seeking to assess changes over time. These other stages seek to determine whether an image information set exhibits characteristics similar to those of a live biometric object.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques and systems for extracting energy from the endocochlear potential (EP) in animal subjects (e.g., human subjects) and using the extracted energy to operate circuits (e.g., electronic device, sensors, and transmitters). The subject matter of this disclosure is embodied, for example, in a system for extracting energy from an endocochlear potential of an animal, wherein the system includes a pair of electrodes, and a circuit coupled to the pair of electrodes. The circuit includes a boost converter, an energy buffer component configured to receive voltage from the boost converter, a start-up rectifier configured to provide voltage to the energy buffer component, and a control component configured to provide control signals to the boost converter. The power extracted from the endocochlear potential is equal or larger than the quiescent power of the circuit.