Abstract: This invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for connecting to an integrated circuit die, in particular where the die includes both analogue/microwave radio frequency (rf) circuitry and digital circuitry. A method of connecting a die having both microwave radio frequency (rf) circuitry and digital circuitry to a substrate of a package for the die, the die having a plurality of bond pads, some for said rf circuitry and some for said digital circuitry, the substrate having a plurality of interconnects for making external connections to said package and a plurality of substrate pads for connecting said interconnects to said die, the method comprising: connecting at least one of said bond pads for said rf circuitry to a substrate pad by connecting said rf bond pad to an intermediate substrate and connecting said intermediate substrate to said substrate pad. Preferably at least some of the bond pads for the digital circuitry are directly connected to the substrate pads, for example by wire bonding.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for connecting to an integrated circuit die, in particular where the die includes both analogue/microwave radio frequency (rf) circuitry and digital circuitry. A method of connecting a die having both microwave radio frequency (rf) circuitry and digital circuitry to a substrate of a package for the die, the die having a plurality of bond pads, some for said rf circuitry and some for said digital circuitry, the substrate having a plurality of interconnects for making external connections to said package and a plurality of substrate pads for connecting said interconnects to said die, the method comprising: connecting at least one of said bond pads for said rf circuitry to a substrate pad by connecting said rf bond pad to an intermediate substrate and connecting said intermediate substrate to said substrate pad. Preferably at least some of the bond pads for the digital circuitry are directly connected to the substrate pads, for example by wire bonding.

Abstract: A system and method uses near-field or inductively coupled UWB (Ultra Wide Band) systems to implement high speed electrical data connectors without the need for a direct electrical connection. A data connector system has a first connector portion and a second connector portion. The first connector portion comprises a UWB transmitter with a data input and a first UWB coupling element driven by the UWB transmitter. The second connector portion comprises a second UWB coupling element and a UWB receiver with a data output. The UWB receiver has an input from the second UWB coupling element. The data connector system has a connected configuration in which the first and second UWB coupling elements are within an operative range of one another, such that the coupling elements are inductively coupled to one another to permit data to be transferred from the data input to the data output, and a disconnected configuration in which the first and second connector portions are separated by greater than the operative range.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing the sensitivity of a smoke detector (12) in-situ, including a head assembly (1) comprising a housing (14) for surrounding a smoke detector in-situ and forming part of a sensing loop (14, 15, 16, 17)through which air carrying an aerosol will circulate, a sensor (25, 26, 27) for sensing the concentration of aerosol in the air circulating in the loop, a fan (20) for causing air to circulate in the loop, an aerosol container (24) for supplying aerosol to the loop and a control unit 2 for controlling the concentration of aerosol in the air circulating in the loop by controlling the fan (20) and the aerosol container (24) in response to the output of the sensor.