Automatic Control For Increasing Converter Range (e.g., Gain Ranging, Automatic Gain Control) Patents (Class 341/139)
  • Patent number: 11888540
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a radio-frequency (RF) receiver, which includes an automatic gain-control (AGC) circuit to use a gain signal to set a gain of front-end circuitry of the RF receiver. The RF receiver further includes an interference-detection circuit to use a value of the gain signal to detect an interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Hendricus de Ruijter
  • Patent number: 11852524
    Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus having an improved light intensity detection performance is provided. The optical measurement apparatus includes a light receiving element capable of converting a light intensity of light to be analyzed into an electrical signal; an input terminal to which the electrical signal is input; a first amplifier and a nonlinear element configuring a logarithmic amplifier; offset resistors; a switch unit; and a controller. An inverting input terminal of the first amplifier is electrically connected to the input terminal. The offset resistors have different resistance values. The switch unit can switch an offset resistor electrically connected between the voltage source and the input terminal, of the offset resistors. An offset current is input to the input terminal by the offset resistor electrically connected between the voltage source and the input terminal. The controller measures the light intensity based on an output voltage value of the first amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 11799464
    Abstract: First switches are respectively connected between multiple input terminals and an inverting input of an operational amplifier. Second switches and feedback resistors are respectively sequentially series-connected between an output of the operational amplifier and nodes between the multiple input terminals and the first switches. Third switches are respectively connected between nodes between the second switches and the feedback resistors and an output terminal of an amplification circuit with an analog multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo Kawahara
  • Patent number: 11790220
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a neuron for an artificial neural network. The neuron comprises a dot product engine operative to: receive a set of weights; receive a set of data inputs based on a set of input data signals; and calculate the dot product of the set of data inputs and the set of weights to generate a dot product engine output. The neuron further comprises an activation function module arranged to apply an activation function to a signal indicative of the dot product engine output to generate a neuron output; and gain control circuitry. The gain control circuitry is operative to control: an input gain applied to the input data signals to generate the set of data inputs; and an output gain applied to the dot product engine output or by the activation function module. The output gain is selected to compensate for the applied input gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventor: John Paul Lesso
  • Patent number: 11784660
    Abstract: In an example, a system includes an input channel and a voltage to delay converter (V2D) coupled to the input channel. The system also includes a first multiplexer coupled to the V2D and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the first multiplexer. The system includes a second multiplexer coupled to the input channel and an auxiliary ADC coupled to the second multiplexer. The system includes calibration circuitry coupled to an output of the auxiliary ADC, where the calibration circuitry is configured to correct a non-linearity in a signal provided by the input channel. The calibration circuitry is also configured to determine the non-linearity of the signal provided to the ADC relative to the signal provided to the auxiliary ADC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Nagarajan Viswanathan, Himanshu Varshney, Vinam Arora, Charls Babu, Srinivas Kumar Naru
  • Patent number: 11750206
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to systems and methods for analog-to-digital signal conversion. One embodiment includes a system for analog-to-digital signal conversion. The system includes an analog input signal. The system also includes a digital-to-analog converter configured to generate a reference signal. Further, the system includes an amplifier configured to amplify an error signal that includes a difference between the analog input signal and the reference signal. Additionally, the system includes a level-crossing based sampling circuit that includes a first comparator configured to compare the error signal with respect to a first reference level, and a second comparator configured to compare the error signal with respect to a second reference level, thereby generating event-based reset signals corresponding to a plurality of sampling instances in order to reset the digital-to-analog converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Ming Ding, Martijn Timmermans, Pieter Harpe
  • Patent number: 11727873
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with low power consumption is provided. A semiconductor device that operates at high speed is provided. A semiconductor device with a small circuit area is provided. A novel semiconductor device is provided. In the semiconductor device, a signal line is electrically connected to a plurality of pixels between a first node and a second node; an amplifier circuit has a function of amplifying a supplied current and supplying the amplified current to the first node; an analog-to-digital converter circuit has a function of converting a potential of the first node into a first signal, and a function of converting a potential of the second node into a second signal; a sensing circuit has a function of comparing the first signal and the second signal and generating a third signal; and the current amplification factor of the amplifier circuit is determined in accordance with the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Kimura, Hidetomo Kobayashi, Takayuki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11630509
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to displaying a user interface for a computing device based upon a user intent determined via a spatial intent model. One example provides a computing device comprising a see-through display, a logic subsystem, and a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem comprises instructions executable by the logic machine to receive, via an eye-tracking sensor, eye tracking samples each corresponding to a gaze direction of a user, based at least on the eye tracking samples, determine a time-dependent attention value for a location in a field of view of the see-through display, based at least on the time-dependent attention value for the location, determine an intent of the user to interact with a user interface associated with the location that is at least partially hidden from a current view, and in response to determining the intent, display via the see-through display the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Austin S. Lee, Anthony James Ambrus, Sheng Kai Tang, Keiichi Matsuda, Aleksandar Josic
  • Patent number: 11528030
    Abstract: An analog input device, which converts an inputted analog signal to a digital signal and outputs the digital signal, includes a high resolution AD converter, a first low resolution AD converter, and a second low resolution AD converter. When a difference between a first digital signal converted by the high resolution AD converter and a second digital signal converted by the first low resolution AD converter is equal to or less than a predetermined first threshold, the analog input device outputs first digital signal. When the difference between the first digital signal and the second digital signal is larger than the predetermined first threshold, the analog input device stops an output of the first digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Takashi Hanai
  • Patent number: 11475851
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a technology for driving a display device, and provides a technology for adjusting the full-scale range (FSR) of an analog-to-digital converter according to a mode when sensing a pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: LX Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Geon Kim, Won Kim, Young Bok Kim
  • Patent number: 11438001
    Abstract: A method of using an analog-to-digital converter system includes receiving a sampled voltage corresponding to one of an input voltage and a known voltage, causing preamplifiers to generate output signals based on the sampled voltage, generating first and second signals based on the output signals, causing a delay-resolving delay-to-digital backend to generate a single-bit digital signal representing an order of receipt of the first and second signals, and adjusting one or more of the preamplifiers based on the digital signal. The disclosure also relates to a system which includes a voltage-to-delay frontend and a delay-resolving backend, and to a method which includes causing a delay comparator to generate a single-bit digital signal representing an order of receipt of input signals, causing the comparator to transmit a residue delay signal to a succeeding comparator, and transmitting a signal to adjust one or more of the preamplifiers based on the digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Narasimhan Rajagopal, Chirag Chandrahas Shetty, Neeraj Shrivastava, Prasanth K, Eeshan Miglani
  • Patent number: 11404024
    Abstract: A signal adjusting device and method, and a test equipment. The signal adjusting device includes: a level controller, a level circuit, a comparison circuit and a selecting circuit. The level circuit is electrically connected with the selecting circuit; the level controller is configured to perform a level adjustment to a first signal, so as to generate a level signal, and the generated level signal is outputted by the level circuit; the comparison circuit is configured to: determine that the level signal meets a preset condition, and generate and output a corresponding feedback signal to the selecting circuit, in response to determining that the level signal satisfies the preset condition; and the selecting circuit is configured to output, as an adjusted signal, the level signal corresponding to the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignees: CHONGQING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Yup Min, Zhi Zhang, Xiuzhu Tang, Shuai Chen, Taoliang Tang, Zhenguo Tian, Xuebo Liang, Shuang Hu, Lijun Xiong, Xing Dong
  • Patent number: 11387933
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive a downlink control message from a base station indicating a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with an uplink transmission, a number of layers associated with the uplink transmission, or both. The UE may determine to adjust (for example, reduce) a first number of bits based on the MCS, the number of layers, or both. The first number of bits may include an effective number of bits (ENOB) supported at a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of the UE, a number of bits (NOB) supported at a transmission front end (TxFE) component of the UE, or both. The UE may transmit the uplink transmission to the base station according to the adjusted first number of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Igor Gutman, Shahin Mehdizad Taleie, Oren Matsrafi, Ronen Greenberger, Gal Keret, Yossi Waldman, Gideon Shlomo Kutz
  • Patent number: 11373666
    Abstract: Apparatus for post-processing an audio signal, including: a converter for converting the audio signal into a time-frequency representation; a transient location estimator for estimating a location in time of a transient portion using the audio signal or the time-frequency representation; and a signal manipulator for manipulating the time-frequency representation, wherein the signal manipulator is configured to reduce or eliminate a pre-echo in the time-frequency representation at a location in time before the transient location or to perform a shaping of the time-frequency representation at the transient location to amplify an attack of the transient portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Sascha Disch, Christian Uhle, Patrick Gampp, Daniel Richter, Oliver Hellmuth, Jürgen Herre, Peter Prokein, Antonios Karampourniotis, Julia Havenstein
  • Patent number: 11320471
    Abstract: A method of impedance measurement of a device under test (DUT) is disclosed based on a random excitation signal, the method comprising the steps of generating the random excitation signal, applying the generated random excitation signal to the DUT through two points of a data acquisition board (DAQ) and re-structuring the converted random excitation signal through a plurality of iterative calibration loops, wherein spectral phase of the random excitation signal is derived from a discrete uniform distribution and its time domain amplitude is controllable. The random excitation signal is a structured Gaussian White Noise (GWN) signal or sequence, which is generated based on the user-defined input parameters such as white noise power level, frequency range between the minimum and maximum frequencies (Fmin and Fmax), and frequency step (Fstep).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: University of Sharjah
    Inventors: Ahmed Elwakil, Anis Allagui, Sohaib Majzoub
  • Patent number: 11316488
    Abstract: A gain control system for controlling gain applied to an audio signal includes a power estimator configured to estimate the power of a digital signal derived from the audio signal, a digital gain estimator configured to determine, in dependence on the estimated power, a digital gain which would modify the power of the digital signal so as to reach a target power level, and a gain controller configured to adjust an analogue gain applied to the audio signal in dependence on the determined digital gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Senthil Kumar Mani, Bala Manikya Prasad Puram
  • Patent number: 11265198
    Abstract: Increasing an analog to digital converter (ADC) dynamic range for a communications device. In the communications device, a reference threshold is established for a peak to average power ratio (PAPR) improvement factor for RF signals received by the communications device. A digital to analog converter (DAC) adjustment factor is established for a DAC to account for inaccuracies of a pre-cancellation DAC and fine tuning of an analog gain of received RF signals. A peak amplitude separation element evaluates an absolute value of a portion of a particular RF signal against the reference threshold. Upon the peak amplitude separation element determining that the portion is smaller than the reference threshold, the element assigns a zero value to a DAC signal current sample; otherwise, the element assigns a quantized value of the sample to the DAC signal current sample, used in adjusting a post-cancellation signal sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Harmonic, Inc.
    Inventor: Adi Bonen
  • Patent number: 11245375
    Abstract: Systems are disclosed including a television (TV) set having included audio system. The TV set permits control over various functions, at least including audio volume, via a remote control. When the viewer activates the remote volume control, a graphic appears indicating the state of the volume control and, optionally the mute status. The graphic can be presented on the TV screen. In alternate embodiments, the graphic may be presented on a display of the remote, or even some other location, e.g., a different remote control. If a mute button is provided on the remote control, when the viewer activates the mute button, a graphic appears indicating the state of muting and, optionally, the volume control status. The TV set also offers control over various aspects of the audio system, including settings which go beyond volume up/down, generally through some sort of menu system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: THAT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Brault, Fen Xu, Matthew Easley
  • Patent number: 11222636
    Abstract: Provided are an intelligent voice recognition method, a voice recognition device and an intelligent computing device. In an intelligent voice recognition method, if a microphone detection signal is obtained after the size of a first voice signal is determined, the size of the microphone detection signal is adjusted based on the size of the first voice signal. A second voice signal is recognized in the adjusted microphone detection signal. Accordingly, a command included in a user's voice can be recognized accurately. At least one of the voice recognition device, the intelligent computing device and the server of the present invention may be associated with an Artificial Intelligence module, a drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV), robot, Augmented Reality (AR) device, virtual reality (VR) device and a device related to the 5G service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Bongki Lee
  • Patent number: 11057045
    Abstract: A direct-digital receiver architecture is configured to make maximal use of the dynamic range of its analog to digital converter (ADC). The receiver includes an analog frontend that applies a variable gain factor to the analog input signal, a gain level unit that determines the variable gain factor by monitoring the digital signal that is output by the ADC, a gain scaling unit that determines a digital scale factor according to the determined gain factor, and a gain factor multiplier that multiplies the digital signal by the scale factor to produce a scaled digital signal, said multiplying being time aligned with the variable gain factor. The receiver further includes a digital signal processing train that is cognisant of the dynamic range of the ADC, variable gain factor and the digital scale factor for the time domain sample being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: BAE Systems Australia Limited
    Inventor: Robert Dennis Averay
  • Patent number: 11044028
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a radio-frequency (RF) receiver, which includes an automatic gain-control (AGC) circuit to use a gain signal to set a gain of front-end circuitry of the RF receiver. The RF receiver further includes an interference-detection circuit to use a value of the gain signal to detect an interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Hendricus de Ruijter
  • Patent number: 11039240
    Abstract: Various implementations include headphone systems configured to adapt to changes in user environment. In some particular cases, a headphone system includes at least one headphone including an acoustic transducer having a sound-radiating surface for providing an audio output; a sensor system configured to detect an environmental condition proximate the at least one headphone; and a control system coupled with the at least one headphone and the sensor system, the control system configured to: receive data about the environmental condition from the sensor system; and modify the audio output at the at least one headphone in response to a change in the environmental condition, wherein the audio output includes a continuous audio output provided across a transition between environmental conditions and is configured to vary with the change in the environmental condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd Richard Reily, Keith Dana Martin, Ruben M. Carbonell, Elio Dante Querze, Conor William Sheehan, Amanda Whitt, Saurabh Khanwalkar
  • Patent number: 10969273
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing analog-to-digital conversion are proposed. In one example, An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comprising a quantizer, the quantizer having a first quantization resolution for a first quantization operation subrange and a second quantization resolution for a second quantization operation subrange. At least one of the first quantization resolution or the first quantization operation subrange is programmable. At least one of the second quantization resolution or the second quantization operation subrange is programmable. The quantizer is configured to: receive an input voltage; and based on whether the input voltage belongs to the first quantization operation subrange or to the second quantization operation subrange, quantize the input voltage at the first quantization resolution or at the second quantization resolution to generate a digital output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Samuel Berkovich, Xinqiao Liu
  • Patent number: 10943593
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for determining an optimized scale factor to be applied to an excitation signal or a filter during a process for frequency band extension of an audio frequency signal. The band extension process includes decoding or extracting, in a first frequency band, an excitation signal and parameters of the first frequency band including coefficients of a linear prediction filter, generating an excitation signal extending over at least one second frequency band, filtering using a linear prediction filter for the second frequency band. The determination method includes determining an additional linear prediction filter, of a lower order than that of the linear prediction filter of the first frequency band, the coefficients of the additional filter being obtained from the parameters decoded or extracted from the first frequency and calculating the optimized scale factor as a function of at least the coefficients of the additional filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Magdalena Kaniewska, Stephane Ragot
  • Patent number: 10943594
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for determining an optimized scale factor to be applied to an excitation signal or a filter during a process for frequency band extension of an audio frequency signal. The band extension process includes decoding or extracting, in a first frequency band, an excitation signal and parameters of the first frequency band including coefficients of a linear prediction filter, generating an excitation signal extending over at least one second frequency band, filtering using a linear prediction filter for the second frequency band. The determination method includes determining an additional linear prediction filter, of a lower order than that of the linear prediction filter of the first frequency band, the coefficients of the additional filter being obtained from the parameters decoded or extracted from the first frequency and calculating the optimized scale factor as a function of at least the coefficients of the additional filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Magdalena Kaniewska, Stephane Ragot
  • Patent number: 10938365
    Abstract: A system for controlling convergence of gain to a target value for a variable gain amplifier comprising a detector module configured to determine a magnitude value of a variable gain amplifier output. Also, part of this embodiment is a comparator module configured to compare the magnitude value to a target value and responsive to the comparison, generate an up_dn signal. A digital control module is configured to receive the up_dn signal and processes the up_dn signal to generate a control vector. One or more digital to analog converters are configured to convert the control vector to an analog control signal such that the analog control signal controls the gain of the variable gain amplifier. Various methods of operation exist for this hardware configured to improve convergence time to a target gain value while controlling the rate of change of the gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: George L. Barrier, IV
  • Patent number: 10929650
    Abstract: Methods and systems for activity based video recording are provided. Exemplary methods include: receiving an amplified signal to improve sensitivity, the amplified signal being produced by a circuit using an analog differential signal, the analog differential signal being received from a microphone; converting the amplified signal to a digital signal; detecting the digital signal; activating a video camera to record video for a predetermined amount of time using the detecting; storing the recorded video; placing the video camera into power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ooma, Inc.
    Inventors: Govind Vaidya, Shaival Shah
  • Patent number: 10897387
    Abstract: Increasing an analog to digital converter (ADC) dynamic range for a communications device. In the communications device, a reference threshold is established for a peak to average power ratio (PAPR) improvement factor for RF signals received by the communications device. A digital to analog converter (DAC) adjustment factor is established for a DAC to account for inaccuracies of a pre-cancellation DAC and fine tuning of an analog gain of received RF signals. A peak amplitude separation element, disposed within the communications device, evaluates an absolute value of a portion of a particular RF signal against the reference threshold. Upon the peak amplitude separation element determining that the portion is smaller than the reference threshold, the element assigns a zero value to a DAC signal current sample; otherwise, the element assigns a quantized value of the sample to the DAC signal current sample, used in adjusting a post-cancellation signal sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic, Inc.
    Inventor: Adi Bonen
  • Patent number: 10871757
    Abstract: A binary/digital input module implemented on an integrated circuit (IC) chip has a plurality of input channels and includes, for each input channel, a comparator coupled to receive a scaled input voltage and a scaled threshold voltage and further coupled to provide an output value and a digital isolation circuit for data coupled between the comparator and a respective output pin to provide the output value across an isolation barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sreenivasa Muniyappa Kallikuppa, Amit G. Kumbasi, Prasanna Udupi Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 10859440
    Abstract: A spectrometer engine and an adjustment method thereof are provided. The spectrometer engine includes a connector, a light sensor, a variable gain amplifier, a variable reference voltage generation circuit, an analog-to-digital converter and a control circuit. The light sensor senses a light to be measured coming from an object to be measured to generate a sensing signal. The variable gain amplifier amplifies the sensing signal according to a first setting parameter to generate an amplified signal. The variable reference voltage generation circuit provides a reference voltage according to a second setting parameter. The analog-to-digital converter converts the amplified signal to a digital signal according to the reference voltage. The control circuit reads the digital signal and adjusts at least one of the first to third setting parameters according to the digital signal for the spectrometer engine to measure the object to be measured again to generate another digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: InnoSpectra Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsiung Chen, Yung-Yu Huang, Ming-Hui Lin, He-Yi Hsieh, Hsi-Pin Li
  • Patent number: 10816398
    Abstract: A spectrometer and a spectrum measurement method thereof are provided. An analog-to-digital converter converts an amplified signal into a digital signal according to a reference voltage provided by a variable reference voltage generation circuit and amplifies the digital signal according to a target signal value, thereby approximating a signal value of the amplified digital signal to the target signal value. A control circuit outputs a spectral signal according to the amplified digital signal. A user can obtain spectrum measurement results that can be easily interpreted by the spectrometer and the spectrum measurement method thereof, without changing hardware or software, so as to improve convenience of use of the spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: InnoSpectra Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Yu Huang, Hsi-Pin Li, He-Yi Hsieh, Cheng-Hsiung Chen, Ming-Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 10785568
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for providing an output signal to an audio transducer may include a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to predict, based on a magnitude of a signal indicative of the output signal, an occurrence of an event for changing a selectable digital gain and a selectable analog gain and an audio signal path, and responsive to predicting the occurrence of the event, change, at an approximate time in which a zero crossing of the signal indicative of the output signal occurs, the selectable digital gain and the selectable analog gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Tejasvi Das, Ku He, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 10783863
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems that operate to provide interactive streaming content identification and processing are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a classifier to determine an audio characteristic value representative of an characteristic; a transition detector to detect a transition between a music category and a talk category by comparing the audio characteristic value to a threshold value among a set of threshold values, the set of threshold values corresponding to the music category and the talk category; and a context manager to control a device to initiate extraction of fingerprints, responsive to the detected transition between the music category and the talk category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jeffrey, Markus K. Cremer, Dong-In Lee
  • Patent number: 10763887
    Abstract: A Sigma-Delta analog to digital converter (ADC) is described. The Sigma-Delta ADC includes a series arrangement of a gain tracker, a first discrete-time integrator stage and a quantizer between an ADC input and an ADC output. The Sigma-Delta ADC includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) having a DAC input and a DAC output connected to the gain tracker. The Sigma-Delta analog to digital converter includes a controller having a control input connected to the quantizer output. The controller provides a digital input to the DAC input and provides a gain control signal to the gain tracker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Xavier Albinet
  • Patent number: 10714113
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to correct a temporal envelope shape of a decoded signal with a small information volume and to reduce perceptible distortions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Kei Kikuiri, Atsushi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10715170
    Abstract: Increasing a dynamic range of a digital to analog converter (DAC). A signal analysis element is positioned prior to the DAC in a processing path. The element evaluates an instantaneous amplitude of a signal to be applied to the DAC. The DAC is capable of a first full scale value. An additional current source supports a second full scale value of the DAC, which is greater than the first full scale value. Upon the element determining that a condition is not satisfied, the element employs current steering to couple the additional current source to a current sink. However, upon the element determining that the condition is satisfied, the element employs current steering to couple the additional current source to an output of the DAC to support the second full scale value of the DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic, Inc.
    Inventor: Adi Bonen
  • Patent number: 10707885
    Abstract: A receiver includes a variable resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and variable resolution processing logic/circuitry. The processing logic may use feed-forward equalization (FFE) techniques to process the outputs from the ADC. When receiving data from a channel having low attenuation, distortion, and/or noise, the ADC and processing logic may be configured to sample and process the received signal using fewer bits, and therefore less logic, than when configured to receiving data from a channel having a higher attenuation, distortion, and/or noise. Thus, the number of (valid) bits output by the ADC, and subsequently processed (e.g., for FFE equalization) can be reduced when a receiver of this type is coupled to a low loss channel. These reductions can reduce power consumption when compared to operating the receiver using the full (i.e., maximum) number of bits the ADC and processing logic is capable of processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Masum Hossain, Kenneth C. Dyer, Nhat Nguyen, Shankar Tangirala
  • Patent number: 10637693
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for moment estimation in high-speed electrical signal processing. An example apparatus includes a first attenuator configured to attenuate a first analog signal to be integrated so as to generate a first attenuated signal. The apparatus further includes a second attenuator configured to attenuate a second analog signal to be integrated so as to generate a second attenuated signal. The apparatus further includes a first slicer configured to directly receive the first attenuated signal from the first attenuator and to slice the first attenuated signal to generate a first quantized signal. The first slicer introduces Gaussian noise to the first attenuated signal. The apparatus further includes a second slicer configured to directly receive the second attenuated signal from the second attenuator and to slice the second attenuated signal to generate a second quantized signal. The second slicer introduces Gaussian noise to the second attenuated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shai Cohen
  • Patent number: 10594335
    Abstract: Disclosed are four independent circuits for compression, expansion, companding, and post-processing of a compressed delta-sigma bit-stream. Compression and expansion are based on the use of a second-order (or higher-order) delta-sigma modulator, and a nonlinear operation on a delta-sigma modulated bit-stream. Depending on application, the disclosed circuits can operate as a stand-alone integrated circuit, or as compandor apparatus as proposed. Inherited low-pass filter can be digital or analog. Thus, the only external analog component to the IC chip could be a capacitor C, when low-frequency analog signal is compressed or expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Djuro George Zrilic
  • Patent number: 10595114
    Abstract: Various implementations include headphone systems configured to adapt to changes in user environment. In some particular cases, a headphone system includes at least one headphone including an acoustic transducer having a sound-radiating surface for providing an audio output; a sensor system configured to detect an environmental condition proximate the at least one headphone; and a control system coupled with the at least one headphone and the sensor system, the control system configured to: receive data about the environmental condition from the sensor system; and modify the audio output at the at least one headphone in response to a change in the environmental condition, wherein the audio output includes a continuous audio output provided across a transition between environmental conditions and is configured to vary with the change in the environmental condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd Richard Reily, Keith Dana Martin, Ruben M. Carbonell, Elio Dante Querze, Conor William Sheehan, Amanda Whitt, Saurabh Khanwalkar
  • Patent number: 10554335
    Abstract: A method includes determining an error vector magnitude for analog signals received by multiple antennas in an array of antennas of a base station, assigning quantization bits to a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) of the base station such that some ADCs have different numbers of quantization bits allocated from a fixed total number of available quantization bits of the base station, and applying the analog signals to the ADCs with quantization bits assigned to reduce the error vector magnitude of the analog signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Gatherer, Jinseok Choi
  • Patent number: 10545561
    Abstract: A system may include a plurality of processing paths and a controller. The processing paths may include a first processing path configured to generate a first digital signal based on an analog input signal and one or more other processing paths each configured to consume a smaller amount of power than the first processing path, and each configured to generate a respective digital signal based on the analog input signal, wherein one of the other processing paths has a noise floor based on fidelity characteristics of the analog input signal or subsequent processing requirements of a digital output signal generated from at least one of the first digital signal and the respective digital signals. The controller may be configured to select one of the first digital signal and the respective digital signals as the digital output signal of the processing system based on a magnitude of the analog input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund Mark Schneider, Daniel J. Allen, Saurabh Singh, Aniruddha Satoskar
  • Patent number: 10523227
    Abstract: An A/D converter includes an adder that calculates a difference between an analog input signal and a predicted value, a quantizer that quantizes the difference output from the adder to convert the analog input signal to a digital signal, a prediction filter that generates a predicted value from the digital signal output from the quantizer, and a D/A converter that converts the predicted value from a digital signal to an analog signal and output the predicted value to the adder. The predicted value before being subjected to conversion to the analog signal by the D/A converter defines and functions as an A/D converted output of the analog input signal input to the adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhide Takase, Yasuyuki Matsuya, Eri Mizukami, Yuji Inagaki, Kazuki Mizukami, Nozomi Watanabe, Riku Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 10447288
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an analog-to-digital converter, ADC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Ivan Muhoberac
  • Patent number: 10439636
    Abstract: A variable feedback gain delta modulator includes group of capacitors commonly connected to a first terminal and are respectively classified into a first capacitor group and a second capacitor group; a comparator for sequentially generating n-bit digital output signals based on a voltage of the first terminal; and a switch group including switches respectively connected to the capacitors, wherein the switches are respectively classified into a first switch group and a second switch group respectively connected to the first capacitor group and the second capacitor group, and the first switch group and the second switch group respectively operate according to a first control signal and a second control signal that are determined based on the n-bit digital output signals and the variable feedback gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Hoon Lee, Jong-woo Lee, Chilun Lo, Seung-hyun Oh, Jong-mi Lee
  • Patent number: 10439626
    Abstract: Disclosed systems, methods and devices relate, generally, to autonomous signal processing and autonomous signal processing units of a microcontroller. The autonomous data processing units may be configured to perform one or more functions independently, without input from a processing unit of the microcontroller, and may, monitor and/or perform operations that are part of one or more control loops that operate independent of the microcontroller processor. The control loops may or may not be in support of control loops monitored by the processor of the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Jacob Lunn Lassen
  • Patent number: 10432150
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert a digital audio input signal into a differential analog input signal with a substantially non-zero common-mode voltage, an amplifier configured to receive the differential analog input signal and generate at an amplifier output a ground-centered output signal from the differential analog input signal, a clamp configured to selectively couple and decouple the amplifier output to a ground voltage, and a controller configured to control the clamp to selectively couple and decouple the amplifier output to a ground voltage responsive to transitions between power states of a device comprising the apparatus and control the differential analog input signal generated by the digital-to-analog converter in order to minimize a level transition current through an output load coupled to the amplifier output during transitions between the power states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramya Balasundaram, Bhupendra Manola, Pradeep Dhananjay
  • Patent number: 10429460
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) antenna device (140) provides magnetic resonance (MR) information from an examination space (116) of a MR imaging system (110). At least one RF coil (142) with at least one connection port (144) receives an analog MR information signal and at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (150) converts the analog MR information signal into a digital MR information signal with a sampling frequency which is below the Nyquist frequency of an RF carrier signal. The at least one ADC (150) is a RF band-pass sub-sampled sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter. The RF coil and the components into the RF antenna device are integrated to provide the MR information signal as a digital signal. The digital MR information signal can easily be further processed and transmitted, even in the presence of strong magnetic and RF fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Sotir Filipov Ouzounov
  • Patent number: 10416697
    Abstract: A system, in some embodiments, comprises: a multi-resistor Wheatstone bridge supplied by a first current source; and a second current source coupled to the bridge and configured to at least partially compensate for a voltage detected by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), said voltage indicative of an alteration of a physical parameter affecting the bridge, wherein the ADC produces a digital code that represents said voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jacques Jean Bertin
  • Patent number: 10396726
    Abstract: A preamplifier for musical instruments includes: an operational amplifier 40 to amplify an inputted analog audio signal; a dual-unit variable resistor 30 to change an amplification factor of the operational amplifier 40 by manually operating an operation unit; an A/D converter 51 to convert the amplified analog audio signal to a digital audio signal; and a digital signal processor 60 to digital-signal process the digital audio signal, wherein the dual-unit variable resistor 30 includes a second variable resistor 32 to output a detection signal in accordance with an amount of operation of the operation unit, and the digital signal processor 60 is capable of implementing, based on a value of the detection signal, a first digital gain process to amplify the digital audio signal and/or a second digital gain process to attenuate the digital audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ZOOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michihito Nozokido