Changing power modes of a microcontroller system
Granted: December 15, 2015
Patent Number:
9213397
A microcontroller system can operate in a number of power modes. In response to changing from a previous mode to a present mode, the microcontroller system reads a present calibration value correspond to the present mode from system configuration storage and write the present calibration value to a configuration register for a component. A logic block for the component reads the present calibration value and calibrates the component.
Delaying reset signals in a microcontroller system
Granted: December 15, 2015
Patent Number:
9213388
A microcontroller system includes a reset delaying module that is configured to, during a power saving mode, receive and delay a reset signal from a reset source. The reset delaying module waits for a regulator ready signal from a voltage regulator because, prior to the reset signal, the voltage regulator is in a power saving mode. In response to receiving the regulator ready signal, the reset delaying module releases the reset, e.g., to a reset controller.
Method for obtaining field strength information
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9209759
A method includes generating an input voltage for an operational amplifier from a received electromagnetic signal in a receiver unit by an input resistance and generating an output voltage by the operational amplifier by a fixed amplification factor. The input voltage is changed until the output voltage lies within a predefined interval that includes the value of the reference voltage. The input voltage is tapped at a divider node of a voltage divider. The gate voltage of the MOS…
Single-layer touch sensor
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9207814
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch sensor. The touch sensor is disposed on one or more substrates. The touch sensor includes at least one drive electrode and at least one sense electrode. The drive and sense electrodes each include a base portion and a plurality of digits coupled to the base portion. The spaces between the digits of the drive electrode are partially occupied by a digit of a sense electrode (and vice versa). The drive and sense electrodes occupy the same…
Suppression of unintended touch objects
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9207802
An apparatus includes a touch sensor operable to sense objects that touch the touch sensor. The apparatus also includes a touch sensor controller operable to detect a first object and determine that the first object is an object that a user intends to touch the touch sensor. The touch sensor controller also defines an intended touch area associated with the first object and suppresses detection of touches that are outside of the defined intended touch area.
Method and apparatus for scanning and device detection in a communication system
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9198115
In a communication system wherein a plurality of electronic devices connect and disconnect from communication over a medium and wherein the communication system has a protocol such that it is followed by the plurality of electronic devices when using the communication system, a probing device attempts to detect presence of a listening device and parameters associated with a connection to be set up between the probing device and the listening device by sending a probe request packet…
Method, apparatus, and logic for wireless data transmission
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9197341
In certain embodiments, a method comprises receiving a data transmission comprising a header with a symbol and at least one symbol delimiter. The method may comprise monitoring the received data transmission to determine whether a time period between successive symbol delimiters of the header exceeds a maximum time. The method may comprise resetting a transponder to an initial state if the time period exceeds the maximum time. The maximum time may be determined based at least in part on…
Adaptive phase-lead compensation with Miller Effect
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9195249
An adaptive phase-lead compensation (zero) circuit is disclosed that can be added to a circuit (e.g., a CMOS-based LDO) to ease the compensation and increase the phase margin of the circuit. By using the disclosed adaptive phase-lead compensation circuit, an adjustable resistance can be connected to any nodes in the compensated circuit rather than just to the voltage source (VDD) or ground (GND), allowing the Miller Effect to be used via a Miller capacitor.
Data security system
Granted: November 17, 2015
Patent Number:
9191211
A data security system that includes a first memory device to store message data to be secured, a second memory device to store microcode including an instruction set defining a cryptographic algorithm for use in securing the message data, and a processing unit to execute the microcode to implement the cryptographic algorithm.
Method and apparatus for iterative synchronization of two or more electronic devices
Granted: November 17, 2015
Patent Number:
9191907
Dynamic adjustment of offset between timebases of separated electronic circuits is provided based on an amount of time between synchronization events, wherein a synchronization event is an event involving communication across a separation between the separated electronic circuits in order to synchronize the timebases. The dynamic adjustment can be dynamically or adaptively adjusting a margin of error to account for drift that may have occurred since a prior synchronization event.…
Active stylus with filter having a threshold
Granted: November 17, 2015
Patent Number:
9189121
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a stylus a receive signal from a device. The stylus includes one or more computer-readable media embodying logic, and the device includes a touch sensor. The receive signal is received at the stylus through the touch sensor of the device and one or more electrodes of the stylus. The method includes determining whether a level of the receive signal substantially meets or exceeds a pre-determined threshold; if the level of the receive…
Software code profiling
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9182958
An on-chip function call aware software code profiling counter system and method is disclosed. When building software code a compiler/tool-chain can modify prologues and epilogues of functions to add instrumentation code which uniquely identifies the function. Each function included in the instrumented source code tree is assigned a unique identifier (ID) by the compiler/tool-chain. Writing a unique ID for a function to a register starts profiling for the function. The profiling is…
Capacitive force sensor
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9182856
In one embodiment, a method includes detecting movement of a spring structure of a force sensor coupled to a center shaft of an active stylus; measuring a change of capacitance between electrodes of the force sensor; and determining an amount of force applied to the center shaft based on the change of capacitance.
Single pin communication mechanism
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9182802
A method and device include a power pin, a ground pin, and a communications pin. A communications module receives power from the power pin and utilizes an edge counting communication protocol over the communication pin.
Charge measurement
Granted: October 27, 2015
Patent Number:
9171188
An apparatus comprises a comparator that includes a first input, a second input and an output. The comparator is configured for measuring a difference in voltage between a source coupled to the first input and another source coupled to the second input, and providing information associated with the measured difference at the output. The apparatus also comprises a controllable current source coupled to the first input of the comparator and configured for supplying or drawing current. The…
Fully integrated voltage regulator using open loop digital control for optimum power stepping and slew rate
Granted: October 27, 2015
Patent Number:
9170592
Methods and systems are disclosed for an integrated voltage regulator with open loop digital control for power stepping. In one aspect, a method for regulating an output voltage includes receiving data indicative of a power setting associated with an identified state of an electrical circuit, the power setting based on a load current demand of the electrical circuit in the identified state, enabling one or more parallel driver segments based on the received data indicative of the power…
Capacitive measurement circuit for a touch sensor device
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9164136
In one embodiment, a method for determining the location of a touch on a touch sensor includes receiving input signals in response to a touch proximate to a location on the touch sensor. Each input signal may have a total capacitance that includes a first capacitance associated with the touch and a second capacitance that is parasitic capacitance. The parasitic capacitance of one or more of the input signals may be adjusted to result in the second capacitance of each of the input signals…
Ring accessory
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9167076
In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a ring, a receiver, a processor, and an indicator. The ring may be configured to be worn on a limb. The receiver may be disposed within the ring and may be operable to receive a signal communicated by a mobile device. The processor may be communicatively coupled to the receiver and operable to determine, based at least in part upon the received signal, that the mobile device received a message. The indicator may be communicatively…
Executing gestures with active stylus
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9164603
In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more sensors that detect the movement of the stylus, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer. The stylus wirelessly transmits signals to a device based on the movement of the stylus.
Active stylus with surface-modification materials
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9164598
In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more electrodes and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for transmitting signals wirelessly to a device through a touch-sensor of the device. The stylus also has an electronic circuit operable to provide an input that changes a property of one or more materials located on the body of the stylus or on the stylus tip.
