Circuit for a loop antenna and method for tuning
Granted: November 6, 2012
Patent Number:
8306489
A circuit for a loop antenna having a first antenna terminal and a second antenna terminal with an antenna impedance, and method for tuning an overall impedance that has an antenna impedance of a loop antenna and a tuning impedance, with an output amplifier for amplifying a transmit signal that has an output for connection to the first antenna terminal of the loop antenna, with a tuning device designed for automatic tuning that has a terminal, which is separated from the output of the…
Circuit, system and method for communication between two nodes of a radio network
Granted: October 30, 2012
Patent Number:
8300547
A circuit, system, and method for range finding between two nodes of a radio network, in particular in conformance with the industry standard IEEE 802.15.4. A mode for finding the range to a second node is initiated by the first node. A command for range finding with the address of the second node is transmitted from the first node to the second node in the mode for range finding. The second node is switched into the range finding mode by the command. A sequence is controlled by the…
Transponder, RFID system, and method for RFID system with key management
Granted: October 23, 2012
Patent Number:
8296852
A transponder is provided, in particular a passive and/or backscatter-based transponder, for an RFID system, wherein at least one first piece of information can be stored in a first memory area on the transponder that is accessible in clear text only by a read access internal to the transponder, and a second piece of information can be stored in a second memory area that is accessible in clear text through an air interface for read access, and the second piece of information is generated…
Circuit and method for adjusting an offset output current for an input current amplifier
Granted: October 16, 2012
Patent Number:
8289082
A circuit and a method for correcting an offset is provided that includes a current amplifier and an adjusting circuit for correcting an offset of an output current of the current amplifier. Wherein the adjusting circuit has a controlled current source, an output of the controlled current source is connected to the current amplifier for impressing an output current of the controlled current source in the current amplifier, an input of the controlled current source to form a regulation…
Method and device for recognizing functional states in RFID or remote sensor systems
Granted: October 9, 2012
Patent Number:
8284030
A method for recognizing time-variable functional states, e.g., in the course of a programming process, in RFID systems is disclosed, which includes at least one transponder or remote sensor and at least one base station, which transmits data and/or power to the transponder or sensor by a carrier signal. According to the invention, after a specified process state is attained at least one confirmation symbol is transmitted by the transponder or sensor to the base station. As a result, no…
Stackable packages for three-dimensional packaging of semiconductor dice
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8278150
An apparatus and a method for packaging semiconductor devices. The apparatus includes a substrate strip component of a leadless three-dimensional stackable semiconductor package having mounting contacts on, for example, four peripheral edges. The substrate strip may either be fabricated for mounting a single electrical component (e.g., an integrated circuit die) or a plurality of substrate strips may be laid out in an X-Y matrix pattern which may later be singulated into individual…
Frequency locking oscillator
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8279015
A delay line of individually selectable delay elements can operate as an oscillator in an open loop mode to track process variation or drive a clock signal that varies with temperatures and voltages in the system. The delay line oscillator can also operate in a closed loop mode to match a frequency given by a tuner ratio and a reference clock. The delay line can also be used for measuring clock jitter or duty cycle.
Touch-sensitive user interface
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8279189
A touch-sensitive user interface includes a sensor element providing a plurality of sensing areas, a measurement circuit coupled to the sensor element and operable to iteratively acquire measurement signal values indicative of the proximity of an object to the respective sensing areas, and a processor operable to receive the measurement signal values from the measurement circuit and to classify a sensing area as an activated sensing area for a current iteration according to predefined…
Modulator and modulation method for a wireless data transmission device
Granted: September 25, 2012
Patent Number:
8274370
In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a rectifier and a switch. The rectifier is configured to modulate a received carrier signal. The switch is coupled to at least one node of the rectifier. The switch is configured to modify an impedance of the rectifier to modulate the received carrier signal by providing a potential to the at least one node of the rectifier based on a field strength of the received carrier signal and a modulation-control signal.
Sense amplifier apparatus and methods
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8270242
Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a sense amplifier unit, a supply node to receive a supply voltage, and a line coupled to a memory cell of a device. The sense amplifier unit includes a circuit path coupled between the supply node and the line to carry a current having a value based on a value of information stored in the memory cell. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
General purpose input/output pin mapping
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8269524
An I/O pin mapping module integrated on a microcontroller chip allows any microcontroller circuit node connected to the I/O pin mapping module to be mapped to any microcontroller I/O pin connected to the I/O pin mapping module. The size of the I/O pin mapping module can be customized prior to integration in accordance with the number of circuit nodes and I/O pins to be connected thereto. The I/O pin mapping module is programmable and can be described in a high level language to create a…
Stacked-die package including substrate-ground coupling
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8264075
Method and apparatus are provided for semiconductor device packages. In an example, an apparatus can include a first semiconductor device, a ground pad situated on an uppermost portion of the first semiconductor device and configured to electrically couple portions of the first semiconductor device to aground potential, and a second semiconductor device having at least a portion in electrical communication with an uppermost face of the first semiconductor device through a first…
Detecting data symbols
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8265127
In one embodiment, a method includes generating a set of sequences of chip values and calculating a correlation between a demodulated signal and each one of two or more of the sequences. Each of the correlations has an absolute value, and one of the correlations has a highest absolute value. The method includes selecting the one of the sequences with the correlation having the highest absolute value; identifying a sequence index corresponding to the selected one of the sequences; and,…
Supplying voltage to digital subcircuits
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8266459
Circuit, method for operating a circuit, and use, having a voltage regulator, which has a regulator output for providing a supply voltage, which for the supply can be connected to at least one first digital subcircuit via a first switch and to a second digital subcircuit via a second switch, wherein the voltage regulator is formed to output a first status signal dependent on the supply voltage, and to turn on the first switch by the first status signal is connected to a first control…
Electronics package with an integrated circuit device having post wafer fabrication integrated passive components
Granted: September 4, 2012
Patent Number:
8258599
An apparatus and a method for producing passive components on an integrated circuit device. The integrtated circuit device has post wafer fabrication integrated passive components situated on the opposite substrate side of the device's integrated circuitry. Electrical contact pads of the passive components are configured to be coupled to the electronics package contact pads to complete the electronic package.
Circuit, an adjusting method, and use of a control loop
Granted: September 4, 2012
Patent Number:
8258860
A circuit, an adjusting method, and use of a control loop for adjusting a data retention voltage and/or a leakage current of a CMOS circuit for a sleep mode, wherein the CMOS circuit is operated to control in a measuring mode, whereby in the measuring mode a leakage current exclusively flows through the CMOS circuit, the control loop in the measuring mode adjusts the data retention voltage and/or the leakage current, and the adjustments of the control loop for the sleep mode are stored.
Method and system for secure external TPM password generation and use
Granted: September 4, 2012
Patent Number:
8261072
Aspects of the present invention include a method and system for generating a secure access code at a remote device in communication with a computer system having a secure storage device; conveying the secure access code to the system secure storage device; receiving the secure access code at the system secure storage device with unique data characteristics associated with remote device; and, securely providing content to the remote device.
Apparatus using a differential analog-to-digital converter
Granted: August 28, 2012
Patent Number:
8253706
Electronic apparatus and methods of operating the electronic apparatus include less than a frequency associated with a generated waveform. In various embodiments, an apparatus using a differential analog-to-digital converter can perform low frequency noise rejection that can be implemented in a variety of applications. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
Method and apparatus for data communication between a base station and a transponder
Granted: August 28, 2012
Patent Number:
8254841
A method and system for data communication between a base station and at least one transponder via a high-frequency electromagnetic carrier signal onto which information packets are modulated. Each information packet has a header section, a middle section, and a trailer section. The header section can be provided in a forward link of a data communication between the base station and the transponders for controlling data communication. The header section is used in a return link of a data…
Microcontroller with clock generator for supplying activated clock signal to requesting module to conserve power
Granted: August 28, 2012
Patent Number:
8255722
The disclosed implementations provide for power reduction in microcontrollers by reactivating a clock in the microcontroller for one or more peripheral modules in response to an internal or external trigger event, thus allowing the one or more peripheral modules to respond to events while operating in a low-power sleep mode. In some implementations, one or more peripheral modules in a microcontroller provide a clock request signal to a clock generator in the microcontroller. In response…
