Load Switch with True Reverse Current Blocking
Granted: March 14, 2013
Application Number:
20130063844
Devices, systems and methods are provided for switching a load with true reverse current blocking (TRCB). The device may include an input port coupled to a supply voltage; an output port coupled to the load; a TRCB circuit coupled to the input port and the output port; and a switch control port coupled to the TRCB circuit. The TRCB circuit may be configured to couple the input port to the output port in response to a switch close signal applied to the switch control port and to de-couple…
TRUE REVERSE CURRENT BLOCKING SYSTEM
Granted: March 14, 2013
Application Number:
20130063116
Devices, systems and methods are provided for a switch to perform true reverse current blocking (TRCB). The device may include a PMOS switch, including a source port, a drain port, a gate port and an n-well region; an input voltage port coupled to the source port; an output voltage port coupled to the drain port; a switch control port coupled to the gate port; and comparator circuitry configured to compare an input voltage at the input voltage port with an output voltage at the output…
MIC AUDIO NOISE FILTERING
Granted: February 7, 2013
Application Number:
20130034242
This document discusses, among other things, a MIC audio noise filtering system configured to detect MIC audio noise at a pole of a four-pole audio jack using first and second comparators. The MIC audio noise detection system can include first and second comparators configured to compare a value of the pole to respective first and second thresholds and to provide an output indicative of the comparisons and a detection circuit configured to count changes in the output over a first period…
CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR DETECTING MULTIPLE SUPPLY VOLTAGES
Granted: January 31, 2013
Application Number:
20130027089
An apparatus comprises a supply voltage divider, a state machine, two comparators and a threshold selector. The supply voltage divider divides a VCC into N states SK, and acquires the border voltages VK and VK+1 corresponding to the SK through a resistor divider. The threshold selector acquires a corresponding voltage VK from the supply voltage divider according to the current state SK outputted by the state machine and then sends the acquired VK as VH to a first comparator, and acquires…
STRUCTURES AND METHODS FOR FORMING HIGH DENSITY TRENCH FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
Granted: January 31, 2013
Application Number:
20130026563
A semiconductor structure comprises trenches extending into a semiconductor region. Portions of the semiconductor region extend between adjacent trenches forming mesa regions. A gate electrode is in each trench. Well regions of a first conductivity type extend in the semiconductor region between adjacent trenches. Source regions of a second conductivity type are in the well regions. Heavy body regions of the first conductivity type are in the well regions. The source regions and the…
ACTIVE AUDIO TRANSDUCER PROTECTION
Granted: January 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130022208
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for providing audio transducer protection. In an example, an audio protection circuit can include a first comparator configured to compare peak power information of a drive signal of an amplifier of an audio system with a first threshold, a limiter circuit configured to limit an input of the amplifier if the peak power information of the drive signal exceeds the first threshold, and a second comparator configured to…
AUDIO JACK DETECTION CIRCUIT
Granted: January 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130021046
This document discusses, among other things, a detection system configured to identify a type of a pole of a four-pole audio jack using first and second comparators. The detection system can include a bias circuit configured to bias a detection input coupled to the pole, and first and second comparators configured to compare the detection input to respective first and second thresholds to provide an indication of the type of the pole.
DETECTION AND GSM NOISE FILTERING
Granted: January 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130021041
This document discusses, among other things, a GSM noise detection system configured to detect GSM noise at a pole of a four-pole audio jack using first and second comparators. The GSM noise detection system can include first and second comparators configured to compare a value of the pole to respective first and second thresholds and to provide an output indicative of the comparisons and a detection circuit configured to count changes in the output over a first period of time and to…
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING A STRUCTURE IN A TARGET SUBSTRATE FOR MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
Granted: January 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130020611
A semiconductor device and a method of forming a structure in a target substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises the step of providing a masking layer on the target substrate and providing a stair-like profile in the masking layer such that the height of a step of the stair-like profile is smaller than the thickness of the masking layer. Further, the method comprises the step of performing anisotropic etching of the masking layer and the target…
MIPI ANALOG SWITCH FOR AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF MULTIPLE IMAGE SENSORS
Granted: December 27, 2012
Application Number:
20120326764
An MIPI interface is connected to two sensor sources that each may be transferring both high and low speed information, typically video information in the high speed state. The clock signals are monitored and when one of the clock signals exceed a threshold, an analog switch between the MIPI interface and the sensors, may connect the other source to the MIPI interface.
DETECTING ACCESSORIES ON AN AUDIO OR VIDEO JACK
Granted: December 27, 2012
Application Number:
20120326736
A detection circuit can be configured to receive a digital value from an identification register and to determine a resistance at a conducting terminal of an audio or video jack plug using the digital value. The detection circuit can include a current source that outputs a current according to the digital value from the identification register and a comparator that compares a reference voltage to a voltage created by the current source across the resistance at the conducting terminal of…
Protection System
Granted: December 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120320481
Devices, systems and methods are provided for protecting electronic circuitry from voltage transients including undervoltage transients in a supply voltage. The device may include a first low voltage isolated transistor coupled in forward bias with respect to a power supply and a second low voltage isolated transistor coupled in series with the first low voltage isolated transistor and in reverse bias with respect to the power supply voltage. The device may further include a resistor…
DC VOLTAGE ERROR PROTECTION CIRCUIT
Granted: December 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120319776
This document discusses among other things apparatus and methods for protecting circuit elements from harmful voltages. In an example, an apparatus can include an amplifier configured to receive an input signal and to provide an estimate of a first output signal, a peak detector to receive the estimate and to generate a comparison signal that is active when the amplified input signal exceeds a threshold value, and a timer configured to activate a second output signal if the comparison…
POWER-ON-RESET CIRCUIT AND RESET METHOD
Granted: November 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120274369
Apparatus and methods for a power-on-reset (POR) circuit are provided. In an example, a (POR) circuit can include a self-bias module configured to provide a reference voltage, a feedback module configured to provide a feedback voltage, a comparison module configured to compare the feedback voltage to the reference voltage and to provide an output signal, an inverter configured to couple the output of the comparison module to an enable input of the self-bias module, and a switch module…
MOBILE DEVICE AUTO DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120265911
This application discusses, among other things, multiple interface detection circuits configured to connect with a mobile electronic device connector. In an example, a multiple interface detection circuit can include a first comparator to compare a bus voltage of the mobile electronic device connector with a first threshold and to provide a first control signal, a second comparator to compare the bus voltage of the mobile electronic device connector with the first threshold and to…
MIXED SIGNAL DYNAMIC RANGE COMPRESSION
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120262233
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for providing dynamic range compression. In an example, an amplifier can an first amplifier configured to receive a representation of an input signal and provide an amplified representation of the input signal to an output stage, an automatic gain control comparator configured to provide automatic gain control information to the first amplifier, a plurality of dynamic range compression comparators configured to provide a…
CLASS D PULSE WIDTH MODULATOR WITH DUAL FEEDBACK
Granted: October 18, 2012
Application Number:
20120262211
This document discusses, among other things, a modulator including a first integrator configured to receive an input signal and a first feedback signal from an output stage, a second integrator configured to receive an output of the first integrator and a second feedback signal, and a comparator configured to be coupled to a regulated supply voltage, to receive an output of the second integrator and a modulation signal, and to provide a pulse width modulated representation of the input…
METHOD AND SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES THE VALUE OF A RESISTOR IN LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR RESISTOR SETS
Granted: September 6, 2012
Application Number:
20120223728
The present subject matter refers to apparatus and methods for identifying a resistance level of a resistor. In an example, circuit configured to identify a resistor can include a plurality of current sources, each current source selectively coupled to the resistor to generate a resistor voltage, a comparator configured to compare the resistor voltage and a reference voltage, and to provide an output indicative of the comparison, and a controller configured to selectively couple a first…
MULTI-LEVEL LATERAL FLOATING COUPLED CAPACITOR TRANSISTOR STRUCTURES
Granted: August 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120211834
A semiconductor device includes an active region having a first floating charge control structure and a termination region having a second floating charge control structure. The second floating charge control structure is at least twice as long as the first floating control structure.
DETERMINING AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL LEVELS
Granted: August 16, 2012
Application Number:
20120206184
An apparatus comprises an integrated circuit (IC) and a resistor external to the IC. The IC includes a current output digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) circuit configured to provide an adjustable specified current to a resistor external to the apparatus, a voltage sensing circuit configured to sense the voltage of the external resistor, and an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit configured to receive threshold information using the adjustable specified current.
