MICROMACHINED MONOLITHIC 3-AXIS GYROSCOPE WITH SINGLE DRIVE
Granted: December 12, 2013
Application Number:
20130328139
This document discusses, among other things, a cap wafer and a via wafer configured to encapsulate a single proof-mass 3-axis gyroscope formed in an x-y plane of a device layer. The single proof-mass 3-axis gyroscope can include a main proof-mass section suspended about a single, central anchor, the main proof-mass section including a radial portion extending outward towards an edge of the 3-axis gyroscope sensor, a central suspension system configured to suspend the 3-axis gyroscope…
TRANSLATOR INCLUDING OVERSTRESS PROTECTION
Granted: December 5, 2013
Application Number:
20130321070
This document discusses, among other things, a control circuit, such as a translator circuit, configured to reduce voltage stress of first and second transistors when a first voltage received by the first transistor exceeds a voltage rating of at least one of the first or second transistors.
MOS SWITCH
Granted: December 5, 2013
Application Number:
20130321063
This document discusses, among other things, a switch circuit including a switch having a low-impedance state configured to couple a first node to a second node and a high-impedance state configured to isolate the first node from the second node. The switch circuit can include an arbiter circuit configured to receive a source voltage and an input signal, to provide, at an output, the higher voltage of the source voltage and the input signal, and to isolate the input signal form ground…
HIGH VOLTAGE CLAMP CIRCUIT
Granted: December 5, 2013
Application Number:
20130321055
This document discloses, among other things, a voltage clamp circuit where an output voltage equals an input voltage for at least a portion of a first range of input voltages, and where the output voltage is less than the input voltage for at least a portion of a second range of input voltages.
SWITCHED-MODE VOLTAGE CONVERTER WITH ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEM
Granted: December 5, 2013
Application Number:
20130320954
Devices, systems and methods are provided for a switched-mode voltage converter system with energy recovery. The device may include a first voltage converter circuit including a boost voltage node and an output voltage port coupled to a load. The first voltage converter circuit configured to deliver energy from the boost voltage node to the load in a first mode, and to deliver energy from the load to the boost voltage node in a second mode. The device may also include a second voltage…
CURRENT OVERSHOOT LIMITING CIRCUIT
Granted: December 5, 2013
Application Number:
20130320881
This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus, system, and method to limit a current overshoot in an electronic component using a switched feedback circuit to precondition a gate of a transistor coupled to the electronic component.
SILICON CARBIDE BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR COMPRISING SHIELDING REGIONS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Granted: November 28, 2013
Application Number:
20130313571
A silicon carbide (SiC) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a method of manufacturing such a SiC BJT is provided. The SiC BJT can include a collector region having a first conductivity type, a base region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and an emitter region having the first conductivity type, the collector region, the base region and the emitter region being arranged as a stack. The emitter region defining an elevated structure defined at least…
Photovoltaic System Power Optimization
Granted: November 21, 2013
Application Number:
20130307342
An example system may comprise at least one solar panel including a plurality of photovoltaic cells, wherein the photovoltaic cells are grouped into at least a first group of cells and a second group of cells. The first and second groups of cells may be coupled in series to a DC bus to deliver DC voltage and power to the DC bus. The system may further include first power conversion circuitry configured to generate power from the first group of cells and second power conversion circuitry…
DEPLETION-MODE CIRCUIT
Granted: November 21, 2013
Application Number:
20130307591
This document discloses, among other things, a switch circuit that includes a depletion-mode field-effect transistor (DMFET) having an ON-state and an OFF-state, wherein the DMFET is configured to couple a first node to a second node in the ON-state, and wherein the DMFET is configured to isolate the first node from the second node in the OFF-state, a negative charge pump that is coupled to a gate terminal of the DMFET, the charge pump configured to supply a negative charge pump voltage…
LOW-VOLTAGE BAND-GAP VOLTAGE REFERENCE CIRCUIT
Granted: November 21, 2013
Application Number:
20130307517
The present application discusses low voltage band-gap voltage reference circuit and methods. In an example the circuit can include a current mirror, an operational amplifier adopting an N-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) input pair structure, a band-gap output circuit, an adaptive adjustment circuit; and two branches of Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). The current mirror can be configured to receive an output signal of the operational amplifier and to provide a current to the two…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ZERO CURRENT DETECTION
Granted: November 21, 2013
Application Number:
20130307507
This application discusses, among other things, zero current detection. In an example, a circuit for zero current detection can include a compensating circuit and a detecting circuit. The compensating circuit can be configured to feed back a compensating voltage to the detecting circuit according to an output voltage of a DC-DC converting circuit. The detecting circuit can be configured to dynamically adjust an intentional offset voltage according to the compensating voltage, and to…
CONDUCTIVE CHIP DISPOSED ON LEAD SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGE AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME
Granted: November 21, 2013
Application Number:
20130307134
In one implementation, a method of forming a conductive device can include depositing a non-conductive epoxy on a first portion of a lower surface of a semiconductor die, and can include depositing a conductive epoxy on a second portion of the lower surface of the semiconductor die.
FLEXURE BEARING TO REDUCE QUADRATURE FOR RESONATING MICROMACHINED DEVICES
Granted: November 14, 2013
Application Number:
20130298671
An example include microelectromechanical die for sensing motion that includes a fixed portion, an anchor coupled to the fixed portion, a first nonlinear suspension member coupled to anchor on a side of the anchor, a second nonlinear suspension member coupled to the anchor on the same side of the anchor, the second nonlinear suspension member having a shape and location mirroring the first nonlinear suspension member about an anchor bisecting plane and a proof-mass that is planar, the…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PROTECTION
Granted: November 7, 2013
Application Number:
20130292771
In certain examples an integrated circuit protection circuit can include a circuit module, and an isolation device. The isolation device can be configured to couple a ground node of the circuit module to a power ground in an on state, and to isolate the ground node of the circuit module from the power ground in an off state, wherein the isolation module is configured to enter the off state when the IC receives a negative input voltage.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION
Granted: October 31, 2013
Application Number:
20130286517
This application discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. In an example, an ESD protection circuit can include an ESD control circuit, and a driver-off circuit, wherein the ESD control circuit is configured to send an enable signal to the driver-off circuit and to perform electrostatic discharge to a ground node when detecting occurrence of electrostatic charges, and wherein the driver-off circuit is configured to disable a…
CLAMP CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR CLAMPING VOLTAGE
Granted: October 31, 2013
Application Number:
20130285730
The disclosure provides a clamp circuit and a method for clamping voltage. The clamp circuit includes: a first switch control unit, connected with the high-potential terminal of the first stage output of a comparator and configured to clamp the voltage of the high-potential terminal to VGate1 when the voltage of the high-potential terminal is lower than a first pre-set value V1, and a second switch control unit, connected to the low-potential terminal of the first stage output of the…
MICROELECTROMECHANICAL PRESSURE SENSOR INCLUDING REFERENCE CAPACITOR
Granted: October 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130277772
This document discusses, among other things, an apparatus including a silicon die including a vibratory diaphragm, the die having a silicon die top opposite a silicon die bottom, with a top silicon die port extending from the silicon die top through the silicon die to a top of the vibratory diaphragm, and with a bottom silicon die port extending from the silicon die bottom to a bottom of the vibratory diaphragm, wherein the bottom silicon die port has a cross sectional area that is…
THROUGH SILCON VIA WITH REDUCED SHUNT CAPACITANCE
Granted: October 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130277773
This document refers to apparatus and methods for a device layer of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor having vias with reduced shunt capacitance. In an example, a device layer can include a substrate having a pair of trenches separated in a horizontal direction by a portion of the substrate, wherein each trench of the pair of trenches includes first and second vertical layers including dielectric, the first and second vertical layers separated by a third vertical layer…
MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL-SYSTEM (MEMS) DRIVER
Granted: October 17, 2013
Application Number:
20130271228
In an example, a driver for a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) device can include a first input configured to receive a first command signal including an oscillatory command signal, a second input configured to receive a second command signal including a bias command signal, and an amplifier configured to receive a high voltage supply, to provide, to the MEMS device, a closed-loop output signal responsive to both the first command signal and the second command signal in a first…
MEMS QUADRATURE CANCELLATION AND SIGNAL DEMODULATION
Granted: October 17, 2013
Application Number:
20130269413
In certain examples, a quadrature cancellation apparatus can include a drive charge amplifier configured to couple to a proof mass of a MEMS device and to provide oscillation motion information, a first sense charge amplifier configured to couple to the proof mass and to provide first sense information of a first movement of the MEMS device, a first programmable amplifier configured to receive the oscillation motion information and provide amplified oscillation motion information, a…
