SAMPLER LINEARITY BY SIMULTANEOUS DERIVATIVE SAMPLING
Granted: February 24, 2011
Application Number:
20110043392
A circuit for improved sampler linearity, in an analog to digital converter, by taking simultaneous analog samples of an input signal V(t) and its derivative, dV/dt. The correction can be implemented as a memoryless non-linear model in the analog, digital, or mixed signal domains. Delay elements placed in the clock signal path or main input signal path can provide more precise control over the correction.
HYBRID LASER DIODE DRIVERS THAT INCLUDE A STATE MACHINE
Granted: February 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110038242
Provided herein are hybrid laser diode drivers (LDDs) that drive a laser diode in response to receiving enable signals from a controller. In accordance with specific embodiments, a hybrid LDD includes a read channel to selectively output a read current, one or more write channel each to selectively output a write current, and an oscillator channel to selectively output an oscillator current. Additionally, in specific embodiments the hybrid LDD includes a state machine that receives the…
USING FREQUENCY DIVISIONAL MULTIPLEXING FOR A HIGH SPEED SERIALIZER/DESERIALIZER WITH BACK CHANNEL COMMUNICATION
Granted: February 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110038286
A system comprising a first serializer/deserializer coupled to a first electronic device and a second serializer/deserializer couple to a second electronic device is provided. The first serializer/deserializer comprises a forward channel driver and the second serializer/deserializer comprises a reverse channel driver. A communication medium is coupled between the first and second serializer/deserializers, and the first and second serializer/deserializers are AC coupled to the…
INRUSH CURRENT LIMITER FOR AN LED DRIVER
Granted: February 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110025217
An inrush current limiter for use with an LED driver including a current limiting device, a bypass switch device, and a switch drive. The current limiting device is placed in the input current path of the LED driver to limit input current to a predetermined maximum level in response to an AC conductive angle modulated voltage. The bypass switch device is coupled in parallel with the current limit device. The switch drive turns on the bypass switch device to at least partially bypass the…
DATA LOOK AHEAD TO REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION
Granted: February 3, 2011
Application Number:
20110025540
Portions of a digital signal are buffered prior to being provided to a sub-system (e.g., a segmented DAC of a LDD) that is responsive to the digital signal. While being buffered, there is a determination, based on the buffered portions of the digital signal, of when one or more portions of the sub-system and/or another sub-system can be switched from a first state to a second state, where the second state results in less power dissipation than the first state. Additionally, or…
HYBRID LASER DIODE DRIVERS THAT INCLUDE A DECODER
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110019522
Provided herein are hybrid laser diode drivers (LDDs) that drive a laser diode in response to receiving enable signals from a controller. In accordance with specific embodiments, a hybrid LDD includes a read channel to selectively output a read current, one or more write channel each to selectively output a write current, and an oscillator channel to selectively output an oscillator current. Additionally, in specific embodiments the hybrid LDD includes a decoder that receives the enable…
TUNABLE VOLTAGE ISOLATION GROUND TO GROUND ESD CLAMP
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110019317
A tunable voltage isolation ground to ground ESD clamp is provided. The clamp includes a dual-direction silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and trigger elements. The SCR is coupled between first and second grounds. The trigger elements are also coupled between the first and second grounds. Moreover, the trigger elements are configured to provide a trigger current to the dual-direction silicon controlled rectifier when a desired voltage between the first and second grounds is reached.
INRUSH CURRENT CONTROL
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110019316
An inrush current control circuit selectively short-circuit bypasses an inrush current limiting resistor (R1) of a power supply that includes a switching transistor (Q1) having a control terminal (gate or base) driven in dependence on a pulse width modulated (PWM) drive signal. The inrush current control circuit includes a bypass transistor (Q3), a first resistor (R3), a capacitor (C2), a second resistor (R2) and a diode (D3), wherein an anode terminal of the diode (D3) is connected to…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRE-CHARGING A BOOT CAPACITOR IN A SWITCHING REGULATOR WITH HIGH PRE-BIAS VOLTAGE
Granted: January 27, 2011
Application Number:
20110018613
An apparatus comprises a voltage regulator including an high side switching transistor and a low side switching transistor. An high side drive controls operation of the high side switching transistor. A low side driver controls operation of the low side switching transistor. A bootstrap capacitor provides an operating voltage to the high side switching driver. The bootstrap capacitor is charged to a predetermined level responsive to a supply voltage. A low side driver drives the low side…
PROGRAMMABLE SEGMENTED DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER (DAC)
Granted: January 13, 2011
Application Number:
20110006934
Provided herein are segmented digital to analog converters (DACs), methods for use therewith, and systems that include one or more such DACs. According to an embodiment, a DAC includes a plurality of sub-DACs, a DAC input adapted to receive a multi-bit digital input and a DAC output adapted to output an analog output current in response to and indicative of the digital input. Each sub-DAC is adapted to receive a separate reference current that specifies a transfer function of the…
PROXIMITY SENSORS WITH IMPROVED AMBIENT LIGHT REJECTION
Granted: January 13, 2011
Application Number:
20110006188
In accordance with an embodiment, a proximity sensor includes a driver, a photodiode (PD), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with analog-to-digital-to-analog (ADA) feedback, and a controller. The driver is adapted to selectively drive a light source. The photodiode (PD) is adapted to produce a photodiode current signal (Idiode) indicative of an intensity of light detected by the PD, where the light detected by the PD can include ambient light and/or light transmitted by the light…
RANDOMIZATION OF SAMPLE WINDOW IN CALIBRATION OF TIME-INTERLEAVED ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER
Granted: January 6, 2011
Application Number:
20110001645
A technique that randomizes a sample window over which one or more interleave mismatch corrections are made to a time interleaved analog to digital converter (TIADC).
METER AND FREEZE OF CALIBRATION OF TIME-INTERLEAVED ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER
Granted: January 6, 2011
Application Number:
20110001644
A technique for improving the operation of a Time Interleaved Analog to Digital Converter (TIADC) by suppressing updates and/or correction to updates of an interleave mismatch errors estimator when one or more predetermined conditions
INTEGRATOR FOR PROVIDING OVERSHOOT PROTECTION AND LIGHT SWITCHING MODE DURING NON-ZERO LOAD CONDITION FOR AN LED DRIVER CIRCUITRY
Granted: December 30, 2010
Application Number:
20100327835
A voltage regulator system comprises circuitry for generating a regulated output voltage responsive to an input voltage and switching control signals. A voltage divider is connected to an output node of the circuitry to provide a way to monitor the output voltage. A voltage regulator controller generates the switching control signals responsive to the monitored output voltage and a reference voltage. A compensation network is associated with the voltage regulator controller. The voltage…
SWITCHING REGULATOR CIRCUIT, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INPUT CURRENT MEASUREMENT WITHOUT A DEDICATED INPUT CURRENT SENSE ELEMENT
Granted: December 30, 2010
Application Number:
20100327825
A synchronous regulator includes a controller coupled to receive a reference signal and a feedback signal from the regulator operable to provide a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal at its output. The regulator includes at least one gate driver coupled to receive the PWM signal, and a synchronous output switch having a phase node there between controlled by the gate driver, and regulator input current measurement circuitry. The regulator input current measurement circuitry comprises a…
RADIATION HARDENED DEVICE
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100323487
A “tabbed” MOS device provides radiation hardness while supporting reduced gate width requirements. The “tabbed” MOS device also utilizes a body tie ring, which reduces field threshold leakage. In one implementation the “tabbed” MOS device is designed such that a width of the tab is based on at least a channel length of the MOS device such that a radiation-induced parasitic conduction path between the source and drain region of the device has a resistance that is higher than…
SIGMA DELTA CONVERTER SYSTEM AND METHOD
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100321221
A sigma delta converter system and method includes a multi bit quantizer circuit coupled to an output of the converter. A single bit analog-to-digital converter circuit is contained in a feedback path of the converter. The converter includes a feed forward path operable to multiply an input voltage by a feed forward coefficient having a value that is a function of a gain control input signal. The gain control input signal can have a value that is a function of the output of the multi bit…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PFM/PWM MODE TRANSITION WITHIN A MULTI-PHASE BUCK CONVERTER
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100320983
A multi-phase voltage regulator comprises a plurality of DC/DC voltage regulators. Each of the DC/DC voltage regulators is associated with a particular phase of the multi-phase regulator. Each of the regulators comprises a first switching transistor connected between an input voltage node and a phase node responsive to switching control signals. A second switching transistor is connected between the phase node and a ground node and is responsive to the switching control signals. An…
PULSE ADDING SCHEME FOR SMOOTH PHASE DROPPING AT LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS FOR MULTIPHASE VOLTAGE REGULATORS
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100320977
A pulse control system for a multiphase regulator including an error amplifier, a multiphase generator, and an adaptive controller. The error amplifier provides an error signal indicative of output voltage error. The multiphase generator develops modulation pulses for phases based on the error signal. The adaptive controller is responsive to a load indication signal and redirects at least one modulation pulse from a first of phase to a second phase. The load indication signal may be…
DC-DC CONVERTERS HAVING IMPROVED CURRENT SENSING AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: December 23, 2010
Application Number:
20100320976
A DC-DC converter includes a chip including an error amplifier and a pulse width modulator (PWM) having an input connected to an output of the error amplifier, and an inductor driven by said PWM in series with an output node (VOUT) of the converter, wherein a load current flows through the inductor. VOUT is fed back through a network including a feedback resistor (RFB) to an inverting input of the error amplifier. A circuit for sensing the load current includes a first operational…
