CIRCUITS, DEVICES AND METHODS HAVING PIPELINED CAPACITANCE SENSING
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120217981
Capacitance sensing circuits, systems and method can include sample and hold (S/H) circuits that can retain analog values for one set of capacitance sensors, and sequentially convert such analog values into digital values while analog values for another set of capacitance sensors values are generated.
CALIBRATION FOR MIXED-SIGNAL INTEGRATOR ARCHITECTURE
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218020
A mixed signal correlator utilizes coherent detection within a capacitance measurement application. In some applications, the mixed signal correlator is used to measure capacitance of a touch screen display. An external capacitor whose capacitance is measured is kept small for improved sensitivity and can be used for a variety of applications having varied integration periods for measurement. The external capacitor is kept small and can be used for varied applications by adjusting the…
CANCELLING TOUCH PANEL OFFSET OF A TOUCH PANEL SENSOR
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218222
A touch panel sensor system for increasing the dynamic range of the system is disclosed. The touch panel sensor system comprises a sensor driver module for driving one or more sensors of a touchscreen and an offset cancellation driver module for driving an offset cancellation module. The signals generated by the sensors and the offset cancellation module are coupled to a measuring module at a node (N1). The signal generated by the offset cancellation drivers can be adjusted so that the…
CONTINUOUS TIME CORRELATOR ARCHITECTURE
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218223
An analog front end circuit utilizes coherent detection within a capacitance measurement application. The analog front end circuit uses coherent detection to measure capacitance of a touch screen display. An analog excitation signal is modulated by a capacitor to be measured. The modulated signal is synchronously demodulated using a correlator, which includes an integrated mixing and integration circuit. The correlator includes a programmable impedance element that generates a…
VCOM SWITCHING AMPLIFIER
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218249
Certain electronic devices with displays, such as LCDs, are configured to provide a common voltage to a display backplane. The common voltage is supplied by a common voltage application circuit coupled to the display. The common voltage application circuit includes a switching amplifier configured to output the common voltage. The switching amplifier functions as a switching power supply having improved power efficiency compared to conventional common voltage application circuits.
VCOM AMPLIFIER WITH TRANSIENT ASSIST CIRCUIT
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218250
Electronic devices with a VCOM display panel are configured to provide a common voltage VCOM to a VCOM display panel backplane, referred to as a VCOM reference plane. The common voltage is supplied by a VCOM application circuit coupled to the VCOM reference plane. The VCOM application circuit includes a linear amplifier, such as a Class AB amplifier, coupled to a switched transient assist circuit configured to output the common voltage. The switched transient assist circuit stabilizes…
GAMMA SWITCHING AMPLIFIER
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120218319
Electronic devices with displays are configured to provide a gamma correction signal to each source driver chip driving the display. The gamma correction signal is supplied by a gamma application circuit coupled to each source driver chip. The gamma application circuit includes a switching amplifier configured to output a switching waveform and a filter to input the switching waveform and output the gamma correction signal to an input of each source driver chip. The switching amplifier…
BACKGROUND NOISE MEASUREMENT AND FREQUENCY SELECTION IN TOUCH PANEL SENSOR SYSTEMS
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120217978
A touch panel sensor system that can dynamically measure noise and automatically switch to a frequency with minimal noise is described. The touch panel sensor system includes a sensor configured to detect a change in capacitance associated with a touch upon a touch panel. The system also includes a drive module configured to generate a drive signal having a first waveform characteristic (e.g., signal having a periodic waveform characteristic) during a first phase (e.g., sensor phase) and…
DEEP TRENCH CAPACITOR WITH CONFORMALLY-DEPOSITED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS HAVING COMPRESSIVE STRESS
Granted: August 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120211865
A high density deep trench MIM capacitor structure is provided wherein conductive-compressive-conformally applied layers of a semiconductor material, such as a Poly-SixGe1-x, are interleaved within MIM capacitor layers to counterbalance the tensile stresses created by such MIM capacitor layers. The interleaving of conductive-compressive-conformally applied material layers are adapted to counterbalance convex (upward) bowing of silicon wafers during the manufacturing process of high…
Symmetrical, Direct Coupled Laser Drivers
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120201260
Symmetrical, direct coupled laser drivers for high frequency applications. The laser drivers are in integrated circuit form and use a minimum of relatively small (low valued) external components for driving a laser diode coupled to the laser driver through transmission lines. An optional amplifier may be used to fix the voltage at an internal node at data frequency spectrum to improve circuit performance. Feedback to a bias input may also be used to fix the voltage at the internal node.…
PRECISION SUB-RADIX2 DAC WITH LINEARITY CALIBRATION
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120200442
A system includes an N bit sub-binary radix digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that converts an m bit digital input signal to an analog output signal, where m and N are integers greater than or equal to 1 and N>m. A radix conversion module determines a code ratio, the code ratio being a ratio of a total number of available monotonic codes to 2m, and performs radix conversion on the m bit digital input signal based on the code ratio.
BONDED STACKED WAFERS AND METHODS OF ELECTROPLATING BONDED STACKED WAFERS
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120193808
A wafer structure includes a first wafer stack and a first bonding layer disposed on the first wafer stack. The wafer structure further includes a second wafer stack that includes a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. A second bonding layer is disposed on the second surface and is in contact with the first bonding layer. The second wafer stack comprises through-silicon-vias (TSVs) that extend from the first surface to the second bonding layer. A seed layer is…
INDUCTOR CURRENT MEASUREMENT FOR DC TO DC CONVERTERS
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120194161
A system includes an estimation module and a current measuring module. The estimation module estimates current through an inductor in an output stage of a power supply using a model of the current and generates an estimated current. The current measuring module measures the current through the inductor and generates a measured current. The estimation module adjusts the model based on the measured current.
CURRENT MIRROR AND CURRENT CANCELLATION CIRCUIT
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120194264
Techniques are described to mirror currents and subtract currents accurately. In an implementation, a circuit includes a first current source coupled to a first node to provide a current IPD1 and a current mirror coupled to the first node through a first switch T1 to provide a current IREF1. In a closed configuration, the current IREF1 flows from the current mirror into the first node. A sigma delta modulator controls the switch T1 such that over a period of time an average current…
PREVENTING CONTACT STICTION IN MICRO RELAYS
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120194306
A micro relay of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS), includes a cap substrate, a first electrical contact, an actuator, and a second electrical contact. The first electrical contact is formed on the cap substrate, includes a platinum group metal, and includes a first surface layer of an oxide of the platinum group metal. The second electrical contact is formed on the actuator, includes the platinum group metal, and includes a second surface layer of the oxide of the platinum group…
LIGHT SENSOR HAVING IR SUPPRESSION FILTER AND TRANSPARENT SUBSTRATE
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187280
Techniques are described to furnish an IR suppression filter, or any other interference based filter, that is formed on a transparent substrate to a light sensor. In one or more implementations, a light sensor includes a substrate having a surface. One or more photodetectors are formed in the substrate. The photodetectors are configured to detect light and provide a signal in response thereto. An IR suppression filter configured to block infrared light from reaching the surface is formed…
LIGHT SENSOR HAVING TRANSPARENT SUBSTRATE AND THROUGH-SUBSTRATE VIAS
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187281
Techniques are described to furnish an IR suppression filter that is formed on a glass substrate to a light sensor. In one or more implementations, a light sensor includes a substrate having a surface. One or more photodetectors are formed in the substrate and configured to detect light and provide a signal in response thereto. An IR suppression filter configured to block infrared light from reaching the surface is formed on a glass substrate. The light sensor also includes a plurality…
LIGHT SENSOR HAVING IR CUT INTERFERENCE FILTER WITH COLOR FILTER INTEGRATED ON-CHIP
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187512
Techniques are described to furnish a light sensor that includes a patterned IR cut interference filter integrated with a patterned color pass filter. In one or more implementations, the light sensor includes a substrate having a surface. An IR cut interference filter configured to block infrared light is formed over the surface of the substrate. The light sensor also includes one or more color pass filters placed above or below the IR cut interference filter. The color pass filters are…
LIGHT SENSOR HAVING IR CUT AND COLOR PASS INTERFERENCE FILTER INTEGRATED ON-CHIP
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187513
A light sensor is described that includes an IR cut interference filter and at least one color interference filter integrated on-chip. The light sensor comprises a semiconductor device (e.g., a die) that includes a substrate. Photodetectors are formed in the substrate proximate to the surface of the substrate. An IR cut interference filter is disposed over the photodetectors. The IR cut interference filter is configured to filter infrared light from light received by the light sensor to…
LIGHT SENSOR HAVING TRANSPARENT SUBSTRATE WITH LENS FORMED THEREIN
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187515
Light sensor devices are described that have a glass substrate, which includes a lens to focus light over a wide variety of angles, bonded to the light sensor device. In one or more implementations, the light sensor devices include a substrate having a photodetector formed therein. The photodetector is capable of detecting light and providing a signal in response thereto. The sensors also include one or more color filters disposed over the photodetector. The color filters are configured…
