Thermal management of thermal sensor in a mobile device
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10371578
A mobile thermal sensor system, a mobile device case, and a process for fabricating a mobile thermal sensor system are described that include using a heat spreader (e.g., a heat sink). In an implementation, the mobile thermal sensor system includes a substrate configured to support an electrical component; a thermal detector package coupled to the substrate, the thermal detector package including a first thermopile, a second thermopile, and a reference temperature detector; and a heat…
Gated physiologial monitoring system and method
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10362999
Gated physiological monitoring systems and methods are described that utilize a photoplethysmogram (PPG) monitoring device and another (different) physiological monitoring device, where the PPG monitoring device is operated based on timing information obtained from the other physiological monitoring device. In some implementations, control circuitry can be configured to operate the PPG monitoring device based on timing information from a physiological waveform detected by the…
Switching circuits having multiple operating modes and associated methods
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10348095
A method for controlling a switching circuit including an input port electrically coupled to a photovoltaic device and an output port electrically coupled to a load includes (1) entering a voltage limiting operating mode and (2) in the voltage limiting operating mode (i) causing a control switching device of the switching circuit to repeatedly switch between its conductive and non-conductive states in a manner which limits magnitude of an output voltage to a maximum voltage value, the…
Method and apparatus for multi-phase DC-DC converters using coupled inductors in discontinuous conduction mode
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10326369
A converter includes first and second coupled inductors. A first phase includes first high side and low side switches connected to the first inductor. A second phase includes second high side and low side switches connected to the second inductor. In discontinuous conduction mode, the controller determines, in response to the first high side switch being turned on and the second low side switch being turned off, that coupling between the first and second inductors is strong or weak based…
Precision alignment unit for semiconductor trays
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10317460
A precision alignment unit and techniques are described that include a tray assembly configured to be used in a testing system, where the tray assembly includes at least one pocket formed in the tray assembly, the pocket configured to contain an integrated circuit chip, and at least one pin pass-through, and a device positioning unit including at least one alignment device configured to extend through the at least one pin pass-through. In implementations, a process for using the…
Wafer level package device formed using a wafer level lead frame on a carrier wafer having a similar coefficient of thermal expansion as an active wafer
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10304758
Techniques for forming a wafer level package device are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the techniques include forming a wafer level lead frame on a carrier wafer and electrically connecting the wafer level lead frame to an active semiconductor wafer. The carrier wafer and the active semiconductor wafer have at least substantially the same coefficients of thermal expansion. The carrier wafer can be removed from the wafer level package device, and a number of connectors can be…
Apparatus and method for protecting real-time safety and security relevant video data
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10304150
A system for generating and detecting watermarks within a video frame (e.g., video content) is described to determine whether a data interruption has occurred. In one or more implementations, the system includes a generation module communicatively coupled to a video source and a watermark detection module configured to receive a plurality of video watermarks. The watermarking detection module is configured to determine whether a watermark embedded in a current (e.g., a second) video…
Integrated transformers and coupled inductors and associated systems and methods
Granted: May 21, 2019
Patent Number:
10297379
A switching power converter includes an integrated transformer and coupled inductor, first and second primary switching circuits, and a master controller. The integrated transformer and coupled inductor includes (a) first and second primary windings electrically coupled in series and (b) first and second secondary windings. The first and second primary switching circuits are electrically coupled to an end of the first primary winding and an end of the second primary winding,…
Method and apparatus for protecting radio frequency power amplifiers
Granted: May 21, 2019
Patent Number:
RE47399
A power amplifier protection system to sense one or more operating conditions of a power amplifier and regulate the power of the input signal to the power amplifier as a response to one or more of the sensed operating conditions. This dynamic protection system may protect a power amplifier from failure by monitoring such operating conditions as power output and temperature and reducing the amplitude of the input signal if the power amplifier is operating beyond specified levels.
Systems and methods to improve energy efficiency using adaptive mode switching
Granted: May 14, 2019
Patent Number:
10289186
Various embodiments of the invention allow to dynamically transition between clock-driven and even-driven circuit elements to enable automatic multi-mode operation to enable low-power and high-throughput applications. In certain embodiments, dynamic transitioning is accomplished through a mode control unit that evaluates input data from a number of sources to determine whether to initiate a transition. Certain embodiments take advantage of dynamic transitioning to allow for energy…
Remote tuner clock distribution using serializer/deserializer technology
Granted: May 7, 2019
Patent Number:
10284277
A communication system includes a first radio module and a second radio module. The first radio module includes a tuner communicatively coupled to a reference signal generator that is configured to generate a first reference signal for the tuner. The first radio module further includes a serializer configured to serialize a signal output by the tuner. The second radio module includes a deserializer configured to receive a serialized version of the signal from the serializer of the first…
Configurable bidirectional transceiver for full-duplex serial link communication system
Granted: April 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10277380
A configurable transceiver includes a first transmitter, an edge rate controller, a second transmitter, a subtractor, a bandwidth controller and a main controller. The first transmitter is configured to generate a first signal for transmission via a transmission link. The second transmitter is configured to generate a replica signal associated with the first signal. The edge rate controller is communicatively coupled to the first and/or second transmitter and is configured to control an…
Direct measurement of an input signal to a loudspeaker to determine and limit a temperature of a voice coil of the loudspeaker
Granted: April 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10271151
Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for providing temperature limiting for a voice coil of a speaker. The system and method provide the aforementioned temperature limiting based upon monitoring (e.g., measurement) of an amplifier output signal provided to the speaker. Providing the aforementioned temperature limiting promotes improved protection for the speaker.
LDMOS transistors and associated systems and methods
Granted: April 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10269916
A lateral double-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor includes a silicon semiconductor structure, first and second gate structures, and a trench dielectric layer. The first and second gate structures are disposed on the silicon semiconductor structure and separated from each other in a lateral direction. The trench dielectric layer is disposed in a trench in the silicon semiconductor structure and extends at least partially under each of the first and second gate…
Method and apparatus for monitoring electromechanical device performance and reliability
Granted: April 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10257959
Methods and apparatus for monitoring air cooling fans including, by way of non-limiting examples, the determination of an upper and lower boundary limit of acceptable fan operation, sends a control signal to a fan being monitored, measures the fan rotation rate or fan power consumption subsequent to sending the control signal; and issues an alarm if the measured fan rotation rate is above the upper boundary limit or below the lower boundary limit.
Low-profile coupled inductors with leakage control
Granted: April 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10256031
A low-profile coupled inductor includes a magnetic core and first and second windings. The magnetic core includes first and second end flanges, a winding form element, a first outer plate, and a first leakage post. The winding form element is disposed between and connects the first and second end flanges in a first direction. The first outer plate is disposed over and faces the first and second end flanges in a second direction. The first leakage post is disposed between the winding form…
Wearable device for using human body as input mechanism
Granted: March 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10234952
The invention relates to wearable devices for sensing gestures. A watch, which is a wearable device, includes an ultrasonic system that has an ultrasonic transducer and one or more sensors and measures the location of a finger on the back of the user's hand. Using the ultrasonic system, it is possible to use the back of the hand as an extension to the screen display of the watch. The watch can be used as a motion detector and interface with various types of mobile devices, such as…
Mobile integrated electrode multifunction sensor and method
Granted: March 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10231629
An integrated multifunction sensor, a mobile integrated sensor device, and process are described that include a sensor, where the sensor is used primarily for a first purpose other than as an electrode. In an implementation, an integrated multifunction sensor includes a multifunction sensor configured as a sensor and a first electrode, the multifunction sensor including a lid coupled to a first side of the sensor, where the lid includes a semi-conductive material, and an analog device…
Systems and methods for DC power line communication in a photovoltaic system
Granted: March 12, 2019
Patent Number:
10230427
A method for direct current power line communication in a photovoltaic system includes (a) transferring power between a photovoltaic device and a load using a power line, (b) detecting a change in operation of the power line, and (c) in response to the detected change in operation of the power line, decoding operating state of the power line to obtain information. A method for direct current power line communication in a photovoltaic system includes (a) transferring power between a…
Device and method for monitoring body hydration
Granted: February 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10206619
A device configured to furnish hydration monitoring employs a method using multiple different wavelengths of light transmitted into a human body part, each wavelength being input at a given respective input intensity. Respective output intensities of respective ones of the multiple wavelengths can be measured, upon transmission thereof through the human body part. The corresponding input intensity and the corresponding output intensity for the respective ones of the transmitted…
