System and method for monitoring network devices incorporating authentication capable power supply modules
Granted: September 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10073990
A power supply module implemented within a first device and including a voltage regulator and an authentication module. The voltage regulator receives power from a power source and supplies the power to devices within the first device. The power source is separate from the power supply module. The authentication module includes a regulator module and a generation module. The regulator module controls operation of the voltage regulator based on operation in one of multiple operating…
Systems and methods for power transfer based on resonance coupling of inductors
Granted: September 4, 2018
Patent Number:
10068702
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a first resonator circuit that includes: a first switching device that connects and disconnects a supply voltage to and from a first node; a first inductor that is connected between the first node and a first ground potential; and a second inductor that is connected between the first node and the first ground potential. The IC also includes a second resonator circuit that includes: a third inductor that is inductively coupled to the first inductor…
Systems and methods for enhancing confidentiality via logic gate encryption
Granted: August 28, 2018
Patent Number:
10063231
Presented are systems and methods that allow hardware designers to protect valuable IP and information in the hardware domain in order to increase overall system security. In various embodiments of the invention this is accomplished by configuring logic gates of existing logic circuitry based on a key input. In certain embodiments, a logic function provides results that are dependent not only on input values but also on an encrypted logic key that determines connections for a given logic…
Techniques for adhesive control between a substrate and a die
Granted: August 21, 2018
Patent Number:
10056294
Semiconductor devices are described that employ techniques configured to control adhesive application between a substrate and a die. In an implementation, a sacrificial layer is provided on a top surface of the die to protect the surface, and bonds pads thereon, from spill-over of the adhesive. The sacrificial layer and spill-over adhesive are subsequently removed from the die and/or chip carrier. In an implementation, the die includes a die attach film (DAF) on a bottom surface of the…
Serial peripheral interface system with slave expander
Granted: August 21, 2018
Patent Number:
10055376
A serial peripheral interface system with a slave expander method and apparatus can include: receiving a data stream from a master device, the data stream beginning with an address; decoding the address as the data stream is being received; activating an independent slave select after the address is decoded and before a second portion of the data stream is received; and deactivating the independent slave select based on a slave select from the master device being deactivated.
Gesture detection and compact representation thereof
Granted: August 21, 2018
Patent Number:
10055024
Techniques are described that may be implemented with an electronic device to detect a gesture within a field of view of a sensor and generate a compact data representation of the detected gesture. In implementations, a sensor is configured to detect a gesture and provide a signal in response thereto. An estimator, which is in communication with the sensor, is configured to generate an elliptical representation of the gesture. Multiple coefficients for the compact representation of the…
Accessory management and data communication using audio port
Granted: August 14, 2018
Patent Number:
10051395
A method for accessory management and data communication between a portable electronic device and an accessory via audio port is disclosed. The method involves using a microphone line of the accessory in different communication modes including a MIC data mode and a power mode. In the MIC data mode, the MIC line disconnects from a microphone load to operate on a voltage above a predetermined threshold whenever the accessory needs to communicate with the host electronic device. In the MIC…
Peak detection in data stream
Granted: August 14, 2018
Patent Number:
10050727
Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for detecting a peak of an ultra-wide-band (UWB) signal in a data stream. The system (1100) for detecting a peak of an ultra-wide-band (UWB) signal (1120) in a data stream (102) includes: one or more processors (1001); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media (1002) comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors (1001), causes steps to be performed…
Devices for detecting ultra-wide band signals
Granted: August 14, 2018
Patent Number:
10050666
Embodiments of the present invention include systems for determining locations of UWB transmitters. The system (100) includes multiple UWB receivers (104) for receiving a UWB signal (120) emitted by a UWB transmitter (106). Each receiver (104) includes: RF amplifiers (306) arranged in a cascade structure, the RF amplifiers (306) receive and amplify the UWB signal; multiple baseband blocks (308), each of the baseband blocks is coupled to the corresponding RF amplifier (306) and taps an…
Low cost optical sensor package
Granted: August 7, 2018
Patent Number:
10043924
Optical sensor packages include a substrate assembly such as a leadframe or semiconductor substrate. One or more optical devices are mounted to the substrate assembly. One or more optical overlays are disposed (e.g., stacked) on the active side of the optical device(s), and mounted to the device(s) using an adhesive layer. In embodiments, the optical devices may comprise optical sensors (e.g., photodetector such as phototransistors or photodiodes), light sources (e.g., light emitting…
Soft start systems and methods for multi-level step-up converters
Granted: July 31, 2018
Patent Number:
10038365
A control circuit for a step-up converter includes a soft start module configured to control states of N transistor pairs of the step-up converter, where N is an integer greater than two. A driver module is in communication with the soft start module and configured to generate a first signal when N transistor pairs of the step-up converter are ready to switch. A first charging circuit is configured to charge (N-1) capacitors of the step-up converter to an input voltage of the step-up…
Fully capacitive coupled input choppers
Granted: July 24, 2018
Patent Number:
10033369
A method of differential signal transfer from a differential input Vinp and Vinn having a common mode input voltage that can be higher than the power supply voltage by providing an input chopper having first through fourth chopper transistors, each having a source, a drain and a gate, the input chopper having Vinp and Vinn as a differential input, providing an output chopper, capacitively coupling a differential output Voutp and Voutn of the input chopper to a differential input of the…
Three-dimensional chip-to-wafer integration
Granted: July 24, 2018
Patent Number:
10032749
An integrated circuit device is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate and a die attached to the semiconductor substrate. A conductive pillar is connected to at least one of the semiconductor substrate or the die. An overmold is molded onto the semiconductor substrate over the die, and the conductive pillar extends through the overmold.
Encryption-based security protection for processors
Granted: July 17, 2018
Patent Number:
RE46956
Methods, systems, and arrangements enable increased security for a processor, including by implementing block encryption. The block may include multiple instructions and/or operations to be executed by the processor. The block may also include multiple bytes that are read into the processor byte by byte. Once a block-wide encrypted buffer has been filled from an external memory source, the block may be decrypted using an encryption algorithm (e.g., the Data Encryption Standard (DES), the…
Backward compatible system and method for using 4P audio jack to provide power and signal to headset with active noise cancellation
Granted: July 10, 2018
Patent Number:
10021477
A backward compatible system and method for using 4P audio jack in an electronic device to provide power and signal to headset with active noise cancellation (ANC) as well as accessories that require an external power are disclosed. The method involves automatically deciding at the electronic device accessory type after accessory insertion detected and choosing proper accessory communication mode based at least on the decided accessory type and accessory input signal. The accessory…
Discharge circuits for discharging inductors with temperature protection
Granted: June 26, 2018
Patent Number:
10009021
A discharge circuit for demagnetizing an inductive load includes a first switch comprising a control terminal and first and second terminals. The first terminal is connected to a voltage supply. A second switch includes a control terminal and first and second terminals. The second terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of the second switch are connected to the inductive load. A third switch includes a control terminal and first and second terminals. The first terminal of…
Mobile electrochemical air quality meter
Granted: June 5, 2018
Patent Number:
9989492
According to various embodiments of this disclosure, an electrochemical sensor/cell includes a substrate with a cavity formed on a first side of the substrate, an ionic conductor is disposed within the cavity, and a lid assembly positioned over the cavity. The lid assembly may include a plurality of electrodes attached to a glass or ceramic panel. The glass or ceramic panel may have one or more apertures allowing gas to flow therethrough. The plurality of electrodes include a working…
Systems, methods and apparatus for voltage clamping
Granted: May 29, 2018
Patent Number:
9985633
A voltage clamping system includes: (a) a first electronic device connected to a first power source and having a signal output node, a voltage clamp high node, and a voltage clamp low node, wherein the voltage clamp high node and the voltage clamp low node are coupled to a second power source different than the first power source; and (b) a second electronic device powered by the second power source and having a signal input node coupled to the signal output node of the first electronic…
Mobile electrochemical air quality meter
Granted: May 29, 2018
Patent Number:
9983164
An electrochemical sensor assembly is disclosed. In some implementations, the electrochemical sensor assembly comprises at least one electrochemical sensor/cell including a substrate with a cavity formed on a first side of the substrate, an ionic conductor is disposed within the cavity, and a lid assembly positioned over the cavity. The lid assembly may include a plurality of electrodes and a gas permeable region positioned over the plurality of electrodes, where the plurality of…
Transmit/receive systems for imaging devices
Granted: May 15, 2018
Patent Number:
9971026
A transmit circuit outputs test pulses to a probe including a transducer to generate an image of a test object. A composite signal including the test pulses and a reflected signal is output by the transducer. A receive circuit receives the composite signal including the test pulses and the reflected signal and includes a filter circuit that filters the test pulses from the composite signal and passes the reflected signal. An impedance of the filter circuit is equal to substantially zero…
