Method and apparatus for multi-phase DC-DC converters using coupled inductors in discontinuous conduction mode
Granted: May 8, 2018
Patent Number:
9966853
The present disclosure eliminates the unwanted conduction of the body diode of the low side switch or the unwanted conduction of the low side switch in coupled phases of DC-DC converters operating in DCM to increase efficiency. Specifically, in one implementation, by detecting strong or weak coupling, the present disclosure eliminates body diode conduction in strong coupling by turning on the low side switch and eliminates negative body diode current in weak coupling by turning off the…
Wafer-level package device
Granted: May 8, 2018
Patent Number:
9966350
Wafer-level package semiconductor devices are described that have a smallest distance between two adjacent attachment bumps smaller than about twenty-five percent (25%) of a pitch between the two adjacent attachment bumps. The smallest distance between the two adjacent attachment bumps allows for an increase in the number of attachment bumps per area without reducing the size of the bumps, which increases solder reliability. The increased solder reliability may reduce stress to the…
Detecting and thwarting backside attacks on secured systems
Granted: May 8, 2018
Patent Number:
9965652
Security devices for protecting ICs from backside security attacks. A security device includes an N? well formed in a substrate, a P+ center disposed in the central region of the N? well, and a P+ ring surrounding the N? well. To prevent latchup, a pair of inner and outer N+ rings is formed in the N? well. When a current source is applied to the P+ center, the current flows through a portion of the substrate and is picked up by the P+ ring. When an attacker mills the substrate or makes a…
MIMO antenna leakage canceller system
Granted: May 1, 2018
Patent Number:
9960803
A system includes a first duplexer that receives samples of a signal transmitted from a first transmit portion of a communication device and outputs a filtered signal based on sampled transmitted signal. A first modulator adjusts the filtered signal based on at least one of a phase, amplitude, and delay of leakage associated with the transmitted signal. The leakage corresponds to leakage from the first transmit portion of the communication device to a first receive portion of the…
Integrated defibrillation pulse protector
Granted: April 17, 2018
Patent Number:
9948091
Silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) based circuit for ECG protection under defibrillator pulse is disclosed. The SCR-based clamp is a symmetric structure for dual-direction voltage tolerance protection based on two anti-series P-well/N-well lateral blocking junctions isolated from P-substrate by the N-buried layer. The injector regions (n+/p+) are substantially lengthened in order to accommodate a larger number of contact rows than typically used for ESD pulses specification. A stack of…
Power adaptive dual mode card emulation system for NFC and RFID application
Granted: March 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9929779
An adaptive dual mode card emulation system (in Card Emulation Mode or PICC design) within an NFC device is disclosed to solve the strong field power delivering issue and also achieve longer communication range. The NFC device may be a NFC tag or an electronic device (such as a smartphone) operated in a card emulation mode. The NFC device comprises an antenna used for wireless communication. The adaptive dual mode card emulation system comprises a passive load modulation (PLM) module, an…
IR thermopile sensor with temperature reference formed in front-end process
Granted: March 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9929333
An infrared thermopile sensor, an electronic device, and a method for fabricating an infrared thermopile sensor using a front-end process that employ example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure are described herein. In an implementation, the infrared thermopile sensor includes a silicon substrate that has been implanted during front-end processing to form an implant region; a passivation layer disposed on a first side of the silicon substrate, where the passivation layer…
Temperature sensor calibration of an entire wafer in a liquid bath
Granted: March 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9927308
A system for calibrating sensors in a wafer is provided. The system includes a container for containing liquid and configured to accommodate the wafer in the liquid; a temperature controller for controlling a temperature of the liquid; and an electrical connection mechanism for receiving electrical signals to the sensors when the temperature of the liquid reaches a preset level during operation. The system also includes a device that receives the signals from the sensors and calibrates…
Thermopile temperature sensor field of view narrowing using integrated light blocking layer and lens
Granted: March 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9917242
A sensor device, a sensor package, and method for fabricating a sensor device are described that include an integrated light blocker disposed on the thermopile device and a lens configured to direct light to the thermopile device. In an implementation, the thermopile device includes a substrate; a thermopile membrane disposed on the substrate, the thermopile membrane including at least one passivation layer; a thermopile disposed within the thermopile membrane, the thermopile including…
System and method for wide-band adaptive equalization and eye opening monitoring with link quality detection
Granted: March 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9912470
A method for assessing link quality includes detecting an eye opening of a transmission link. The detected eye opening of the transmission link is compared with a threshold eye opening or at least one previously detected eye opening. A link quality of the transmission link is assessed based upon a comparison of the eye opening with the threshold eye opening or the at least one previously detected eye opening.
Precise accurate measurement of the administration of drugs using the injection method by means of ultrasonic pulse-echo principles
Granted: March 6, 2018
Patent Number:
9907902
A dosage control system includes a syringe and a dosage control module. The syringe includes a barrel and a plunger. The plunger includes a plunger seal located within the barrel and the barrel includes an end configured to connect to a needle. The dosage control module measures a first distance between the plunger seal and the end of the barrel, measures at least one second distance between the plunger seal and the end of the barrel, determines whether a predetermined amount of…
Universal direct docking at probe test
Granted: February 27, 2018
Patent Number:
9903885
Techniques are described to provide a universal direct docking tester to prober interface between the test head and a prober of semiconductor wafer prober for testing die within semiconductor wafers. In an implementation, a universal direct docking tester to prober interface includes a tray assembly configured to be mounted within an opening of the prober housing and a stiffener assembly configured to be mounted to a test head to support a load board PCB that includes a probe head. The…
Method and system for quadrature error compensation
Granted: February 20, 2018
Patent Number:
9897460
The present invention concerns an MEMS sensor and a method for compensation of a quadrature error on an MEMS sensor, which is intended for detection of movements of a substrate, especially accelerations and/or rotation rates. At least one mass arranged on the substrate and mounted to move relative to it is driven by means of drive electrodes. The mass/es execute a movement deviating from the prescribed movement due to a quadrature error. A deflection of the mass/es occurring due to…
Multi-level step-up converter topologies, control and soft start systems and methods
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9893622
A multi-level, step-up converter circuit includes an inductor including one terminal in communication with an input voltage supply. N transistor pairs are connected in series, where N is an integer greater than one. First and second transistors of a first pair of the N transistor pairs are connected together at a node. The node is in communication with another terminal of the inductor. Third and fourth transistors of a second pair of the N transistor pairs are connected to the first and…
System including distance sensor for non-contact temperature sensing
Granted: February 13, 2018
Patent Number:
9891110
A system includes a temperature sensor and a distance sensor. The distance sensor provides an indication of distance between the temperature sensor and an object to be measured. By determining the distance between the temperature sensor and the object, the system determines whether the object is sufficiently close to the temperature sensor to make an accurate temperature measurement, such as by determining whether the object completely fills the field of view of the sensor. In an…
Methods for multi-phase voltage regulator control
Granted: January 30, 2018
Patent Number:
9882483
A method of regulating voltage includes closing first and second switching devices during first and second periods in response to first and second signals, respectively. The first and second switching devices open and close to connect and disconnect first ends of first and second inductors of first and second phases of a voltage regulator to and from an input voltage, respectively. The method includes selectively generating one of the first and second signals when a third signal is in a…
Light sensor with vertical diode junctions
Granted: January 30, 2018
Patent Number:
9882075
Light sensors are described that include a trench structure integrated therein. In an implementation, the light sensor includes a substrate having a dopant material of a first conductivity type and multiple trenches disposed therein. The light sensor also includes a diffusion region formed proximate to the multiple trenches. The diffusion region includes a dopant material of a second conductivity type. A depletion region is created at the interface of the dopant material of the first…
High voltage switching output driver
Granted: January 23, 2018
Patent Number:
9876494
A high voltage output driver circuit includes a first regulator having a first input, a second input, and an output coupled to the second input, a second regulator having a first input, a second input and an output, a driver having a first signal input, a second signal input, a first control input coupled to the output of the first regulator, a second control input coupled to the output of the second regulator, a first control output, and a second control output, a first power transistor…
System and methods for multi-input switching regulator
Granted: January 2, 2018
Patent Number:
9857819
Various embodiments of the invention provide for a multi-input switch regulator that is controlled to selectively receive power from one of multiple power sources in order to extend the range of available battery voltages at which the regulator can operate. Certain embodiments accomplish this by using an internal adaptive control circuit to coordinate multiple high-side switches to operate with a low-side switch to generate a desired output voltage.
Secure payments with untrusted devices
Granted: January 2, 2018
Patent Number:
9858560
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a point-of-sale (POS) system, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of making secure payments using a mobile device in addition to a POS terminal that may be an insecure payment device exposed to various tamper attempts under certain circumstances. The mobile device is involved in a trusted transaction between a central financial entity, e.g., a bank, and the payment terminal, such that the insecure payment terminal…
