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.
Photopatternable glass micro electrochemical cell and method
Granted: December 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9851327
A micro electrochemical cell, a micro electrochemical gas sensor, and a method for fabrication of the micro electrochemical cell are described that include a photopatternable glass substrate, two or more embedded electrodes integrated with through-glass vias, and a gas-permeable membrane lid. In an implementation, a micro electrochemical cell includes a photopatternable glass substrate; at least one recess formed in the photopatternable glass substrate; a plurality of through-glass vias…
Thermopile temperature sensor with a reference sensor therein
Granted: December 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9851258
A sensor package having a thermopile sensor and a reference thermopile sensor disposed therein. In one or more implementations, the sensor package includes a substrate, a thermopile sensor disposed over the substrate, a reference thermopile sensor disposed over the substrate, and a lid assembly disposed over the thermopile sensor and the reference thermopile sensor. The lid assembly includes a transparent structure that passes electromagnetic radiation occurring in a limited spectrum of…
Fully integrated gas concentration sensor
Granted: December 26, 2017
Patent Number:
9851250
A gas concentration sensor is includes an integrated die-form electromagnetic radiation source and an integrated die-form infrared detector. In one or more implementations, the gas concentration sensor includes a package substrate defining at least one aperture, a gas permeable mesh coupled to the package substrate and covering at least a portion of the at least one aperture, a die-form electromagnetic radiation source positioned in an interior region of the package substrate, a die-form…
Ambient temperature measurement sensor
Granted: December 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9846083
A sensor package can have a reference thermopile sensor and a reference temperature sensor disposed therein to determine an ambient temperature. In one or more implementations, the sensor package includes a substrate having a substrate surface, a reference thermopile sensor disposed over the substrate surface, a reference temperature sensor disposed over the substrate surface, and a lid assembly disposed over the thermopile sensor and the reference thermopile sensor. The lid assembly…
Single-input multiple-output inverting and non-inverting buck/boost switching regulator control method and apparatus
Granted: December 5, 2017
Patent Number:
9837901
A system includes an inductor having first and second terminals. First and second transistors have first terminals connected to the first and second terminals of the inductor, respectively, and second terminals connected to a power supply and a common potential, respectively. Third and fourth transistors have first terminals connected to the first and second terminals of the inductor, respectively, and second terminals providing first and second output voltages of first and second…
Enhanced board level reliability for wafer level packages
Granted: December 5, 2017
Patent Number:
9837368
A wafer level package device, electronic device, and fabrication methods for fabrication of the wafer level package device are described that include forming an exposed lead tip on the wafer level package for providing a solder buttress structure when coupling the wafer level package device to another electrical component. In implementations, the wafer level package device includes at least one integrated circuit die, a metal pad, a first dielectric layer, a redistribution layer, a…
Device verification system with firmware universal verification component
Granted: December 5, 2017
Patent Number:
9836372
A device verification system includes a device under test (DUT) including digital logic and a plurality of digital memories coupled to the digital logic; a plurality of hardware Verification Intellectual Property (VIP) modules coupled to the DUT to verify hardware of the DUT; and a plurality of software VIP modules coupled to the DUT to verify firmware of the DUT. A method for verifying the functionality of a device under test includes automatically developing code segments representing…
Dual galvanic isolation barriers and monitoring systems and methods
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9829531
A system includes a first galvanic isolator, a second galvanic isolator, a sensor, and a monitoring module. The first galvanic isolator includes a first electrical insulator. The second galvanic isolator is connected in series with the first galvanic isolator and includes a second electrical insulator. The sensor generates a first output signal based on an electrical characteristic of one of the first and second electrical insulators. The monitoring module, based on the first output…
Tamper detection systems and methods for industrial and metering devices not requiring a battery
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9832027
Embodiments of the invention prevent unauthorized access to electronic systems by providing an enclosure with improved intrusion detection around sensitive areas of a secured electronic system. Certain embodiments eliminate the need for constant battery power and yet provide uninterrupted high-security supervision at the device perimeter such that even following a power down event it is possible to determine whether a device has been tampered with, so that appropriate action can be…
Mobile UV sterilization device and method
Granted: November 28, 2017
Patent Number:
9827340
A mobile sterilization assembly, a mobile sterilization device, and method for sterilization using a mobile sterilization device are described for providing a low-cost and compact sterilization system using an ultraviolet light-emitting diode for sterilization. In an implementation, a mobile sterilization assembly includes a sterilization assembly couplable to a mobile device with a controller, the sterilization assembly including at least one light dispersive element; and an optical…
Gas characterization system having a preconcentrator
Granted: November 21, 2017
Patent Number:
9823211
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a gas sensor system and methods of analyzing data therefrom. In embodiments, a gas sensor system includes one or more gas preconcentrator modules and one or more gas sensor modules. Each gas preconcentrator module includes a substrate that has a top surface having a gas adsorbent material attached to the top surface and has an electrical heater element for heating each preconcentrator module to release adsorb gases to the sensor. The gas sensor modules…
Power factor correction in and dimming of solid state lighting devices
Granted: November 7, 2017
Patent Number:
9814110
An apparatus and method provides a driver circuit that provides for power factor correction (PFC) to a load, such as a solid-state lighting (SSL) device, such as, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) or an array or cluster of LEDs. A programmable reference is provided in the circuit to operate in a fixed frequency peak current mode control (FFPCMC) or in a fixed frequency average current mode control (FFACMC). A driver circuit is employed to operate the SSL device using power…
Wafer level device and method with cantilever pillar structure
Granted: October 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9806047
A wafer level package, electronic device including the wafer level package, and fabrication methods are described that include forming a cantilever pillar design as a portion of the wafer level package and/or a segmented solder connection for preventing and reducing connection stress and increasing board level reliability. In implementations, the wafer level device that employs example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure includes at least a section of a processed…
Method and apparatus for current sensing and measurement
Granted: October 31, 2017
Patent Number:
9804629
A method and apparatus for current sensing and measurement employs two cascaded MOSFET current mirrors, wherein the mirrored current leaving the first current mirror is fed to the input of the second current mirror. Each current mirror contains a high current MOSFET and a low current MOSFET, connected source-to-source and gate-to-gate. The MOSFETs are matched so that drain-to-source current flowing in the high current MOSFET is proportional to the drain-to-source current flowing in the…
State based full and empty control for rechargeable batteries
Granted: October 17, 2017
Patent Number:
9791517
State based full and empty control for rechargeable batteries that will assure a uniform battery empty condition, even in the presence of a load on the battery. A fuel gauge provides a prediction of the open circuit voltage of the battery, and when the predicted open circuit voltage of the battery reaches the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty battery, the load is terminated, after which the battery will relax back to the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty…
Simple and high efficiency balancing circuits and methods for hybrid batteries
Granted: October 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9787118
A balancing circuits and methods for hybrid batteries having two different rechargeable batteries that are coupled in series includes coupling a fuel gauge to each battery to determine the state of charge of each battery, comparing the state of charge of the two batteries, and if the state of charge of the two batteries is more than a predetermined difference, then enabling a switching converter to source current to a node between the batteries or to sink current from the node between…
USB hubs with galvanic isolation
Granted: October 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9785598
A universal serial bus (USB) hub includes a USB AFE circuit module, a hub core and an isolator circuit module interposed between the USB AFE circuit module and the hub core. Data communications between the hub core and the first USB AFE circuit module pass through the isolator circuit module. A method for communicating through a universal serial bus hub includes providing a USB AFE circuit module, providing a hub core, providing an isolator circuit module interposed between the USB AFE…
System and method of estimating spectral contributions in ambient light and correcting field of view errors
Granted: October 3, 2017
Patent Number:
9778099
The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for estimating spectral contributions in ambient light. The present disclosure also describes systems, methods, and devices for compensating for field of view errors resulting from the user, contextual structures (e.g., buildings, trees, fixtures, or geological formations), atmospheric effects (e.g., ozone coverage, smog, fog, haze, or clouds), device structures, and/or device orientation/tilt relative to a light source being…
Method for portable sensor-less DC-DC converter control loops
Granted: October 3, 2017
Patent Number:
9780662
A portable control loop is provided for current sensing DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter includes a power circuit, an external circuit, a control circuit and a duty cycle integration circuit. The power circuit comprises at least one controllable switch to regulate current from an input voltage. The external circuit comprises at least one output inductor and a capacitor. The duty cycle integration circuit receives a voltage differential signal across the output inductor and generates…
