Energy efficient, low distortion amplification apparatus
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9231538
An energy efficient, low distortion amplification apparatus includes: a differential amplifier having a pair of differential inputs, a pair of outputs, and a bias current control input; a digital delay having an n-bit word input and an m-bit word output; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to the output of the digital delay and a pair of differential outputs coupled to the pair of differential inputs of the differential amplifier; and a bias current controller…
Multi-die, high current wafer level package
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9230903
Wafer-level package semiconductor devices for high-current applications are described that have pillars for providing electrical interconnectivity. In an implementation, the wafer-level package devices include an integrated circuit chip having at least one pillar formed over the integrated circuit chip. The pillar is configured to provide electrical interconnectivity with the integrated circuit chip. The wafer-level package device also includes an encapsulation structure configured to…
Method for detecting gestures using a multi-segment photodiode and one or fewer illumination sources
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9229581
A gesture sensing device includes a multiple segmented photo sensor and a control circuit for processing sensed voltages output from the sensor. The control circuit processes the sensed voltage signals to determine target motion relative to the segmented photo sensor. The control circuit includes an algorithm configured to calculate one of more differential analog signals using the sensed voltage signals output from the segmented photo sensors. A vector is determined according to the…
Direct measurement of an input signal to a loudspeaker to determine and limit a temperature of a voice coil of the loudspeaker
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9226071
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.
Light sensor having transparent substrate with lens formed therein
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9224890
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…
Light sensor having transparent substrate and diffuser formed therein
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9224884
A light sensor is described that includes a glass substrate having a diffuser formed therein and at least one color filter integrated on-chip (i.e., integrated on the die of the light sensor). In one or more implementations, the light sensor comprises a semiconductor device (e.g., a die) that includes a semiconductor substrate. At least one photodetector (e.g., photodiode, phototransistor, etc.) is formed in the substrate proximate to the surface of the substrate. The color filter is…
Semiconductor device having a through-substrate via
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9224714
Semiconductor devices are described that include a via that extends only partially through the substrate. Through-substrate vias (TSV) furnish electrical interconnectivity to electronic components formed in the substrates. In implementations, the semiconductor devices are fabricated by first bonding a semiconductor wafer to a carrier wafer with an adhesive material. The semiconductor wafer includes an etch stop disposed within the wafer (e.g., between a first surface a second surface of…
Stabilizing reference voltage of switched capacitor circuits
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9223332
A system includes a switched capacitor circuit and a stabilizing circuit. The switched capacitor circuit receives a reference voltage from a reference node, transitions from a first state to a second state, and draws or supplies a switched capacitor charge from or to the reference node in response to transitioning from the first state to the second state. The second state is a function of the first state, an input of the switched capacitor circuit, or a combination of both. The…
Wafer-level package device having high-standoff peripheral solder bumps
Granted: December 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9219043
A wafer-level package device and techniques for fabricating the device are described that include a second integrated circuit chip electrically coupled to a base integrated circuit chip, where the second integrated circuit chip is placed on and connected to the base integrated circuit chip between multiple high-standoff peripheral pillars with solder bumps. In implementations, the wafer-level package device that employs example techniques in accordance with the present disclosure…
Symmetrical, direct coupled laser drivers
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9209599
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.…
Integrated monolithic galvanic isolator
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9209091
A semiconductor device is described that includes a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit formed on a semiconductor on insulator wafer. The semiconductor on insulator wafer has a layer of semiconducting material formed over a buried layer of insulating material formed over a supporting layer of material. A wide deep trench is formed in the semiconductor on insulator wafer to galvanically isolate the first electrical circuit from the second electrical circuit. The first…
Accelerometer with low sensitivity to thermo-mechanical stress
Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number:
9207254
The invention relates to a microelectro-mechanical structure (MEMS), and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of compensating effect of thermo-mechanical stress on a micro-machined accelerometer by incorporating and adjusting elastic elements to couple corresponding sensing electrodes. The sensing electrodes comprise moveable electrodes and stationary electrodes that are respectively coupled on a proof mass and a substrate. At least one elastic element is incorporated into…
Embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) package
Granted: December 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9202162
A radio frequency identification (RFID) device is described. In one or more implementations, the RFID device includes an integrated circuit (IC) die electrically connected to a radio frequency (RF) antenna winding for transmitting electronically stored information via the RF antenna winding. The RFID device also includes a substrate comprising a first core laminated to a second core. The RF antenna winding is routed through the first core and the second core. The first core defines a…
Integrated circuit with analog device fault detection
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9194884
An integrated circuit with analog device fault detection includes an integrated circuit die having an analog device, an on-line fault detector and a control circuit. The analog device has a power input, an analog device input and an analog device output and the on-line fault detector is coupled to at least one of the power input, the analog device input and the analog device output and has a fault detector output. The control circuit is coupled to the fault detector and responsive to the…
Digital signal sampling method
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9197399
A method for processing a received digital signal includes generating a clock signal used for sampling the received signal by comparator which compares the received signal to a reference. A phase shifter adjusts the phase of the first clock signal to maximize the vertical eye opening of the signal at the sampling time. The phase of the clock signal may be adjusted in a first direction and a measure of vertical eye opening of the signal compared to a previous measure. If the measure of…
Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor with reduced surface field folding
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196681
A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (LDMOSFET) includes a p-type body region formed in an n-type epitaxial layer, the p-type body region directly contacting a source contact region and extending past an end of the source contact region toward a drain contact region. The LDMOSFET also includes a p-type reduced surface field (PRSF) region formed in the n-type epitaxial layer, the PRSF region disposed between the p-type body region and the n-type buried…
Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor with reduced surface field folding
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196680
A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (LDMOSFET) includes: a source contact region, a gate contact region, a drain contact region, and an n-type buried layer. The LDMOSFET also includes a p-type body region formed in an n-type epitaxial layer, the p-type body region directly contacting the source contact region and extending past an end of the source contact region toward the drain contact region. The LDMOSFET also includes a p-type reduced surface field…
Semiconductor device having capacitor integrated therein
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196672
Semiconductor devices are described that include a capacitor integrated therein. In an implementation, the semiconductor devices include a substrate including a dopant material of a first conductivity type. A plurality of trenches are formed within the substrate. The semiconductor devices also include a diffusion region having dopant material of a second conductivity type formed proximate to the trenches. A capacitor is formed within the trenches and at least partially over the…
Semiconductor device having a die and through substrate-via
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196587
Semiconductor devices are described that have a through-substrate via formed therein. In one or more implementations, the semiconductor devices include a semiconductor wafer and an integrated circuit die bonded together with an adhesive material. The semiconductor wafer and the integrated circuit die include one or more integrated circuits formed therein. The integrated circuits are connected to one or more conductive layers deployed over the surfaces of the semiconductor wafer and an…
Method and apparatus for current sensing and measurement
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9195252
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…
