Systems and methods for detecting and thwarting unauthorized access and hostile attacks on secured systems
Granted: April 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8434158
Various embodiments of the present invention relates to systems, devices and methods of detecting tampering and preventing unauthorized access by incorporating programmability and randomness into a process of coupling, driving and sensing conductive wires that are arranged above sensitive areas in a secured system. Such a tampering detection system comprises a security mesh network, a random number generator, a security controller and a security monitor. The security mesh network…
Nonlinear and concurrent digital control for a highly digital phase-locked loop
Granted: April 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8432197
A phase-locked loop circuitry includes an oscillator circuitry having an input and an output. A phase detector circuit is connected to the output of the oscillator circuitry and has outputs thereof. A digital loop filter circuit is connected to the outputs of the phase detector circuitry and has outputs thereof. The outputs of the digital loop filter circuit are coupled, through a summing circuit, to the input of the oscillator circuitry. Values associated with the outputs of the digital…
2-phase threshold detector based circuits
Granted: April 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8432192
A switched capacitor circuit includes a threshold detector to generate a threshold detection signal when a difference between first and second input signals crosses a predetermined level. A coarse current source produces a coarse ramp. A series sampling capacitor samples a coarse output voltage when the threshold detector indicates a first threshold crossing. The sampling capacitor is connected in series with a fine current source producing a fine ramp.
Microgyroscope
Granted: April 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8429970
A microgryroscope for determining rotational movements about an x, y or z axis. At least one anchor is fastened to a substrate. A plurality of, in particular four, masses that oscillate radially with respect to the anchor are fastened to the anchor by springs. Drive elements are used to vibrate at least individual ones of the masses in an oscillatory manner in the x or y direction in order to produce Coriolis forces when the substrate is deflected. Sensor elements are used to detect…
Low noise bandgap references
Granted: April 16, 2013
Patent Number:
8421433
Low noise bandgap voltage references using a cascaded sum of bipolar transistor cross coupled loops. These loops are designed to provide the total PTAT voltage necessary for one and two bandgap voltage references. The PTAT voltage noise is the square root of the sum of the squares of the noise voltage of each transistor in the loops. The total noise of the reference can be much lower than approaches using two or 4 bipolar devices to get a PTAT voltage and then gaining this PTAT voltage…
Receiver with intermediate frequency error correction
Granted: April 2, 2013
Patent Number:
8411799
A receiver having an intermediate frequency error correction circuit includes a mixer having a source input, a local oscillator input, and an IF output, an adjustable frequency local oscillator having an output coupled to the local oscillator input of the mixer, an IF filter having an input coupled to the IF output of the mixer and an IF filtered output, where the IF filter has an IF filter frequency response, and control circuitry coupled to the local oscillator such that the frequency…
Light sensor using wafer-level packaging
Granted: March 26, 2013
Patent Number:
8405115
The present invention provides systems, devices and methods for fabricating miniature low-power light sensors. With the present invention, a light sensitive component, such as a diode, is fabricated on the front side of a silicon wafer. Connectivity from the front side of the wafer to the back side of the wafer is provided by a through silicon via. Solder bumps are then placed on the back side of the wafer to provide coupling to a printed circuit board. The techniques described in the…
Non-linear PWM controller for DC-to-DC converters
Granted: March 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8400130
A controller for switching power supplies includes a nonlinear controller component capable of providing a duty cycle to a pulse width modulator. The duty cycle corresponds to at least one predetermining switching power supply state variable. A nonlinear controller component receives as inputs at least one predetermined switching power supply state variable. A relationship between duty cycle and at least one predetermined switching power supply state variable is obtained by a…
Non-linear PWM controller
Granted: March 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8395365
In one embodiment, the controller of these teachings includes a nonlinear controller component capable of providing an amplitude determining input signal to a control signal providing component, the control signal providing component providing output having a predetermined amplitude substantially over one time interval from a number of time intervals or output having a predetermined average amplitude substantially over one time interval from a number of time intervals, the amplitude…
Low distortion MOS attenuator
Granted: March 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8390359
An attenuation circuit uses a voltage controlled variable resistance transistor as a signal attenuator for receivers operating in the zero Hz to about 30 MHz range. The transistor functions in the linear region to linearize the transistor resistance characteristics used for signal attenuation. In an exemplary application, the attenuation circuit is used as an RF attenuator for AM radio broadcast receivers and amplifiers with automatic gain control. Multiple attenuation circuits can be…
Synchronization of a generated clock
Granted: March 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8391105
A real time clock circuit is provided that has an onboard oscillator continuously providing an internal clock frequency, which is digitally synchronized to a more accurate reference clock frequency. An exemplary real time clock inhibits synchronization of the internal clock frequency when the reference clock is unavailable or if the reference clock's frequency is outside of a defined accuracy range.
Current mirror and current cancellation circuit
Granted: February 26, 2013
Patent Number:
8384443
Techniques are described to mirror currents and subtract currents accurately. In an implementation, a circuit includes a first current source coupled to a first node to provide a current IPD1 and a current mirror coupled to the first node through a first switch T1 to provide a current IREF1. In a closed configuration, the current IREF1 flows from the current mirror into the first node. A sigma delta modulator controls the switch T1 such that over a period of time an average current…
Determining initial pre-bias in a switch-mode controller for a buck converter device
Granted: February 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8378655
A switch-mode controller, buck converter or DC to DC step-down regulated voltage converter that senses an initial pre-bias voltage at initialization and adjust a duty cycle of the switching frequency to help minimize an output voltage transient at initialization or power-on reset.
Offset cancellation for sampled-data circuits
Granted: February 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8373489
A comparator based circuit with effective offset cancellation includes first and second amplifiers and an offset capacitor operatively connected to the first and second amplifiers. An offset voltage source generates an offset voltage. A first switch connects the offset voltage source to ground during a first time period. The first amplifier generates an output voltage in response to the first switch connecting the offset voltage source to ground during the first time period. A second…
Programmable frequency synthesizer with I/Q outputs
Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8368436
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, devices and method of frequency synthesis that generate in-phase and quadrature-phase clock signals at a programmable frequency. The generated frequency, which can range from a fraction to multiples of the input reference frequency, is generated by dividers following a phase-locked loop, thus avoiding the use of a low input reference frequency as well as frequency doubling.
Apparatus and method for monitoring output within a power strip
Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8368379
The present disclosure describes a PDU configured to reduce the risk of an abrupt interruption in the flow of electricity caused by a malfunctioning load or overloading of a PDU output connection. In some embodiments, a PDU is configured to enable the monitoring and control of electricity provided to one or more loads coupled to the PDU. In some embodiments, a PDU is configured to enable remote monitoring and reporting through the use of communication devices.
Circuit and method for optimizing dynamic range in a digital to analog signal path
Granted: January 29, 2013
Patent Number:
8362936
A circuit for maximizing dynamic range in a digital to analog signal path comprises an input for receiving an input signal, a first gain stage coupled to the input having a first gain setting, an second gain stage coupled to the first gain stage, the second gain stage having an second gain setting, a controller configured to selectively increase the first gain setting and decrease the second gain setting according to the input signal level and an output coupled to the second gain stage…
RMS detector with automatic gain control
Granted: January 22, 2013
Patent Number:
8358166
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for detecting the RMS value of a signal. The RMS detector uses multiple variable-gain stages and internal gain control to generate an RMS output signal based on an arbitrary signal input. This RMS detector significantly reduces the signal swings seen on a squarer within prior art RMS detectors and reduces the detector's dependency on DC offsets at low signal levels and overload errors at high signal levels. The…
USB dedicated charger identification circuit
Granted: January 22, 2013
Patent Number:
8358100
In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a USB dedicated charger identification circuit includes a USB D+ port, a USB D? port, a first circuit conforming to a first identification protocol, a second circuit conforming to a second identification protocol, and logic selectively coupling one of the first circuit and the second circuit to the USB D+ port and the USB D? port. In an alternate embodiment set forth by way of example and not limitation, a method to…
Micromechanical rate-of-rotation sensor
Granted: January 15, 2013
Patent Number:
8353212
A micromechanical rate-of-rotation sensor for detecting a rate of rotation about a sense axis includes a substrate, a detection unit, means for generating a rotational oscillation of the detection unit about a drive axis which is orthogonal to the sense axis, and a central suspension means rotatably coupling the detection unit to the substrate in a fulcrum of the detection unit. The central suspension means is configured to permit the detection unit to perform a detection movement about…
