Constant slope ramp circuits for sampled-data circuits
Granted: October 23, 2012
Patent Number:
8294495
A circuit includes a level-crossing detector to generate a level-crossing detection signal when an input signal crosses a predetermined voltage level. A first stage set of capacitors is operatively coupled to the level-crossing detector. A ramp circuit is operatively coupled to the set of series-connected capacitors. A second stage set of capacitors is operatively coupled to the first stage set of capacitors and the ramp circuit. The ramp circuit includes a feedback capacitor and a…
Headset with microphone and wired remote control
Granted: October 16, 2012
Patent Number:
8290171
In an example embodiment a headset includes a phone jack, a speaker connected to the phone jack, a microphone coupled to the phone jack and a resistive switch string coupled to the phone jack to the same ring of the phone jack as the microphone. In another example an integrated circuit device includes a charge pump, a multi-voltage LDO having an input which is capable of being coupled to an output of the charge pump, an ADC; and a pull-up resistor coupled between an output of the LDO and…
Blind channel quality estimator
Granted: October 9, 2012
Patent Number:
8284825
An embodiment is a method and apparatus to estimate channel quality. An absolute processor computes absolute real and imaginary values of real and imaginary parts, respectively, of output of a demodulator. A phase count unit generates first and second phase counts representing deviations from zero phase noise using the absolute real and imaginary values. An amplitude count unit generates first and second amplitude counts representing attenuation of a received signal using the absolute…
Wafer-level packaged device having self-assembled resilient leads
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8278748
A wafer-level packaged semiconductor device is described. In an implementation, the device includes one or more self-assembled resilient leads disposed on an integrated circuit chip. Each of the resilient leads are configured to move from a first position wherein the resilient lead is held adjacent to the chip and a second position wherein the resilient lead is extended away from the chip to interconnect the chip to a printed circuit board. A guard is provided to protect the resilient…
Active parasite power circuit
Granted: October 2, 2012
Patent Number:
8278782
A circuit is provided that includes a parasitic power circuit that powers a parasitic circuit. The parasitic power circuit derives a supply voltage from an external AC or other signal suitable for use as a communications signal. A PMOS transistor or transistors is utilized to enable a supply voltage capacitor to charge substantially to the same voltage as the channel voltage of the communications signal.
Block interleaving scheme with configurable size to achieve time and frequency diversity
Granted: September 25, 2012
Patent Number:
8276025
An embodiment is a method and apparatus to interleave data. A demultiplexer demultiplexes an input packet having N bits into L sub-packets on L branches. M flipping blocks flip M of the L sub-packets. M is smaller than L. L sub-interleavers interleave the (L-M) sub-packets and the M flipped sub-packets. A concatenator concatenates the interleaved sub-packets to form an output packet.
Isolated current sensor with codec
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8271216
The present disclosure includes a power measurement, circuit breaker or integrated protection system including isolated analog-to-digital modulators for measuring current using current sensors, such as, for example, current shunts, in a single or multiphase power system. In one embodiment, the modulators are divided into a line-side device with an analog-to-digital modulator and a host-side device including a decimation filter and a processor. In one embodiment, an isolation barrier,…
System and method for transferring data from non-spread clock domain to spread clock domain
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8270552
An apparatus for transferring data in a non-spread domain to a spread domain. The apparatus comprises a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory; a write pointer generator adapted to generate a write pointer for writing data into the FIFO memory in response to a non-spread clock signal; a spread-clock generator adapted to generate a spread clock signal based on the non-spread clock signal; a read pointer generator adapted to generate a read pointer for reading data from the FIFO memory in…
Method and apparatus for applying accurate parameter estimation and efficient fade detection in weighted prediction for video compression
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8270483
A method to control weighted prediction for video compression. The method comprises (A) generating statistics based upon analysis of a plurality of video frames, (B) detecting a fade condition based upon the statistics, (C) generating one or more estimated weighted prediction parameters based upon the statistics when the fade condition is detected and (D) encoding the plurality of video frames. The encoding takes into account the estimated weighted prediction parameters when generated.
Bump I/O contact for semiconductor device
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8269345
A bump contact electrically connects a conductor on a substrate and a contact pad on a semiconductor device mounted to the substrate. The first end of an electrically conductive pillar effects electrical contact and mechanical attachment of the pillar to the contact pad with the pillar projecting outwardly from the semiconductor device. A solder crown reflowable at a predetermined temperature into effecting electrical contact and mechanical attachment with the conductor is positioned in…
Double layer photodiodes in ambient light sensors and proximity detectors
Granted: September 18, 2012
Patent Number:
8269172
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for detecting both ambient light and proximity to an object. This detection is performed by a double-layered photodiode array and corresponding circuitry such that ambient light and proximity detection are enabled by a plurality of integrated photodiodes. In various embodiments of the invention, ambient light is sensed using a first set of photodiodes and a second set of photodiodes such that a spectral response is…
Enhanced WLP for superior temp cycling, drop test and high current applications
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8264089
A WLP device is provided with a flange shaped UBM or an embedded partial solder ball UBM on top of a copper post style circuit connection.
Method and apparatus for detection of load impedance modulation in a transformer circuit
Granted: September 11, 2012
Patent Number:
8265174
A method and apparatus for detection of load impedance modulation as a result of communication of data from the secondary to the primary side of a transformer are presented. The load impedance on the secondary of the transformer barrier is modulated differentially using data to be communicated across the barrier. A detection circuit on the primary side isolates the load current from the magnetizing current in the primary. The load current is subsequently integrated over two consecutive…
Wafer level package (WLP) device having bump assemblies including a barrier metal
Granted: September 4, 2012
Patent Number:
8259464
WLP semiconductor devices include bump assemblies that have a barrier layer for inhibiting electromigration within the bump assemblies. In an implementation, the bump assemblies include copper posts formed on the integrated circuit chips of the WLP devices. Barrier layers formed of a metal such as nickel (Ni) are provided on the outer surface of the copper posts to inhibit electromigration in the bump assembly. Oxidation prevention caps formed of a metal such as tin (Sn) are provided…
Method and/or architecture for interlaced video resampling and color format conversion using combined vertical-temporal resolution extensions
Granted: August 28, 2012
Patent Number:
8253856
An apparatus including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a first control signal, a second control signal and a third control signal in response to a first interlaced video signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate a second interlaced video signal in response to the first interlaced video signal, the first control signal, the second control signal and the third control signal. The second circuit may be further configured…
Data slicer with multi-mode threshold generator
Granted: August 7, 2012
Patent Number:
8238477
In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a data slicer includes a signal input node, a comparator having a first input of a first polarity, a second input of a second polarity which is the opposite of the first polarity, and an output coupled to a data out node, the first input of the comparator being coupled to the signal input node, and a multi-mode threshold generator including a first threshold generator and second threshold generator, whereby the first…
Receiver with mixed-mode automatic gain control
Granted: July 17, 2012
Patent Number:
8223900
In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a receiver with automatic gain includes a receiver stage, an AGC stage, and a digital processor which collectively define an AGC loop. Preferably, the AGC stage has a control circuit and a feedback circuit with matched transfer characteristics. A digital processor is operative to develop a gain control signal to set a desired gain level of the receiver stage to an optimal level based upon a waveform analysis derived from…
Using multi-level pulse width modulated signal for real time noise cancellation
Granted: July 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8217820
A mixed signal processing circuit includes an analog to PWM converting circuit and a finite impulse response (FIR) filter having a multiple output tapped delay line and a summing and integration circuit. The mixed signal processing circuit converts an input analog signal to a PWM signal, forms a multi-level PWM signal from the PWM signal and one or more delayed versions of the PWM signal, and converts the multi-level PWM signal to an output analog signal. The analog to PWM converting…
Method, system and device for improving video quality through in-loop temporal pre-filtering
Granted: July 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8218655
A method, system and device are provided for pre-filtering device for filtering a video signal prior to digitally encoding. The method includes receiving at least one input picture and at least one reconstructed picture from an encoding process and performing an in-loop temporal filtering process using at least one input picture and at least one reconstructed picture from an encoding process to output a pre-filtered video signal for use in an encoding process. The result is enabling an…
Enhanced voltage-based fuel gauges and methods
Granted: June 19, 2012
Patent Number:
8203305
Enhanced voltage-based fuel gauges and methods that increase the accuracy of voltage-based fuel gauges and allow the use of voltage-based fuel gauges to detect current, and particularly excessive current from a battery without the use of a sense resistor. When used with a coulomb counter, the outputs of a voltage-based fuel gauge and a coulomb counter may be combined in a manner that allows the combination to provide better performance that either alone may provide. Various embodiments…
