BAW resonator bi-layer top electrode with zero etch undercut
Granted: October 13, 2009
Patent Number:
7600303
A method of fabricating a BAW piezoelectric resonator, the method comprising the steps of providing a bottom electrode and a piezoelectric layer coupled to the bottom electrode. A bottom metal layer is deposited on a top electrode on the piezoelectric layer. The bottom metal layer is patterned and etched. A top metal layer of the top electrode is deposited on the etched bottom metal layer. The top metal layer is patterned and layered such that the top metal layer completely covers the…
Harmonic termination of power amplifiers using BAW filter output matching circuits
Granted: October 6, 2009
Patent Number:
7598827
A system, apparatus and method for providing filtering functionality and impedance transformation within a BAW resonator network are disclosed. In particular, a BAW resonator network is designed to provide bandpass capability and a transformation between its input impedance and output impedance. By effectively integrating impedance matching functionality within the BAW resonator network, discrete impedance matching elements previously required within a system may be removed or reduced in…
Method and/or apparatus for detecting edges of blocks in an image processing system
Granted: September 15, 2009
Patent Number:
7590288
An apparatus comprising an edge detector circuit, an edge strength detector and an edge strength threshold circuit. The edge detector circuit may be configured to determine a plurality of default directions of a macroblock in response to a plurality of input signals comprising information about a plurality of samples in the macroblock. The edge strength detector circuit may be configured to generate a maximum strength signal and a next maximum strength signal in response to the default…
Impedance transformation and filter using bulk acoustic wave technology
Granted: September 8, 2009
Patent Number:
7586389
A system, apparatus and method for providing filtering functionality and impedance transformation within a BAW resonator network are disclosed. In particular, a BAW resonator network is designed to provide band pass capability and a transformation between its input impedance and output impedance. By effectively integrating impedance matching functionality within the BAW resonator network, discrete impedance matching elements previously required within a system may be removed or reduced…
Methods of contacting the top layer of a BAW resonator
Granted: July 28, 2009
Patent Number:
7567024
Methods of contacting the top layer in a BAW device by depositing a metal layer over the BAW device, patterning the metal layer so that the metal layer extends over and contacts the top electrode layer of the BAW device only at a plurality of spaced apart locations adjacent the periphery of the active resonator area, and has a common region laterally displaced from the top and bottom electrodes and electrically interconnecting the parts of the metal layer extending over and contacting…
System and method for modulation of non-data bearing carriers in a multi-carrier modulation system
Granted: July 21, 2009
Patent Number:
7564800
For one aspect of the invention, a method is described for mitigating power spectral density irregularities in a multi-carrier modulation environment. The method involves identifying at least one carrier of a plurality of carriers that is in a non-data bearing state. Thereafter, that carrier is modulated with random data.
Methods and apparatus to improve efficiency in cold cathode fluorescent light controllers
Granted: June 9, 2009
Patent Number:
7545369
Methods and apparatus to improve efficiency in cold cathode fluorescent light (CCFL) controllers using a full bridge resonant implementation. The secondary of a transformer drives the CCFL, with the primary of the transformer being driven through a capacitor from a full bridge. The bridge alternately and repetitively connects the capacitor and primary between power supply connections, across one of the power supply connections, between the power supply connections with an alternate…
Self-clocked two-level differential signaling methods and apparatus
Granted: May 19, 2009
Patent Number:
7535964
Self-clocked two-level differential signaling methods and apparatus assuring both clock synchronization and ease of recovery of transmitted data. In accordance with the method, the data is encoded differentially on a differential signal that changes polarity at the end of each bit time. This allows clock recovery at the receiver simply by detection of the polarity change. The data is encoded, bit by bit, as exceeding a predetermined magnitude for a bit of a given state and as not…
One or multiple-times programmable device
Granted: May 19, 2009
Patent Number:
7535758
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a one or multiple-times programmable memory device. A semiconductor may include an active region of a substrate, a thin oxide layer over a substrate, a first and second polysilicon layer, and a first and second metal layer. The first polysilicon layer may have a floating gate, the active region may be substantially perpendicular to the floating gate, and the second polysilicon layer may include a control gate. The first…
System and method for improving the dynamic performance of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)
Granted: May 19, 2009
Patent Number:
7535389
An apparatus and method for reducing distortion from an output of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In one implementation, the distortion being reduced is third order harmonic distortion caused by charge transfer effects and instantaneous output impedance drop during switching. Each of the embodiments includes a module adapted to generate a distortion correction signal being a function of the input digital signal, the full scale code of the DAC, the load resistance, the conversion…
Chopper stabilized amplifiers combining low chopper noise and linear frequency characteristics
Granted: May 19, 2009
Patent Number:
7535295
Chopper stabilized amplifiers combining low clock noise and linear frequency characteristics. The chopper stabilized amplifiers are used in offset correction circuitry, with the output of the chopper stabilized amplifiers being integrated by an integrator. The integrator operates on alternate cycles, with a sample and hold circuit sampling the integrator output when the integrator is not integrating, with the output of the sample and hold being coupled to the main amplification path to…
DC offset cancellation in a zero IF receiver
Granted: May 12, 2009
Patent Number:
7532873
This invention describes how to quickly cancel DC offsets that are present in the two quadrature paths of a zero intermediate frequency transceiver. Previously known techniques are not suitable for the 5 GHz WLAN standards because of the very short transmit to receive turn around times and extraordinarily large DC offsets in these systems. This invention solves the above problems. The present invention uses both AC and DC coupling along with automatic gain control techniques to remove…
Non-imprinting memory with high speed erase
Granted: April 28, 2009
Patent Number:
7525836
A memory cell includes a master cell storing first true/complement data and a slave cell storing second true/complement data. A first circuit associated with the slave cell is operable responsive to a first clock signal to copy first true/complement data from the master cell into the slave cell with same state to be the second true/complement data. A second circuit associated with the master cell is operable response to a second clock signal, which is a non-overlapping complement of the…
ESD protection method for low-breakdown integrated circuit
Granted: April 14, 2009
Patent Number:
7518846
An ESD protection device has a multi-stage RC-timed architecture to turn on quickly and sink current for a relatively long time period. For example, a high power voltage clamp and a low power voltage clamp coupled in parallel to protect internal circuitry of an integrated circuit. The high power clamp turns on during the first few microseconds of an ESD event, and sinks current for a brief period of time, during which the low power clamp turns on as well. Once the high power clamp turns…
Analog beamformers for continuous wave ultrasonic receivers
Granted: March 10, 2009
Patent Number:
7502278
Analog beamformers for continuous wave ultrasonic receivers, typically realized in integrated circuit form and using a direct quadrature baseband conversion architecture for CW Doppler to eliminate a second down conversion mixer and second synthesizer. The beamformers use integrated mixers and LO's for phase steering, and dedicated ring counters for each channel for lower noise. Input filtering may be provided with switchable RF input low pass filters. The integrated circuit includes the…
DC cancellation in zero-IF receivers
Granted: March 10, 2009
Patent Number:
7502603
Improved DC cancellation in zero-IF receivers for eliminating the DC offset that otherwise would be caused by the AC voltage on a coupling capacitor at the time of switching from AC coupling to DC coupling. The coupling capacitor normally is connected first as a high pass filter to block any DC component, and then directly coupled as a direct or DC coupler. However any AC component of voltage on the coupling capacitor at the moment of switching normally remains as a DC offset. In…
Methods and systems for converting a single-ended signal to a differential signal
Granted: December 9, 2008
Patent Number:
7463080
Methods and systems are described for converting single-ended signals to differential signals. In one exemplary embodiment, an input single-ended signal is received and converted into a differential signal having minimized jitter without using a DC-cancellation loop.
Microrelays and microrelay fabrication and operating methods
Granted: December 9, 2008
Patent Number:
7463125
Microrelays and microrelay fabrication and operating methods providing a microrelay actuator positively controllable between a switch closed position and a switch open position. The microrelays are a five terminal device, two terminals forming the switch contacts, one terminal controlling the actuating voltage on an actuator conductive area, one terminal controlling the actuating voltage on a first fixed conductive area, and one terminal controlling the actuating voltage on a second…
Methods, systems, and apparatus for integrated circuit capacitors in capacitor arrays
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7453136
A capacitor array in an integrated circuit with active unit capacitor cells arranged amongst the dummy unit capacitor cells to provide visual and electrical symmetry. The electrical symmetry provides electrical matching between active unit capacitor cells and the visual symmetry provide process uniformity between the unit capacitor cells. Visual symmetry may be provided by uniform capacitor plate selection and uniform spacing between each. Electrical symmetry is provided by appropriately…
Compensation of resistance drift
Granted: November 4, 2008
Patent Number:
7446689
A system, apparatus and method for providing a digital variable resistor with high resolution and efficient use of substrate area is described. In one embodiment of the invention, a digital variable resistor string comprises a serial array of resistors that is connected to a parallel array of resistors through a switching network. A compensation network is coupled in parallel to the parallel array of resistors in order to compensate for resistance drift caused by non-linear responses of…
