| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7338840 |
Method of forming a semiconductor die with heat and electrical pipes |
March 4, 2008 |
| Thermal hot spots in the substrate of a semiconductor die, and the required surface area of the semiconductor die, are substantially reduced by forming thermal or thermal and electrical pipes in the substrate that extend from a bottom surface of the substrate to a point near the top |
| 7336938 |
Phase-alternating mixer with alias and harmonic rejection |
February 26, 2008 |
| Rejection of local oscillator alias response is provided in a mixing circuit by (1) a switching mixer producing an output that changes at least twice between two states (e.g., high-low-high or low-high-low) during each local oscillator period, and (2) a charge integrator integrating |
| 7336464 |
Power limiting circuit |
February 26, 2008 |
| A power limiting circuit is disclosed. The power limiting circuit includes a temperature sensing circuit that outputs a temperature signal that is proportional to temperature over a temperature range. The power limiting circuit also includes a regulation circuit coupled to the temperatur |
| 7336268 |
Point-to-point display system having configurable connections |
February 26, 2008 |
| An exemplary point-to-point display system comprises a host system, a timing controller, and a display. The host system is configured to provide data for display. The timing controller is configurable to provide data swapping, bus swapping, bit swapping, and combinations thereof to p |
| 7336120 |
Circuit and method for boosting output current |
February 26, 2008 |
| The circuit has an output stage comprising a current source and a current sink. The circuit also has a comparison stage operable to compare a current mirrored from the current source with a current mirrored from the current sink to determine a difference therebetween. The mirrored cu |
| 7334199 |
System and method for breaking a feedback loop using a voltage controlled voltage source termina |
February 19, 2008 |
| A system and method is disclosed for breaking a feedback loop by replacing at least one component in the feedback loop with a model containing two physically disconnected subnetworks that have terminals that are connected to ground with voltage controlled, voltage sources (VCVSs). De |
| 7333924 |
Method and system for device level simulation of large semiconductor memories and other circuits |
February 19, 2008 |
| A method for device level simulation of a circuit modeled by a set of CCR graphs, a computer system programmed to perform such a method, and a computer readable medium which stores code for implementing such a method. Typically, the circuit includes MOS transistors having unknown gat |
| 7333603 |
System and method for adapting an analog echo canceller in a transceiver front end |
February 19, 2008 |
| There is disclosed an echo canceller circuit for use in a full duplex transceiver of the type comprising a line driver capable of sending analog transmit signals through a cable and comprising a line receiver capable of receiving analog receive signals from the cable. An echo cancell |
| 7333521 |
Method of sensing VCSEL light output power by monitoring electrical characteristics of the VCSEL |
February 19, 2008 |
| Output power of light emitted from a data transmission light source is determined based upon forward voltage, forward current, ambient temperature and a factor specific to the manner in which the light source is mounted. Output power is determined with sufficient accuracy to control |
| 7333038 |
Eliminating the effects of the temperature coefficients of series resistance on temperature sens |
February 19, 2008 |
| An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for reducing the effects of temperature coefficients of series resistance in a temperature sensing circuit having a temperature sensing element. The currents through the temperature sensing element are relatively constant |
| 7332904 |
On-chip resistor calibration apparatus and method |
February 19, 2008 |
| An on-chip resistor is calibrated with a sense circuit that compares a resistance associated with an off-chip resistor to the on-chip resistor via a current-mirror circuit and a comparator. A digital counter circuit evaluates the comparison and adjusts its count such that a variable |
| 7332794 |
System and method for providing a self heating adjustable TiSi.sub.2 resistor |
February 19, 2008 |
| A system and method is disclosed for providing a self heating adjustable titanium disilicon (TiSi.sub.2) resistor. A triangularly shaped layer of polysilicon is placed a layer of insulation material. A layer of titanium is applied over the polysilicon and heated to form a layer of C49 ty |
| 7332403 |
System and method for providing a buried thin film resistor having end caps defined by a dielect |
February 19, 2008 |
| A buried thin film resistor having end caps defined by a dielectric mask is disclosed. A thin film resistor is formed on an integrated circuit substrate. A resistor protect layer is formed over the thin film resistor. A layer of dielectric material is formed over the resistor protect |
| 7331708 |
Frequency ratio digitizing temperature sensor with linearity correction |
February 19, 2008 |
| A frequency ratio digitizing temperature sensor for generating a linearity-corrected temperature output signal includes an input generation circuit receiving a PTAT current and a CTAT current and a frequency ratio ADC including data and reference oscillators. The input generation cir |
| 7329620 |
System and method for providing an integrated circuit having increased radiation hardness and re |
February 12, 2008 |
| A system and method is disclosed for providing an integrated circuit that has increased radiation hardness and reliability. A device active area of an integrated circuit is provided and a layer of radiation resistant material is applied to the device active area of the integrated circuit |
| 7329555 |
Method of selectively forming MEMS-based semiconductor devices at the end of a common fabricatio |
February 12, 2008 |
| Various semiconductor devices can be formed at the end of a common fabrication process, thereby significantly improving manufacturing flexibility, by selectively wiring bonding different CMOS circuits to different MEMS, which are formed on the same semiconductor die. A semiconductor |
| 7328609 |
Wireless pressure sensing Schrader valve |
February 12, 2008 |
| A wireless tire pressure sensing system based upon a Schrader valve design is provided. The system includes a valve body, a valve pin and a compression element for sealing engaging the valve body and the valve pin to maintain tire pressure. A pressure sensing device mounted within the |
| 7327541 |
Operation of dual-directional electrostatic discharge protection device |
February 5, 2008 |
| A two-terminal ESD protection structure formed by an arrangement of five adjacent semiconductor regions (112, 114, 116, 118, and 120) of alternating conductivity type provides protection against both positive and negative ESD voltages. The middle semiconductor region electrically flo |
| 7324617 |
Apparatus and method for detecting downlink transmit diversity at a mobile device |
January 29, 2008 |
| A mobile device detects downlink transmit diversity. Slot and frame timing knowledge and a downlink scrambling code are applied to pilot and synch channels of the signal. An algorithm suited for the diversity case and an algorithm suited for the non-diversity case are utilized. The outpu |
| 7324226 |
Method, and arrangement in a communications network |
January 29, 2008 |
| A method and an arrangement in a data communications system. The object of the invention is to achieve a wireless communication between a processing unit and a printer using a safe transmission and an increased transmission range compared to the infrared transmission. The solution is |
| 7321606 |
Laser trim and compensation methodology for passively aligning optical transmitter |
January 22, 2008 |
| A method includes a scheme for trimming and compensation for a laser emitter in a fiber optic link. Data models of laser performance are provided and used to determine a base power level. It is then confirmed that the base power level is satisfactory. If necessary, adjustments are ma |
| 7321402 |
Apparatus and method for component video signal conversion |
January 22, 2008 |
| Apparatus and method for converting a Y-Pb-Pr component video signal to a R-G-B component video signal. A luminance component video (Y) signal and a red color difference component video (Pr) signal are decoded to produce a red component video (R) signal. The Y signal, a blue color differ |
| 7320071 |
Secure universal serial bus |
January 15, 2008 |
| An apparatus and method for providing a secure universal serial bus (USB) is disclosed. The secure USB comprises a secure channel for transferring data. A secure USB domain device is coupled to a host computer or is embedded within a host computer. The secure USB domain device comprises |
| 7319530 |
System and method for measuring germanium concentration for manufacturing control of BiCMOS film |
January 15, 2008 |
| A system and method is disclosed for measuring a germanium concentration in a semiconductor wafer for manufacturing control of BiCMOS films. Germanium is deposited over a silicon substrate layer to form a silicon germanium film. Then a rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) procedure is perfo |
| 7319232 |
Apparatus and method for high-bandwidth opto-coupler interface |
January 15, 2008 |
| An opto-coupler interface is provided. The opto-coupler interface includes a current mirror and a resistor. The opto-coupler interface is arranged such that a relatively fixed voltage is provided across the photodetector. At one end of the photodetector, the voltage is relatively fix |
| 7318173 |
Embedded controller based BIOS boot ROM select |
January 8, 2008 |
| A method for selecting one of a plurality of BIOS images included in a computer system includes indicating a selection of a BIOS image via a bus by an embedded controller. The method also includes powering up or resetting the system. In addition, the method includes accessing the sel |
| 7317775 |
Switched deskew on arbitrary data |
January 8, 2008 |
| A method and circuit capable of handling skew between a clock and data signal up to +/- one half bit on a random input data pattern. A digital algorithm cycles through each data bit and individually deskews that bit by detecting data transitions in a first sampling region and in a second |
| 7317302 |
Converter with feedback voltage referenced to output voltage |
January 8, 2008 |
| A driver for a white LED string or a display is provided. The driver includes a boost converter that is arranged to provide an output voltage from a source voltage. Also, the driver includes a sense resistor that is coupled between the output voltage and a feedback voltage. The sense |
| 7317297 |
Battery temperature sensor pin used as communication channel |
January 8, 2008 |
| A method for communicating with portable device batteries is described. Many portable devices such as cellular phones may employ a wide variety of batteries with different types, capabilities, and the like. Batteries may be retrofitted with additional circuitry that is arranged to provid |
| 7316930 |
Use of vertically stacked photodiodes in a gene chip system |
January 8, 2008 |
| An improved gene chip system is arranged with vertically stacked photodiodes for sensing luminescence of genetic material. When genetic samples are combined with a reagent in an array of wells on a substrate, the reaction may cause light of a specified color to emanate from certain w |
| 7315204 |
Class AB-D audio power amplifier |
January 1, 2008 |
| Audio power amplifier circuits that are arranged to operate in either a class AB or a class D operating mode. A drive circuit is configured to share control between a class AB driver and a class D modulator/driver circuit. The input signal level is monitored to determine their levels. |
| 7315177 |
Mixed signal integrated circuits with self-test capability |
January 1, 2008 |
| A mixed signal integrated circuit with self test capability in which a portion of the digital circuitry, during substantially mutually exclusive time intervals, controls self test functions within the analog circuitry and performs digital signal processing functions in conjunction with t |
| 7312598 |
Capacitor free low drop out regulator |
December 25, 2007 |
| A low drop out (LDO) regulator that includes a novel error amplifier, which is arranged with a first stage that employs both NMOS and PMOS devices that are similarly doped in differential pairs and a second stage that operates with NMOS and PMOS devices in a push-pull arrangement. In |
| 7309639 |
Method of forming a metal trace with reduced RF impedance resulting from the skin effect |
December 18, 2007 |
| The RF impedance of a metal trace at gigahertz frequencies is reduced by forming the metal trace to have a base region and a number of fingers that extend away from the base region. When formed to have a number of loops, the metal trace forms an inductor with an increased Q. |
| 7309157 |
Apparatus and method for calibration of a temperature sensor |
December 18, 2007 |
| A circuit for temperature sensing provides a bias current to a PN junction, and the PN junction provides a PN junction voltage in response to the bias current. Also, a parasitic resistance may be coupled in series with the PN junction. The circuit for temperature sensing is configure |
| 7307558 |
Dual shift register data serializer |
December 11, 2007 |
| A data serializer includes a data aligner, two N-bit shift registers, a 2-1 multiplexer, and a driver, wherein N is the number of parallel input data bits. Data is received and aligned by the data aligner, which is arranged to drive odd and even data lines to a respective one of the |
| 7307481 |
Minimum synchronization frequency discriminator |
December 11, 2007 |
| A minimum frequency synchronization discriminator for use in providing a clock signal for a switch mode power supply automatically detects when the frequency of a sync signal is above a minimum frequency and causes the sync signal to serve as the clock signal for the controller. If the |
| 7307458 |
Voltage mode serial interface driver with PVT compensated impedance |
December 11, 2007 |
| A serial communication interface driver is provided wherein current steering switches are also used to provide termination impedances. The output voltage can be produced by a voltage-dividing current path between two regulated voltages, which provides improved efficiency. |
| 7307454 |
Apparatus and method for level shifting in power-on reset circuitry in dual power supply domains |
December 11, 2007 |
| A level shifter for use in a dual power supply circuit operating from a VDD power supply and a VDDH power supply greater than the VDD power supply. The level shifter indicates to a status circuit in the VDDH power supply domain that the VDD power supply is enabled. The level shifter |
| 7307412 |
Inductive measurement system and method |
December 11, 2007 |
| A system and method measures parameters associated with an inductor such as in a switching converter. The inductance value can be determined by monitoring voltages and currents associated with the inductor when a measurement mode is activated. In one example, the measurement is provi |
| 7307021 |
Method for planarizing a thin film |
December 11, 2007 |
| A layer of required material, such as polysilicon, is planarized by first forming a sacrificial layer of material, such as an oxide, on the layer of required material. The combined layers of required and sacrificial materials are then planarized using chemical-mechanical polishing until |
| 7306621 |
Heat transfer control for a prosthetic retinal device |
December 11, 2007 |
| A method for controlling heat dissipated from a prosthetic retinal device is described. A heat transfer device employs the Peltier heat transfer effect to cool the surface of the retinal device that faces the retina by dissipating/transferring collected heat away from the retina and towa |
| 7305259 |
Apparatus and method for reducing power consumption in wireless RF systems |
December 4, 2007 |
| A radio frequency (RF) transceiver having improved low power operating modes. The RF transceiver comprises: 1) a radio frequency (RF) modem section comprising: a) receive path circuitry for receiving and down-converting an incoming RF signal to thereby produce an incoming baseband si |
| 7304272 |
Systems and methods for adjusting parameters of a temperature sensor for settling time reduction |
December 4, 2007 |
| A system for adjusting parameters of a temperature sensor for settling time reduction is disclosed. The system includes an input for receiving a signal for triggering an adjustment of one or more parameters associated with one or more portions of the temperature sensor. And, an adjuster |
| 7302089 |
Autonomous optical wake-up intelligent sensor circuit |
November 27, 2007 |
| Devices, modules, and methods enable a mobile device to change from a standby mode with low power consumption to an active mode with relatively higher power consumption, upon recognizing that a received image is substantially similar to a visual signature. The visual signature is bas |
| 7301436 |
Apparatus and method for precision trimming of integrated circuits using anti-fuse bond pads |
November 27, 2007 |
| An apparatus and method for using anti-fuse bond pads used to provide trimmed resistor values to the input terminals of circuits on an integrated circuit die. The apparatus and method comprises fabricating on a semiconductor integrated circuit a resistive network. The resistive netwo |
| 7301366 |
Tuning control for a PVT-compensating tunable impedance circuit |
November 27, 2007 |
| A tunable impedance circuit is provided wherein at least one of a plurality of impedance elements is combined with at least another of the plurality of impedance elements to produce a composite impedance. A control voltage is used to determine how many of the impedance elements are t |
| 7301222 |
Apparatus for forming a pre-applied underfill adhesive layer for semiconductor wafer level chip- |
November 27, 2007 |
| An apparatus and method for enhancing the formation of fillets around the periphery of assembled wafer-level chip scale packages when mounted onto substrates. The method includes fabricating a plurality of integrated circuit die on a first surface of a semiconductor wafer, each of the |
| 7301212 |
MEMS microphone |
November 27, 2007 |
| The sensitivity of a MEMS microphone is substantially increased by using a portion of the package that holds the MEMS microphone as the diaphragm or a part of the diaphragm. As a result, the diaphragm of the present invention is substantially larger, and thus more sensitive, than the |
| 7299068 |
Wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics |
November 20, 2007 |
| A wireless sensor network for monitoring one or more selected environmental characteristics. Multiple wireless signal transceivers, disposed in respective portions of a selected environment, respond to one or more wireless beacon signals by selectively collecting, processing and stor |
