Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080260050 | ON CHIP TRANSFORMER ISOLATOR - An integrated circuit having voltage isolation capabilities includes a first area of the integrated circuit containing functional circuitry that is located in the substrate of the integrated circuit. A second area of the integrated circuit contains an integrated RF isolation circuitry for voltage isolating the functional circuitry. The RF isolation circuitry is located in the metal layers of the integrated circuit. | 10-23-2008 |
20080267301 | BIDIRECTIONAL MULTIPLEXED RF ISOLATOR - An integrated circuit single chip isolator provides bidirectional data transfer for a plurality of communications channels. A first and second dies are located on a first and second sides of a voltage isolation barrier in the chip and have a first and second plurality of digital data input/output pins associated therewith. First circuitry located on the first die on a first side of the voltage isolation barrier and third circuitry located on the second die on a second side of the voltage isolation barrier serializes a plurality of parallel digital data inputs from the associated plurality of digital data input/output pins onto a one link across the voltage isolation barrier and transmits synchronization clock signals associated with the plurality of digital data inputs over a another link across the voltage isolation barrier. Second circuitry located on the second die on a second side of the voltage isolation barrier and fourth circuitry located on the first die on a first side of the voltage isolation barrier de-serializes the first plurality of digital data inputs from the first link onto the second plurality of digital data input/output pins and receives the first synchronization clock signal associated with the plurality of digital data inputs on the second link. Switches associated with each of the plurality of input/output pins between transmit and receive circuitry. | 10-30-2008 |
20090017773 | CAPACITIVE ISOLATOR - An integrated circuit provides high voltage isolation capabilities. The circuit includes a first area containing a first group of functional circuitry located in a substrate of the integrated circuit. This circuit also includes a second area containing a second group of functional circuitry also contained within the substrate of the integrated circuit. Capacitive isolation circuitry located in the conductive layers in the integrated circuit provide a high voltage isolation link between the first group of functional circuitry and the second group of functional circuitry. The capacitive isolation circuitry distributes a first portion of the high voltage isolation signal across the first group of capacitors in the capacitive isolation circuitry and distributes a second portion of the high voltage isolation circuitry across the second group of capacitors in the capacitive isolation circuitry. | 01-15-2009 |
20100052826 | ISOLATOR WITH COMPLEMENTARY CONFIGURABLE MEMORY - An isolator that includes first and second substantially identical circuitry galvanically isolated from each other and each having at least one communications channel thereon for communicating signals across an isolation boundary therebetween and each of said first and second circuitry having configurable functionality associated with the operation thereof. A coupling device is provided for coupling signal across the isolation boundary between the at least one communication channels of the first and second circuitry. First and second configuration memories are provided, each associated with a respective one of the first and second circuitry. First and second configuration control devices are provided, each associated with a respective one of the first and second circuitry and each configuring the functionality of the associated one of the first and second circuitry. The first and second configurable memories have stored therein complementary configuration information to control each of the functionalities of the first and second circuitry to operate in a complementary manner for communication of signals across the isolation boundary. | 03-04-2010 |
20100118918 | SPREAD SPECTRUM ISOLATOR - An apparatus comprising a functional circuitry on a first die. Said function circuitry configured to drive an RF voltage isolation link with an RF signal responsive to receipt of a logic signal at a first logic state. Control circuitry modifies the frequency of the RF signal to spread harmonics to other than a fundamental frequency. | 05-13-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110187460 | CMOS power amplifiers having integrated one-time programmable (OTP) memories - CMOS power amplifiers (PAs) are disclosed having one or more integrated one-time programming (OTP) memories that are utilized to control at least in part operation of the CMOS PAs. The integrated OTP memories within the CMOS power amplifiers (PAs) allow adjustments, such as one-time factory trimming, of CMOS PA integrated circuits to optimize or improve performance. With this capability, for example, the tuning and biasing of stages within a multi-stage amplifier within a CMOS PA can be measured during factory test and adjusted by setting one or more bits in the OTP memories, as desired. Further, the operation of other circuitry within the PA can also be controlled at least in part with parameter settings stored in the OTP memories. | 08-04-2011 |
20110273164 | Delivered power detection for power amplifiers and related systems and methods - Delivered power detection for power amplifiers (PAs) and related systems and methods are disclosed. The disclosed embodiments and techniques provide a delivered power indication for systems using PAs, including such systems for cellular telephone applications, allow power detection circuitry to be integrated on the same integrated circuit die as the PA, and provide power detection circuitry with output signals at baseband frequencies. In one embodiment, the delivered power detection circuitry includes output voltage level detection circuitry and output current level detection circuitry that provide current signals to multiplier circuitry, which in turn provides current output signals proportional to the actual delivered power to the load as represented by the incident power to the load reduced by the reflected power. | 11-10-2011 |
20120009889 | Narrow-band tunable radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers and related methods - Narrow band tunable radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) and related methods are disclosed that provide narrow band tunable gain responses, such as linear gain responses, that can be selected for different frequency bands. The narrow band tunable PAs thereby provide out-of-band rejection for different selectable frequency bands so that narrow band filters are not required in the transmit input path for communication devices. The passband location and/or bandwidth for the narrow band gain response can be tuned using different techniques, as desired. The narrow band tunable PAs can also be fabricated using CMOS processing, if desired, so that a CMOS PA integrated circuit is provided. | 01-12-2012 |
20120113553 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ESD PROTECTION FOR RF COUPLERS IN SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGES - ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection for radio frequency (RF) couplers included in the same semiconductor package as other integrated circuits, such as integrated circuits having power amplifier (PA) circuitry, is disclosed along with related systems and methods. The disclosed embodiments provide ESD protection for RF couplers within semiconductor packages by including coupler ESD circuitry within an integrated circuit within the semiconductor package and coupling the connection ports of the RF coupler to this coupler ESD circuitry. Further, this coupler ESD circuitry can be implemented using two sets of serially connected diodes so that the signal connected to the coupler ESD circuitry can swing around ground without being clipped by the ESD circuitry. Still further, the ESD diodes can be formed in deep N well structures to improve isolation and to reduce parasitic capacitance associated with the ESD diodes. | 05-10-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080274612 | SHIELDED CAPACITOR STRUCTURE - A method and apparatus if provided for shielding a capacitor structure formed in a semiconductor device. In a capacitor formed in an integrated circuit, one or more shields are disposed around layers of conductive strips to shield the capacitor. The shields confine the electric fields between the limits of the shields. | 11-06-2008 |
20080278235 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING DEVICES IN AN RF POWER AMPLIFIER - A method and apparatus are provided for use with a power amplifier for protecting active devices on the power amplifier. A peak detector is used by control circuitry to detect the presence of a peak voltage that exceeds a threshold voltage. In response to the detection of a peak voltage, the gain of the power amplifier is reduced. | 11-13-2008 |
20080315925 | ISOLATOR CIRCUIT INCLUDING A VOLTAGE REGULATOR - An apparatus includes a regulator circuit that generates a voltage in response to an input current being supplied to an input terminal and functional circuitry, powered by the voltage generated by the regulator circuit. The functional circuitry, e.g., an oscillator, generates a signal using the generated voltage, the signal indicative that the current is being supplied to the apparatus. The signal can be provided over an isolation link to provide a control signal for controlling a high voltage driver circuit. | 12-25-2008 |
20090001962 | CURRENT SENSOR WITH RESET CIRCUIT - A current sensor includes a coils located within the integrated circuit die and inductively coupled to a conductor located in the integrated circuit package holding the die. The inductors sense the current in the conductor and supply the sensed signal to an integrator that supplies a voltage indicative of the current in the conductor. | 01-01-2009 |
20090284248 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH CURRENT MEASUREMENT - In order to extend the measurement range of a current sensor, a current divider is formed by a first conductor formed in a current sensor that is mounted on a printed circuit board and a second conductor on the printed circuit board that electrically shorts at least one input terminal of the current sensor to at least one output terminal of the current sensor. The input terminal of the current sensor supplies the current to be measured to the first conductor and the output terminal supplies the measured current back to the printed circuit board. | 11-19-2009 |