Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation

Infineon Technologies Ag

Tyco Electronics Corporation

Adrian Mikolajczak

Saverio Trotta

Ashutosh Baheti

Reinhard-Wolfgang Jungmaier

Wayne Montoya

Luis A Navarro

Cecilia A Walsh

Tirthajyoti Sarkar

Adrian I Cogan

Chung-Lin Wu

Eric David Briant

Ashok Challa

Maria Cristina Estacio

Ahmad Ashrafzadeh

Christopher Woodthorpe

Ihsiu Ho

Muzammil A Arain

Jiyuan Luan

William Robert Newberry

Scott Anthony Shuey

Christopher Nassar

Dean Huumala

Richard S Sweet

Jaime Bravo

Joerg Poeltl

Marc Haylock

Chang Su Mitter

Richard Sweet Jr

A time-of-flight (ToF) sensor includes a photodetector array and a processing circuit. The photodetector array includes a plurality of photodetectors wherein each photodetector of the photodetector array includes a silicon-based, light-sensitive diode. Each silicon-based, light-sensitive diode includes a photosensitive layer comprising a plurality of quantum dot particles sensitive to a near infrared (NIR) region of an electromagnetic spectrum, wherein the plurality of quantum dot particles converts optical energy into electrical energy to generate an electrical current in response to receiving NIR light having a wavelength in the NIR region. The processing circuit is configured to receive the electrical current and calculate a time-of-flight of the received NIR light based on the electrical current.

Time-of-flight image sensor with quantum dot photodetectors

In an embodiment, a method includes: generating a displacement signal indicative of a distension of a surface of a skin; determining a temperature of the skin using a temperature sensor; during a calibration time interval, collecting a plurality of distension values from the displacement signal, the plurality of distension values associated with a respective plurality of temperature values determined using the temperature sensor, the plurality of temperature values being indicative of a temperature change of the skin; determining compensation coefficients associated with the plurality of temperature values; and after the calibration time interval, collecting a first distension value from the displacement signal, determining a first temperature value using the temperature sensor, and determining a blood pressure based on the first distension value, the first temperature value, and the determined compensation coefficients.

Radar sensor system for blood pressure sensing, and associated method

A method of forming a radar system includes forming a first receive antenna and a first ground plane region by patterning a first conductive layer on a first surface of a first laminate layer of a radar package, forming a transmit antenna and a second ground plane region by patterning a second conductive layer on a second surface of the first laminate layer, forming a second laminate layer of the radar package over the second conductive layer, forming a third conductive layer over the second laminate layer, forming a second receive antenna by patterning the third conductive layer, and attaching a radio frequency integrated circuit chip to the radar package. The radio frequency integrated circuit chip is coupled to the transmit antenna, the first receive antenna, and the second receive antenna. The second surface is opposite the first surface.

Dual-sided radar systems and methods of formation thereof

A radar system includes a substrate that includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is opposite the second surface. The radar system further includes transmitter front-end circuitry attached to the substrate and configured to transmit a transmitted radio frequency (RF) signal in a first direction away from the first surface and in a second direction away from the second surface. The radar system also includes a first receive antenna and a second receive antenna. The first receive antenna is disposed at the first surface and is configured to receive a first reflected RF signal propagating in the second direction and generated by the transmitted RF signal. The second receive antenna is disposed at the second surface and is configured to receive a second reflect RF signal propagating in the first direction and generated by the transmitted RF signal.

In at least one general aspect, an apparatus can include a first field effect transistor (FET) device and a second FET device. The apparatus can include a characterization circuit coupled to the first FET device and the second FET device where the characterization circuit can be configured to characterize a responsiveness of each of the first FET device and the second FET device. The apparatus can include a balancer configured to produce a modified gate drive signal for the first FET device based on the responsiveness of the first FET device.

Balancer for multiple field effect transistors arranged in a parallel configuration

A sensor device includes a first detector circuit, a near field communication (NFC) circuit, and a sensor package. The first detector circuit configured to detect a stimulus using a resistive change polymer type detector, a capacitive shift polymer type detector, a dielectric change polymer type detector, a graphene based sensor, or a metal-oxide (MOX) type detector. The NFC circuit having an NFC powered receiver and an NFC data transceiver. The NFC power receiver configured to receive power from a mobile device using an NFC standard protocol and to provide operating power for the sensor device. The NFC data transceiver configured to transmit data to the mobile device using the NFC standard protocol, the data corresponding to the first stimulus. The sensor package configured to house the first detector circuit and the NFC circuit.

Multipolymer sensor array utilizing NFC

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a junction-less, gate-controlled voltage clamp device having a gate terminal coupled to a voltage reference device.

Fast and stable ultra low drop-out (LDO) voltage clamp device

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a load terminal, and a power source terminal. The apparatus can include a current limiter coupled to the load terminal and coupled to the power terminal. The current limiter can be configured to limit a current from the power source terminal to the load terminal using an electric field activated in response to a difference in voltage between the power source terminal and the load terminal.

Two-terminal current limiter and apparatus thereof

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor substrate, and a trench defined within the semiconductor substrate and having a depth aligned along a vertical axis, a length aligned along a longitudinal axis, and a width aligned along a horizontal axis. The apparatus includes a dielectric disposed within the trench, and an electrode disposed within the dielectric and insulated from the semiconductor substrate by the dielectric. The semiconductor substrate can have a portion aligned vertically and adjacent the trench, and the portion of the semiconductor substrate can have a conductivity type that is continuous along an entirety of the depth of the trench. The apparatus is biased to a normally-on state.

Junction-less insulated gate current limiter device

In one general aspect, a package can include a semiconductor die having a first terminal on a first side of the semiconductor die and a second terminal on a second side of the semiconductor die, a leadframe portion electrically coupled to the second terminal of the semiconductor die, and a molding compound. The first terminal on the first side of the semiconductor die, a first surface of the leadframe portion, and a first surface of the molding compound can define at least a portion of a first surface of the package. A second surface of the molding compound and a second surface of the leadframe portion can define at least a portion of a second surface of the package parallel to the first surface of the package, and the second surface can be on an opposite side of the package from the first surface of the package.

Packaged semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an input terminal and an overvoltage protection device coupled to the input terminal and configured to receive energy via the input terminal. The overvoltage protection device can have a breakdown voltage at an ambient temperature less than a target maximum operating voltage of a source configured to be received at the input terminal. The apparatus can also include an output terminal coupled to the overvoltage protection device and a load.

Methods and apparatus related to a precision input power protection device

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an input terminal, an output terminal and a ground terminal. The apparatus can also include an overcurrent protection device coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal. The apparatus can further include a thermal shunt device coupled between the output terminal and the ground terminal, the thermal shunt device being configured to, at a threshold temperature, operate in a thermally-induced low-impedance state.

Input power protection

A surface-mountable electrical circuit protection device includes layers defining a first PPTC resistive element, a second PPTC resistive element, and at least one heat-generating electrical component such as a planar zener diode chip positioned between, and in thermal contact with, the first and second PPTC elements, such that an electrical current above a threshold level passing through the component causes the component to heat, the heat being transferred to the PPTC resistive elements and tripping at least one, and preferably both of the first or second PPTC elements to a high resistance state. A series of edge-formed terminal electrodes enable surface-mount connection of the first and second PPTC elements and the electrical component to an electrical circuit substrate, such as a printed circuit board. A method for making the device is also disclosed.

Surface mount multi-layer electrical circuit protection device with active element between PPTC layers

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an overvoltage protection portion, and an overcurrent protection portion operably coupled to the overvoltage protection portion such that heat produced by the overcurrent protection portion at a current below a rated current of the overcurrent protection portion causes the overvoltage protection portion to change from a voltage regulation state to a shorted state.

Input power port protection component

In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an overcurrent protection device. The apparatus can include an overvoltage protection device coupled to the overcurrent protection device and configured to cause the overcurrent protection device to decrease a current through the overvoltage protection device after a breakdown voltage of the overvoltage protection device increases in response to heat.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Adrian Mikolajczak