Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Broadcom Corporation

Broadcom Europe Limited

Broadcom Innovision Limited

David John Miles

Richard J Goldman

Robin Wilson

Lance Rhys Trodd

Robin Wyndham John Wilson

Humberto Andrade Da Fonseca

Paul Butler

Joakim Bangs

A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that detects an envelope of a radio frequency (RF) signal. The NFC device includes a peak detector that determines the envelope of the RF signal. The peak detector compares a first differential signal voltage to a second differential signal voltage. The peak detector delays a rising edge of a first differential signal and provides the first differential signal voltage to the peak detector output when the first differential signal voltage is greater than the second differential signal voltage. The peak detector delays a falling edge of a second differential signal and provides the second differential signal voltage to the peak detector output when the second differential signal voltage is greater than the first differential signal voltage.

Near field RF communicator and timing apparatus

Detecting peaks in a received signal in a near field communications (NFC) device

A NFC enabled device to couple inductively to the H field of an RF signal and a regulator to regulate a voltage derived from an RF signal inductively coupled to the inductive coupler. The regulator has at least one voltage controlled impedance having a switch on voltage. A regulator controller provides a control voltage to each voltage controlled impedance such as that the control voltage is not less than the switch on voltage of the voltage controlled impedance.

Voltage regulation of near field communication communicators

A communications device is disclosed that includes a united integrated circuit card (UICC) that provides a single wire protocol (SWP) current signal to a near field communications (NFC) device. The SWP current signal is filtered by a filter to remove noise from the SWP current signal. The filter is precharged by a reference voltage when the SWP current signal is in a low state and then filters the SWP current signal when the SWP current signal is in a high state. A switching network provides the filter with the reference voltage to precharge when the SWP is current signal is in the low state and then provides the filter with the SWP current signal to filter when the SWP current signal is in the high state.

Filtering a single wire protocol (SWP) current signal to be provided to a near field communications (NFC) device

A near field RF communicator has an antenna circuit () to receive a modulated radio frequency signal by inductive coupling and demodulation circuitry (or) to extract the modulation from a received modulated radio frequency signal inductively coupled to the antenna circuit. The demodulation circuitry has a virtual earth input comprising a current mirror. The demodulation circuitry may be formed by an amplifier (or) and a demodulator () coupled to an output of the amplifier. The amplifier may be a single input amplifier () coupled to an output of the antenna circuit or may be a differential amplifier () having first and second inputs to receive the modulated radio frequency signal from first and second outputs of the antenna circuit, with each amplifier input providing a virtual earth input.

Near field RF communicators and near field RF communications-enabled devices

A demodulator for demodulating a modulated signal has a peak detector () with an input () coupled to receive the modulated signal and an output () to supply a peak detector output signal. The peak detector has a charge storer () coupled to the peak detector output so that the peak detector output signal is provided by a voltage across the charge storer () and a comparator () having a first comparator input coupled to the peak detector input to receive the modulated signal and a second comparator input coupled to the peak detector output to receive the peak detector output signal. The comparator () provides a comparison signal representing a comparison between the voltage of the modulated signal and the peak detector output signal. A charging controller (and) charges the charge storer () so as to increase the output voltage when the comparator () provides a first signal indicating that the voltage of the modulated signal is higher than the voltage of the peak detector output signal and discharges the charge storer () so as to decrease the output voltage when the comparator () provides a second signal indicating that the voltage of the modulated signal is lower than the voltage of the peak detector output signal.

Peak detector for detecting peaks in a modulated signal

An integrated circuit has a guard ring for shielding a first area (eg. high voltage area) from a second area (eg.low voltage). The guard ring comprises a conductive guard ring , (eg. metal), which is partially exposed through a passivation layer in the integrated circuit A semiconductor guard ring , (eg. silicon), is isolated from the first and second areas of semiconductor by at least two trench rings , one located on each side of the semiconductor guard ring A plurality of conductive elements (comprising a metal connection plate and via ) connect the conductive guard ring and the semiconductor guard ring at spaced apart intervals. The conductive guard ring , semiconductor guard ring and conductive elements are all connected to a ground source. If high energy particles move from the first area towards the second area, they are attracted to the exposed metal, and their charge is conducted to ground.

High voltage shield

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit bidirectional switch formed from bipolar transistor devices, in which the saturation voltage is sought to be reduced. More specifically, an integrated NPN bipolar transistor is formed with oxide insulation, and the normal direction of current flow is from the emitter to collector, and an integrated PNP bipolar transistor is formed with oxide insulation, and the normal direction of current flow is from the collector to emitter.

Bidirectional analog switch using two bipolar junction transistors which are both reverse connected or operating in the reverse or inverse mode

An integrated circuit has a guard ring for shielding a first area (eg. high voltage area) from a second area (eg. low voltage). The guard ring comprises a conductive guard ring (eg. metal), which is partially exposed through a passivation layer in the integrated circuit A semiconductor guard ring (eg. silicon), is isolated from the first and second areas of semiconductor by at least two trench rings one located on each side of the semiconductor guard ring A plurality of conductive elements (comprising a metal connection plate and via ) connect the conductive guard ring and the semiconductor guard ring at spaced apart intervals. The conductive guard ring semiconductor guard ring and conductive elements are all connected to a ground source. If high energy particles move from the first area towards the second area, they are attracted to the exposed metal, and their charge is conducted to ground.

A timing circuit, for use in an integrated circuit, generates relatively long time periods. The electrical properties (for example the resistance) of a pair of matched components are measured while heat is supplied to one of the components. When the values of the thermally dependent properties of the components differ by a certain amount, the timed period is over. The pair of matched components are located within thermally insulating structures within the IC.

Growing community of inventors

Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

David John Miles