Abstract:
A MOSFET has a current conduction path between source and drain terminals. A gate terminal of the MOSFET receives an input signal to facilitate current conduction in the current conduction path as a result of a gate-to-source voltage reaching a threshold voltage. A body terminal of the MOSFET is coupled to body voltage control circuitry that is sensitive to the voltage at the gate terminal of the MOSFET. The body voltage control circuitry responds to a reduction in the voltage at the gate terminal of the MOSFET by increasing the body voltage of the MOSFET at the body terminal of the MOSFET. As a result, there is reduction in the threshold voltage. The circuit configuration is applicable to amplifier circuits, comparator circuits and current mirror circuits.
Abstract:
An embodiment processing system comprises a queued SPI circuit, which comprises a hardware SPI communication interface, an arbiter and a plurality of interface circuits. Each interface circuit comprises a transmission FIFO memory, a reception FIFO memory and an interface control circuit. The interface control circuit is configured to receive first data packets and store them to the transmission FIFO memory. The interface control circuit sequentially reads the first data packets from the transmission FIFO memory, extracts at least one transmission data word, and provides the extracted word to the arbiter. The interface control circuit receives from the arbiter a reception data word and stores second data packets comprising the received reception data word to the reception FIFO memory. The interface control circuit sequentially reads the second data packets from the reception FIFO memory and transmits them to the digital processing circuit.
Abstract:
An amplifier stage of an LDO regulator circuit includes an amplifier stage that generates a drive signal in response to a first voltage difference an output voltage of the LDO regulator circuit and a reference voltage. A drive stage having a quiescent current consumption is configured to generate a control signal in response to the drive signal. The control signal is applied to the control terminal of a power transistor. A dropout detector senses whether the LDO regulator circuit is operating in closed loop regulation mode or in open loop dropout mode by sensing a second difference in voltage between the drive signal and the control signal. A quiescent current limiter circuit responds to the sensed second difference by controlling the quiescent current consumption of the drive stage, and in particular limiting current consumption when the LDO regulator circuit is operating in the open loop dropout mode.
Abstract:
A DC-DC converter circuit including at least: a first step down converter having a first pair of switching devices in a half bridge configuration. A second step down converter includes a second pair of switching devices in a half bridge configuration. The first and second step down converters are connected in parallel to an output node connected to an output coil and receive command signals. A feedback loop includes a synchronization module receiving the gate control signals of high side switching devices and adjusts as a function of the gate control signals a delay in a signal path from the command signal to each gate control signal of the high side switching device to synchronize the gate control signals.
Abstract:
Several first digital streams of first digital samples at a first sampling frequency are processed to issue corresponding stream that are converted into second digital streams sampled at a second sampling frequency lower than said first sampling frequency. At least one delay to be applied to at least one first digital stream to satisfy a condition on the second digital streams is determined and applied to at least one first digital stream before converting. The converting operation performed is decimation filtering of the first digital streams. The application of the at least one delay to at least one first steam involves skipping a number of first digital samples in the at least one first digital stream. The number skipped depends on the value of the at least one delay. Samples that are skipped are not delivered for decimation filtering.
Abstract:
The reversal of the flow of output current in a voltage regulator is prevented by equipping the voltage regulator of a regulation transistor controlled by an analog voltage control, having its current terminals connected between the control terminal of the fifth transistor power of the regulator and the power supply line or the common ground node of the regulator. The regulation transistor is configured to provide an electrical path of conduction between the control terminal and the power supply line or the ground node and is controlled by an analog voltage control that varies in a continuous manner between a first level, suitable to extinguish the regulation transistor, and a second level suitable for biasing it in an operating condition of deep conduction, as the difference between the supply voltage and the regulated output voltage approaching an offset voltage.
Abstract:
A state machine for generating signals configured for generating different signals according to the current state of the machine. The state machine is configured to change state both as a function of an internal timer and as a function of signals representative of events external to the state machine.
Abstract:
A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier which includes a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage. The gain stage includes a transistor driven by the differential amplifier to produce at a drive signal for an output stage of the regulator. The transistor is interposed over its source-drain line between a first resistive load included in a RC network creating a zero in the open loop gain of the regulator, and a second resistive load to produce a drive signal for the output stage of the regulator. The second resistive load is a non-linear compensation element to render current consumption linearly proportional to the load current to the regulator. The first resistive load is a non-linear element causing the frequency of said zero created by the RC network to decrease as the load current of the regulator decreases.
Abstract:
A control apparatus for LED diodes includes a dimmer TRIAC electrically connected in series between a power supply and a LED lighting converter. The converter comprises a transformer, with a primary winding coupled with an input terminal and a secondary winding coupled with an output terminal, and a switch coupled to the primary winding to regulate the current through the primary winding and regulate the output voltage. The apparatus comprises a control device adapted to control said switch determining the on period and the off period of the switch to maintain constant the output current to supply said LED diodes. The apparatus comprises a detector connected to the secondary winding of the transformer and adapted to detect the conduction angle of the TRIAC; the control device is adapted to regulate the output current to supply said LED diodes in response to the TRIAC conduction angle detected by the detector.
Abstract:
Integrated mask-programmable device, having a plurality of metal levels including a top metal level, a bottom metal level and a first intermediate metal level formed between the top and bottom metal levels, and a plurality of via levels arranged between the bottom and the first intermediate metal levels and between the first intermediate and the top metal levels and connecting each metal level to adjacent metal levels. The plurality of metal levels forms a first, a second and at least a third terminal, the top and bottom metal levels having at least two metal regions, and the first intermediate metal level having at least three metal regions. The first terminal is connected to third terminal or the second terminal is connected to the third terminal by modifying a single metal or via level.