An interleaver for combining at least two incoming signals into an analog output signal includes at least a first signal path and a second signal path. Each signal path has: an input terminal, a first gain stage for multiplying a signal coming from the input terminal with a first gain (a) to obtain a first signal, a mixer and a second gain stage for multiplying a signal coming from the input terminal with a second gain (b) before or after mixing it with a clock signal to obtain a second signal, an adder for adding the first and second signal to obtain an output signal of the signal path wherein the first and second gain are different from zero. The interleaver comprises an adder for adding the output signals from the signal paths.

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter and a built-in self-test circuit. The digital-to-analog converter performs a normal conversion operation to generate an analog output signal by converting a digital input signal corresponding to an external digital signal that is provided from an external device outside the semiconductor integrated circuit and provide the analog output signal to the external device. The built-in self-test circuit, while the digital-to-analog converter performs the normal conversion operation, performs a real-time monitoring operation to generate a comparison alarm signal based on the digital input signal and the analog output signal such that the comparison alarm signal indicates whether the digital-to-analog converter operates normally. Performance and reliability of the digital-to-analog converter and the semiconductor integrated circuit including the digital-to-analog converter may be enhanced by monitoring in real-time abnormality of the digital-to-analog converter using the on-time monitor.

An optical network includes a transmitting portion configured to (i) encode an input digitized sequence of data samples into a quantized sequence of data samples having a first number of digits per sample, (ii) map the quantized sequence of data samples into a compressed sequence of data samples having a second number of digits per sample, the second number being lower than the first number, and (iii) modulate the compressed sequence of data samples and transmit the modulated sequence over a digital optical link. The optical network further includes a receiving portion configured to (i) receive and demodulate the modulated sequence from the digital optical link, (ii) map the demodulated sequence from the second number of digits per sample into a decompressed sequence having the first number of digits per sample, and (iii) decode the decompressed sequence.

In certain examples, methods and semiconductor structures are directed to an apparatus including a photon emitter such as an LED which operates over an emission wavelength range and a photo-voltaic device arranged relative to the photon emitter to provide index-matched optical coupling between the photo-voltaic device and the photon emitter for an emission wavelength range of the photon emitter.

In certain examples, methods and semiconductor structures are directed to an apparatus including a photon emitter such as an LED which operates over an emission wavelength range and a photo-voltaic device arranged relative to the photon emitter to provide index-matched optical coupling between the photo-voltaic device and the photon emitter for an emission wavelength range of the photon emitter.

Various arrangements for performing successive vector-matrix multiplication may include sequentially performing a first vector-matrix multiplication operation for each bit-order of values in an input vector. The first vector-matrix multiplication operation for each bit-order may generate an analog output. For each analog output generated by the vector-matrix multiplication operation, an analog output may be converted into one or more digital bit values, and the one or more digital bit values may be sent to a second vector-matrix multiplication operation.

Apparatuses and methods for analog-digital conversion and corresponding systems having a sensor and an apparatus of this type are provided. Demodulation is executed with no variable preamplification, followed by continuous-time analog-digital conversion, at least in time segments, which further employs chopper techniques.

Described are apparatus and methods for low power frequency clock generation and distribution. A device includes a low power generation and distribution circuit configured to generate and distribute a differential 1/N sampling frequency (F.sub.S)(F.sub.S/N) clock, wherein N is larger or equal to 2, and a differential frequency doubler configured to generate a single-ended multiplied frequency clock from the differential F.sub.S/N frequency clock, and convert the single-ended multiplied frequency clock to a differential multiplied frequency clock for use by one or more data processing channels.

A digital-to-analog conversion circuit (60) for converting a digital input sequence to an analog representation is disclosed. It comprises a first DAC, (100) wherein the first DAC (100) is of a capacitive voltage division type having a capacitive load (110). Furthermore, it comprises a second DAC (120) having a resistive load (130). An output (104) of the first DAC (100) and an output (124) of the second DAC (120) are connected, such that said capacitive load (110) and said resistive load (130) are connected in parallel.

In described examples, a quadrature phase shifter includes digitally programmable phase shifter networks for generating leading and lagging output signals in quadrature. The phase shifter networks include passive components for reactively inducing phase shifts, which need not consume active power. Output currents from the transistors coupled to the phase shifter networks are substantially in quadrature and can be made further accurate by adjusted by a weight function implemented using current steering elements. Example low-loss quadrature phase shifters described herein can be functionally integrated to provide low-power, low-noise up/down mixers, vector modulators and transceiver front-ends for millimeter wavelength (mmwave) communication systems.