A filtering unit is presented. The filtering unit includes at least two operational amplifiers, where each of the at least two operational amplifiers includes an input end and an output end, where the input end of one operational amplifier is coupled across the corresponding input end of another operational amplifier of the at least two operational amplifiers. The filtering unit also includes a direct current link operatively coupled to the at least two operational amplifiers and at least one thermoelectric module, where each thermoelectric module includes a conducting layer, where the direct current link and at least one of the at least two operational amplifiers are operatively coupled to the at least one thermoelectric module. A filtering system is also presented.

An optical projection system includes a light source module, an optical engine, a thermoelectric generator, a storage unit, a plurality of electronic devices, and a selection unit. The light source module is capable of emitting at least one light beam, and the optical engine receives the light beam and modulates the light beam according to at least one image signal to form an image beam. The thermoelectric generator absorbs heat in the optical projection system and converts the heat into electrical energy, and the storage unit stores the electrical energy. The electronic devices receive the electrical energy stored in the storage unit and have at least two different threshold voltages. The selection unit selectively turns on at least one of electronic devices according to a state of charge of the storage unit.

A method and system to transfer heat using a cooling medium includes a first cold plate, including a first fluid flow path in thermal communication with a first thermal region of the first cold plate, and a second fluid flow path in fluid communication with the first fluid flow path and in thermal communication with a second thermal region of the first cold plate, and a thermoelectric heat exchanger in thermal communication with the first thermal region of the first cold plate.

A low-noise voltage reference generator that utilizes internal gain and feedback to generate an output signal having reduced sensitivity to power supply variations and loading conditions is described. A method includes generating a current based on a voltage drop across a resistor. The voltage drop is based on a second voltage drop across a gate terminal of a transistor and a source terminal of the transistor. The method includes the current using a reference voltage to generate a mirrored current through a node coupled to the drain terminal of the transistor. The method includes generating a level-shifted voltage using a voltage on the node. The method includes buffering the level-shifted voltage using a power supply voltage to generate the reference voltage.

The disclosure provides a trimming method, a trimming circuitry, and a trimming system for an IC with memory usage reduction. The method is applicable to a system including a tester, a characteristic adjustable circuit, and a trimming circuitry having a characteristic outputting circuit, a data memory, and a trim memory. The method includes the following steps. Under each condition, output signals respectively corresponding to trim settings are received from the characteristic adjustable circuit by the characteristic outputting circuit to obtain output values of the condition, a statistical parameter associated with the output values of the condition is calculated by the tester. The statistical parameter of at least one of the conditions is written into the data memory by the tester. An optimal trim setting of the characteristic adjustable circuit is determined according to the statistical parameters under all the conditions and written into the trim memory by the tester.

A domestic appliance heating apparatus includes a heating element having two heating connections connected to two supply connections of a supply network, respectively. A first switching element is connected between one of the two heating connections and one of the two supply connections and a second switching element is connected between the other one of the two heating connections and the other one of the two supply connections. A measuring unit has at least one measuring input, at which a potential is present in at least one heating operating state. A control unit interrupts in a network form recognition operating state a conduction path through the heating element by means of the first switching element while the second switching element is closed and takes into account a first potential present at the measuring input when determining a network form present at the heating element.

A power electronics assembly that includes a first cooling chip fluidly coupled to a second cooling chip. The first cooling chip and the second cooling chip each include a cooling chip fluid inlet, a cooling chip fluid outlet, and one or more cooling chip fluid channels extending between and fluidly coupled to the cooling chip fluid inlet and the cooling chip fluid outlet. The power electronics assembly also includes a semiconductor device positioned between and thermally coupled to the first cooling chip and the second cooling chip and a thermo-electric generator positioned between and thermally coupled to the semiconductor device and one of the first cooling chip or the second cooling chip.

Some features pertain to a quad-rotor or other aerial drone having a thermoelectric generator (TEG) for harvesting waste heat from a processor of the drone. The TEG is positioned, in some examples, with its inner metal electrode coating adjacent the drone processor to function as the hot side of the TEG. The outer metal electrode coating of the TEG forms a portion of the outer surface of the housing of the drone to function as the cold side of the TEG. The inner and outer metal coatings of the TEG are coupled to a battery recharger so current generated by the TEG during operation of the drone can help recharge the drone battery to extend flight time. In some examples, an outer perimeter of the TEG extends into an airflow region near the drone rotors so propeller wash serves to cool the perimeter of the TEG.

An electrically-powered device, structure and/or component is provided that includes an attached electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element or component. The energy harvesting component provides a mechanism for generating autonomous renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in the integrated circuit system, structure and/or component. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured in a manner to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The energy harvesting component includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase an electrical power output.

According to some embodiments, a thermoelectric system includes a thermoelectric device having a first surface and a second surface and a power source configured to deliver a voltage across the thermoelectric device to selectively activate or deactivate the thermoelectric device, wherein the first surface is configured to heat and the second surface is configured to cool when the thermoelectric device is activated. The system further includes a processor configured to determine a potential between the first surface and the second surface when the thermoelectric device is deactivated, correlate the potential to a temperature of the first surface and adjust the correlated temperature of the first surface based on an ambient temperature.