Abstract: Pitch detection of speech signals finds numerous applications in karaoke, voice recognition and scoring applications. While most of the existing techniques rely on time domain methods, the invention utilizes frequency domain methods. There is provided a method and system for determining the pitch of speech from a speech signal. The method includes the steps of: producing or obtaining the speech signal; distinguishing the speech signal into voiced, unvoiced or silence sections using speech signal energy levels; applying a Fourier Transform to the speech signal and obtaining speech signal parameters; determining peaks of the Fourier transformed speech signal; tracking the speech signal parameters of the determined peaks to select partials; and determining the pitch from the selected partials using a two-way mismatch error calculation.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for determining whether a data frame of a coded speech signal corresponds to voice or to noise. In one embodiment, a voice activity detector determines a cross-correlation of data. If the cross-correlation is lower than a predetermined cross-correlation value, then the data frame corresponds to noise. If not, then the voice activity detector determines a periodicity of the cross-correlation and a variance of the periodicity. If the variance is less than a predetermined variance value, then the data frame corresponds to voice. In another embodiment, a method determines energy of the data frame and an average energy of the coded speech signal. If the data frame is one of a predetermined number of initial data frames, then a comparison between the average energy to the energy of the data frame is used to determine whether the data frame is noise or voice.

Abstract: An apparatus arranged to accept digital data as an input and to process the data according to one of either the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) or Message Digest (MD5) algorithm to produce a fixed length output word. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotational registers for storing data, one of the registers arranged to receive the input data, and data stores for initialization of some of the plurality of registers according to whether the SHA-1 or MD5 algorithm is used. The data stores include fixed data relating to SHA-1 and MD5 operation. Also included is a plurality of dedicated combinatorial logic circuits arranged to perform logic operations on data stored in selected ones of the plurality of registers.

Abstract: A method for protecting a circuit component on a semiconductor substrate from a plasma etching or other removal process includes forming a screening layer over an auxiliary layer to conceal at least an area of the auxiliary layer that overlays at least a portion of the circuit component, such as for example a high-ohmic poly resistor. The method transfers a pattern defined by a mask onto the screening layer by selectively removing portions of the screening layer in accordance with the pattern. Portions of the auxiliary layer that are not protected by the screening layer are removed using a plasma gas selective to the auxiliary layer material, without removing the area of the auxiliary layer that overlays the portion of the circuit component, thereby protecting the circuit component from the plasma gas via the screening layer and auxiliary layer.

Abstract: A mask generation process for use in encoding audio data, including generating linear masking components from the audio data, generating logarithmic masking components from the linear masking components, and generating a global masking threshold from the logarithmic masking components. The process is a psychoacoustic masking process for use in an MPEG-1-L2 encoder, and includes generating energy values from a Fourier transform of the audio data, determining sound pressure level values from the energy values, selecting tonal and non-tonal masking components on the basis of the energy values, generating power values from the energy values, generating masking thresholds on the basis of the masking components and the power values, and generating signal to mask ratios for a quantizier on the basis of the sound pressure level values and the masking thresholds.

Abstract: A method of processing video data to detect field characteristics of the data, said data having a plurality of fields, including the steps of: comparing first and second fields, said first field being a successive field of said second field; comparing pixel values of respective sub-blocks of said first field and a third field, said second field being a successive field of said third field; determining whether said first field is an interlaced field or a progressive field with respect to a successive field of said first field based on said steps of comparing.

Abstract: A released beam structure fabricated in trench and manufacturing method thereof are provided herein. One embodiment of a released beam structure according to the present invention comprises a semiconductor substrate, a trench, a first conducting layer, and a beam. The trench extends into the semiconductor substrate and has walls. The first conducting layer is positioned over the walls of the trench at selected locations. The beam is positioned with the trench and is connected at a first portion thereof to the semiconductor substrate and movable at a second portion thereof. The second portion of the beam is spaced from the walls of the trench by a selected distance. Therefore, the second portion of the beam is free to move in a plane that is perpendicular or parallel to the surface of the substrate, and could be deflected to electrically contact with the walls of the trench in response to a predetermined acceleration force or a predetermined temperature variation applied on the beam structure.

Abstract: A released-beam sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a layer formed thereon, and an aperture formed in the layer. A beam is mechanically coupled at a first end to the layer and suspended above the layer such that a second end forms a cantilever above the aperture. A boss is coupled to a second end of the beam and suspended at least partially within the aperture. The beam is configured to flex in response to acceleration of the substrate along a vector substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. Parameters of the sensor, such as the dimensions of the beam, the mass of the boss, and the distance between the boss and a contact surface within the aperture, are selected to establish an acceleration threshold at which the boss will make contact with the contact surface. The sensor may be employed to deploy an airbag in a vehicle.

Abstract: An electronic system, an integrated circuit and a method for display are disclosed. The electronic system contains a first device, a memory and a video/audio compression/decompression device such as a decoder/encoder. The electronic system is configured to allow the first device and the video/audio compression/decompression device to share the memory. The electronic system may be included in a computer in which case the memory is a main memory. Memory access is accomplished by one or more memory interfaces, direct coupling of the memory to a bus, or direct coupling of the first device and decoder/encoder to a bus. An arbiter selectively provides access for the first device and/or the decoder/encoder to the memory. The arbiter may be monolithically integrated into a memory interface. The decoder may be a video decoder configured to comply with the MPEG-2 standard. The memory may store predicted images obtained from a preceding image.

Abstract: A circuit includes a current generator, a start-up circuit coupled to provide a start-up current to the current generator during a start-up phase of the current generator, and a cut-off circuit coupled to both the current generator and to the start-up circuit to provide a control signal that reduces the start-up current when an output current from the current generator exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring and managing the connectivity of a broadband, cable modem network station to a network, including a state-driven network manager having a centralized error handling state and peripheral states for initialization, dynamic host configuration, configuration download, start simple-network-management, and an operational state. The operational state monitors for error and other messages communicated from other states and sends error messages to the centralized error-handling state and request messages to an operational support system interface management task. The error handling state receives error messages and requests error event logging from the operational support system interface management task. A change upstream-or-downstream channel task optimizes channel selection.

Abstract: The contact opening through an insulating layer is formed having a straight sidewall portion and a bowl shaped sidewall portion. The bowl shaped sidewall portion is near the top of the insulation layer to provide an enlarged diameter of the contact opening at the top relative to the bottom. A conductive material is then formed in the contact opening in electrical contact with a lower conductive layer. The conductive material forms a plug having an enlarged head, such as a nail head or a flat heat screw shape. The enlarged head protects the silicon and a barrier layer, if present, within the contact from being etched by any subsequent anisotropic etches. Thus, when an electrical interconnection layer such as aluminum is formed overlying the contact plug, the plug acts as an etch stop to prevent etching of a barrier layer of the barrier layer within the contact opening.

Abstract: A voltage regulator includes first and second transistors arranged in parallel and configured to regulate current flow to an output node, and a sensing circuit configured to sense a voltage level at the output node and provide a signal proportional thereto. the regulator also includes a control circuit configured to receive the signal from the sensing circuit and provide control signals at control terminals of the first and second transistors such that voltage at the output node is maintained substantially at a selected level. The control circuit further configured to hold the second transistor in an off state while a demand for current at the output node remains below an output threshold. The second transistor is configured to control a large portion of load current above the output threshold. The regulator may also include a current bypass circuit configured to shunt leakage current of the second transistor to ground, away from the sensing circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) and wireless smart card is provided. The apparatus includes a mode detection circuit, a switching block, a controller, an antenna, and a wired interface. Furthermore, an apparatus for a triple-mode smart card is also provided herein. The apparatus for the triple mode smart card includes a mode detection circuit, a switching block, a controller, an antenna, and a wired interface. The apparatus for the triple mode smart card operates in one of a wireless mode, a USB mode and an International Standards Organization 7816 mode or other wired mode. Furthermore, the apparatus for any of these smart cards could operate in both the wireless and wired mode(s) without conflict, and without switching power off and on to change configuration.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a first layer formed on the substrate, a first aperture within the first layer, and a beam coupled at a first end to the substrate and suspended above the first layer for a portion of the length thereof. The beam includes a first boss coupled to a lower surface thereof and suspended within the first aperture, and a second boss coupled to an upper surface of the second end of the beam. A second layer is positioned on the first layer over the beam and includes a second aperture within which the second boss is suspended by the beam. Contact surfaces are positioned within the apertures such that acceleration of the substrate exceeding a selected threshold in either direction along a selected axis will cause the beam to flex counter to the direction of acceleration and make contact through one of the bosses with one of the contact surfaces.

Abstract: An H-bridge circuit having a boost capacitor coupled to the gate of the low-side driver. A driver, in the form of a switching transistor is connected between the load and ground, thus providing a low-side driver. A capacitor is coupled to the gate of the low-side driver to provide a boosted voltage for rapid turn on of the gate. The size of the capacitor selected to be similar to the size of the capacitance associated with the low-side driver transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type including wells of a second conductivity type formed on a surface thereof. The wells may be laterally isolated by shallow trench isolation. Transistors are formed in the wells by first forming several chemically distinct layers. Anisotropic etching then forms openings in a top one of the layers. A blanket dielectric layer is formed in the openings and on the layers. Anisotropic etching removes portions of the blanket dielectric layer from planar surfaces of the substrate but not from sidewalls of the openings to form dielectric spacers separated by gaps within the openings. Gate oxides are formed by oxidation of exposed areas of the substrate. Ion implantation forms channels beneath the gate oxides. Polysilicon deposition followed by chemical-mechanical polishing defines gates in the gaps. The chemically distinct layers are then stripped without removing the dielectric spacers.

Abstract: A network station subsystem architecture that uses a simplified interface reference discovery method and system is provided. In one embodiment a method for managing client-server communications is disclosed that includes providing a server with functions and interface methods; providing a client with references to the interface methods; and processing client requests by invoking the interface methods on the server via the references. Ideally, the interface methods are implemented by providing the server with a table of pointers to the functions, and providing the client with references to the table of pointers, ideally at the time of design. In another embodiment, a system for managing communications in a network station for a data-over-cable network having a plurality of network stations is provided.

Abstract: The thin film transistor formed of polycrystalline silicon is positioned adjacent a heat reaction chamber. The gate electrode for the transistor is formed within a silicon substrate and a gate dielectric is positioned over the gate electrode. A pass transistor is coupled to the gate electrode, the pass transistor having a source/drain region in the same semiconductor substrate and positioned adjacent to the gate electrode of the thin film heating transistor. When the pass transistor is enabled, a voltage is applied to the gate electrode which causes the current to flow from the drain to the source of the thin film transistor. The current flow passes through a highly resistive region which generates heat that is transmitted to the heat reaction chamber.

Abstract: A device including an IGBT a formed on a chip of silicon consisting of a P type substrate with an N type epitaxial layer that contains a first P type region and a termination structure, and having a first P type termination region that surrounds the first region, a first electrode in contact with the first termination region, and a second electrode shaped in the form of a frame close to the edge of the chip and connected to a third electrode in contact with the bottom of the chip. A fourth electrode made in one piece with the first electrode is in contact with the first region. The termination structure also comprises a fifth electrode in contact with the epitaxial layer along a path parallel to the edge of the first termination region and connected to the second electrode and a second P type termination region that surrounds the fifth electrode and a sixth electrode, and which is in contact with the second termination region, connected to the first electrode.