Abstract: The invention relates to an input amplifier stage, in AB class, having a controlled bias current and comprising a differential cell, inserted between a first supply voltage reference and a second voltage reference, having a differential pair of input transistors receiving respective differential signals and a pair of bias transistors, as well as an output-buffer circuit portion coupled to the cell by means of at least a supplementary parallel branch of transistors. This stage also comprises an additional circuit block, able to output the absolute value of an input current, inserted between a node of the differential cell of the input stage and a node of the supplementary branch in order to add the absolute value of a portion of the signal current to the differential cell bias current.

Abstract: A sensing circuit for a semiconductor memory comprising a circuit branch intended to be electrically coupled to a memory bit line having connected thereto a memory cell to be sensed. A bit line precharge circuit is provided, for precharging the memory bit line to a predetermined potential in a precharge phase of a memory cell sensing operation. An evaluation circuit is associated with the memory bit line for evaluating an electric quantity developing on the memory bit line during an evaluation phase of the memory cell sensing operation; the electric quantity that develops on the memory bit line is indicative of an information content of the memory cell. The bit line precharge circuit is adapted to both charging and discharging the memory bit line, so that the predetermined bit line potential is reached irrespective of a memory bit line initial potential at the beginning of the precharge phase.

Abstract: Described herein are a molecular memory obtained using DNA strand molecular switches and carbon nanotubes, and a manufacturing method thereof. In particular, the nonvolatile memory is manufactured according to an architecture that envisages the use of carbon nanotubes as electrical connectors and DNA strands as physical means on which to write the information. In other words, the nonvolatile memory is made by means of a set of molecular DNA strand switches, the addressing of which is controlled by molecular wires made up of carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a photoreceiver, including sequentially laminating a buffer layer, a channel layer, a barrier layer, and a cap layer on a substrate; forming a mesa for HEMT and MSM PD by removing the buffer layer, the channel layer, the barrier layer, and the cap layer with the exception of a region corresponding to HEMT and MSM PD; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode of HEMT; removing the cap layer from a region corresponding to a gate electrode of HEMT and a Schottky electrode of MSM PD; forming the gate electrode of HEMT and the Schottky electrode of HEMT on the cap layer-removed region; and removing the cap layer, the barrier layer and the channel layer from a region corresponding to an optical waveguide, to expose the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller to supply power to electronic components using a phase lock loop (PLL) is presented. A PWM controller comprises an input node operable to receive a reference signal and a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL comprises an oscillator operable to receive an error-correction signal and to generate an oscillator signal having a frequency that is related to the error-correction signal, a phase-frequency detector (PFD) coupled to the oscillator and operable to receive the reference signal and to generate the error-correction signal based upon a phase difference between the reference signal and a feedback signal, and a suppression circuit coupled to the PFD and operable to periodically enable the PFD to generate the error-correction signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to controlling a load-following solid oxide fuel cell system such that the fuel cells in the system are operating within an acceptable electrochemical reaction efficiency. The system has a controller that is programmed to detect a load change on a fuel cell stack, and when the load decreases, reduces the fuel flow rate to the stack or deactivates one or more fuel cells in the stack such that the stack operates within an acceptable electrochemical reaction efficiency range corresponding to the decreased load; and when the load increases, the controller increases the fuel flow rate to the stack or activates fuel cells in the stack such that the stack operates within the acceptable electrochemical reaction efficiency range.

Abstract: A method of controlling a discharge of bit lines of a matrix of memory cells comprises conditioning a value of a current flowing through a bit line of the matrix during a bit line discharge phase to an absence of an indication of defectiveness of the bit line. The method allows preventing crowbar currents that otherwise flow during the bit line discharge phase when a defective bit line exhibits a short-circuit to a defective word line.

Abstract: Optical systems that provide for simultaneous images and spectra from an object, such as a tissue sample, an industrial object such as a computer chip, or any other object that can be viewed with an optical system such as a microscope, endoscope, telescope or camera. In some embodiments, the systems provide multiple images corresponding to various desired wavelength ranges within an original image of the object, as well as, if desired, directional pointer(s) that can provide both an identification of the precise location from which a spectrum is being obtained, as well as enhancing the ability to point the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for playing interactive contents for standby mode in a mobile communication terminal, which allows a user of the mobile communication terminal to perform a variety of operations on a standby mode by operating a player to play interactive contents provided by mobile communication terminal makers or communication service providers on the standby mode in a user-specified standby screen and allows a direct Internet browsing to a specific URL based on a user's operation, and a mobile communication terminal using the same. According to the method for playing interactive contents for standby mode in the mobile communication terminal and the mobile communication terminal using the same, the interactive contents can be played in the standby mode and so other pictures can be viewed in the standby mode according to a key operation by a user.

Abstract: A memory, particularly but not limitatively a flash memory, comprises at least one data storage area comprising a plurality of data storage locations, and an access circuitry for accessing the data storage locations for either retrieving or altering a data content thereof, depending for example on a memory user request. The memory includes at least one first user-configurable flag element and a second user-configurable flag element. Both the at least one first and the second flag elements are used by a user to set a protected state of the respective data storage area against alteration of the content of the data storage locations thereof. The protected state defined by setting the first flag element is user-removable, i.e., it can be removed by request from the user, so as to enable again the alteration of the content of the data storage area.

Abstract: A treatment method of annealing and doping a semiconductor including irradiating a semiconductor layer (13) formed on a substrate (11) with a laser beam (a), thereby melting at least a part of the semiconductor layer; irradiating a target material (2) including atoms with which the semiconductor layer is to be doped with the laser beam (a?), thereby ablating the atoms of the target material; and doping the melted semiconductor layer with the ablated atoms.

Abstract: Described herein is a reading circuit for a nonvolatile memory device, wherein the currents flowing through an array memory cell to be read, and a reference memory cell with known contents, are converted into an array voltage and, respectively, into a reference voltage, which are compared to determine the contents of the array memory cell. The method envisages reducing the electrical stress to which the reference memory cell is subjected during reading, by generating and holding a sample of the reference voltage, then deselecting the reference memory cell, and then continuing reading using the sample of the reference voltage.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical device formed by a body of semiconductor material having a thickness and defining a mobile part and a fixed part. The mobile part is formed by a mobile platform, supporting arms extending from the mobile platform to the fixed part, and by mobile electrodes fixed to the mobile platform. The fixed part has fixed electrodes facing the mobile electrodes, a first biasing region fixed to the fixed electrodes, a second biasing region fixed to the supporting arms, and an insulation region of insulating material extending through the entire thickness of the body. The insulation region insulates electrically at least one between the first and the second biasing regions from the rest of the fixed part.

Abstract: The shoulder prosthesis has a stem (10), a ball head (20) and a middle section (30) that can be attached to the proximal end (12) of the stem (10) and to which the ball head (50) can be attached. The middle section (30) can be clamped to an attachment element (20) that is adjustable in a first direction at the proximal end (12) of the stem (10), the first direction lying in the resection plane or parallel thereto. The first direction generally runs approximately medially-laterally. The attachment element (20) can be displaceable on the stem (10) by means of a dovetail guide (15) or guided displaceable in a guide bore in the stem (10). The middle section can be clamped against the attachment element (20), whereby the attachment element (20) and the middle section (30) can be fixed.

Abstract: Endoscopes and other viewing devices that control the light that contacts a sample and/or that is detected emanating from a sample. The viewing devices are particularly well suited for in vivo imaging, although other uses are also included. The viewing devices, and methods related thereto, comprise a spatial light modulator in the illumination and/or detection light path so that light transmitted to the target via a bundle of light guides or optical system is transmitted substantially only into the cores of the light guide bundle and not into the cladding surrounding the light guides, filler between the light guides in the bundle, or undesired light guides. Also, methods and apparatus for mapping the pixels of the spatial light modulator to the cores of the light guides in the bundle (preferably at least 3 pixels (e.g., at least 3 mirrors for a digital micromirror device) for each core), as well as for mapping the light guides of one light guide bundle to another.

Abstract: A scanned beam image capture apparatus is adaptable to use in medical imaging applications.

Abstract: A ship having a multi-mode hull where the draft, seakeeping, and payload-carrying capacity are varied to match the requirements of the required mission. For example, the ship has a hull with first and second hull portions and with an interconnecting hull structure, and has a ballasting system within the hull portions and operable to adjust the draft of the vessel in conjunction with the payload carried by the ship so that the ship can perform a designated mission. The hull is designed to have an adjustable hull depth according to the payload carried to perform the mission and augmented by the ballasting system so as to optimize draft, and thus hull mode, to meet mission requirements. As a result, the ship operates in four distinct modes as follows: very shallow draft (logistics mode), shallow draft (catamaran mode), moderate draft (SWATH mode), and deep draft (stealth/low-freeboard mode).

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a through insulated interconnection is performed by forming, in a body of semiconductor material, a trench extending from the front (of the body for a thickness portion thereof; filling the trench with dielectric material; thinning the body starting from the rear until the trench, so as to form an insulated region surrounded by dielectric material; and forming a conductive region extending inside said insulated region between the front and the rear of the body and having a higher conductivity than the first body. The conductive region includes a metal region extending in an opening formed inside the insulated region or of a heavily doped semiconductor region, made prior to filling of the trench.

Abstract: A method for improving the quality of a digital image acquired with a non-optimal exposure. In one embodiment, the method, which is applied directly to the image in CFA (Color Filter Array) format, identifies the regions of the image that are most important from the perceptive or contextual point of view by means of simple statistical measures. The image is then transformed by inverting the response function in such a manner as to optimize the quality of these regions.

Abstract: A memory system comprising a semiconductor memory for storing digital data, said memory being connectable to a control device in order to receive an address signal and to make data selected through the output-available address signal. The system is characterised in that it comprises a generating circuit for activating a wait signal to be forwarded to the control device during reading operations in such a way as to indicate the non-availability of the data to be read. The generating circuit is such to deactivate the wait signal, in such a way as to indicate the availability of the data to be read, following a waiting time interval correlated with an effective access time for said memory.