Abstract: The invention enhances the accuracy of an end point detection when an insulation film formed on a semiconductor substrate is dry-etched. Gate layers made of polysilicon are formed, and an end point detection dummy layer made of polysilicon is formed on a LOCOS. After the gate layers and the dummy layer are formed, a TEOS film is formed on a silicon substrate so as to cover the gate layers and the dummy layer. The TEOS film, a thin gate oxide film and a thick gate oxide film are then dry-etched to form sidewalls on the sidewalls of the gate layers and also expose the front surface of the P well of the silicon substrate in a region surrounded by the LOCOS. The end point detection dummy layer helps the end point detection by being exposed during this dry-etching to enhance the accuracy of the end point detection.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes: first and second power-supply terminals; an internal circuit connected between the first and second power-supply terminals; and a protection circuit connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals, the protection circuit including: a series circuit that includes a resistor and a first capacitor, and is connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals; a first MOS transistor that is connected in parallel with the series circuit, and is controlled according to a voltage at a connection point between the resistor and the first capacitor; and a switch circuit that is connected in parallel with the resistor, is turned on in a delayed manner after a power-supply voltage is applied between the first and second power-supply terminals, and changes the voltage at the connection point so that the first MOS transistor is turned off.

Abstract: The invention is directed to decreasing the power consumption of a remote control signal receiving circuit. A receiving circuit includes a timing signal generation circuit generating a timing signal, a power supply circuit intermittently operating a light receiving element receiving a remote control signal by supplying power to the light receiving element when the timing signal is at a first level and by halting supplying power to the light receiving element when the timing signal is at a second level, a sampling signal generation circuit generating a sampling signal during the operation of the light receiving element corresponding to the timing signal, a sampling circuit sampling an output signal from the light receiving element corresponding to the sampling signal, and a detection circuit detecting the output signal sent from the light receiving element and sampled by the sampling circuit.

Abstract: A driver circuit is provided which comprises a series-connected unit having a light-emitting element and a current limiting inductor directly connected to the light-emitting element, a regenerative diode which is connected in parallel to the series-connected unit and which regenerates energy stored in the current limiting inductor, a transistor which controls a current flowing through the light-emitting element and the current limiting inductor, and a controller which controls an operation of the transistor, wherein the controller controls the transistor according to a voltage value of a power supply applied to the light-emitting element.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a smaller semiconductor device of which the manufacturing process is simplified and the manufacturing cost is reduced. Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a cavity. A device element 3 is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate 4, and a sealing body 1 is attached to the semiconductor substrate 4 with an adhesive layer 6 being interposed therebetween. A main surface (a back surface) of the sealing body 1 which faces the semiconductor substrate 4 is curved inward, and there is a given space (a cavity 2) between the sealing body 1 and the semiconductor substrate 4. Since the back surface of the sealing body 1 is curved, the sealing body 1 is used as a planoconcave lens (a reverse direction) as well as a sealing member for the device element 3.

Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method of manufacturing a resin molded semiconductor device with high reliability by preventing a resin leakage portion from occurring due to burrs on a lead frame formed by punching. The method of manufacturing the resin molded semiconductor device according to the invention includes bonding a semiconductor die on an island in a lead frame, electrically connecting the semiconductor die with the lead frame, resin-molding the lead frame on which the semiconductor die is bonded, and applying prior to the resin-molding a compressive pressure that is higher than a clamping pressure applied in the resin-molding to a region of the lead frame being clamped by molds in the resin-molding of the lead frame.

Abstract: This invention is directed to provide a method of manufacturing a resin molded semiconductor device with high reliability by preventing a resin leakage portion from occurring due to burrs on a lead frame formed by punching. The method of manufacturing the resin molded semiconductor device according to the invention includes bonding a semiconductor die on an island in a lead frame, electrically connecting the semiconductor die with the lead frame, resin-molding the lead frame on which the semiconductor die is bonded, and applying prior to the resin-molding a compressive pressure that is higher than a clamping pressure applied in the resin-molding to a region of the lead frame being clamped by molds in the resin-molding of the lead frame.

Abstract: A light-emitting element drive circuit system for driving a light-emitting element includes a current circuit section that drives the light-emitting element at a preset drive current value, and a current value setting section. The current value setting section sets the drive current value so that the drive current value is changed during a preset transition period from a first current value to a second current value that is not equal to the first current value, and changed during a preset transition period from the second current value to a third current value that is not equal to both the first current value and the second current value.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes: first and second power-supply terminals; an internal circuit connected between the first and second power-supply terminals; and a protection circuit connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals, the protection circuit including: a series circuit that includes a resistor and a first capacitor, and is connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals; a first MOS transistor that is connected in parallel with the series circuit, and is controlled according to a voltage at a connection point between the resistor and the first capacitor; and a switch circuit that is connected in parallel with the resistor, is turned on in a delayed manner after a power-supply voltage is applied between the first and second power-supply terminals, and changes the voltage at the connection point so that the first MOS transistor is turned off.

Abstract: The invention realizes certainly detecting two or more positions on a touch panel that are touched at the same time. A drive circuit selects one from X lines, and supplies an alternating drive voltage to the selected line. A multiplexer selects a first sense line and a second sense line from Y lines that extend to cross the X lines. A charge amplifier outputs an output voltage corresponding to a difference between a first capacitance between the first sense line and the X line selected by the drive circuit and a second capacitance between the second sense line and the X line selected by the drive circuit. A touch position is then detected based on the output voltage of the charge amplifier.

Abstract: The invention provides a motor with a low speed start function and a soft start function. The motor includes a first pulse generation circuit generating a first pulse signal of which a first duty ratio of one of logic levels is increased as a drive voltage corresponding the target rotation speed of the motor is increased, a second pulse generation circuit generating a second pulse signal of which a second duty ratio of one of logic levels is different from the first duty ratio, and a drive control circuit supplying a drive current to a motor coil at the second duty ratio in order to start the rotation of the motor that is stopping and supplying a drive current to the motor coil at the first duty ratio after a predetermined time passes from the start of the rotation of the motor in response to a rotation signal corresponding to the rotation of the motor.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes: a local oscillator to output first- and second-local-oscillator signals whose phases are orthogonal to each other; a mixer to output first- and second-intermediate-frequency signals; a first filter to allow a component from a desired signal to pass therethrough, and eliminate a component from an image signal having a frequency symmetrical with that of the desired signal, in the first- and second-intermediate-frequency signals; a second filter to allow a component from the image signal to pass therethrough, and eliminate a component from the desired signal, in the first- and second-intermediate-frequency signals; a comparator to compare levels between output signals of the first and second filters; and a control unit to switch a frequency of the first- and second-local-oscillator signals to a difference frequency between a frequency of the desired signal and the intermediate frequency or a sum frequency thereof, according to a comparison result of the comparator.

Abstract: Provided are: a lead frame enabling efficient manufacturing of multiple circuit devices; and a method for manufacturing a circuit device using the same. In the lead frame of the present invention, units are arranged and frame-shaped first and second supporters are provided around the units to mechanically support the units. Moreover, a half groove is provided in the first supporter at a portion on an extended line of a dividing line defined at a boundary between each adjacent two of the units. Furthermore, a penetration groove penetrating a part of the second supporter at a portion on an extended line of another dividing line is provided.

Abstract: A light-emitting element driving circuit system is provided in which a plurality of current paths, in each of which a light-emitting element and a switching element which is controlled to be switched ON and OFF for causing light to be emitted from the light-emitting element are connected in series, are placed in parallel to each other, wherein an ON time of each switching element is adjusted based on a light-emission period which is a period in which the light-emitting elements are caused to emit light in a circulating manner, such that a number of switching operations of each switching element is reduced.

Abstract: When a driver unit is in a high impedance state as viewed from a first coil or a second coil, an induced voltage detector detects the voltage across the first coil or that across the second coil so as to detect an induced voltage occurring in the first coil or the second coil. The induced voltage detector includes a differential amplifier circuit for differentially amplifying an electric potential across the first coil or that across the second coil, and an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting an analog value outputted from the differential amplifier circuit into a digital value and outputting the converted digital value to a control unit. The control unit generates a drive signal based on an input signal set externally and adjusts the drive signal in accordance with the induced voltage detected by the induced voltage detector so as to set the adjusted drive signal in the driver unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and its manufacturing method are offered to increase the number of semiconductor devices obtained from a semiconductor wafer while simplifying a manufacturing process. After forming a plurality of pad electrodes in a predetermined region on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate, a supporter is bonded to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate through an adhesive layer. Next, an opening is formed in the semiconductor substrate in a region overlapping the predetermined region. A wiring layer electrically connected with each of the pad electrodes is formed in the opening. After that, a stacked layer structure including the semiconductor substrate and the supporter is cut by dicing along a dicing line that is outside the opening.

Abstract: The invention provides an amplifier circuit of a capacitor microphone of which the noise resistance against noise of a supply voltage is enhanced. In an amplifier circuit of a capacitor microphone of the invention, while a noise component of a supply voltage is applied to one inversion input terminal of an operational amplifier of an amplification portion through a parasitic capacitor existing between an external power supply wiring and an external wiring that are adjacent to each other, the problem noise component of the supply voltage is applied to the other non-inversion input terminal by capacitive coupling to an internal power supply wiring. Therefore, the noise component is cancelled at the operational amplifier.

Abstract: An integration circuit integrates an angular velocity signal outputted from a vibration detection element and generates a shift amount signal indicating the shift amount of an imaging device. A control unit judges whether the device is in the panning state or the tilting state. The integration circuit is formed by a digital filter, which includes a register for holding an accumulation value to be an amplitude value of the shift amount signal.

Abstract: A drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal used to alternately deliver a positive current and a negative current to a coil with a nonconducting period inserted between conducting periods. A driver unit generates a drive current in response to the drive signal generated by the drive signal generating unit and supplies the drive current to a coil. An induced voltage detector detects an induced voltage occurring in the coil during the nonconducting period. A zero-cross detecting unit detects the zero cross of the induced voltage detected by the induced voltage detector. The drive signal generator estimates the eigen frequency of the linear vibration motor based on a detected position of the zero cross, and the frequency of the drive signal is brought close to the estimated eigen frequency.

Abstract: A image stabilization control circuit is provided which comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter circuit which converts an output signal of a vibration detection element which detects vibration of an imaging device and an output signal of a position detection element which detects a position of an optical component, into digital signals, and a logic circuit which generates a control signal which drives the optical component based on the output signal of the vibration detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and the output signal of the position detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein an abnormality of the vibration detection element is judged based on an amplitude of the output signal from the vibration detection element which is converted into the digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter circuit.