Abstract: Surface mount device (SMD) placement to control a signal path in a printed circuit board (PCB), including: adding, to a PCB, a plurality of signal path segments, each signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments ending at corresponding pad of a plurality of pads, wherein a first pad of the plurality of pads is couplable to a second pad of the plurality of pads to create a first signal path and is couplable to a third pad of the plurality of pads to create a second signal path; and coupling, via a discrete SMD, the first pad and the second pad to create the first signal path comprising a first signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments and a second signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments.

Abstract: A temperature-dependent capacitor comprises a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate located in a parallel-planar orientation to the first conductive plate, and a dielectric material located between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, the dielectric material having a temperature-dependent dielectric constant (?) value, wherein the temperature-dependent capacitor has a positive correlation of an operating temperature of the temperature-dependent capacitor to a capacitance value of the temperature-dependent capacitor.

Abstract: A quantum mechanical circuit includes a substrate; a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor provided on the substrate and spaced apart to provide a gap therebetween; and a third electrical conductor to electrically connect the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor. The third electrical conductor is a poor thermal conductor.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a first wafer comprising a plurality of first chips, and kerf and crack-stop structures around perimeters of the first chips, and a second wafer comprising a plurality second chips, a plurality of interconnect structures through a connection zone between the second chips, and a plurality of thru silicon vias, wherein the first wafer and the second wafer are bonded face-to-face such that the interconnect structures of the second wafer electrically connect adjacent chip sites of the first wafer and where a pitch of the chips on the first and second wafer are equal.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes printed circuit board performance evaluation techniques. In some cases, a printed circuit board performance evaluation process may include determining a first set of electrical properties associated with an interface between components of a printed circuit board, where the interface is disposed on an internal or external layer of the printed circuit board. After selective application of a sheet of dielectric material to a portion of a transmission line in the interface, a second set of electrical properties associated with the interface may be determined. The first set of electrical properties may be compared to the second set of electrical properties to evaluate printed circuit board performance. In other cases, the interface may include a trace inductor, and electrical properties of the interface before and after application of a ferrous material may be compared to evaluate printed circuit board performance.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a first wafer comprising a plurality of first chips, and kerf and crack-stop structures around perimeters of the first chips, and a second wafer comprising a plurality second chips, a plurality of interconnect structures through a connection zone between the second chips, and a plurality of thru silicon vias, wherein the first wafer and the second wafer are bonded face-to-face such that the interconnect structures of the second wafer electrically connect adjacent chip sites of the first wafer and where a pitch of the chips on the first and second wafer are equal.

Abstract: A system can control, with a positive temperature-voltage correlation, an output of a voltage regulator with a Peltier device. The Peltier device can receive heat from a heat-producing electronic device, and can have a positive terminal and a negative terminal. A voltage regulator circuit can include a driver device electrically coupled to an input voltage and an output terminal electrically coupled to one of the Peltier device terminals. The voltage regulator circuit can also include a differential amplifier electrically coupled to a reference voltage, an input electrically coupled to another Peltier device terminal and an output electrically coupled to the driver device. The differential amplifier can, in response to a voltage produced by the Peltier device, modulate, with a positive temperature-voltage correlation, an output voltage on the output terminal of the driver device.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing tire tread depth and wear patterns monitoring. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is provided with an associated tire to be monitored. A dipole antenna structure is coupled to the RFID tag and routed within a position in the tire tread and routed substantially circumferentially in the associated tire. A resonant frequency of the dipole antenna structure is detected to monitor tire tread wear.

Abstract: Electrical current flow in a ball grid array (BGA) package can be measured by an apparatus including an integrated circuit (IC) electrically connected to the BGA package. Solder balls connect the BGA package to a printed circuit board (PCB). A current sense loop can be fabricated on a wiring plane of the PCB to encircle a current supply via that supplies current to an IC mounted on the BGA package. A MUX/Sequencer can sequentially connect wires of the current sense loop to an amplifier. The amplifier can amplify a voltage induced on the current sense mesh by current flow into the BGA package. A sensing analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is electrically connected to convert a voltage at the output of the amplifier into digital output signals.

Abstract: A system and method to prevent eavesdropping by a device. An anti-eavesdrop component is installed on the device. The anti-eavesdrop component is configured to actively prevent the device from capturing audio from the environment. In response to installing the anti-eavesdrop component, the device recognizes the anti-eavesdrop component as a primary audio input for the device. The anti-eavesdrop component then proceeds to block the device from capturing outside audio by injecting noise or otherwise interfering with the primary audio input.

Abstract: A grid array capacitor can be used to physically and electrically couple an integrated circuit (IC) package to a printed circuit board (PCB). The grid array capacitor includes an inner conductor and an inner dielectric coaxially surrounding the inner conductor. A secondary conductor can be located to surround, in a coaxial orientation, the inner dielectric. Both the inner conductor and the secondary conductor can be electrically connected to the IC package and to the PCB. In certain applications, the structure of the inner conductor, inner dielectric, and secondary conductor can provide capacitance used to decouple electronic circuits.

Abstract: An optical electromagnetic radiation (EM) emitter and receiver are located upon a printed circuit board (PCB) layer and are optically connected to an optical security pathway that is between a pair of signal traces. A predetermined reference flux is determined, the reference flux being the expected EM transmitted by the optical security pathway and received by the receiver. When the PCB is subject to an unauthorized access thereof (e.g., drilled, sawed, cut, etc.), the optical EM transferred by optical security pathway is altered. An optical monitoring device that monitors the flux of the optical EM received by the receiver detects a change in flux, in relation to the reference flux, and passes a tamper signal to one or more computer system devices to respond to the unauthorized access. For example, one or more cryptographic adapter card or computer system functions or secured crypto components may be disabled.

Abstract: A solder ball assembly can include a first spring element having a first shape and formed from a first elastic electrically conductive material. The solder ball assembly can also include a second spring element having a second shape and formed from a second elastic electrically conductive material. The second spring element is mechanically attached to the first spring element to form a spring assembly. The solder ball can be configured to enclose the spring assembly.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and cards utilized for an authentication protection layer for payment card transactions are provided. Aspects include receiving, by a transaction processing terminal, the card for the potential transaction. Obtaining card holder information for the card and transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal and receiving RFID data from an RFID tag associated with the card. Comparing, by a processor, the card holder information to the RFID data to determine whether to authorize the potential card transaction and authorizing the potential card transaction based at least on a determination that the RFID data corresponds to the card holder information.

Abstract: A method and structure are provided for implementing stub-less printed circuit board (PCB) vias and custom interconnect through laser-excitation conductive track structures. Stub-less printed PCB vias are formed which terminate at desired signal layers by controlled laser excitation without stubs or the need to back-drill to remove such stubs.

Abstract: A solder ball assembly can include a first spring element having a first shape and formed from a first elastic electrically conductive material. The solder ball assembly can also include a second spring element having a second shape and formed from a second elastic electrically conductive material. The second spring element is mechanically attached to the first spring element to form a spring assembly. The solder ball can be configured to enclose the spring assembly.

Abstract: Electrical current flow in a ball grid array (BGA) package can be measured by an apparatus including an integrated circuit (IC) electrically connected to the BGA package. Solder balls connect the BGA package to a printed circuit board (PCB). A current sense mesh can be placed between adjacent solder balls and is attached to the upper surface of the PCB. The solder balls are electrically connected to supply current from the PCB through the BGA package to the IC. A MUX/Sequencer can sequentially connect wires of the current sense mesh to an amplifier. The amplifier can amplify a voltage induced on the current sense mesh by current flow into the BGA package. A sensing analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is electrically connected to convert a voltage at the output of the amplifier into digital output signals.

Abstract: An optical electromagnetic radiation (EM) emitter and receiver are located upon a printed circuit board (PCB) layer and are connected to an optical security pathway. A predetermined reference flux is determined, the reference flux being the expected EM transmitted by the optical security pathway and received by the receiver. When the PCB is subject to an unauthorized access thereof (e.g., drilled, sawed, cut, etc.), the optical EM transferred by optical security pathway is altered. An optical monitoring device that monitors the flux of the optical EM received by the receiver detects a change in flux, in relation to the reference flux, and passes a tamper signal to one or more computer system devices to respond to the unauthorized access. For example, one or more cryptographic adapter card or computer system functions or secured crypto components may be disabled.

Abstract: Surface mount device (SMD) placement to control a signal path in a printed circuit board (PCB), including: adding, to a PCB, a plurality of signal path segments, each signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments ending at corresponding pad of a plurality of pads, wherein a first pad of the plurality of pads is couplable to a second pad of the plurality of pads to create a first signal path and is couplable to a third pad of the plurality of pads to create a second signal path; and coupling, via a discrete SMD, the first pad and the second pad to create the first signal path comprising a first signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments and a second signal path segment of the plurality of signal path segments.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and computer program product for spur detection in a sampled waveform in a mixed analog/digital system using the magnitude of the frequency response comprising acquiring a sample waveform including a set of discrete uniformly spaced samples from a target system, wherein the sample waveform is a time domain vector; applying FFT transforming the time domain vector into the frequency domain; analyzing the frequency domain response including calculating the magnitude response; and determining whether the sample waveform has spurs including comparing the magnitude response to an average noise floor threshold including determining that the magnitude response having an average noise floor value above the average noise floor threshold has one or more spurs and determining that the magnitude response having an average noise floor value below the average noise floor threshold has no spurs, wherein a spur indicates unaligned data having a delayed bit flip.