Abstract: In a data carrier (1), or a module (3) for such a data carrier (1), the module (3) has an integrated component (4) with at least two projecting connection contacts (5, 6) and, for each connection contact (5, 6), a connecting part (7, 8) which is electrically conductively connected thereto, the connecting parts (7, 8) consisting of metal, being constructed so as to be plate-shaped, and including remnants (11) of raised portions which have been formed by mechanical deformation of the connecting parts (7, 8).

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an output signal whose frequency is lower than the frequency of an input signal is disclosed. The apparatus includes a chain of frequency dividing cells where each cell has a definable division ratio. Furthermore, the frequency dividing cells include a clock input for receiving an input clock, a divided clock output for providing an output clock to a subsequent frequency dividing cell, a mode control input for receiving a mode control input signal from the subsequent frequency dividing cell, and a mode control output for providing a mode control output signal to a preceding frequency dividing cell. The apparatus may further includes a logic network having one or more inputs where each input is connected to a mode control input of one of the frequency dividing cells.

Abstract: A data carrier adapted to receive data (D) in the form of data blocks, which data blocks include delimiter data (SD) and (ED) and useful data (UD), includes delimiter data detection means adapted to detect delimiter data (SD) and (ED) of a data block and to generate and supply at least one useful data start signal (SOF; SOFA, SOFB), in which also after the supply of the useful data start signal (SOF; SOFA) the delimiter data (SD) and (ED) can be re-detected continually and the useful data start signal (SOF; SOFB) can be generated and supplied.

Abstract: A data carrier for contactless communication with a communication station has a substrate and a communication resonant circuit connected to the substrate and consisting of a communication coil and of a capacitor configuration and having a resonant frequency which should have a nominal value, whereby enabling resonant frequency to be changed from an initial value both to higher frequency values and to lower frequency values.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for testing random numbers generated by a random-number generator in real time. A stream of random bits generated by the random-number generator is converted into ±1 binary bits and segmented into a predefined block of vector bits, then these vectorss undergo a Hadamard-transform calculation. The Hadamard-transform output values are counted in each of a predetermined range of values and applied to an exponential frequency calculation to compute and update an average number of times that each output of the Hadamard-transforms falls into the corresponding predetermined range of values for a predetermined time period. The updated frequency values are compared to at least one predetermined acceptance range, so that if at least one of the updated frequency values repeatedly falls outside the predetermined acceptance range more than a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the generated random bits are insufficiently random.

Abstract: The invention relates to a voltage converter for generating an output voltage at an output terminal from an input voltage VDD taken from ground GND, said voltage converter comprising a switched capacitance Cp arranged in a bridge of transistors of the MOS type functioning as switches, each transistor being controlled by a control signal having a level varying in the rhythm of a clock signal clock. The invention is characterized in that the converter comprises at least a control circuit for supplying said control signal applied between the gate and the source of one of the transistors functioning as a switch, said control circuit having the particular function of generating a control signal having an amplitude which is inversely proportional to the input voltage VDD when the transistor which it controls is equivalent to a closed switch.

Abstract: In a data carrier (1) that is arranged to receive a signal (S) in a non-contacting manner there is provided a circuit (2) that is arranged, by using the signal (S), to generate a supply voltage (V) for parts of the circuit (2), the circuit (2) has a storage stage (5) that is arranged to store information capacitively, the information being represented by a value of an information voltage (UI) arising at the storage stage (5), which value of the information voltage (UI) is at most equal to the value of the supply voltage (V), and the circuit (2) has an evaluation stage (14) to which the information voltage can be fed and that are arranged to evaluate the information voltage (UI), with the help of a comparison voltage (UC), for the information represented by the information voltage (UI), the comparison-voltage generating stage (15) that is arranged to generate and emit the comparison voltage (UC) being implemented separately from the evaluation stage (14), and the evaluation stage (14) being arranged to receive

Abstract: A receiving device for cooperation with an optical fiber is provided with a sensor (3). The sensor (3) comprises two or more distinct sensor elements (4a, . . . , 4d) delivering an output signal with a strength that depends on the intensity applied to the sensor element (4a, . . . , 4d). A greatest dimension (a) of the sensor element (4a, . . . , 4d) is at most equal to half the diameter of a diffraction-limited spot (5) of the beam (2) exiting the optic fiber (1) at the location of the sensor elements (4a, . . . , 4d). A diametrical dimension (c) of the part of the sensor (3) provided with sensor elements (4a, . . . , 4d) is greater than the diameter of the beam (2) exiting from the optical fiber (1). Means (15) are present for determining the strength of the output signal from each sensor element (4a, . . . , 4d).

Abstract: A receiver comprising an input for receiving a first signal, said receiver further comprising a local oscillator for generating a periodical signal. The receiver further comprises a mixer for generating a third signal representative for a combination of a second signal and the periodical signal. The receiver is characterized in that it further comprises a voltage to current converter for receiving the first signal and generating the second signal as a current indicative for the first signal. The mixer comprises a plurality of controllable switches. The receiver further comprises a variable gain current to voltage converter (VGIV) coupled to the passive mixer, the VGIV receiving the third signal and generating a first voltage signal, said first voltage signal being in a linear relationship with the third signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile data carrier comprising a data-processing circuit; and a supply unit (1) to apply electric energy to power supply terminals for operating the data-processing circuit from an external energy source and (2) controlling voltage and current at external access points of the data carrier, wherein the supply unit including a voltage-limiting control circuit arranged in parallel to the power supply terminals of the data-processing circuit, and a current control device which, with respect to the supply of energy to the data-processing circuit, is arranged in series with the parallel arrangement of the voltage-limiting control circuit and the data-processing circuit.

Abstract: A communication station (1) and a transponder (2) are designed in such a way that an inventorizing operation can be performed using various memory areas (36, 37, 38, 39, 40), which are provided in an addressable memory (35) of the transponder (2), and in which different identification data (UIDDATA, USERDATA) is stored.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switching device comprising a plurality of inputs and outputs which are interconnected by a matrix of interconnection points for transmitting electric signals supplied from the inputs to the outputs via transmission lines in accordance with a predefined switching plan. The device comprises a control member for controlling the operation of the matrix with control signals and local decoding for locally decoding the control signals and for deducing the switching state of the interconnection points. Application: packet switching in optical transmissions.

Abstract: A CAN communication line is operated whilst detecting a ground level shift on the communication line through storing a data element indicative for the shift. In particular, a current line voltage level is compared to a standard level, and a thresholded version of the comparison is fed to a storage element that is triggered by a local transmission indicator signal. Then a ground shift sample bit from the storage element is outputted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing random numbers generated by a random-number generator in real time. A stream of random bits generated by the random-number generator is segmented into a predefined block of bits, then these blocks undergo a gap-length-calculation operation in which it is determined for which specific range the gap belongs to, then these gap length values are applied to an exponential-counting operation to obtain and update gap-frequency values for different bit patterns and gap ranges. Thereafter, the updated gap-frequency values are compared to at least one predetermined acceptance range, so that if at least one of the gap-frequency values falls repeatedly outside the predetermined acceptance range more than a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the generated random bits are insufficiently random.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital modulator (DM) and to an associated method of modulation. The digital modulator (DM) comprises a clock frequency (Fclk) and is able to process a digital signal (S(TA)) comprising symbols (SYMB) sampled at a symbol frequency (Fsy). It is characterized by interpolation means (INT) able to interpolate a new sample (OUT) on the basis of interpolation parameters (?, SIGN) and of signals (LS, TS, F0, F2) derived from the digital signal (S(TA)), interpolation parameters (?SIGN) being calculated as a function of a variable and real ratio (R) proportional to the symbol frequency (Fsy) over the clock frequency (Fclk).

Abstract: A motor-kinetic identification apparatus includes a pliant material, a source of a magnetic field embedded in the pliant material and a magneto metric element embedded in the material. The pliant is adapted to be gripped by a user. The pliant material has a normally biased rest shape and the shape becomes deformed upon the material being gripped. The magnetic field has a field contour dependent on said shape of said material. The magneto metric element is disposed within the field and has a detectable state commensurate with the magnetic field contour.

Abstract: Fuses that selectively disable functional blocks of a circuit are arranged in a multistage structure, wherein if any fuse element in the multistage structure permanently switches off a part of the circuit, no other fuse element in the multistage structure can affect the switching off of the part. Master fuses are provided to selectively disable corresponding stages of the multistage structure. Preferably, the master fuses are arranged in a hierarchy, so that a master fuse at a higher level of the hierarchy selectively disables all of the stages at lower levels of the hierarchy.

Abstract: A data carrier (2) or an integrated circuit (41) for a data carrier (2) comprises a memory (54) which is designed to store intermediate operating state information (ZS, CI16, CI20, BRS) significant for an intermediate operating state of the data carrier (2) or the integrated circuit (41) and comprises a memory control device (51), which after the occurrence of information significant for intermediate operating states ensures that this intermediate operating state information is stored in the memory (54) and comprises a control device (51), which—after the detection of the non-existence of the supply voltage (V) required for faultless operation during execution of a communication sequence interrupted by this non-existence and the subsequent detection of the re-existence of the supply voltage (V)—ensure that the data carrier (2) or the integrated circuit (41) is controlled in an intermediate operating state for which intermediate operating state information (ZS, CI16, CI20, BRS) stored in the memory (54) is sig

Abstract: The invention relates to a communications network (1) comprising a plurality of network nodes (2), which include each a synchronization circuit (5) for generating a global clock signal (GT) from a local clock signal (LT) formed by a clock generator (4) in dependence on a time of reception of a message. The synchronization circuit (5) includes a divider arrangement (8) for dividing the local clock signal (LT) in dependence on a correction term (KT) and at least one divider factor which is produced by a scaler arrangement (9). The comparator circuit (10) is provided for forming the correction term by comparing the instant of reception of a message and of the local clock signal LT. Furthermore, the synchronizing circuit (5) includes a divider control (7) which may perform a change of at least one divider factor when the correction term (KT) exceeds a predefined first threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed is a limiting amplifier for amplifying an input signal including at least first portions having a first amplitude and second portions having a second amplitude being lower than said first amplitude. The amplifier includes a first peak detector for detecting the current maximum value in the input signal. The amplifier also includes a second peak detector for detecting the current minimum value in the input signal. The amplifier also includes determining means for providing a first decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a variation in a first amplitude and/or a second amplitude, or a second decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a transition from a first portion to a second portion, a third decision that a variation in the input signal is due to a transition from a second portion to a first portion, and controlling meats for either activating or inactivating one of the decreasing means and the increasing means based on the decision.