Abstract: A balun is constructed from a parallel pair of lines (coaxial or bifiler) that are bent to form a U-shape including a more curved (bent) section with two ends each of which are connected to a respective less curved (straight leg) section. One or more single hole ferrite beads are threaded over each respective pair of less curved sections of the pair of lines.

Abstract: An FM receiver includes control means for controlling the IF filter. The control means receive a first input signal in dependence of a received RF level signal and a second input signal in dependence of a demodulated signal and have an output coupled to the controllable IF filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for testing a series of contacts (Cij), which are provided with connection conductors (G, H) for supplying electric current to the contacts (Cij). The known device is less suitable for testing large numbers of contacts (Cij), at least because it is expensive and the testing operation is tedious. A device (10) according to the invention includes a (semiconductor) body (1) on which the contacts (Cij) are present in the form of an array (A) , connection conductors (G, H) which are provided with a selection device. (S) enabling maximally two contacts (C11, C11′) to be selected, the connection conductors (G, H) being formed within maximally two separate metal layers (2, 3). Such a device (10) is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, and it also enables a large number of contacts (Cij) to be (semi-) quantitatively tested at a high speed.

Abstract: In an apparatus (1) having an electroacoustic transducer (12) which includes a magnet system (13) generating a useful magnetic field and a stray magnetic field, a sound generating coil arranged in the useful field to associate with a diaphragm for generating an acoustic sound wave, and at least one movably mounted vibration generating coil (36, 37) arranged in the stray field area of the magnet system (13) for generating vibration perceptible by a user, the vibration generating coil (36, 37) being preferably also connected to a metal part (38) which consists of a soft-magnetic material.

Abstract: Digital CMOS integrated circuit (120) comprising an analog signal processing circuitry with a series of two or more field-effect transistors (FETs). The FETs have a maximum allowed supply voltage value (Vmax). The digital CMOS integrated circuit (120) further comprises a local charge pump (135) for generating an elevated supply voltage (Vsupplydiff) larger than the maximum allowed supply voltage value (Vmax). The local charge pump (135) is arranged such that this elevated supply voltage (Vsupplydiff) is applied to the series of two or more of the field-effect transistors (FETs).

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic component comprising a package PACK including input pins PIi and output pins PSj, and an integrated circuit IC, encased in the package PACK, which integrated circuit is provided with input contact pads CIi and output contact pads CIj, which are connected, respectively, to the input pins PIi and the output pins PSj of the package PACK by conducting wires WIi and WSj. In accordance with the invention, each current path connecting an input contact pad CIi to an output contact pad CIj comprises a buffer element Bi having a high input impedance. Said high input impedance of the buffers substantially reduces the value of the current Ii flowing through the conducting wires WIi connecting the input pins PIi to the input contact pads CIi, and hence the inductive coupling between said conducting wires.

Abstract: An arrangement for angular measurement includes an angle sensor that supplies sensor signals phase shifted 90° with respect to each other and having actual amplitude values. A signal-processing device provides expected amplitude values of the sensor signals and graded limit values for a deviation between the expected amplitude values and the actual amplitude values of the sensor signals; compares the expected amplitude values with the actual amplitude values of the sensor signals; determines a deviation between the expected amplitude values and the actual amplitude values, and a range of values in which the determined deviation occurs; and generates an error signal including reliability class information about the range of values in which the determined deviation occurs. As a result, monitoring and evaluation of the measured sensor signals with accuracy and reliability is possible.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (1) has a multitude of chips (5), of which chips (5) each one of a given number of chips (5) is situated in one of a multitude of adjacent exposure fields (2), and further has process control modules (4) which are each arranged in an exposure field (2), namely each in place of at least one chip (5).

Abstract: In plastics-encapsulated semiconductor devices, for example surface-mount power devices, aluminium corrosion due to ingress or generation of moisture within the encapsulation (150) is avoided by bonding at least one sacrificial additional wire (24, 25, 26, 27) of substantially pure aluminium to a bond pad (11, 13, 14) and/or terminal area (101, 110) of the device. The actual connection wires (21, 22, 23) of the device are of an alloyed aluminium material, such as nickel-doped aluminium, that is more resistant to corrosion by moisture than is the sacrificial additional wire (24, 25, 27). The sacrificial additional wire (24, 25, 27) serves as a corrodible getter of the moisture within the encapsulation (150). The bond pads (11, 12, 13, 14) may be of an aluminium alloy, for example an aluminium-silicon alloy, or even of relatively pure aluminium.

Abstract: A device (8) which includes an electroacoustic transducer (7) for the acoustic reproduction of sound signals to an ear (14) of a user (2) who assumes a user position at the device. The transducer is optimized for the acoustic reproduction of speech-signal sound waves and is equipped with arrangement means (25) for realizing a distinct directivity for the speech-signal sound waves emitted by the transducer. As a result of its directivity, the transducer directs the speech-signal sound waves which it emits preferentially to the ear of a user who is in the user posture.

Abstract: In an arrangement for transforming picture data while using a method of two-dimensional hierarchic sub-band segmentation, particularly a two-dimensional Discrete Wavelet Transformation (2-D DWT), in which pictures, possibly in a plurality of planes, are segmented into sub-bands by means of filtering, a minimal storage space, a minimal bus load and an optimal 2-D DWT transformation ensure that a picture memory (41) is provided in which the data of a picture are stored prior to the start of the first transformation plane and in which the data of a further sub-band to be transformed are stored after the first transformation plane, in which process the data of the picture are partially overwritten, in that the data of a possible further sub-band to be segmented are stored in the picture memory (41) after every further transformation plane, in that a sub-band memory (44) is provided in which, after a transformation process of a plane, the data gained during this transformation of those sub-bands which are no longe

Abstract: A DC/DC converter (1), comprising inductive electrical energy storage means (L), switching means (S1, S2) and control means (6). The control means (6) are arranged for selectively operating the switching means (S1, S2) for transferring an amount of electrical energy from the energy storage means (L) to an output of the DC/DC converter (1), for providing a desired output voltage (Vout), in accordance with a two-state switching cycle comprising a minimum and a maximum duty cycle (Dmin, Dmax).

Abstract: A mobile telephone device fitted with a transmitter and a receiver each having a high-frequency component with an integrated decoupling capacitor. The high-frequency component includes a substrate with the decoupling capacitor on one surface thereof, first and second current supply terminals for the capacitor on the same surface of the substrate as the capacitor, one capacitor electrode connected to a high frequency circuit and a DC voltage source, also on the one surface of the substrate, and the other capacitor electrode connected to ground.

Abstract: A bipolar p-i-n diode has a first (1) and second (5) region of opposite conductivity type and an intermediate drift region (3) between the first and second regions. Trenched field relief regions (14) are arranged to deplete the intermediate drift region (3) when the diode is reverse biased, so permitting a higher doping (12) to be used for the intermediate drift region (3) for a given breakdown voltage. This improves both the turn-on and turn-off characteristics of the diode.

Abstract: A switching circuit for switching an input dc voltage of predetermined polarity is used, for example, for a synchronous dc-dc converter. The switching circuit is divided between a high side package (52) and a low side package (56) each having a logic input (90) and a switch (6,8) connected between switching outputs (84,86). The switching outputs (84,86) of the high and low side packages (52,56) are connected in series between input voltage terminals (4,2). A pulse width modulator (18) is connected to the logic inputs (90) of the packages for supplying an alternating control signal for switching the high and low side switches (6,8) alternately. Each of the high and low side packages (52,56) contains logic circuitry (150) for controlling the respective switch (6,8) based solely on the voltages on the respective logic input (90) and respective switching outputs (84,86) to prevent the switches (6,8) in the high and low side packages (52,56) from conducting at the same time.

Abstract: A data carrier (1) for contactless communication with a communication station (2) has an integrated circuit (7) and has a direct voltage generation circuit (20), and has detection means (28) for detecting a temperature prevailing in the data carrier (1) and in the integrated circuit (7), with the aid of which detection means (28) a representation signal (RS) representative of the prevailing temperature can be generated, which representation signal causes an initiation of a change of the temperature in the data carrier (1) and in the integrated circuit (7).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a memory circuit (MEM) able to receive a first data block comprising a number of components and coming from an external memory (EXT) for them to be written (W) in an internal memory. The memory circuit is also able to supply (R) to an output device (FIL) a second data block comprising a component of said data. The memory circuit comprises data banks able to receive data words, and address controllers associated to the data banks and able to organize a reading or writing access of the data in the internal memory of the memory circuit, while minimizing the number of data banks used. Thus it is possible to rapidly read or write in the memory circuit at relatively low cost.

Abstract: A printed circuit board with SMD components electrically connected to the printed circuit board by means of a reflow soldering process. In order to provide the printed circuit board with connection elements which can be mounted at minimal cost, the printed circuit board is provided with one or more connection elements for making an electric connection to other electric components. These connection elements are journaled in recesses of the printed circuit board and do not project to the exterior via the surface of the printed circuit board on which the SMD components are secured.

Abstract: A field effect transistor structure is formed with a body semiconductor layer (1) having source (3), channel (7), drift region (9) and drain (5). An upper metallisation layer (15, 17) is separated from the body by an oxide layer (11). The upper metallisation layer (15, 17) has a gate region (15) arranged over the body and a field plate region (17) arranged over the drift region (9). A source contact (39) is connected to both the source (9) and the field plate region (25).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (10) including a semiconductor element (1), such as a transistor, which is provided, on the rear side, with a conductive layer (3) including gold, and which is attached, on said side, to a conductive plate (2), such as a lead frame (2), by way of a silver-containing organic matrix (4) which is thermally cured. Subsequently, the element (1) is connected to the plate (2) by way of wire connectors (5) and provided with an encapsulation (6). The silver paste (4) is cured at a temperature of at least 350° C., preferably approximately 400° C. In this way, an excellent adhesion of the element (1) to the plate (2) is obtained, enabling the wired connectors (5) to be subsequently provided by way of wire bonding without elements (1) becoming detached from the plate (2). Moreover, the connection is still sufficiently flexible to deal with a difference in thermal expansion between the element (1) and the plate (2), even if the latter is made of copper.