Abstract: The measuring method is for measuring a physical parameter by means of an electronic interface circuit (1) for a capacitive sensor (2) with at least two capacitors (C1X, C2X) whose common electrode (CM) is mobile between the fixed electrodes. The electronic circuit includes an amplifier (4) connected to the common electrode (CM) by a switching unit (3), a logic unit (5) connected to the amplifier for supplying first and second digital measuring signals, and a digital-analogue converter (7) for supplying a measurement voltage (VDAC) to the electrodes on the basis of a conversion of one of the digital signals.

Abstract: A method for measuring relative motion between an illuminated surface and an optical sensing device comprising a coherent light source and a photodetector array is described.

Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises at least a non-volatile memory cell (24) and a sensor (16) which is activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, this sensor forming an energy harvester that transforms energy from said physical or chemical action or phenomenon into an electrical stimulus pulse, the memory cell being arranged for storing, by using the electrical power of said electrical stimulus pulse, at least a bit of information relative to the detection by the sensor of at least a first physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity. The non-volatile memory cell is formed by a FET transistor (T1) having a control gate, a first diffusion (DRN) defining a first input and a second diffusion (SRC) defining a second input.

Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) unit (52) formed at least by a NVM cell and a sensor which is activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, this sensor forming an energy harvester that transforms energy from said physical or chemical action or phenomenon into an electrical stimulus pulse, said NVM unit being arranged for storing in said NVM cell, by using the electrical power of said electrical stimulus pulse, a bit of information relative to the detection by said sensor, during a detection mode of the self-powered detection device, of at least one physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity and resulting in a voltage stimulus signal provided between a set control terminal (SET) and a base terminal (SET *) of said NVM unit with at least a given set voltage.

Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) unit (52) formed by at least a NVM cell and a sensor which is activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, the NVM unit being arranged for storing in said NVM cell, by using the electrical power of said electrical stimulus pulse, a bit of information relative to the detection by said sensor, during a detection mode of the self-powered detection device, of at least one physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity and resulting in a voltage stimulus signal provided between a set control terminal (SET) and a base terminal (SET *) of the NVM unit with at least a given set voltage.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electronic watch (8) including: a motor (5), a power circuit (7) supplying first and second voltage levels; a case (11), in which there are mounted: first and second (A, D) output connections; a switch (9) actuated by an external actuator to connect the first connection to the second level (Vdd); a control circuit (4) for the motor including first and second three-state gates (12, 14) respectively connected to the first and second connections (A, D), a member (13) selectively connecting the first connection to the first level, the circuit including a test mode wherein the gates are brought to high impedance, the first connection (D) is connected to the first level (Vss), actuation of the actuator is determined as a function of the voltage measured at the output of the first gate.

Abstract: The external event detection device comprises an electronic unit (22) and an external event sensor (16), the electronic unit having at least a non-volatile memory cell (24, T1) in which data relative to at least one external event detected by the external event sensor can be stored. According to the invention, the external event sensor defines an energy harvester that transforms energy from said at least one external event into electrical energy contained in an electrical stimulus pulse provided to the electronic unit. The electronic unit is arranged for storing said data by using only the electrical energy contained in the electrical stimulus pulse. In particular, the non-volatile memory cell is directly set to its written logical state from its initial logical state by the electrical stimulus pulse provided by said energy harvester.

Abstract: Calibration instrument for an altimetric device delivering an indication of the altitude of the location where it is located on the basis of an atmospheric pressure measurement, characterized in that it includes means for transmitting a signal carrying data representative of the altitude at which it is placed. The invention also concerns a device delivering an indication of the altitude of the place where it is located on the basis of an atmospheric pressure measurement and a calibration system including a calibration instrument and an altimetric device.

Abstract: There is described a method for measuring relative motion between an illuminated portion of a surface and an optical sensing device comprising a coherent light source and a photodetector array, the method comprising the steps of illuminating under a determined gradient by means of the coherent light source the surface portion at a determined flash rate; detecting by means of the photodetector array speckled light intensity pattern of the illuminated portion of the surface for a first flash; detecting a second speckled light intensity pattern of the illuminated portion of the surface for a second flash; extracting motion features of two different types from the detected first and second speckled light intensity patterns; determining a measurement of the relative motion between the optical sensing device and the illuminated surface portion based on a comparison of motion features extracted; wherein before the step of determining a measurement of the relative motion, the method further comprises the step of keep

Abstract: The method is for fabricating a transparent or semi-transparent element, such as a glass (1), with capacitive touch keys, for a portable electronic instrument. This method includes the steps of placing an insulating film (3), on which are formed electrodes (2), acting as capacitive touch keys, conductive paths (4), each connected to a respective electrode, and external contact terminals (6), each connected via the conductive paths to the corresponding electrodes, in a transparent or semi-transparent plastic substance (5) in liquid form inside a mould. This liquid substance is then solidified inside the mould, to coat at least part of the film that includes the electrodes, the conductive paths and at least part of the external contact terminals of said film. Upon removal from the mould, a glass is obtained with capacitive touch keys integrated within said solidified plastic substance of the glass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radio-frequency identification tag (10) and a related method of operation, whereby the tag comprises an antenna (12) being adapted to draw a voltage from an externally applied RF field having a first frequency, and further comprises a tunable antenna resonant circuit (16) comprising a default resonance frequency and having tuning means (18) for shifting the resonance frequency to the first frequency, whereby non-volatile storage means (22) for storing frequency related data are provided, that are accessible at a reduced voltage level, which is below a “power-up” voltage level of the tag's operating unit (14).

Abstract: A method for operating an optical motion sensing device comprising a light source and a photodetector device, said method comprises the steps of: a) illuminating a surface portion with radiation by means of the light source; b) detecting radiation patterns reflected from the illuminated surface portion by means of the photodetector device; c) extracting motion features from the detected radiation patterns by comparing light intensity between neighbouring pixels of said photodetector device by means of comparators with a determined hysteresis threshold; d) detecting and measuring displacement with respect to the illuminated surface portion based on said extracted motion features; e) determining whether the optical motion sensing device is moving or at rest; f) adjusting said determined hysteresis threshold of the comparators between at least a low and a high hysteresis values, consisting in selecting said low hysteresis value when the optical motion sensing device is moving and selecting said high hysteresis v

Abstract: The active transponder includes an input amplifier (26) arranged between an envelope detector (8) and a demodulation circuit (28). It further includes an activation unit (30) for the input amplifier and also for the demodulation circuit, which is formed by a frequency changer or mixer circuit (32), which decreases a significant modulation frequency of the modulated signal received by the antenna to a low frequency, the resulting low frequency signal then being amplified and filtered by low frequency elements. The activation unit thus consumes little electric power and sends a wake up signal to the elements operating at a high frequency when it detects said significant modulation frequency, in a very selective manner.

Abstract: The electronic circuit (1) with a capacitive sensor (2) is used for measuring a physical parameter, such as an acceleration. The sensor includes two capacitors mounted in differential, whose common electrode (Cm) can move relative to each fixed electrode of the two capacitors to alter the capacitive value of each capacitor. The electronic circuit has an interface connected to the capacitive sensor, which includes a charge transfer amplifier unit (4) connected to the common electrode (Cm), an integrator unit (5) for integrating the charges supplied by the charge transfer amplifier unit, and an excitation unit (3) arranged between the output of the first integrator unit and the sensor to polarise each fixed electrode of the sensor capacitors at a determined voltage value. A compensation capacitor (Cc) is connected to the input of the integrator unit.

Abstract: The integrated circuit device (1) backs up the configuration of output terminals (O, SP) of said integrated circuit in low-power mode. To do this, the device includes several voltage level shift units (2, 2?, 2?, 2??) and an output stage (3) connected to each output of the level shift units and connected to at least one external contact pad (SP) of said integrated circuit. Each level shift unit includes an input stage powered by a regulated internal voltage (VREG) and a part for transferring the state of a specific output function, which is powered by a supply voltage (VDD) of the integrated circuit. Each level shift unit also includes a memory cell at output powered by the supply voltage, for storing the output state of a specific function of the level shift unit in the idle mode of the integrated circuit where the regulated voltage is cut off.

Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure for accessing a non-volatile watch memory, the watch comprising two supply terminals accessible from the outside that define a potential difference corresponding to a standard supply voltage, and a control circuit of the non-volatile memory produced using a technology supporting a predefined maximum supply voltage, the access procedure consisting of transmitting the following to the control circuit of the non-volatile memory by means of a supply terminal of the watch: a) an opening key to authorise access to the non-volatile memory; b) an instruction for access to the non-volatile memory; the procedure being characterised in that the opening key is a predefined instruction transmitted by modulation of the standard supply voltage such that this does not exceed the predefined maximum supply voltage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radio-frequency identification tag (10) and a related method of operation, whereby the tag comprises an antenna (12) being adapted to draw a voltage from an externally applied RF field having a first frequency, and further comprises a tunable antenna resonant circuit (16) comprising a default resonance frequency and having tuning means (18) for shifting the resonance frequency to the first frequency, whereby non-volatile storage means (22) for storing frequency related data are provided, that are accessible at a reduced voltage level, which is below a “power-up” voltage level of the tag's operating unit (14).

Abstract: The integrated circuit device (1) backs up the configuration of output terminals (O, SP) of said integrated circuit in low-power mode. To do this, the device includes several voltage level shift units (2, 2?, 2?, 2??) and an output stage (3) connected to each output of the level shift units and connected to at least one external contact pad (SP) of said integrated circuit. Each level shift unit includes an input stage powered by a regulated internal voltage (VREG) and a part for transferring the state of a specific output function, which is powered by a supply voltage (VDD) of the integrated circuit. Each level shift unit also includes a memory cell at output powered by the supply voltage, for storing the output state of a specific function of the level shift unit in the idle mode of the integrated circuit where the regulated voltage is cut off.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electronic watch (8) including: a motor (5), a power circuit (7) supplying first and second voltage levels; a case (11), in which there are mounted: first and second (A, D) output connections; a switch (9) actuated by an external actuator to connect the first connection to the second level (Vdd); a control circuit (4) for the motor including first and second three-state gates (12, 14) respectively connected to the first and second connections (A, D), a member (13) selectively connecting the first connection to the first level, the circuit including a test mode wherein the gates are brought to high impedance, the first connection (D) is connected to the first level (Vss), actuation of the actuator is determined as a function of the voltage measured at the output of the first gate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical movement detection device including a light source (10) for irradiating a surface (12), a power supply (14) and an optical sensor (16) for sensing light reflected from the surface (12). In order to avoid unused optical energy, it is proposed that the optical movement detection device further comprises at least one solar-cell photodiode (30a-30d), wherein the solar-cell photodiode (30a-30d) is arranged so as to recycle optical energy generated by the light source (10).