Abstract: A transponder (30), intended to exchange data during a half duplex communication, includes a coil (3), a capacitor (8) connected to the coil to form a resonant circuit, and processing means (33) arranged to process the data. The transponder further includes switching means (32) arranged so that, under the control of the processing means, the switching means connect the processing means in series with the capacitor and the coil which are connected to form, during the entire duration of the reception phase, a parallel LC circuit and, during the entire duration of the transmission phase, a series LC circuit to optimize the electric power exchanged between an antenna and the processing means.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an integrated circuit structure (1) formed in a substrate (2) and including at least one integrated circuit element (3, 4), an antenna coil (5) capable of transmitting and/or receiving data, and associated with said integrated circuit element(s) (3, 4); and a metal protective ring (20) situated at the periphery of the integrated circuit structure (1). The present invention is characterised in that said protective ring (20) comprises at least one ohmic interruption, so that it does not form a closed circuit on itself. The integrated circuit structure (1) according to the invention is improved in that the operation of the antenna coil (5) is made insensitive to the presence of the protective ring (20).

Abstract: A method for adjusting the rate of a horological module, said horological module including a printed circuit (1) on which are mounted in particular a quartz (10) and an integrated circuit (20) including an oscillator (21) driven by the quartz (10), a frequency divider circuit (22) with several stages (22.1 to 22.15), an adjustment circuit (23) allowing the introduction of a correction factor of the division ratio of said frequency divider circuit (22), and a memory circuit (24) containing data (N) representing said correction factor. The adjustment method according to the present invention uses a laser device to allow said data (N) representing the correction factor to be coded by the selective destruction of fuses (F1, F2; F.1 to F.6; F.1* to F.6*) forming memory elements of said memory circuit (24).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a system 1 supplied by an electric power source, and able to operate in "sleep" mode, this system including a system clock 12, oscillation detection means 13 for monitoring the activity of the system clock, and means 16 for reactivating the system when the latter is in "sleep" mode. This system is characterised in that the reactivating means are internal to the system, and in that they are arranged to form, as soon as the system passes into "sleep" mode, an autonomous time base, to reactivate this system at the end of a predetermined time interval and, when the system is not in "sleep" mode, to fulfil a different function to that of time base and reactivation. An advantage of the reactivating means of such a system lies in the fact that they can operate only with a current of the order of 1 nA.

Abstract: Thermoelectric sensor (12) formed by a membrane (14) including a plurality of thermoelectric elements (20) formed of a plurality of thermoelectric couples and forming a plurality of elementary cells. Each elementary cell is thermally insulated from adjacent elementary cells by metal wires (22, 23), preferably gold wires, arranged on the front face (25) of the membrane (14), more particularly, on an upper passivation layer (30). The metal wires (22 and 23) are thermally connected to a substrate (16) supporting said membrane. The two wires separating two adjacent thermoelectric elements (20) are separated from each other by an intermediate low thermal conduction region (28).

Abstract: Photosensor comprising a network (R) of cells ( . . . , Cn-1, Cn, Cn+1, Cn+2, . . . ) each comprising a photosensitive component (PH) and an exploitation circuit (CE) for allowing the transfer of a measurement signal coming from the cell ( . . . , Cn-1, Cn, Cn+1, Cn+2, . . . ) and due to the illumination of this cell, to a common output (SC) of the photosensor. An addressing signal allows to sequentially connect all the cells to said common output. According to the invention, each cell also comprises an integrated conductive region (RC) forming together with said photosensitive component (PH) a test capacitor (CPT) which is coupled to the parasite capacitor (CP).

Abstract: This radiofrequency interface device (1) for a transponder, comprises a coil (2) forming the antenna of the transponder and a voltage converting circuit (4) connected, on the one hand to the terminals (5, 6) of said coil (2) and, on the other hand, to continuous voltage supply terminals (V.sub.dd, V.sub.ss) of an integrated logic circuit (7) of the transponder, and is characterised in that the terminals (5, 6) of the coil (2) are connected to floating potentials with respect to the substrate of the transponder, so that none of the terminals (5, 6) of the coil (2) passes below the potential (V.sub.ss) of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus equipped with a battery, such as an electrical toothbrush, receives from a charging device a charging voltage which adapts to the charged condition of the battery and on whose over-discharging is correspondingly small. On the one hand the apparatus comprises a series circuit between a capacitor and a diode which is connected to the charging device parallel to the battery, wherein the diode is arranged in the forward direction. On the other hand in series to the battery there is arranged an electronic switch which periodically for a short time interrupts the charging procedure of the battery. In each case during such an interruption the charging apparatus is unloaded and its voltage increases jump-like by which means the capacitor can be charged via the diode. In each case with a closed switch, i.e.

Abstract: A wafer (10) is described comprising several integrated optoelectronic circuits of a first type (11), such circuits of the first type each comprising electronic modules (13) and at least a first photodiode (14).Said wafer (10) is characterised in that it further comprises at least one integrated optoelectronic circuit of a second type (21) comprising electronic modules (23), at least one second photodiode (24) and at least one bonding pad (25) intended to be connected to an external measuring apparatus, said at least one bonding pad (25) being superposed onto said at least one second photodiode (24) so that said at least one circuit (21) of the second type may be used as a circuit for verifying the manufacturing of said wafer.

Abstract: A device, notably a transponder, comprising an electronic arrangement and a coating formed by an envelope defining a pocket and by a solidified binding in which is embedded the electronic arrangement. The envelope presents an opening having served for the introduction of the electronic arrangement and the binding during the manufacture of the device. The external surface of the device in the region of the opening is formed by the solidified binding. For the manufacture of the device such has described hereabove, it is envisaged to use a reservoir acting to fill the pocket by the binding and to recover a surplus of provided binding, this surplus of binding and the reservoir being separated from the device after the binding has at least partially solidified.

Abstract: The compact disk comprise a data storage medium (2) for optical reading situated in an annular region (4), which defines a central region (6) wherein is arranged an electronic module, formed of an electronic unit (12), in particular an integrated circuit, and an antenna formed by a winding (14), made of an electrically conductive material. The electronic module allows contactless electromagnetic coupling with an electromagnetic wave transmitter-receiver able to communicate with said electronic unit. In particular, this electronic unit comprises an identification code and/or a decoding key for the data contained in said storage medium.

Abstract: An object identification system comprises a transceiver (1) and a transponder (30) including memories (33,34) for storing an identification code identifying the transponder. Circuits (35, 36, 37, 38) generate an identification signal representative of the identification code such that the identification signal is modulated by bits of the identification code. Circuits (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) of the transceiver receive and interpret the identification signal. The transponder includes a variable code generator (32) and a controller (31) for controlling the writing of the variable code into memory (33) so that the variable code constitutes part of the identification code. The variable code may be a random or pseudo-random code.

Abstract: The device 1 for the management of a plurality electric battery elements 2 connected in series, comprises a plurality of battery management modules 4, each management module being connected in parallel to the terminals of a respective battery element 2 and supplied by its output voltage, the management modules 4 including a digital circuit 11 and being connected in series by at least a digital liaison 9, 9' so as to exchange binary information between said digital circuit 11 and a control unit 5 of the battery, and is characterized in that at least a capacitor 8, 8' is connected in series on said digital liaison 9, 9' so that the binary information may be exchanged between each management module 4 and the unit control 5, independently of the electric potentials at the terminals of the battery elements 2.

Abstract: The card with microcircuits of this invention includes an electronic module having standardized electrodes. To make up this module a first unit is fabricated including a first insulating substrate covered by the electrodes. Under each electrode is located a first hole. Next there is fabricated a second unit which includes an integrated circuit chip the connection terminals of which are coupled to conductors printed onto a second insulating substrate. One of the free ends of each conductor falls directly over a second hole provided in the second insulating substrate. The arrangement is such that the first hole is coaxial with the second hole corresponding thereto when the units are superposed. The two units are then assembled by superposing them and soldering the free ends of the conductors of the second unit to the electrodes of the first unit by introducing a soldering tool into the second hole. The module is employed in particular in a microcircuit card of standardized dimensions.

Abstract: The device (1) comprises an electronic circuit (2) for processing an analog signal and a voltage multiplying (or boosting) circuit (3) for providing the supply voltage (Ua) to the electronic circuit (2) from the voltage (Up) supplied by a cell (P). The device (1) moreover comprises means (4) that respond to the supply voltage (Ua) to vary the internal resistance (R) of the electronic circuit (2) in inverse ratio to the supply voltage (Ua). This variation in the internal resistance (R) of the electronic circuit (2) brings about a limitation in the variations of the supply voltage (Ua) in dependence on the voltage (Up) supplied by the cell (P) and on the current consumed by the electronic circuit (2). The device is meant to be used in portable apparatus of small size such as hearing aids.

Abstract: This programming arrangement for a non-volatile memory incorporated in the inner circuit of a timepiece for adjusting the frequency of the time base thereof includes a support provided with a connector to be plugged in in place of the energy cell. The rate of division of the frequency divider is adjusted by the introduction into the memory of a number k representative of the frequency difference between the time base frequency and a standard frequency. To effect this the arrangement comprises an electronic circuit external to the timepiece and which is coupled thereto by the connector. The electronic circuit introduces the number k into certain predetermined stages of the divider. When such number k is thus introduced the state of such stages is blocked by the inner circuit of the timepiece such state then being transferred into the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A small electronic unit for use especially in the manufacture of microcircuit cards, e.g. credit cards, carpark cards, telephone call payment cards, etc. which includes an integrated circuit positioned in an aperature in a flexible sheet of insulating material which sheet carries a plurality of electrical conductive strips that extends into the aperature and are fastened, soldered or adhesively bonded to the terminals of the chip. The flexible sheet is carried either directly or through the intermediary of the conductive strips by a support member which is deformable under bending and twisting stresses. At least a major sector of the area of the flexible sheet surrrounding the aperature is free to move with respect to the support for substantially isolating the chip and the conductive strips from stresses resulting from the deformations of the support member.