Abstract: A pin entry device is described. The pin entry device has a plurality of push keys arranged to allow a user to input a pin code, a plurality of value indicators associated with the plurality of push keys, each value indicator being controllable to indicate a value of the associated push key to the user in dependence on a value assignment signal, and a key value controller arranged to dynamically generate a value assignment signal representing an assignment of a plurality of values to the plurality of push keys and provide the value assignment signal to the plurality of value indicators. A user identification terminal having such pin entry device is described, as well as a method of obtaining a pin code using such pin entry device.

Abstract: An electronic device has a calibration arrangement for controlling a frequency characteristic of a PLL circuit having a phase comparator having an output for generating a phase difference signal, a voltage controlled oscillator and a divider. The divisor of the divider is programmable, and the oscillator is also directly modulated by an oscillator modulation signal. A modulation unit has a modulation input for receiving a modulation signal and generates the oscillator modulation signal and the divisor such that modulation generates a predefined change of the output frequency and a change of the divisor proportional to said predefined change. The calibration arrangement receives the phase difference signal, and has a ripple detector for providing a detector output signal by detecting a ripple on the phase difference signal correlated to edges in the modulation signal. A calibration control unit adjusts the oscillator modulation signal based on the detector output signal such that the ripple is reduced.

Abstract: A differential line driver circuit comprising a plurality of driver stages is described. Each driver stage is operably coupled to at least one output of the line driver circuit and arranged to receive at least one control signal and to drive at least one output signal on the at least one output of the line driver circuit in accordance with the at least one control signal received thereby. The line driver circuit further comprises at least one delay component arranged to receive the at least one control signal, and to sequentially propagate the at least one control signal to the driver stages with time delays between the propagation of the at least one control signal to sequentially adjacent driver stages.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether an integrated circuit design is susceptible to glitches includes identifying storage elements in an original register-transfer level (RTL) file of the integrated circuit design and identifying clock signals for each of the storage elements in the original RTL file. The technique also includes generating respective assertions for each of the identified clock signals and identifying potential glitchy logic in respective clock paths for each of the identified clock signals. Finally, the technique includes inserting, at the potential glitchy logic, glitches in each of the respective clock paths of the original RTL file to provide a modified RTL file and executing an RTL simulation using the modified RTL file and the respective assertions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus may be used to evaluate a polynomial by initializing a multiply and accumulate feedback apparatus (260) comprising a multiplier stage (264) having an output coupled to an input of an accumulator stage (267) having an accumulator feedback output (269) selectively coupled to an input of the multiplier stage over a plurality of clock cycles; iteratively calculating a final working loop variable z over an additional plurality of clock cycles; multiplying the final working loop variable z and a complex input vector x to compute a final multiplier value; and adding a least significant complex polynomial coefficient to the final multiplier value using the multiplier stage of the multiply and accumulate feedback apparatus to yield a result of the polynomial evaluation.

Abstract: A data processing system on an integrated circuit includes a core that performs switching operations responsive to a system clock that draws current from the power supply network. An IR-drop detector includes a resistor ladder having outputs representative of an IR-drop caused by the core during the switching operations. The system further includes a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the outputs indicative of the IR-drop, a plurality of flip-flops coupled to the amplifiers, and a variable clock generator. The variable clock generator outputs a sampling clock comprising a group consisting of a variable phase or a variable frequency to the plurality of flip-flops. The flip-flops are triggered by the sampling clock so that the IR-drop at a time during a clock cycle of the system clock can be detected, and the peak IR-drop value for can be tracked.

Abstract: A device (200) includes a circuit (202) and a driver stage (204) therefor. The circuit includes two sub-circuits (231 and 232). The driver stage includes switcher logic (206) that produces signals that control switching on and off of the sub-circuits. The switcher logic also produces other signals in advance of the signals that control the switching of the sub-circuits. The driver stage includes delay compensations circuits (221 and 222), coupled to the switcher logic and to the circuit, that produce timing signals for the switcher logic. The timing signals are closely aligned with moments that a changing voltage at a node between the sub-circuits passes through threshold voltages. The timing signals compensate for all delays of signals through the device such that a period that both sub-circuits are off is minimized, while ensuring that both sub-circuits are not on at a same time.

Abstract: A CODEC includes a transmission path between an encoder and a decoder. The encoder receives bits of data in a first form in which each bit of the data is represented by switching between first and second logic states and no voltage change between consecutive bits of the same logic state and serially transmits the bits in a second form in which the first logic state is maintained at a high voltage, the second logic state is maintained at a low voltage, and an intermediate voltage is maintained between consecutive bits. The decoder receives the bits in the second form and derives a clock from the occurrences of the intermediate voltage. The clock, repetitively, is maintained at a logic high, then switches directly from the logic high to a logic low, then is maintained at the logic low, and then switches directly between the logic low and the logic high.

Abstract: A trench-isolated RESURF diode structure (100) is provided which includes a substrate (150) in which is formed anode (130, 132) and cathode (131) contact regions separated from one another by a shallow trench isolation region (114, 115), along with a non-uniform cathode region (104) and peripheral anode regions (106, 107) which define vertical and horizontal p-n junctions under the anode contact regions (130, 132), including a horizontal cathode/anode junction that is shielded by the heavily doped anode contact region (132).

Abstract: The invention pertains to a memory management unit for a microprocessor system, the memory management unit being connected or connectable to at least one processor core of the microprocessor system and being connected or connectable to a physical memory of the microprocessor system. The memory management unit is adapted to selectively operate in a hypervisor mode or in a supervisor mode, the hypervisor mode and the supervisor mode having different privilege levels of access to hardware The memory management unit comprises a first register table indicating physical address information for mapping at least one logical physical address and at least one actual physical address onto each other; a second register table indicating an allowed address range of physical addresses accessible to a process running in or under supervisor mode; wherein the memory management unit is adapted to prevent write access to the second register table by a process not in hypervisor mode.

Abstract: A semiconductor package device comprises a radio frequency power transistor having an output port operably coupled to a single de-coupling capacitance located within the semiconductor package device. The single de-coupling capacitance is arranged to provide both high frequency decoupling and low frequency decoupling of signals output from the radio frequency power transistor.

Abstract: A built-in self test system comprises an integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of functional units coupled to built-in self test circuitry; a low power control unit operable to switch the integrated circuit device into a low power mode and to generate a BIST wake-up signal during or before entering the low power mode; and a built-in self test control unit coupled to the built-in self test circuitry and the low power control unit and arranged to initiate a built-in self test when receiving the BIST wake-up signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of devices and methods of their manufacture include coupling first and second package surface conductors to a package surface with an intra-conductor insulating structure between the package surface conductors. The package surface conductors extend between and electrically couple sets of pads that are exposed at the package surface. Elongated portions of the package surface conductors are parallel with and adjacent to each other. The intra-conductor insulating structure is coupled between the package surface conductors along an entirety of the parallel and adjacent elongated portions, and the intra-conductor insulating structure electrically insulates the elongated portions of the package surface conductors from each other. Some embodiments may be implemented in conjunction with a stacked microelectronic package that includes sidewall conductors and an intra-conductor insulating structure between and electrically insulating the sidewall conductors from each other.

Abstract: A method forms an electrical connection between a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The second metal layer is above the first metal layer. A first via is formed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. A first measure of a number of vacancies expected to reach the first via is obtained. A second via in at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer is formed if the measure of vacancies exceeds a first predetermined number.

Abstract: A mechanism for generating gate-level activity data for use in clock gating efficiency analysis of an integrated circuit (IC) design is provided. Generating the gate-level activity data includes generating a signal behaviour description for inter-register signals, generating a gate-level netlist for the IC design, generating gate-level stimuli based at least partly on the generated signal behaviour description, and performing gate-level simulation using the generated gate-level stimuli to generate gate-level activity data for the IC design. In one embodiment, generating the signal behaviour description includes performing Register Transfer Level (RTL) simulation of the IC design, and generating the gate-level netlist includes performing RTL synthesis. The RTL simulation and RTL synthesis are performed on RTL data for the IC design.

Abstract: A method of assembling a semiconductor package includes attaching a semiconductor die to a frame having a strip or panel form. The semiconductor die has at least one stud bump. The die and the stud bump are covered with a first encapsulation material, and then at least a portion of the stud bump is exposed. At least one die conductive member is formed on the first encapsulation material and electrically coupled to the stud bump. The die conductive member is covered with a second encapsulation material, and then at least a portion of the die conductive member is exposed. At least one grid array conductive member is formed on the second encapsulation material and electrically coupled to the die conductive member. Finally, at least one solder ball is attached to the at least one grid array conductive member.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor package is disclosed that includes providing a supply of lead elements, mounting a plurality of the lead elements on a lead frame until a predetermined number of lead elements are placed on the lead frame, and connecting other components on the lead frame to the lead elements.

Abstract: A method of validating timing issues in a gate-level simulation (GLS) of an integrated circuit design including multiple cells includes running a simulation routine of a behavioral model of the design and obtaining a first simulation result. If there is a possible timing violation at a cell corresponding to a forcing indeterminate value, the simulated output of the cell is forced to a first value and a second simulation result obtained. If this result is negative, a report of apparent timing violations at the cell is generated. If the second simulation result is positive, the output of the cell is then forced to a second value and a third simulation result is obtained. If this result is negative, a report of apparent timing violations at the cell is generated but, if it is positive, a report of no apparent timing violation is generated.

Abstract: An information processing device comprises a control unit, a hash unit, and a comparison unit. The control unit is arranged to run a program and to store at least flow control information of the program in a call stack. The hash unit is arranged to generate a first hash value by applying a hash function to selected data in response to a first context change of the program, the selected data comprising at least one or more selected items of the call stack, the first context change comprising a termination or interruption of a first process or thread of the program. The control unit is further arranged to start or resume a second process or thread of the program only when the hash unit has generated the first hash value. The hash unit is further arranged to generate a second hash value by re-applying the hash function to the selected data in response to a second context change, the second context change comprising a termination or interruption of the second process or thread.

Abstract: A semiconductor package has a substrate with a solder mask layer, and upper and lower surfaces. Conductive traces and electrical contacts are formed on the substrate, and vias are formed in the substrate to electrically connect the conductive traces and electrical contacts. A semiconductor die is attached on the upper surface of the substrate. A mold cap is formed on the upper surface of the substrate and covers the die and the conductive traces. The mold cap includes a mold body having clipped corners and extensions that extend from each of the clipped corners. The extensions and clipped corners help prevent package cracking.