Abstract: Microelectronic packages and methods for fabricating microelectronic packages having texturized solder pads, which can improve solder joint reliability, are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a texturized dielectric region having a texture pattern, such as a hatch pattern, in an under-pad dielectric layer. A texturized solder pad is produced over the texturized dielectric region. The texturized solder pad has a solder contact surface to which the texture pattern is transferred such that the area of the solder contact surface is increased relative to a non-texturized solder pad of equivalent dimensions.

Abstract: Methods for producing bipolar transistors are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes producing a bipolar transistor including first and second connected emitter-base (EB) junctions of varying different depths. A buried layer (BL) collector is further produced to have a third depth greater than the depths of the EB junctions. The emitters and bases corresponding to the different EB junctions are provided during a chain implant. An isolation region may overlie the second EB junction location. The BL collector is laterally spaced from the first EB junction by a variable amount to facilitate adjustment of the transistor properties. The BL collector may or may not underlie at least a portion of the second EB junction. Regions of opposite conductivity type overlie and underlie the BL collector to preserve breakdown voltage. The transistor can be readily “tuned” by mask adjustments alone to meet various device requirements.

Abstract: Microelectronic packages having layered interconnect structures are provided, as are methods for the fabrication thereof. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a first plurality of interconnect lines in ohmic contact with a first bond pad row provided on a semiconductor. A dielectric layer is deposited over the first plurality of interconnect lines, the first bond pad row, and a second bond pad row adjacent the first bond pad row. A trench via is then formed in the dielectric layer to expose at least the second bond pad row therethrough. A second plurality of interconnect lines is formed in ohmic contact with the second bond pad row within the trench via. The second plurality of interconnect lines extends over the first bond pad row and is electrically isolated therefrom by the dielectric layer to produce at least a portion of the layered interconnect structure.

Abstract: System-in-Packages (SiPs) and methods for producing SiPs are provided. In one embodiment, the above-described SiP fabrication method includes the step or process of forming a through-hole in a core package, the core package containing an electrically-conducive routing feature exposed at a sidewall surface of the through-hole. A leaded component is positioned adjacent the core package such that an elongated lead of the leaded component extends into the through-hole. An electrically-conductive material, such as solder, is then applied into the through hole to electrically couple the elongated lead of the leaded component to the electrically-conductive routing feature of the core package.

Abstract: Embodiments of semiconductor devices (e.g., RF devices) include a substrate, an isolation structure, an active device, a lead, and a circuit. The isolation structure is coupled to the substrate, and includes an opening. An active device area is defined by a portion of the substrate surface that is exposed through the opening. The active device is coupled to the substrate surface within the active device area. The circuit is electrically coupled between the active device and the lead. The circuit includes one or more elements positioned outside the active device area (e.g., physically coupled to the isolation structure and/or under the lead). The elements positioned outside the active device area may include elements of an envelope termination circuit and/or an impedance matching circuit. Embodiments also include method of manufacturing such semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a bi-directional resistive memory element, a first transistor, and a capacitive element. The bi-directional resistive memory element has a first terminal directly connected to a first power rail and a second terminal coupled to an internal node. The first transistor has a control electrode coupled to the internal node, a first current electrode coupled to a first bitline, and a second current electrode coupled to one of the first power rail, a second power rail, or a read wordline. The capacitive element includes a first terminal coupled to the internal node and a second terminal coupled to the read wordline.

Abstract: A method of re-centering a voltage controlled oscillator of a wireless device comprising a phase locked loop circuit is described. The method comprises receiving an input frequency signal at a phase detector of the phase locked loop circuit from a frequency source; generating an oscillator signal based on the received frequency signal; selectably opening a feedback loop of the phase locked loop circuit when in a calibration mode of operation, performing coarse frequency tuning of the oscillator output signal; performing fine frequency tuning of a coarsely adjusted oscillator output signal; and closing the feedback loop.

Abstract: An antenna-diversity receiver receives data units from a transmitter in a frequency-hopping communication system. The frequency-hopping system has a channel set comprising of multiple channels, each having its own frequency range. The channel set comprises a set of multiple advertising channels and a set of multiple data channels. The receiver comprises an antenna set of multiple antennas. The transmitter has an advertising mode in which the transmitter transmits an advertising signal and switches from one advertising channel to another advertising channel in accordance with a sequence of advertising intervals, each advertising interval comprising an advertising packet. The receiver has an antenna sampling mode in which the receiver receives, successively for each combination of antenna and advertising channel, advertising packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimising computer program code. The method comprises identifying at least one set of candidate instructions within the computer program code, each candidate instruction comprising an instruction for writing a constant value to memory and the at least one set comprising a plurality of candidate instructions. The method further comprises computing an aggregate constant value for the at least one set of candidate instructions, and replacing the at least one set of candidate instructions with at least one instruction for writing the aggregate constant value to memory.

Abstract: A wireless communication unit comprising a transmitter comprises: a linearization circuit arranged to receive and digitally distort an input signal; a radio frequency power amplifier operably coupled to the linearization circuit and arranged to amplify a radio frequency representation of the digitally distorted input signal; a feedback path arranged to feed back a portion of the amplified digitally distorted output of the received input signal to the linearization circuit; a bypass circuit comprising a plurality of energy storage elements operably coupled between an output of the radio frequency power amplifier and ground; and a first connector arranged to provide a representation of at least one electrical memory effect of at least one of the plurality of energy storage elements to the linearization circuit, wherein the linearization circuit is arranged to use the representation of the at least one electrical memory effect when digitally distorting the input signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor package with an embedded capacitor and corresponding manufacturing methods are described. The semiconductor package with the embedded capacitor includes a semiconductor die having a first metal layer extending across at least a portion of a first side of the semiconductor die and a package structure formed on the first side of the semiconductor die. A first electrical conductor of the embedded capacitor is formed in the first metal layer of the semiconductor die. The package structure includes a second metal layer that has formed therein a second electrical conductor of the embedded capacitor. A dielectric of the embedded capacitor is positioned within either the semiconductor die or the package structure of the semiconductor package to isolate the first electrical conductor from the second electrical conductor of the embedded capacitor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a frequency dependent circuit comprising an input node, an output node and a main bank of selectable first capacitive elements that affect a frequency characteristic of the frequency dependent circuit. The frequency dependent circuit further comprises at least one shunt bank of selectable second capacitive elements located between ground and one of the input node or the output node, wherein at least one selectable second capacitive element switched out of the frequency dependent circuit is based on a number of the selectable first capacitive elements that are switched into the frequency dependent circuit.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a race condition of a parallel task when accessing a shared resource in a multi-core processing system. The method requires that a core requires only a read access to the data set of another core thereby ensuring better decoupling of the tasks. In an initialisation phase, initial values of global variables are assigned, in an activation phase, each core determines if the other core has written new values to the variables and if so, detects a race condition. Initial values are restored for each variable in a deactivation phase.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a processor configured to execute processor instructions and a memory. The memory has a data array and a checkbit array wherein each entry of the checkbit array includes a plurality of checkbits and corresponds to a storage location of the data array. The system includes error detection/correction logic configured to, during normal operation, detect an error in data access from a storage location of the data array using the plurality of checkbits in the entry corresponding to the storage location. The system further includes debug logic configured to, during debug mode, use a portion of the plurality of the checkbits in the entry corresponding to the storage location to generate a breakpoint/watchpoint request for the processor.

Abstract: An electronic device is for controlling motor drive circuits for driving a multi-phase motor in a force assisted system. Each motor drive circuit selectively permitting current to flow into or out of a respective phase of the multi-phase motor connected to the motor drive circuit in response to being driven by respective control signals. A motor control circuit generates the control signals. A fault processor detects at least one fault condition causing a fault current in a first motor drive circuit. In the event of the fault condition being detected, at least one alternative control signal is generated for at least one motor drive circuit for permitting at least one compensation current to flow for reducing a faulty force due to the fault current.

Abstract: The present application relates to a signal integrity module for validating one or more control signals in time domain and a method thereof. The one or more control signals are received via a signal input from at least one control signal generating unit. A new signature is generated by a signature generating unit on the basis of a current signature and the state of the one or more control signals at a watch point. The current signature is latched into a signature register upon receiving a trigger signal. The latched signature is representative of the time course of the one or more control signals at the watch point over a monitoring period defined by the trigger signal. The latched signature is compared by a signature comparator with a pre-calculated signature to validate the integrity of the one or more control signals with respect to the time domain.

Abstract: A voltage metering module for metering a voltage signal at least one analogue to digital converter (ADC) component arranged to receive at an input thereof a voltage signal and to generate a digital signal representative of the received voltage signal. The at least one ADC component includes at least one sampling network controllable to sample the received voltage signal for conversion to a digital signal representative of the received voltage signal and at least one compensation network operably coupled in parallel with the sampling network and controllable to sample the received voltage signal such that an input current of the compensation network at least partially compensates for a component of an input current of the sampling network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating an adjusted internal electrical parameter for accessing a NAND Flash memory array based on an adjustment control parameter conveyed by a memory access instruction, where the memory access instruction is compliant with an Open NAND Flash Interface (ONFI) protocol to include a two command cycle sequence to specify a command for accessing the NAND Flash memory with the adjusted internal electrical parameter.

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit package, such as a ball grid array, includes providing a flexible tape that has first and second sets of bond pads on respective first and second surfaces thereof. A carrier is attached to the first surface of the flexible tape. Then conductive pillars are formed on the second set of bond pads and an intermediate layer of polymeric compound is deposited on the second surface of the flexible tape. After the compound has cured, a surface of the intermediate layer is ground to expose ends of the conductive pillars to form a sub-assembly comprising the flexible tape and the intermediate layer. Then the carrier is removed from the sub-assembly, thereby creating an interposer. The interposer is attached to a substrate and at least one die is attached to the interposer.

Abstract: A processing system includes a processor pipeline, a detector circuit, and a task scheduler. The detector circuit includes a basic block detector circuit to determine that the processor pipeline received a first instruction of a first instance of a basic block, and to determine that a last-in-order instruction of the first instance of the basic block is a resource switch instruction (RSWI), and an indicator circuit to provide an indication in response to determining that the processor pipeline received the first instruction of a second instance of the basic block. The task scheduler initiates a resource switch, in response to the indication, at a time subsequent to the first instruction being received that is based on a cycle count that indicates a first number of processor cycles between receiving the first instruction and receiving the RSWI.