Abstract: A device is disclosed. The device includes a wire board including metallic wiring and a first microchip connected to the metallic wiring. The first microchip includes a first radiating element configured to operate a first frequency. The device further includes a second microchip connect to the metallic wiring. The second microchip includes a second radiating element configured to operate at the first frequency. A main radiating element is also included. The main radiating element is configured to operate at a second radio frequency. The first microchip and the second microchip are physically placed such that the first radiating element faces the second radiating element.

Abstract: A device for inductively coupled communications includes an NFC module for generating an electromagnetic carrier signal and modulating the carrier signal according to data to be transmitted, and a single ended antenna coupled to and driven by said NFC module with the modulated carrier signal. The device includes an RF front end coupled between said NFC module and said antenna. The RF front end includes an inductor coupled to a first terminal of a differential transmitter of said NFC module in the first transmitting path, and a capacitor coupled to a second terminal of said differential transmitter in the second transmitting path. The RF front end further includes a receiving path coupled to an input terminal of a single ended receiver of said NFC module. The RF front end does not use a balanced to unbalanced (Balun) transformer.

Abstract: A lead frame for a packaged integrated circuit (IC) device has a die receiving area and leads that extend outwardly from the die receiving area. The leads have an inner lead area proximate the die receiving area and an outer lead area distant from the die receiving area. Notches are formed in a surface of alternate ones of the leads, in the inner lead area proximate to the outer lead area. The notches facilitate bending of the alternate leads when the leads are subjected to a downward force by a mold tool, such that one set of leads lies in a first plane and another set lies in a second plane spaced from the first plane. The leads in the first plane can be formed into Gull Wing leads and the other set of leads into J-leads.

Abstract: A narrow band received signal strength indicator circuit and a method for operating the same are provided. The circuit, for example, may include, but is not limited to, at least one wideband analog amplifier configured to amplify a received input signal, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the received input signal from an analog signal to a digital signal, at least one digital filter configured to filter unwanted signal components from the digital signal, and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one digital filter, the controller configured to determine a received signal strength based upon the filtered digital signal.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device with an air gap for a terminal of a semiconductor device includes forming a sacrificial sidewall spacer and removing the spacer after the formation of contact structures for the semiconductor device. The air gap is located in portions of the wafer where the sacrificial air gap was removed. Since the contacts are formed prior to the removal of the sacrificial spacers, air gaps can advantageously be formed without electrically conductive contact material undesirably being deposited in locations of the desired air gap.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to dynamic secure messaging using near-field communication. Example embodiments include a near field communication target device (102) configured to respond to a read request (202) transmitted by a reader device (101) by transmitting a message (204) comprising an unencrypted portion and an encrypted portion, the encrypted portion incorporating a counter that is incremented each time a read request is received.

Abstract: A first voltage scaling power switch is coupled to a first power supply terminal for providing power to a first circuit portion, and a second voltage scaling power switch is coupled between the first power supply terminal providing power to a second circuit portion. A common power rail is coupled the first and second power input nodes during respective voltage scaling modes of the first and second circuit portions. A feedback circuit coupled to the common power rail provides a feedback signal to a control input of the first voltage scaling power switch to regulate a voltage provided by the first power switch, and to a control input of the second voltage scaling power switch to regulate a voltage provided by the second voltage scaling power switch.

Abstract: A system includes first and second magnetic sense elements for producing first and second output signals, respectively, in response to an external magnetic field along a sensing axis parallel to a plane of the first sense element, a magnetization direction of the second element being rotated in the plane relative to a magnetization direction of the first element. The second output signal differs from the first output signal in dependency to a magnetic interference field along a non-sensing axis of the first magnetic field. A processing circuit, receives the first and second output signals, identifies from a relationship between the first and second output signals an influence of the magnetic interference field on the first output signal, and applies a correction factor to the first output signal to produce a resultant output signal in which the influence of the magnetic interference field is substantially removed.

Abstract: A near field communication (NFC) reader is disclosed. The NFC reader includes an antenna front-end that includes a low pass filter, a matching circuit and an antenna coil. The NFC reader also includes a NFC controller. The NFC controller includes an oscillator coupled to the antenna front-end and the NFC controller is configured to detect a presence of an object in proximity of the antenna front-end using one or more changes in an output of the oscillator. The antenna front-end creates a tank circuit for the oscillator.

Abstract: A control system (100, 200) and method (300) are provided where a first voltage domain circuit (111) and a power switch (121) operate in a first voltage domain and where a second voltage domain circuit (109) operates in a second voltage domain, where the second voltage domain circuit includes a gate driver circuit (202) for providing a control terminal driving signal (PWM1) to drive the power switch, and also includes a watchdog communication circuit (207) for scheduling watchdog communications between the first and second voltage domain circuits to be temporally separated from noise-inducing signal transitions in the control terminal driving signal.

Abstract: A method is provided for authenticating an IC device. The method includes provisioning an integrated circuit (IC) device with a unique identification number (UID). The IC device is configured to calculate a device-specific key (DSK) using the UID. The UID is used with a secure application separate from the IC device to calculate the DSK. The DSK calculated by the IC device is the same as the DSK calculated by the secure application. The UID and the DSK calculated by the secure application is provided to a provider of an online service. The provider of the online service is enabled to authenticate the IC device using the UID and the DSK calculated with the secure application in response to the IC device contacting the online service. The provider may authenticate the device using a standard cryptographic challenge-response protocol. If the IC device has knowledge of a particular DSK, then the IC device is a legitimate authorized device.

Abstract: A dynamic comparator includes two sets of input transistors of opposite conductivity types, where a control electrode of one transistor of each set is coupled to a first input of the comparator and a control input of a second transistor of each set is coupled to a second input of the comparator. The comparator includes bypass transistors for pulling current electrodes of either the first set or second set of input transistors to a power supply terminal depending which input voltage is higher as determined by the output.

Abstract: Microelectronic packages, modules, systems, and other assemblies containing enhanced electromagnetic (EM) shield structures are provided, as are methods for fabricating electromagnetically-shielded microelectronic assemblies. In an embodiment, the electromagnetically-shielded microelectronic assembly includes first and second signal paths, which carry different electrical signals during operation of the microelectronic assembly. An EM shield structure is positioned between the first and second signal paths. The EM shield structure includes, in turn, a magnetic shield portion adjacent (e.g., in contact with and/or directly or indirectly bonded to) an electrical shield portion. The magnetic shield portion has a first magnetic permeability and a first electrical conductivity, while the electrical shield portion has a second magnetic permeability less than the first magnetic permeability and having a second electrical conductivity greater than the first electrical conductivity.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a switch transistor, a gate driver circuit, a current sensor circuit, a voltage drop regulation circuit, and a charge-release circuit. The switch transistor is connected between input and output ports of the IC, and receives an input signal from a power source and provides the input signal as an output signal to the output port. The current sensor circuit detects the current through the switch transistor. The gate driver circuit drives the switch transistor using a control signal. The voltage drop regulation circuit is activated when the current flowing through the switch transistor is low. The voltage drop regulation circuit controls the control signal to increase the voltage across the switch transistor. When the power source is disconnected, the charge-release circuit transfers residual charge from the input port of the IC to ground.

Abstract: The invention relates to network interface module and a method of changing network configuration parameters on-the-fly within a network device. The network interface module comprises: a processor core arranged to execute a set of threads, the set of threads comprising a port servicing thread arranged to service requests received from a network port of the network interface module; and a task scheduling component arranged to schedule the execution of threads by the processor core. The network interface module is arranged to receive an indication that at least one network configuration parameter for the network port is required to be changed, and upon receipt of such an indication to mask the port servicing thread from being executed by the processor core, and enable the at least one network parameter for the network port to be changed whilst the port servicing thread is masked.

Abstract: A method of producing a white-box implementation of a cryptographic function, including: creating, by a processor, a white-box implementation of a cryptographic function using a network of two dimensional lookup tables; identifying two dimensional lookup tables using a common index; and rewriting the identified two dimensional lookup tables as a three dimensional table.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a fingerprint authentication system is provided, comprising: a transformation unit configured to transform a first format of a captured fingerprint into a second format of the captured fingerprint, wherein the first format defines coordinates of minutia positions and the second format defines relative positions of minutiae; and an authentication unit configured to compare the relative positions with stored reference values. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding fingerprint authentication method is conceived. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program product is provided.

Abstract: A communication unit (300, 400, 500) is described that includes at least one antenna (302, 402, 502); a plurality of radio frequency (RF) circuits (304, 310, 404, 410) respectively coupled to at least one antenna (302, 402, 502); at least one sigma-delta modulator (316, 416, 616, 816) comprising a number of stages, each stage comprising at least one signal-feedforward coefficient (603, 604, 605), a filter and a feedback gain element, the at least one sigma-delta modulator (316, 416, 616, 816) coupled to the plurality of RF circuits (304, 310, 404, 410) and configured to perform sigma-delta modulation; and a controller (340, 440, 640, 840) operably coupled to the at least one sigma-delta modulator (316, 416, 616, 816).

Abstract: A MEMS device includes a substrate, a proof mass capable of moving relative to the substrate, and a motion limit structure. The motion limit structure includes an arm structure flexibly coupled to the proof mass or the substrate. The arm structure has a first contact region and a second contact region. In response to a shock force that causes the proof mass to move, the first contact region contacts a first stop region on the other one of the proof mass and the substrate. Following contact of the first contact region with the first stop region and upon continuation of the shock force, the second contact region contacts a second stop region on the other one of the proof mass and the substrate such that the contact between the second contact and stop regions reduces a contact force between the first contact and stop regions.

Abstract: A method is provided for generating a key pair and certificate for an IoT device. An integrated circuit (IC) is manufactured by a first entity for use in an internet of things (IoT) device. The IC is provided to a second entity for manufacturing the IoT device using the IC, the IC having a unique identifier (UID) and secret key derivation data (KDD). A secure memory is provided to a third entity by the first entity. The secure memory has secret key derivation parameters configured to enable the generation of a product specific parameter (PSP). The secure memory enables the third entity to prepare a signed public key certificate using the UID assigned to the IC of each device. The public key certificate is for verifying the authenticity of the device. In addition, the PSP enables the IC inside the device to generate a private key corresponding to a public key in the signed public key certificate.