Abstract: A multicore architecture is configured to exploit explicit task parallelism to save power by sharing interrupt sources that trigger independent tasks.

Abstract: A processing system and a method for processing a flexible substrate (e.g., a web) use a tensioner with a vacuum plate that can be moved along a transport direction of the flexible substrate with an indexer that intermittently moves the flexible substrate for processing. The tensioner and the indexer are controlled so that a relative speed between the indexer and the vacuum plate of the tensioner is maintained above a predefined threshold under all working conditions, even when the flexible substrate is stopped.

Abstract: A controller for a resonant converter, the resonant converter comprising a first switch and a second switch. The controller configured to: close the first switch to start a half cycle of operation; open the first switch before completion of the half cycle; maintain the first switch and the second switch in an open state in order to define a stop-interval; and end the stop-interval by closing the second switch.

Abstract: A digital to analog converter convert digital data in binary format to thermometer bit vectors. A first set of the thermometer bit vectors corresponds to most significant bits of the digital data and a second set of the thermometer bit vectors corresponds to least significant bits of the digital data. Connections of first current sources corresponding to the first set of the thermometer bit vectors and second current sources corresponding to the second set of the thermometer bit vectors are dynamically and randomly alternated to a first output line and a second output line. Calibration current is applied to the second current sources so a total current of the second current sources and the calibration current is within a predetermined range of an average current of the first current sources.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a physical (PHY) layer module, a media access control (MAC) layer module (102) coupled to the PHY layer module. The MAC layer module is configured to generate a limited acknowledgement (LACK) response that indicates successful receipt of a data transmission, and to reduce a data rate used to transmit data to the wireless communication device.

Abstract: A method for managing the communication between a communication portable device (200) including a NFC device and a NFC tag (100) including a plurality of information, comprises comprising determining a position and/or orientation of the communication portable device (200) and enabling the communication portable device to read a portion of the plurality of information units, depending on the position and/or orientation of the communication portable device.

Abstract: A method of searching of base stations in a mobile communication system has a first stage of detecting at least one slot boundary, a second stage of detecting at least one frame boundary and a scrambling code group, and a third stage of detecting a scrambling code. Multiple possible base stations are identified by determining a first threshold based on correlation values of correlating the input signal with a primary synchronization channel code. For each hit, the input signal is aligned to the corresponding slot boundary, an average correlation value is based on all correlations with secondary sequences, and a second threshold based on the average correlation value is set. Any delay and codewords that have a correlation value above the second threshold are correlated with the codes in the detected group so as to determine multiple base stations.

Abstract: A surface of a cavity of a MEMS device that is rough to reduce stiction. In some embodiments, the average roughness (Ra) of the surface is 5 nm or greater. In some embodiments, the rough surface is formed by forming one or more layers of a rough oxidizable material, then oxidizing the material to form an oxide layer with a rough surface. Another layer is formed over the oxide layer with the rough surface, wherein the roughness of the oxide layer is transferred to the another layer.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an approach to detect replay attacks while having multiple cores in a multi-core processor manage an established tunneling session. The tunneling session includes a number of flows. One of the cores is assigned to manage one of the flows, and another core is assigned to manage another of the flows. A replay attack over the tunneling session is inhibited by maintaining a flow-based sequence context at each of the flows, and the flow-based sequence context is maintained by the core that is managing the respective flow.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a correlator comprising a plurality of correlator taps is configurable to provide synchronization and symbol modulation for a plurality of modulation systems. Among other uses, at least one embodiment of the correlator can provide a coarse symbol timing value. In response to determining the coarse symbol timing value, a receiver can receive a signal. Among other uses, at least one embodiment of the correlator can provide a carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimate. In response to determining the CFO estimate, a receiver can receive a signal.

Abstract: A mass storage system for storing mass data generated by a mass data source. The system includes a data buffer coupled to the mass data source, and a file system and command generator. The data buffer caches the mass data. The file system and command generator generates file system data corresponding to the mass data stored in the data buffer. The file system and command generator also automatically configures a SATA host controller so that the SATA host controller will move the cached mass data and the generated file system data to a mass storage device.

Abstract: Embodiments of an RF amplifier include a transistor with a control terminal and first and second current carrying terminals, and a shunt circuit coupled between the first current carrying terminal and a ground reference node. The shunt circuit includes a first shunt inductive element, a second shunt inductance, and a shunt capacitor coupled in series. Instead of a separate inductive element, the second shunt inductance may be achieved via magnetic coupling of the first shunt inductive element and an envelope inductive element of a video bandwidth circuit that is coupled between an RF cold point node (between the first and second shunt inductances) and the ground. Alternatively, an envelope inductance in the video bandwidth circuit may be achieved via magnetic coupling of first and second shunt inductive elements. A better RF cold point may be achieved without physically incorporating separate inductive elements, allowing for reduction in cost and size.

Abstract: There is provided a method of estimating a bit error rate in a transport channel of a wireless communication system. The method comprises the receiving a signal from a remote transmitter of the wireless communication system via a physical channel, the signal comprising data and noise forming a plurality of soft bits. The method further comprises the counting, during a period of time, a number of erroneous bits being those soft bits which have an amplitude below ?2A or above +2A with A being the average amplitude of the soft bits received. Next, the number of erroneous bits is divided by a number of total bits received during said period of time in order to obtain the bit error rate. This method provides a way to estimate the BER value without knowing the exact shape of the noise distribution. In an embodiment a selection is made between two estimation algorithms.

Abstract: A differential detector for a receiver and a method of detecting the value of symbols of a signal is disclosed. In particular, a detector comprising: an analog to digital converter for sampling samples from symbols of a signal; a differentiator configured to differentiate the samples with a transfer function to produce a differentiated series of samples for each symbol; and a decision device configured to determine the value of each symbol by comparing values of the differentiated series of samples with boundary condition values.

Abstract: A circuit for tuning an impedance matching network is disclosed. The circuit includes a current sensor, a control circuit coupled to the current sensor and a reference current source and a tunable capacitor coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to generate a control signal based on an output of the current sensor, wherein the control signal is configured to vary a capacitance of the tunable capacitor.

Abstract: A memory management component arranged to receive memory access transactions and provide memory management functionality therefor, and a method of providing memory management functionality within a processing system are disclosed. The memory management component comprises a first memory management module arranged to provide memory management functionality for received memory access transactions in accordance with a paging memory management scheme, and at least one further memory management module arranged to provide memory management functionality for received memory access transactions in accordance with an address range memory management scheme.

Abstract: A radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder device is disclosed. The RFID transponder device includes an antenna component for inductive communication with at least one basestation transceiver device and an interface component coupled to the antenna component. The interface component includes a demodulation component arranged to perform demodulation of a signal at the antenna component for basestation-to-transponder communication and a modulation component arranged to perform modulation of the signal at the antenna component for transponder-to-basestation communication. The interface component is arranged to operate in at least a charge and talk mode of operation, and during the charge and talk mode of operation the modulation component is arranged to perform binary phase-shift keying, BPSK, modulation of the signal at the antenna component for the transponder-to-basestation communication. A RFID basestation transceiver device is also disclosed.

Abstract: Integrated circuit devices with counter-doped conductive gates. The devices have a semiconductor substrate that has a substrate surface. The devices also have a first well of a first conductivity type, a source of a second conductivity type, and a drain of the second conductivity type. A channel extends between the source and the drain. A conductive gate extends across the channel. The conductive gate includes a first gate region and a second gate region of the second conductivity type and a third gate region of the first conductivity type. The third gate region extends between the first and second gate regions. The devices further include a gate dielectric that extends between the conductive gate and the substrate and also include a silicide region in electrical communication with the first, second, and third gate regions. The methods include methods of manufacturing the devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of a resistor module of a USB interface device and a method for operating a resistor module of a USB interface device are described. In an embodiment, a resistor module of a USB interface device includes a pull-down resistor connectable to a USB power-sourcing device, a switch connected between the pull-down resistor and a fixed reference voltage, an energy storage unit connectable to the USB power-sourcing device and configured to store electrical energy in response to a current from the USB power-sourcing device, a switch control unit connected to the energy storage unit and configured to control the switch with a control signal in response to a voltage of the energy storage unit, and a glitch filter connected to the switch and to the switch control unit and configured to remove a glitch in the control signal. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods for producing high thermal performance microelectronic modules containing sinter-bonded heat dissipation structures. In one embodiment, the method includes embedding a sinter-bonded heat dissipation structure in a module substrate. The step of embedding may entail applying a sinter precursor material containing metal particles into a cavity provided in the module substrate, and subsequently sintering the sinter precursor material at a maximum processing temperature less than a melt point of the metal particles to produce a sintered metal body bonded to the module substrate. A microelectronic device and a heatsink are then attached to the module substrate before, after, or concurrent with sintering such that the heatsink is thermally coupled to the microelectronic device through the sinter-bonded heat dissipation structure. In certain embodiments, the microelectronic device may be bonded to the module substrate at a location overlying the thermally-conductive structure.