Abstract: A power transfer system has a power transfer device including least one portable device and a method of controlling the power transfer system specifically in case of a dead battery condition of a battery of the portable device. The power transfer device for wirelessly charging of the battery arranged in the portable device and the power transfer device each has a near field communication functionality for data communication by a data communication link between the devices. The method includes a step of starting to establish the data comnunication link between the devices.

Abstract: A deinterleaver for a wireless communication device is provided that is simple and inexpensive to implement. In particular, a deinterleaver for deinterleaving a stream of data bits representing a plurality of symbols that have been interleaved using a multi-stage interleaving scheme is provided, the deinterleaver comprising preprocessing means for ordering the data bits in the stream into pairs, such that the data bits in the pair are consecutive data bits from a symbol; at least one memory for storing the paired bits, such that each pair of data bits is stored in a respective location in the memory; and a read and write address generator for the at least one memory, the generator being adapted to determine the addresses in the at least one memory that pairs of data bits are to be stored, and to determine the addresses in the at least one memory that pairs of data bits are to be read from.

Abstract: Lead-free or substantially lead-free structures and related methods are implemented for manufacturing electronic circuits. In accordance with various example embodiments, circuit components are joined using a copper-tin (Cu—Sn) alloy, which is melted and used to form a Cu—Sn compound having a higher melting point than the Cu—Sn alloy and both physically and electrically coupling circuit components together.

Abstract: A controller for a resonant converter, wherein the controller is configured to operate the resonant converter in a high power mode of operation by adjusting a first control parameter to vary the output power and a low power mode of operation by adjusting a second control parameter to vary the output power. The controller is configured to set the value of the first control parameter when changing between the high power mode of operation and the low power mode of operation such that the output power is substantially consistent during the changeover.

Abstract: A power management device comprises: an input for receiving a transient energy pulse; a first storage section and a second storage section for storing energy from the input; an output; a switching section for selectively connecting the input, first storage section, second storage section and output in at least first and second configurations, wherein in the first configuration the first and second storage sections are connected so as to distribute energy from the transient energy pulse between the first and second storage sections, in the second configuration the respective voltages across the first and second storage sections are combined additively to produce an output voltage at the output, whereby the output voltage after switching to the second configuration is greater than the output voltage before switching to the second configuration.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is disclosed. A contiguous layer of phase change material (21; 31; 61; 71; 81) is provided. Proximate the contiguous layer of phase change material (21; 31; 61; 71; 81) is provided a first pair of contacts (22; 32; 62; 72; 82) for providing an electrical current therebetween, the electrical current for passing through the contiguous layer of phase change material (21; 31; 61; 71; 81) for inducing heating thereof within a first region. Also adjacent the contiguous layer is provided a second pair of contacts (22; 32; 62; 72; 82) disposed for providing an electrical current therebetween, the electrical current for passing through the contiguous layer of phase change material (21; 31; 61; 71; 81) for inducing heating thereof within a second region thereof, the second region different from the first region. This pairs of contacts may be disposed on the same side or on opposing sides of the phase change material layer.

Abstract: A latency control mechanism for a communication system provides a known constant end-to-end delay between an audio source and one or more end node destinations, even in the case where different paths are used to reach the end nodes. A very low jitter time on the end-to-end latency is obtained, and the latency is controllable within a given range in dependence on the constraints imposed by the implementation. A block RX DPLL and latency control unit adjusts the reading moment and position from the RX buffer so that a delay between the time stamp taken at the source side by the transmitter time stamp unit, and the time stamp taken at the receiver side by receiver time stamp unit is constant and equal to a given value.

Abstract: A device for receiving a RF signal (1; 21) with loop-through output (16) is provided. The device comprises: an input (3) receiving a RF input signal (2); an analog-digital converter (8) converting the RF input signal (2) to a digital signal (9); a digital signal processing unit (10) digitally processing the digital signal (9); a digital-analog converter (14) converting the processed digital signal (13) to a loop-through RF signal (15) corresponding to the RF input signal (2); and a loop-through output (16) outputting the loop-through RF signal (15).

Abstract: The electronic circuit executes operations dependent on secret information. Power supply current dependency on the secret information is cloaked by drawing additional power supply current. A plurality of processing circuits (102, 106) executes respective parts of the operations dependent on the secret information. An activity monitor circuit (12a, b, 14), coupled to receive pairs of processing signals coming into and out of respective ones of the processing circuits, derive activity information from each pair of processing signals. The activity monitoring circuit (12a, b, 14) generates a combined activity signal indicative of a sum of power supply currents that will be consumed by the processing circuits (102, 106) dependent on the processing signals.

Abstract: An analysis circuit for analysing the RF response of an RF circuit, includes a voltage controlled oscillator (12), wherein a signal derived from voltage controlled oscillator output is applied as input to the RF circuit (10). A first mixer (18) mixes the RF circuit output with a first mixer signal derived from the voltage controlled oscillator and a second mixer (20) mixes the RF circuit unit output with a second mixer signal derived from the voltage controlled oscillator, the first and second mixer signals being 90 degrees out of phase. The mixer output signals are processed to provide the analysis. This analysis circuit uses mixers to enable baseband digital signal processing of signals to enable a frequency response characteristic of the RF circuit to be obtained. The analysis circuit essentially operates in the manner of an IF demodulator circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and a device for decoding a set of encoded frames at a first resolution (SD) so as to produce a set of output frames at a lower resolution (QCIF).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for watermarking a processing module. The processing module is designed to process an electronic signal and form a processed signal involving steps of applying a first functional operator to cause a significant alteration to the processed signal. The first operator is embedded in the processing module. Additionally, a second functional operator is provided to co-operate with the first operator-so the alteration is essentially cancelled. The second operator-is adapted to act as an extractable identifier serving as a watermark for the processing module. An advantage with the method is the fact that since the first and the second operators are implemented as functional processing blocks, conventional debugging tools cannot be used to attack the processing module.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a tamper-proof vehicle sensor system and a related method for sending secure packets between components. A sensing unit may include an angular sensor, such as an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor, which determines the angular position of a magnetic field and produces related angle sensor data. The sensing unit may place the angle sensor data in a packet and may encrypt the packet using a selected encryption key. The sensor may append an encryption key identifier (ID) associated with the selected encryption key onto the packet and send the secure, unidirectional packet to an electrical control unit (ECU). The ECU may then use the appended encryption key ID to retrieve the selected encryption key to decrypt the packet. The ECU may then extract the angle sensor data from the packet to modify the configuration of the vehicle.

Abstract: A counter/timer circuit and method of generating timed output signals using the counter/timer circuit, uses multiple counters that are configurable to operate as one or more counters. The counters are controlled by control signals from a control logic circuitry of the counter/timer circuit, where at least some of the control signals are dependent on event signals generated by an event generation module of the counter/timer circuit. The generated event signals are based on at least one of: an input signal, an output signal, and a counter match, qualified by a state value associated with the counters.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a system and related method of validating a distance based on a plurality of sensor measurements in a vehicle. A tamper-proof odometer system may comprise an odometer and a tamper-proof sensor that independently determine distances based on measurements of vehicle components. The tamper-proof sensor may maintain a non-modifiable count based on the angular rotation of a target wheel from which to calculate a vehicle's distance traveled. An odometer may maintain a count based on the rotation of a wheel mounted to the transmission. An electronic control unit (ECU) or dashboard control unit (DCU) may compare the distance derived from the odometer with the distance derived from the tamper-proof sensor by comparing the error to a defined threshold. When the error value is above the defined threshold, this may indicate that one or more of the components of the odometer system have been manipulated.

Abstract: A multi-phase clock and data recovery circuit system including a voltage controlled oscillator including plural identical structural cells coupled in a ring, the voltage controlled oscillator providing plural phased shifted signals having the same frequency. The circuit further includes a feedback loop including plural data samplers adapted to receive the plural phase shifted signals provided by the voltage controlled oscillator and a phase detector coupled to coupled to a phase alignment circuit receiving output signals generated by the plural data samplers and generating control signals to the voltage controlled oscillator at a bit rate of the input signal.

Abstract: A communication partner appliance is implemented within a near field communication system. The communication partner appliance includes a receiver, a detector, and a processor. The receiver receives a NFC command signal from another communication partner appliance. The detector detects whether a carrier signal from the other communication partner appliance is present at the receiver and generates a corresponding status signal. The processor receives the command signal from the receiver, recognizes an end of the command signal, receives the status signal from the detector after the end of the command signal, and controls a power supply element based on the status signal after the end of the command signal. The power supply element is configured to establish a connection to either a first power supply or a second power supply. The first power supply is dependent on the carrier signal, and the second power supply is independent of the carrier signal.

Abstract: A circuit has a reference source (12) for supplying a bias signal to set a small signal transconductance of an amplifier transistor in an amplifier (10) to a predetermined value. The reference source has at least one reference transistor (120a-b, 30). A feedback circuit (128, 129, 38) has an input coupled to the main current channel of the reference transistor or reference transistors (120a-b, 30) and an output coupled to the control electrode of the reference transistor or reference transistors (120a-b, 30). The feedback circuit controls a control voltage at the control electrode, so as to equalize an offset current and a difference between main currents flowing through the current channel of the reference transistor or reference transistors (120a-b, 30), obtained with and without a small voltage offset added to the control voltage.

Abstract: A method of forming a MEMS device by encapsulating a MEMS element with a sacrificial layer portion deposited over a substrate arrangement, the portion defining a cavity for the MEMS element, forming at least one strip of a further sacrificial material extending outwardly from the portion, forming a cover layer portion over the sacrificial layer portion, the cover layer portion terminating on the at least one strip, removing the sacrificial layer portion and the at least one strip, the removal of the at least one strip defining at least one vent channel extending laterally underneath the cover layer portion and sealing the at least one vent channel. A device including such a packaged micro electro-mechanical structure.

Abstract: A method for frequency acquisition comprising steps of, acquiring samples of an input signal, each sample having edges, making sets with a fixed number of consecutively taken samples, numbering the edges in each set and determining a number of edges, comparing the number of edges in each set with an expected number of edges in the sets, increasing a frequency of a reference oscillator used in acquiring samples if the actual number of edges exceeds the expected number of edges, and decreasing the frequency of the reference oscillator used in acquiring samples if the expected number of edges exceeds the actual number of edges in a set.