Abstract: A device (100) for generating an output signal (So) having substantially same or increased output frequency compared to an input frequency of an input signal (Si), the device (100) comprising: a bipolar transistor (102) having a base (B), a collector (C), and an emitter (E); a control unit (104) adapted for controlling application of the input signal (Si) to the base (B) and adapted for controlling application of a collector-emitter voltage between the collector (C) and the emitter (E) in a manner for operating the bipolar transistor (102) in a snap-back regime to obtain a non-linear collector current characteristic to thereby generate the output signal (So) having the substantially same or increased output frequency resulting from a steeply rising collector current.

Abstract: A diversity FM radio receiver comprises two tuners for simultaneously tuning to the same FM channel. To avoid disturbances between the local oscillator signals of the tuners and to be able to use standard IF filters, one of the tuners operate with high-side LO injection and the other tuner operates with low-side LO-injection. To equalize the frequencies of the signals to be subjected to the diversity operation the two IF-signals of the tuners are fed to complex mixers with oppositely rotating phases.

Abstract: A resonator has a vibrating element (10) and at least a first (20) and a second (30) electrode, at least one of the electrodes storing an electric charge to make the device charge biased. A charge adjuster (C) can add to or reduce the stored charge. The charge adjuster can be a capacitor to reduce leakage, and or a power supply coupled by switch. It can reduce problems of stiction, and reduce power consumption, and reduce non linearity's, it enables the charge level to be adjusted before operation. A second switch can be used to ground the vibrating element.

Abstract: A method of packaging a semiconductor die. The method comprises mounting a semiconductor die to a die attach pad on a carrier and electrically coupling an electrode of the semiconductor die and a contact pad on the carrier with a clip carried by a sacrificial substrate. The method further comprises removing the sacrificial substrate to release the clip. The method may be extended to accommodate a carrier having multiple device regions each with a die attach pad and a contact pad for mounting multiple semiconductor die.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic device for providing improved heat transporting capability for protecting heat sensitive electronics and a method for producing the same. The present invention also relates to uses of the electronic device for various applications such as in LED lamps for signalizing, signage, automative and illumination applications or a display apparatus or any combinations thereof.

Abstract: A planar double-gate transistor is manufactured wherein crystallisation inhibitors are implanted into the channel region (16) of a semiconductor wafer (10), said wafer having a laminate structure comprising an initial crystalline semiconductor layer (14) adjacent an amorphous semiconductor layer (12). Upon heating, partial re-growth of the amorphous semiconductor layer is restricted in the channel area thus allowing for the thickness of the source/drain extension regions to be increased whilst maintaining a thin channel. Any remaining amorphous material is selectively removed leaving a cavity to allow for the forming of gate electrodes (30,32) on opposing sides of the channel region. The invention can be exploited to a greater extent by providing an amorphous layer on both sides of the initial crystalline semiconductor layer thus providing for re-growth limitation in two directions.

Abstract: In a circuit (1) comprising first and second transmission lines (11,12) with first and second line widths, the transmission lines (11,12) are coupled to each other via a coupling (13,14) with first and second coupling widths at its ends, such that a smaller one of the line widths and a larger one of the coupling widths are combined, and such that a larger one of the line widths and a smaller one of the coupling widths are combined. Such a coupling (13,14) introduces relatively small reflection coefficients, for example for distances between ends of the transmission lines (11,12) smaller than a wavelength of frequency signals to be exchanged via the transmission lines (11,12) and the coupling (13,14). The circuit (1) can then become more compact. The coupling (13,14) may comprise one single taper or may comprise a first taper (13) with a first, larger coupling width and a second taper (14) with a second, smaller coupling width.

Abstract: In a first aspect, the invention provides to a device comprising a substrate and an electrical conductor arranged between two terminals (A, B) and shaped for forming an inductor comprising at least two loops (1, 2) and arranged such that, at least locally, the far field is reduced. This arrangement results in an inductor which radiates a smaller magnetic field, also referred to as reduced EMI, which results in less noise generated in other inductive parts of an electronic circuit or system. The invention further provides in an advantageous embodiment proper balancing of the parasitic resistance and capacitance. By doing so the physical mid-point of 8-shaped inductors becomes the electrical mid-point (MP) which is beneficial when the inductor is used in a circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital receiver for FM signals, in particular to a new demodulator structure and demodulating method, by which according to a first aspect of the invention the usual complex de-rotation process is reduced to a simple addition/subtraction. According to a second aspect of the invention, the requirements for the sampling frequency necessary for processing the demodulator signals are reduced substantially.

Abstract: A control signal is generated for mechanical loudspeaker protection, or for other signal pre-processing functions. The procedure contains the following steps: perform a non-linearity analysis based on current and voltage measurements; use the results of the non-linearity analysis, and the voltage and current measurements to control audio processing for the loudspeaker thereby to implement loudspeaker protection and/or acoustic signal processing.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electronic ballast for a lighting circuit, the ballast including a bleeder, for use with dimmer circuits, by, in response to a mains supply being connected to the lighting circuit, determining whether a dimmer circuit is present in the lighting circuit; and in response to determining a dimmer circuit is not present, disconnecting the bleeder from the lighting circuit at least until the mains supply is disconnected. The method may be used during, and the determination of whether a dimmer circuit is present is stored at least until the mains supply is disconnected. Determination of either a leading or trailing edge phase cut dimmer may be made by looking for deviation from the expected sine-wave voltage, either directly through temporal or voltage deviation, or indirectly by examining the second differential of the voltage with respect to time.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for emulating a resistor is based on the output resistance of a non-linear circuit element, such as a transistor. In the case of a transistor, it is biased into operation in its linear region, and a voltage dependent on the ac source-drain voltage is coupled to the gate voltage, thereby to improve linearity of the drain-source resistance with respect to the drain-source voltage. This modification to the gate voltage can be used to alter the transfer function such that the drain-source resistance is no longer dependent on the drain-source voltage.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device that comprises a microelectromechanical (MEMS) element, the method comprising the steps of: providing a material layer (34) on a first side of a substrate (32); providing a trench (40) in the material later (34); etching material from the trench (40) such as to also etch the substrate (32) from the first side of the substrate (32); grinding the substrate (32) from a second side of the substrate to expose the trench (40); and using the exposed trench (40) as an etch hole. The exposed trench (40) is used as an etch hole for releasing a portion of the material layer (34), for example a beam resonator (12), from the substrate (32). An input electrode (6), an output electrode (8), and a top electrode (10) are provided.

Abstract: The present application relates to a module comprising at least two amplifiers. The first amplifier is configured to amplify an inphase signal. The second amplifier is configured to amplify a quadrature signal. The module comprises a combiner configured to combine the at least two amplified signals. The module comprises a phase reversal unit configured to provide at least two amplified signals comprising a maximum phase difference of 2 p.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are provided for a video detector that computes a measure of how much a given video content resembles one of a de-interlaced video content or a progressive video content. More particularly, the present invention determines the position of original and interpolated lines and the scaling factor of an input content whenever that content was scaled after de-interlacing.

Abstract: A differential switched-current line-driver implements a method to reduce power consumption by eliminating output current that does not contribute to the required differential output signal. This output current is used for example during a training phase, and the current elimination can take place after the training phase is complete.

Abstract: A method for generating a secure acknowledgment message that involves constructing a plaintext of the acknowledgment message, computing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for the plaintext of the acknowledgment message, encrypting the plaintext of the acknowledgment message to obtain a ciphertext of the acknowledgment message, computing a secure check (CHK) value from the ciphertext using bits of the cyclic redundancy check value (CRC) and then appending the secure check value (CHK) to the plaintext of the acknowledgment message.

Abstract: A signal processor comprises a reference voltage circuit (RVC) for imposing a reference voltage (VR) onto a capacitance (Cr). The reference voltage circuit (RVC) comprises a negative slope module (NSM) for providing a negative slope signal (SN), which has a magnitude that decreases when a voltage that is present on the capacitance (Cr) increases. A positive slope module (PSM) provides a positive slope signal (SP), which has a magnitude that increases when the voltage that is present on the capacitance (Cr) increases. A minimum selection module (MSM) controls a maximum current (IMX) that the reference voltage circuit (RVC) can apply to the capacitance (Cr) substantially in dependence on the negative slope signal (SN), if the magnitude of the negative slope signal (SN) is smaller than that of the positive slope signal (SP).

Abstract: A circuit arrangement and method of executing program code which utilize power control instructions capable of dynamically controlling power dissipation of multiple hardware resources during execution of a program by a processor. The processor configured to process such power control instructions and to maintain the power modes of the multiple hardware resources to that specified in an earlier-processed power control instruction, such that subsequently-processed instructions will be processed while the power modes of the multiple hardware resources are set to that specified by the earlier-processed power control instruction.

Abstract: A resonator having an effective spring constant (kz) and comprising a beam having a beam spring constant (kB) adapted to resonate in an oscillation direction, and extending at a non-zero angle (?) to the oscillation direction, wherein the resonator has a predetermined geometry and is formed from one or more materials, the or each material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the CTE of the or each material together with the predetermined geometry of the resonator causing ? to vary with temperature, such that the temperature dependence of the beam spring constant is compensated for, resulting in the effective spring constant of the resonator remaining substantially constant within an operating temperature range.