Abstract: The invention relates to a non-reciprocal circuit element (1) having a plurality of strip conductor elements (2) insulated electrically from one another, which conductor elements are embedded in a multilayer core (3) of ferrimagnetic material and are arranged in superposed conductor planes in such a way that the conductor elements (2) cross over one another in at least one crossover area (4, 5). To provide such a circuit element, which is particularly cost-effective to produce and which is suitable in particular for use in mobile phones, the invention proposes that the core (3) comprises, at least in the crossover area of the conductor elements (2), hard magnetic material, which is permanently magnetized in a spatial direction perpendicular to the conductor planes.

Abstract: Apparatus (80) comprising an input stage (61) with an NMOS transistor doublet having a first differential input for receiving input signals, and a PMOS transistor doublet having a second differential input for receiving input signals. The apparatus (80) further comprises switching means for receiving and selectively directing analog input signals either to the first differential input or to the second differential input. The means are controlled by a switching signal (?,?) in a manner to keep the ratio of the transconductance of the NMOS transistor doublet and the transconductance of the PMOS transistor doublet constant.

Abstract: A 3-way Doherty amplifier has an amplifier input and an amplifier output. The amplifier has a main stage, a first peak stage and a second peak stage. The amplifier has an input network connecting the amplifier input to the inputs of the stages, and an output network connecting the stages to the amplifier output. The output network implements a phase shift of 90° between the output of the main stage and the amplifier output; a phase shift of 180° between the output of the first peak stage and the amplifier output; and a phase shift of 90° between the third output and the amplifier output.

Abstract: An electronic clamp is provided for an integrated circuit having a first voltage island (1) to which an output signal (clamp out) of the clamp is applied and a second voltage island (2) operative to produce an input signal (clamp in) to the clamp, where power to the second voltage island can be switched off to save power. The clamp comprises a latch (22) which stores or retains the clamp value (0 or 1) of the input signal (clamp in) during a reset period and clamps the output signal (clamp out) to the stored or retained value in response to a clamp enable signal, (clamp in) in order to protect the first voltage island from a non-stabilised input signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide channel estimation methods, systems and devices which determine a coarse channel estimate (40) and a fine channel estimate (66). The coarse channel (40) estimate can be determined based on the channel estimation sequence transmitted to the receiver and then used to detect header symbols. The header symbols can be used to calculate additional channel estimates which can then be combined with the coarse channel estimate (40) to determine a fine channel estimate (66).

Abstract: A pulse density modulation, PDM, driver, outputs a PDM stream and can be switched to a control token. The switch takes place when the first integral of the PDM stream has a magnitude less than or equal to a first predetermined value and the second integral of the PDM stream has a magnitude less than or equal to a second predetermined value.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit (200) comprising a plurality of cores (110, 110), at least some of the cores being located in different power domains (VDD1, VDD2), each core being surrounded by a test wrapper (220) comprising a plurality of wrapper cells (128, 230), wherein each of said test wrappers are located in a single power domain (VDD3) and each plurality of wrapper cells comprises wrapper output cells (230) each arranged to output a signal from its associated core, each of said wrapper output cells comprising an output level shifter (232, 240) for shifting the voltage of said signal to the voltage of the single power domain (VDD3). A method for testing such an IC and standard library cells for designing such an IC are also disclosed.

Abstract: Communication devices, communication systems, a Bluetooth communication protocol communication device, and communication methods are provided. According to a first aspect, a communication device includes a single buffer configured to store communication data; control circuitry coupled with the buffer and configured to generate a plurality of packets including different amounts of communication data from the buffer; and communication circuitry coupled with the control circuitry and configured to communicate the packets.a.

Abstract: The MEMS element of the invention has a first, a second and an intermediate third electrode. It is given an increased dynamic range in that the switchable capacitor constituted by the second and the third electrode is provided in the signal path between input and output, and that the switchable capacitor constituted by the first and third electrode is provided between the signal path and ground. The MEMS element of the invention is very suitable for integration in a network of passive components.

Abstract: “Click-assembly” methods of assembling a sensor for sensing biologically-active molecules by measuring impedance changes, are disclosed, comprising supporting a bio-sensor on a carrier, the bio-sensor comprising an electronic component having at least one micro-electrode and at least one electrical contact, functionalizing the bio-sensor by physically or chemically coupling a bio-receptor molecule to each of the at least one micro-electrode, and subsequently assembling the bio-sensor with a micro-fluidic unit by means of a clamp which clamps the bio-sensor with the micro-fluidic unit, such that in use a fluid introduced into the micro-fluidic unit is able to contact the bio-receptor and is isolated from the electrical contact. The clamp may be a spring, and the method may avoid a requirement for sealing by chemical or thermal means and thereby avoid damaging the bio-receptor. Sensors which can be assembled according to such methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiband heterodyne receiver, and method, having a source of a received signal, a local oscillator that outputs a local oscillator signal, and a mixer that combines the received signal and the local oscillator signal to generate a combined signal. The local oscillator signal can be adjusted in accordance with a detected jamming signal. A DC filter receives the combined signal and attenuates a DC component of the combined signal so as to output a DC filtered signal, and an analog-to-digital converter receives the DC filtered signal and converts the DC filtered signal to a digital signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (10) comprising a bipolar transistor and a field effect transistor within a semiconductor body (1) comprising a projecting mesa (5) within which are at least a portion of a collector region (22d and 22e) and a base region (33d) of the bipolar transistor. The bipolar transistor is provided with a first insulating cavity (92) provided in the collector region (22d and 22e). The base region (33d) is narrower in the plane of the substrate than the collector region (22d and 22e) due to a second insulating cavity (94) provided around the base region (33d) and between the collector region (22d and 22e) and the emitter region (4). By blocking diffusion from the base region the first insulating cavity (92) provides a reduction in the base collector capacitance and can be described as defining the base contact.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of testing an integrated circuit (100) comprising a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver, said transceiver comprising a receiver chain (120) having an input for coupling the receiver chain to an antenna (112) and an output coupled to a digital signal processor (130), and a transmitter chain (140) having an input coupled to the digital signal processor (130) and an output for coupling the transmitter chain (140) to an antenna (114); and a RF calibration signal generator (170) for generating a RF calibration signal, the method comprising connecting the RF calibration signal generator (170) to the receiver chain input in a test mode; injecting a test signal comprising the RF calibration signal into the receiver chain input; collecting a response to the test signal from the receiver chain output; and evaluating said response. Further disclosed is an IC (100), comprise a BIST arrangement for executing said method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a discharge structure for an overvoltage and/or overcurrent protection, in particular to a discharge structure for an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, for an integrated circuit (IC), and to an ESD protection device for an IC comprising such a discharge structure and to a method for making such a structure. The present invention particularly relates to such a discharge structure (50, 52) which comprises at least two discharge paths (40, 80) provided to conduct a current to a terminal (60), whereas substantially all of the discharge paths (40, 80) present substantially the same resistance for the current.

Abstract: Power reduction in transmitters is very important. One method to realize reduction is to make use of switching power amplifiers (PA) that have a better efficiency. Switching PA concepts are only possible in combination with suitable modulation methods like pulse width modulation (PWM) and out-phasing concepts. However, PWM and out-phasing concepts rely on accurate phase control and duty cycle of the signals. Digitally generation of signals of variable duty cycles and phase is proposed without sacrificing their accuracy. Accordingly, a out-phasing power amplifier arrangement is disclosed, where the generation of the out-phasing angle (?) and duty cycles (d1 and d2) are controlled by a set of n-bit digital input words (D1, D2, D3, D4). The baseband phase information (?(t)) is phase modulated back to radio frequency and used as the clock signal of digital circuitry for phase and duty cycle generation after being frequency multiplied by 2n?1.

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 MEMS circuit comprises a MEMS device arrangement with temperature dependent output; a resistive heating circuit; and a feedback control system for controlling the resistive heating circuit to provide heating in order to maintain a MEMS device at a constant temperature. The heating is controlled in dependence on the ambient temperature, such that a MEMS device temperature is maintained at one of a plurality of temperatures in dependence on the ambient temperature. This provides power savings because the temperature to which the MEMS device is heated can be kept within a smaller margin of the ambient temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-transistor, e.g.

Abstract: A signal data source, such as a video or audio decoder (12) supplies signal data of a stored signal that is defined relative to a signal time base. The signal data is processed by adding or removing samples to adapt a reproduction rate to an adapted time base, with an adaptable time rate relative to the signal time base. The samples of the signal with adapted reproduction rate are passed through a delaying buffer (16) and the signal is rendered after it emerges from the buffer (16). A time converter (19) determines time values relative to the signal time base from time values relative to the adapted time base. Commands are provided to control the rate used for reproduction rate adaptation. Normally, each command is accepted and used to change the rate. Information one accepted command, or a higher predetermined number of accepted commands, is stored after the commands have been used to change the reproduction rate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling a DC-DC switched-mode power converter comprising a switch, the method comprising, whilst controlling the switch by a main control loop: detecting a step in a load on the switched-mode power converter; generating a signal in response to the detector detecting a step in the load, and switching the switch in response to the signal. Advantageously, the method may avoid a delay (such as waiting for a subsequent oscillator pulse) which might otherwise occur before switching the switch, to react to the transient. The faster response may result in a reduction of the transient current from the converter, which may facilitate the use of smaller and cheaper components.