Abstract: A method of packaging a micro electro-mechanical structure comprises forming said structure on a substrate; depositing a sacrificial layer over said structure; patterning the sacrificial layer; depositing a SIPOS (semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon) layer over the patterned sacrificial layer; treating the SIPOS layer with an etchant to convert the SIPOS layer into a porous SIPOS layer, removing the patterned sacrificial layer through the porous layer SIPOS to form a cavity including said structure; and sealing the porous SIPOS layer. A device including such a packaged micro electro-mechanical structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (100) for providing a layer of a material from a precursor gas on a deposition surface (112) of a substrate (110). The apparatus includes a deposition chamber (102) and a trap surface (116) for trapping reactive constituents of the precursor gas, the trap surface (116) being arranged such that at least part of the precursor gas flows from a precursor gas inlet (104) along the trap surface (116) before reaching the deposition surface (112) of the substrate (110).

Abstract: A device (100) for managing access rights to an object of an object oriented programming language, wherein the device comprises a processing unit (101) and a memory management unit (102). The processing unit (101) is adapted for determining information in dicative of the access rights to the object and for storing the determined information in the memory management unit (102).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detection system for detecting movement of a movable object. The detection system comprises a light source (S) for emitting light, a reflecting unit (8) being arranged in functional connection with the movable object (6) and being adapted for reflecting the emitted light, at least one detector (D1 to D4) for detecting the reflected light and outputting detection signals for determining the movement of the movable object, an analogue-to-digital converter which includes at least one current source for obtaining a digital signal, and a common mode controller for outputting at least one common mode signal for controlling the at least one current source, wherein the digital signal which is indicative of the movement of the movable object in a predetermined direction being based on the output signal of the at least one detector and the at least one common mode signal.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a MEMS device integrated in a silicon substrate. In parallel to the manufacturing of the MEMS device passive components as trench capacitors with a high capacitance density can be processed. The method is especially suited for MEMS resonators with resonance frequencies in the range of 10 MHz.

Abstract: Single hardware subsystems that present two software views that appear to be two separate hardware subsystems attached in a hierarchy are implemented with PCI arrangements. In an embodiment, a hardware arrangement is configured to emulate two virtually separate hierarchical subsystems in a single hardware block. This emulation facilitates the coupling of devices to PCI Express communications links while addressing PCI-Express linking requirements for such devices.

Abstract: A device (100) for converting an acoustic signal (102) into an electric signal (104), wherein the device (100) comprises an interferometer (106) comprising two mirrors (108) adapted for reflecting electromagnetic radiation (112) coupled into a space (110) between the mirrors (108), wherein the acoustic signal (102) is to be coupled into the space (110) for influencing the electromagnetic radiation (112) in accordance with the acoustic signal (102), an electromagnetic radiation detector (112) adapted for detecting the influenced electromagnetic radiation (112) and for converting the detected influenced electromagnetic radiation (112) into the electric signal (104) being indicative for the acoustic signal (102), and an operation point stabilization unit adapted for stabilizing an operation point of the device (100).

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit (100) comprising a substrate (110) carrying a plurality of light-sensitive elements (112) and a blazed grating (120) comprising a plurality of diffractive elements (122) for diffracting respective spectral components (123-125) of incident light (150) to respective light-sensitive elements (112), the blazed grating (120) comprising a stack of layers, at least some of these layers comprising first portions, e.g. metal portions (202, 222, 242) arranged such that each diffractive element (122) comprises a stepped profile of stacked first portions with a first portion in a higher layer laterally extending beyond a first portion in a lower layer of said stepped profile.

Abstract: A signal processing module with a timing comparator such as a time to digital converter is provided. The module may be part of a phase locked loop with a fractional frequency divider that acts to produce a divided down signal modulated with jitter in its timing. The timing comparator comprises an error cancellation stage (30, 24.1, 2060) to remove a predicted effect of the imparted jitter from the timing comparator output signal. A jitter detector (80, 1046, 2064) is used to detect the jitter from the comparator output signal, preferably residual jitter after the predicted effect of the jitter has been removed. Synchronous detection, such as correlation with the predicted jitter may be used to detect the jitter. The jitter detector (80, 1046, 2064) adjusts a calibration factor of the timing comparator dependent on the detected jitter.

Abstract: A device has a micro electromechanical structure (10) with a first arm (102), at least one second arm (104a, b) connected to each other via a connection (100). Both arms (102, 104a, b) and the connection (100) are preferably made of a single crystalline body. The first and second arm (102, 104a, b) have end portions attached to a substrate, but otherwise the arms and their connection are free to move relative to the substrate. The first and second arm (102, 104a, b) extending from the end portions to the connection (100) along different directions, preferably perpendicularly to each other. An electrode (12) is provided on the substrate, adjacent to the micro electromechanical structure (10) to excite vibration of the structure. The two arms in different directions make it possible to reduce the nonlinearity of the stiffness during vibrations of the structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to calibrating light emitters (4). In order to avoid blanking of a backlight and also to reduce the number of light sensors (14), it is possible to drive a plurality of light emitters to the pulsed initial driving condition (PWM1-PWM4), shift a start time (T0, T3) of the initial driving condition of a selected one of the light emitters temporally in front of start times (T1, T2) of remaining light emitters, detecting an illumination condition produced by the selected one of the light emitters at the beginning (T3) of a subsequent shifted driving condition of the selected one of the light emitters, determining an adjustment factor for the selected light emitter by comparing a detected illumination condition with a calibration illumination condition, and respectively supplying the selected light emitter with a modified driving condition comprising the initial driving condition modified by the adjustment factor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detection system for the detection of movements of a movable object. The detection system may comprises: a light emitting device (S) for emitting light, a reflecting unit (5) being arranged in functional connection with the movable object and being adapted for reflecting the emitted light, a plurality of detectors (D1 to D4) for detecting the reflected light and outputting detection signals for determining a movement of the movable object. When reflecting the emitted light, the reflecting unit causes a light spot to be incident on the plurality of detectors, and the plurality of detectors are arranged in a predetermined manner so as to be located completely inside the light spot irrespective of any movement of the movable object. The present invention further relates to a method of detecting movements of the movable object, and an IC having implemented therein the detection system.

Abstract: Controlling controllable devices (12) such as lamp units that are installed in a building (10) with a plurality of control interface units (14) such as light switches. Each control interface unit (14) has a receptor (20), such as a light switch, for receiving user actuations. Addresses to be used for selective transmission of messages to controllable devices (12) are established by enabling the control interface unit (14) that should control a controllable device (12) to read a tag (34) on or in the controllable device (12). The control interface units (14) each have their own a tag reader (26), capable of reading the tag (34) when the tag (34) is in a proximity of the control interface unit (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a capacitive sensor device 100. The capacitive sensor device (100) comprises a substrate (401), a first electrode (101) coupled to the substrate (401, a second electrode (102) coupled to the substrate (401) and a movable element (103). The movable element (103) is capacitively coupled to the first electrode (101), the moveable element (103) and the first electrode (101) representing a first capacitor (104). The movable element (103) is capacitively coupled to the second electrode (102), the moveable element (103) and the second electrode (102) representing a second capacitor (105). The movable element (103) is movable between the first electrode (101) and the second electrode (102) in such a manner, that an electrical impedance between the first electrode (101) and the second electrode (102) is changeable due to a change of a position of the movable element (103). The movable element (103) is decoupled from the substrate (401), in particular to a signal line.

Abstract: A circuit is operable in a normal operating mode and a test mode. The circuit contains a privileged information supply circuit (12) coupled to the testable circuit (10). A test access circuit (19) provides access to the testable circuit (10). A test control circuit (18) controls switching of the test access circuit (19) to the test mode. A multiplex circuit (16) couples the privileged information supply circuit (12) to the testable circuit (10) for access to privileged information in the normal mode. In the test mode the shadow information supply circuit (14) is coupled to the testable circuit (10) instead.

Abstract: A biosensor assembly includes a fluidic system. A biosensor is positioned for direct contact with a fluid as the fluid flows through the fluidic system. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) electrode provides ESD protection for the biosensor. The ESD electrode can be engaged while the fluidic system of the assembly is primed, and then disengaged to prevent leakage currents from the fluid while the biosensor is in operation.

Abstract: A capacitance system for a radio frequency (RF) charge pump of an RF integrated circuit (IC) includes a fringe capacitor, a second capacitor, and a silicon substrate region. The fringe capacitor is made of backend masks. The second capacitor is located underneath the fringe capacitor. The silicon substrate region is located underneath the second capacitor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detection system for detecting movements of a movable object (6).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of encoding a sequence of pictures, a picture being divided into blocks of data, said encoding method comprising the steps of:—computing a residual error block from a difference between a current block contained in a current picture and a candidate area using of a prediction function,—computing an entropy of the residual error block,—computing an overall error between said current block and said candidate area,—estimating a power consumption of a video processing device adapted to implement said prediction function,—computing a rate-distortion value on the basis of the entropy, the overall error and the estimated power consumption of the video processing device,—applying the preceding steps to a set of candidate areas using a set of prediction functions in order to select a prediction function according to the rate-distortion value.

Abstract: Consistent with one example embodiment, communications systems, using a serial data transfer bus having a serial data line and a clock line used to implement a communications protocol, incorporate programming of parallel slave devices concurrently using an I2C serial bus. At least two slave devices are coupled in parallel on the data transfer bus and configured to load serial data over the serial data line using the communications protocol. Each slave device includes a programmable configuration register configured to be programmed, using the communications protocol, to select one of a plurality of selectable slave device configurations. One of the selectable slave device configurations causes the at least two slave devices to load the serial data in parallel, and another of the selectable slave device configurations causes the at least two slave devices to be loaded one at a time.