Abstract: An electronic article surveillance system (1) comprises a read/write station (2; 217, 218, 220-224) that is designed to communicate an electronic article surveillance status test-request command comprising zone information that indicates an electronic article surveillance zone for which an electronic article surveillance status that is assigned to said zone is to be tested, and further comprises a data carrier (3; 31-35) having a circuit (11) that is designed to store status data (SD) for indicating whether an electronic article surveillance status is active and to store zone data (ZD) for specifying at least one electronic article surveillance zone to which the electronic article status is assigned, the data carrier (3; 31-35) being further designed to test whether said stored status is active for the electronic article surveillance zone to which it is assigned in the case that this zone is indicated by the zone information provided by the read/write station (2; 217, 218, 220-224).

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device on a substrate layer (2) comprises source and drain regions (3) and a channel region (4). The source and drain regions (3) and the channel region (4) are arranged in a semiconductor layer (20) on the substrate layer (2). The channel region (4) is fin-shaped and extends longitudinally (X) between the source region and the drain region (3). The channel region (4) comprises two fin portions (4a, 4b) and an intra-fin space (10), the fin portions (4a, 4b) extending in the longitudinal direction (X) and being spaced apart, and the intra-fin space (10) being located in between the fin portions (4a, 4b), and a charge storage area (11, 12; 15, 12) is located in the intra-fin space (10) between the fin portions (4a, 4b).

Abstract: Devices (1) are provided with sensor arrangements (2) comprising field generators (10) for generating magnetic fields and first/second/third field detectors (11,12,13) comprising first/second/third elements (R1-R4, S1-S4, T1-T4) for detecting first/second/third components of the magnetic fields in a plane and movable objects (14) for, in response to first/second/third accelerations of the movable objects (14) in first/second/third directions, changing the first/second/third components of the magnetic fields (11,12,13) is more sensitive to the first (second, third) acceleration than to the other accelerations. Such devices (1) have a good sensitivity and a good linearity. The elements (R1-R4, S1-S4, T1-T4) form part of bridges. The first elements (R1-R4) surround the second and third elements (S1-S4, T1-T4), or vice versa. The first elements (R1-R4) may be in round or rectangular form and the second and third elements (S1-S4, T1-T4) may be in the form of sun beams leaving a sun.

Abstract: A channel estimation method, comprising the steps of: receiving radio signals transmitted through wireless channel; calculating the channel fading coefficients of pilot symbols, which inserted in a time slot allocated to the wireless signals; estimating the channel fading coefficients of each of predefined groups of chips in the time slot step by step, by utilizing the channel fading coefficients of the pilot symbols and the correlation between the pilot symbols and traffic data in the time slot, wherein each group of chips is composed of predefined number of chips.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low intermediate frequency receiver for receiving radio frequency signal and provides the sampling method thereof. The low intermediate frequency receiver firstly samples the radio frequency signal so as to convert it into digital signal of non-zero frequency domain. Secondly it compensates the digital signal of non-zero frequency domain to filter out the interfering signal therein. Finally, the compensated digital signal is frequency-shifted to the zero frequency domain. By using the low intermediate frequency receiver and the sampling method thereof according to the present invention, the interference at the zero frequency, like DC drift and intermodulation component, could be easily filtered out without imposing any great influence on the useful signals.

Abstract: Receiver for receiving a data stream via a data bus, which receiver samples the bits of the data stream in an over-sampling process, in which n bit strobe offsets are used and n data sets with i bits are sampled,—applies a decision criterion for identifying those data sets with correct bit values. This decision uses checksum CRC,—selects one of the identified data sets with correct bit values and—uses the bit strobe offset, which was used for receiving the selected data streams, for receiving the data stream. In this way the multiphase clock with optimal phase shifts is selected.

Abstract: A membrane (2) for an electroacoustic transducer (1) is disclosed, wherein a thickness (d) of said membrane (2) and an average Young's modulus (Eavg) of said membrane (2) are chosen in such a way that the critical load (Fbc), which causes the membrane (2) to buckle and/or crinkle, is increased compared to a reference membrane. The reference membrane made of Polycarbonate has the same shape, dimension, and stiffness in its direction of movement (MOV) as said membrane (2). According to the result of investigations on buckling and/or crinkling, said effect occurs with different critical buckling/crinkling loads for membranes of the same shape and dimension, but made of different materials, even when the stiffness of the membranes in their direction of movement—and hence their resonant frequency—is identical.

Abstract: A system for sensing a physical property allocated to scanning positions (P1-P5, P11-P44, Pijk) comprises sensors (A1-A5, B) adapted to sense the physical property within sensing regions (AR1-AR5, BR1-BR2, C1-C3, D1-D3, E1-E3, F1-F4, G1-G3, H1-H4), wherein the sensing regions (AR1-AR5, BR1-BR2, C1-C3, D1-D3, E1-E3, F1-F4, G1-G3, H1-H4) are arranged such that each of them sweeps at least one scanning position (P1-P5, P11-P44, Pijk) and sensing regions (AR1-AR5, BR1-BR2, C1-C3, D1-D3, E1-E3, F1-F4, G1-G3, H1-H4) are superposed on one another at least at one scanning position (P1-P5, P11-P44, Pijk), so that each scanning position is swept by a unique pattern of sensing regions (AR1-AR5, BR1-BR2, C1-C3, D1-D3, E1-E3, F1-F4, G1-G3, H1-H4), wherein the following condition is fulfilled: log2(n)?i<x·n1/x with i . . . number of sensing regions n . . . number of scanning positions x . . . number of spatial dimensions in which the arrangement of scanning positions extend.

Abstract: A layer sequence (400), comprising an aluminium layer (300), a nickel layer (301), and a nickel layer protection layer (302; 701). The aluminium layer (300) is formable on a substrate (200), the nickel layer (301) is formed on the aluminium layer (300), and the nickel layer protection layer (302; 701) is formed on the nickel layer (301).

Abstract: In order to carry out in a communication system (1) a temporal synchronization of clocks in a particularly rapid and efficient manner, a method is proposed which has the following steps: acquiring state values which are dependent on a time base (10); filing each acquired state value at a position in a first list L comprising (k+1) positions, if the acquired state value is smaller than or equal to the (k+1) smallest element of the list L, where k is a predefinable error tolerance; filing the acquired state value at a position in a second list H comprising (k+1) positions, if the acquired state value is greater than or equal to the (k+1) greatest element of the list H; forming a mean value from the (k+1) smallest element of the list L and the (k+1) greatest element of the list H, if the number of acquired state values is greater than or equal to (2k+2); determining a correction value as a function of the mean value; and correcting a current state value of the clocks that are to be synchronized.

Abstract: Arrangement for measuring the angular position of an object, using planar magnetoresistive sensors (6, 9) through which an electric current flows and which are arranged in a magnetic field which is parallel to their respective planes, which magnetic field is generated by an arrangement of magnets (4, 14) rotatably journaled eccentrically on a shaft (11), the angular position of the shaft (11) corresponding to that of the object to be measured.

Abstract: There is provided a switching circuit (50) comprising: a transformer (TR1) including at least one winding (P1, S1, S2); a switching device (FET1) coupled between a source of power (60) and the transformer (TR), the switching device (FETI) being coupled to a driving circuits (100) for periodically driving the switching devices (FET1) into conduction to transfer power from the source (60) to the inductive component (TRi). The circuit (50) further includes: a first monitoring arrangement (115) for determining a measure of a magnetizing current present in the transformer (TR1); a second monitoring arrangement for deriving a measure of hard switching occurring in the switching devices (FETI); and a signal processing arrangement (140, 150, 160, 170, 175) for generating a measure of reflected power being transferred through the transformer (TRI) from the measure of the magnetizing current and the measure of hard switching.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing on a substrate (24) a semiconductor device with improved floating-gate to control-gate coupling ratio is described. The method comprises the steps of first forming an isolation zone (22) in the substrate (24), thereafter forming the floating gate (28) on the substrate (24), thereafter extending the floating gate (28) using polysilicon spacers (40), and thereafter forming the control gate (44) over the floating gate (28) and the polysilicon spacers (40). Such a semiconductor device may be used in flash memory cells or EEPROMs.

Abstract: Method for forming a strained Si layer on a substrate (1), including formation of: an epitaxial SiGe layer (4) on a Si surface, and of: the strained Si layer by epitaxial growth of the Si layer on top of the epitaxial SiGe layer (4), the Si layer being strained due to the epitaxial growth, wherein the substrate (1) is a Silicon-On-Insulator substrate with a support layer (1), a buried silicon dioxide layer (BOX) and a monocrystalline Si surface layer (3), the method further including: ion implantation of the Si surface layer (3) and the epitaxial SiGe layer (4) to transform the Si surface layer (3) into an amorphous Si layer (3B) and a portion of the epitaxial SiGe layer (4) into an amorphous SiGe layer (5), a further portion of the epitaxial SiGe layer (4) being a remaining monocrystalline SiGe layer (6), the amorphous Si layer (3B), the amorphous SiGe layer and the remaining monocrystalline SiGe layer (6) forming a layer stack (3B, 5, 6) on the buried silicon dioxide layer (BOX), with the amorphous Si layer

Abstract: A transponder (1) comprises at least one memory (MEM1, MEM2) for storing encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)) that has been encrypted by use of a key (k) and for storing the key (k) associated with the encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)). The transponder (1) is adapted to send the key (k) slower response than the encrypted information (E_k(EPC, PI)) in response to queries of a reading device (2), which is preferably done by delaying the transmission of the key (k) or by limiting the response rate at which the key (k) is transmitted. In particular the invention is related to RFID systems.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for despreading spread signal used in a receiver of a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: preprocessing spread signal to derive a group of spreading chips corresponding to a data symbol; processing Hie spreading chips to extract cophase components and orthogonal components of each of the spreading chips; and converting and combining the group of cophase components and orthogonal components according to a preset selecting signal to derive a group of despreading chips.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided with a plurality of functional units (1-10) for communicating at least primary and secondary data (ISOC; BE) based on frames (FR) each being divided into a number of time slot (SL), at least one network node (S1-S4) for coupling functional units (1-10) comprising at least one port (P1, P2, . . . , Pk) having an associated receiver port unit (RX1, RX2, . . . , RXk) for receiving at least primary and secondary data (ISOC; BE) from one of the plurality of functional units (1-10) in one of at least one first clock domain; and an associated transmitter port unit (TX1, TX2, . . . , TXk) for transmitting at least primary and secondary data (ISOC; BE) to another one of the plurality of functional units (1-10) in one of at least one second clock domain. The at least one second clock domain is different from the at least one first clock domain.

Abstract: A method for operating protection circuitry for a power switch (1) uses first and second timing windows which are started in response to the power switch (1) being turned on. The second timing window is greater than the first timing window. During the first timing window, the method prevents operation of first protection circuitry (8) and during the second timing window the method prevent operation of second protection circuitry (10). At the end of the first timing window, but before the end of the second timing window, the method allows operation of the first protection circuitry (8), and at the end of the second timing window, the method allows operation of the second protection circuitry (10) whilst preferably preventing operation of the first protection circuitry (8). In an embodiment, the first protection circuitry (8) provides latched short winding protection for the power switch (1), and the second protection circuitry provides non-latched over current protection for the power switch (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an asynchronous data buffer for transferring m data elements of a burst-transfer between two asynchronous systems. The asynchronous data buffer comprises a data memory for storing m data elements of a data burst and a valid bit memory for storing m input valid bits corresponding to the m data elements. Input control logic circuitry generates the m input valid bits and controls storage of the same and the m data elements. After storage of the m input valid bits an input control signal is provided for inverting the input valid bits of a following data burst. Therefore, after each burst-transfer of m data elements the input valid bit is inverted, automatically rendering all data elements of a previous burst-transfer invalid.

Abstract: The invention relates to an active star coupler based network handling of redundancy in the physical layer by transmitting a message to both regular (30, 32, 34, 36, 138, 140, 146) and redundant links (38, 148). In error free case the message is forwarded by the regular interface (12, 14, 16, 18, 114, 116, 122), while the redundant link (38, 148) is blocked. Each interface is equipped with a link failure detection logic (24, 132). If a link failure is detected, an incoming message is blocked and the affected interface controls the interface (20, 126) connected to the redundant link to take over message forwarding. If the link recovers, the regular interface takes over forwarding responsibility and the redundant link is disabled.