Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for improving the reliability of a semiconductor device where spreading of cracking that occurs at the time of dicing to a seal ring can be restricted even in a semiconductor device with a low-k film used as an interlayer insulating film. Dummy vias are formed in each layer on a dicing region side. The dummy vias are formed at the same intervals in a matrix as viewed in a top view. Even in the case where cracking occurs at the time of dicing, the cracking can be prevented from spreading to a seal ring by the dummy vias. As a result, resistance to moisture absorbed in a circuit formation region can be improved, and deterioration in reliability can be prevented.

Abstract: Measures are provided for performing direct radio-frequency to digital conversion. A radio-frequency input signal is compared with a plurality of reference voltages to generate a plurality of comparison signals, each comparison signal corresponding to one of the plurality of reference voltages. One or more of the plurality of generated comparison signals are first filtered to generate a first filtered signal. One or more of the plurality of generated comparison signals are second filtered to generate a second filtered signal. A digital output signal is generated at least on the basis of the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal.

Abstract: One data processor is provided with an interface for realizing connection with the other data processor. This interface is provided with a function for connecting the other data processor as a bus master to an internal bus of the one data processor, and the relevant other data processor is capable of directly operating peripheral functions that are memory mapped to the internal bus from an external side via the interface. Accordingly, the data processor can utilize the peripheral functions of the other data processor without interruption of the program being executed. In short, one data processor can use in common the peripheral resources of the other data processor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus which prevents or at least significantly reduces errors during dynamic TDD UL/DL configuration changes. Received downlink time division duplex subframes are monitored during a predetermined time window, wherein at least a portion of the subframes includes an uplink/downlink configuration indication. In response to not detecting an uplink/downlink configuration indicated by any of the uplink/downlink configuration indications in the monitored downlink time division duplex subframes, an average of the monitored uplink/downlink configuration indications is calculated. The calculated average is utilized in determining a time division duplex uplink/downlink configuration to be used.

Abstract: Provided is a technique that contributes to the improvement of voltage measurement accuracy and uniform current consumption of a battery in a voltage measurement device. Switch circuits (SWP and SWN) include switch elements (MP1 and MP2 or MN1 and MN2) which are provided between an input terminal and an output terminal, and switch driving units (401 to 409) which are driven between a first power supply voltage (VCC or GND) and a second power supply voltage (GND or VCC), which are different from each other, with an input voltage interposed therebetween.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed that facilitate discontinuous reception via a primary cell and one or more secondary cells that have different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations including overlapping subframes, such as in an instance in which a UL subframe of a secondary cell overlaps with a corresponding DL subframe of the primary cell. A method may define an active state of a primary cell to be larger than an active state of a secondary cell in a TDD network that supports carrier aggregation. The method may also provide for discontinuous reception via the primary cell and the secondary cell in accordance with different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations and also in accordance with the respective active states of the primary and secondary cells.

Abstract: Even when a stiffener is omitted, the semiconductor device which can prevent the generation of twist and distortion of a wiring substrate is obtained. As for a semiconductor device which has a wiring substrate, a semiconductor chip by which the flip chip bond was made to the wiring substrate, and a heat spreader adhered to the back surface of the semiconductor chip, and which omitted the stiffener for reinforcing a wiring substrate and maintaining the surface smoothness of a heat spreader, a wiring substrate has a plurality of insulating substrates in which a through hole whose diameter differs, respectively was formed, and each insulating substrate contains a glass cloth.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit and a pattern lay-outing method for the same are disclosed, which can suppress bending or partial drop-out of a dummy pattern even when a mechanical stress acts on the dummy pattern in CMP. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes predetermined functional areas and a dummy pattern formed in a space area. The space area is positioned between predetermined functional areas. The dummy pattern includes a first metal portion formed in the shape of a frame and defining an outer edge of the dummy pattern, a second metal portion positioned on an inner periphery side of the first metal portion and formed so as to be continuous with the first metal portion, and a plurality of non-forming areas positioned in an area where the second metal portion is not formed on the inner periphery side of the first metal portion.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a signaling method, an apparatus and a computer program for controlled transmission signal deferring utilizing both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands for carrier aggregation. In the method, a connection is established between a User Equipment and a base station. For example, based on a sensed interference level, a transmission deferring indication is generated regarding a secondary component carrier locating on an unlicensed band, in case the secondary component carrier is occupied. This indication may be generated and sent either by the base station or by the User Equipment. Finally, the secondary component carrier is deactivated for data transmission, for deferring data transmission for a certain time period. After the deferring time has passed, the data transmission can be re-performed on the same secondary component carrier, or through switching to another secondary component carrier in unlicensed spectrum.

Abstract: The present invention realized miniaturization of a power supply device using a multiphase system. The power supply device includes, for example, a common control unit, a plurality of PWM-equipped drive units, and a plurality of inductors. The common control unit outputs clock signals respectively different in phase to the PWM-equipped drive units. The clock signals are controllable in voltage state individually respectively. For example, the clock signal can be brought to a high impedance state. In this case, the PWM-equipped drive unit detects this high impedance state and stops its own operation. It is thus possible to set the number of phases in multiphase arbitrarily without using another enable signal or the like.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided that may support power headroom reporting in conjunction with carrier aggregation, such as the secondary cell(s) of a network that supports carrier aggregation. A method, apparatus and computer program product may be configured to receive a command from a primary cell indicating that a connection with a secondary cell is to be activated, receive scheduling information for the secondary cell and cause a power headroom report including actual power headroom parameters, such as at least one of actual power headroom or Pcmax, to be provided no later than in conjunction with an initial transmission following activation of the secondary cell.

Abstract: Provided are: a correction object determining section which determines whether, on an imaging plane in image data obtained by imaging an object irradiated with diffusion light from a light source by a camera, a region regarded to be in a state where a rod-like object has been irradiated with the diffusion light exists; a measurement point calculating section which estimates a light source center position of the diffusion light based on information of a luminance distribution of the diffusion light in the image data to set it as a first measurement point; and a distance calculating section which calculates a distance between the object at the first measurement point and the camera according to triangulation based on a horizontal distance between the center of the imaging plane and the first measurement point, the positions of the camera and light source, and an imaging direction angle of the camera.

Abstract: A voltage regulator has a voltage converter circuit and a control unit. The control unit controls the voltage converter circuit so that an output voltage attains a target voltage when the voltage regulator is in a no-load condition so as to have a transition characteristic in which the output voltage decreases with increase in the load current. The control unit calculates deviation between the output voltage and an ideal value thereof when a load condition of the voltage regulator is a first load condition, and corrects the target voltage by the output voltage adjustment unit. so The control unit also calculates deviation between rate of change of the output voltage with respect to the load current and an ideal value thereof, and corrects the transition characteristic so that the deviation becomes small to minimize deviation.

Abstract: First data to be written which is output from a function module (2) is supplied to a built-in memory (3) and a first buffer memory (11), and second data to be written which is output from the function module (2) is supplied to the built-in memory (3) and a second buffer memory (12). The first and second FIFO memories (13, 14) select and store data items having a predetermined number of outputs from a plurality of first and second output data items which are sequentially output from the first and second buffer memories (11, 12), and do not select other data items. A comparator (15) compares the data items having the predetermined number of outputs which are selected and are output by the first and second FIFO memories (13, 14) with each other.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided for defining the HARQ functionality for primary and secondary cells having different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations so as to reduce or eliminate instances in which the feedback is blocked and the UL grant is missed. For example, a method is provided that includes providing for communications via a primary cell and at least one secondary cell in a time division duplex (TDD) network that supports carrier aggregation in accordance with different TDD uplink (UL)/downlink (DL) subframe configurations. In this example, the method also defines at least one of: (i) UL or DL hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) timing, (ii) a maximum number of DL HARQ processes, (iii) a number of UL HARQ processes or (iv) an UL HARQ process mapping to be the same for each of the primary and secondary cells having different TDD UL/DL subframe configurations.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a photomask by which a resist pattern corresponding to a pattern with designed values can be formed, a method for optical proximity correction, and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device are provided. Proximity design features that are close to each other and estimated to violate a mask rule check are extracted. In the proximity design features, correction prohibited regions where optical proximity correction is not carried out are set based on the distance between the features obtained from the extracted proximity design features and the resolution of an exposure device. Optical proximity correction is carried out on the proximity design features with the correction prohibited regions excluded to obtain corrected proximity patterns. A predetermined mask material is patterned by carrying out electron beam lithography based on the corrected proximity pattern data.

Abstract: A semiconductor communication device reduces influence of noise that is produced by applying a dither signal. The semiconductor communication device includes a Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converter that converts input analog signals to digital signals, a power detecting unit that detects signal power of the digital signals, a gain control unit that changes a gain setting of analog signals to be input to the Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converter depending on the signal power of the digital signals, and a dither signal control unit that causes the Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converter to selectively add the dither signal when the gain setting changes.

Abstract: A position measurement apparatus includes a reference value acquisition unit that obtains a plurality of reference geomagnetism information pieces, the plurality of reference geomagnetism information pieces being geomagnetism information pieces measured at a plurality of reference positions, an association information generation unit that generates association information that associates the plurality of reference positions with the plurality of reference geomagnetism information pieces, a measurement value acquisition unit that obtains measurement geomagnetism information, the measurement geomagnetism information being geomagnetism information measured at a measurement position and a position specifying unit that specifies a position corresponding to the measurement geomagnetism information based on association between the plurality of reference positions and the plurality of reference geomagnetism information pieces obtained by the association information.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an output transistor, a control circuit connected with a gate of the output transistor, a first discharge route from a first node to a ground terminal, and a second discharge route from the first node to the ground terminal. In a usual turn-off, only the first discharge route is used. When a load abnormality occurs, both of the first and second discharge routes are used. The second discharge route contains a discharge transistor and a countercurrent prevention device. The discharge transistor is connected between the first node and the second node. The countercurrent prevention device prevents a flow of current from the third node to the second node. At least, in an OFF period, the control circuit sets the gate voltage of the discharge transistor to a high level.

Abstract: A technique capable of maintaining the filter characteristics of a transmitting filter and a receiving filter by reducing the influences of heat from the power amplifier given to the transmitting filter and the receiving filter as small as possible in the case where the transmitting filter and the receiving filter are formed on the same semiconductor substrate together with the power amplifier in a mobile communication equipment typified by a mobile phone is provided. A high heat conductivity film HCF is provided on a passivation film PAS over the entire area of a semiconductor substrate 1S including an area AR1 on which an LDMOSFET is formed and an area AR2 on which a thin-film piezoelectric bulk wave resonator BAW is formed. The heat mainly generated in the LDMOSFET is efficiently dissipated in all directions by the high heat conductivity film HCF formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1S.