Abstract: A servo-demodulator for a pair of alternating signals generated by a magnetic disc read head and indicative of the position of the read head in relation to the center of a recorded track. The servo-demodulator comprises a peak detector for successively and individually sampling the amplitude of each of a plurality of peaks of the pair of alternating signals, and a capacitor periodically connected to the output of the peak detector by a control logic for deriving a weighted average of the various successively sampled amplitudes. In this manner, the control logic obtains an averaged measure of amplitude with high immunity to noise.

Abstract: A method for reducing the number of bits needed to represent constant values in a data processing device. A group of constant values is defined by selecting them as a function of their statistical frequency of use. Each constant value of this group in the instructions is represented by means of a shorter coded operand field and a current instruction is loaded from a bus in an instruction register. A corresponding operand field is derived from the coded operand field of the current instruction by expansion means, and a bus and an output of the expansion means are selectively connected as input to an arithmetic logic unit.

Abstract: A driver circuit delays the turning on of a MOS transistor by utilizing the time-wise pattern of the circuit input signal rather than generating a delay within the circuit itself. A threshold type of circuit element is arranged so that no current flows toward or from, depending on the type of the MOS transistor, the control terminal before the voltage at the circuit input exceeds a predetermined value. This is achieved, for example, by coupling a Zener diode serially to the control terminal. Where the input signal is of a kind which increases with a degree of uniformity, the time required to exceed that threshold will correspond to the desired delay. Thus, the driver circuit can match the dynamic range of the input signal automatically.

Abstract: An analog multiplier includes at least a differential output stage formed by a pair of emitter-coupled bipolar transistors. Each transistor of the pair of emitter-coupled bipolar transistors is driven by a predistortion stage having a reciprocal of a hyperbolic tangent transfer function that is attributable to the base currents of the bipolar transistors used in the predistortion stage. The error in the output signal produced by the analog multiplier is compensated by generating replicas of the base currents of the bipolar transistors of the differential output stage and forcing those replica currents on the output node of a respective predistortion stage. Various embodiments that consume different amounts of power are described.

Abstract: An integrated programming circuitry for an electrically programmable semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of programming load circuits, each one associated with a respective memory matrix portion or group of columns, and a plurality of programming load control circuits, each one controlling the activation of one respective programming load circuit according to the logic state of a respective data line carrying a datum to be programmed; the memory device comprises a group of redundancy bit lines and an associated redundancy programming load circuit; each programming load control circuit comprises decoding means supplied with signals which, when a defective column address is supplied to the memory device during programming, are generated from a matrix portion identifying code stored in a non-volatile register wherein the defective column address is stored, and switch means responsive to a decoded signal at the output of said decoding means to enable the activation of the redundancy programming load

Abstract: A metal semiconductor ohmic contact farming process consists of enrichment of the surface of the semiconductor on which contact is to be formed, by ion implantation of a dopant, followed by deposition of a metal film on the implanted surface and then by thermal annealing at a temperature lower than 500.degree. C. and for a period shorter than 60 minutes.

Abstract: The regulation of the output voltage of a voltage multiplier driven by a ring oscillator, an inverter of which is substituted by a NOR gate for providing a terminal through which stopping the oscillation, is effected by controlling the oscillation frequency in function of the current delivered by the voltage multiplier by means of a transistor T1 working as a current generator connected in series with a regulating chain of series-connected diodes by biasing the gate of the transistor with a constant voltage Vref, thus imposing a reference current Iref through the transistor. The voltage signal across the transistor is fed to the input of a first inverter with a preset triggering threshold and the output signal of the inverter is fed through an amplifying and phase-regenerating stage to said terminal for stopping the oscillation of said NOR gate of the ring oscillator.