Abstract: A sensor for an optical device includes an array of pixels in rows and columns which detect and process illumination falling thereon so as to identify inputs generated by a user on a surface of the optical device. A second reset period of variable length between a black calibration phase and an integration phase occurs in a processing cycle of a frame for each pixel, wherein the length of the second reset period is adjusted based on the ambient light conditions.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device includes a plurality of thin-film thermoelectric elements. Each thin-film thermoelectric element is a Seebeck-Peltier device. The thin-film thermoelectric elements are electrically coupled in parallel with each other. The thermoelectric device may be fabricated using conventional semiconductor processing technologies and may be a thin-film type device.

Abstract: A cascode amplifier comprising at least two phase-shift stages controllable between an input transistor having a control terminal connected to an input terminal of the amplifier, and an output terminal of the amplifier.

Abstract: A silicon on insulater (SOI) wafer is provided. A dielectric layer is formed on an active silicon substrate of the wafer. The dielectric layer is patterned and etched to expose selected portions of the silicon substrate. Impurities are then introduced into the exposed portions of the silicon substrate to act as gettering regions. The dielectric layer is then removed and an epitaxial layer of silicon is grown on the silicon substrate. Trenches are etched in the epitaxial layer of silicon through the gettering regions, partially removing the gettering regions and any contaminants contained therein. Remaining portions of the gettering regions still act as gettering regions during subsequent process steps.

Abstract: In an acoustic sensor, a conductive vibrating membrane and a fixed electrode plate are disposed above a silicon substrate with an air gap provided therebetween, and the substrate has an impurity added to a surface thereof. A microphone includes an acoustic transducer; and an acquiring section that acquires a change in pressure as detected by the acoustic transducer. A method for manufacturing an acoustic transducer including a semiconductor substrate, a vibrating membrane, which is conductive, and a fixed electrode plate and detecting a pressure according to a change in capacitance between the vibrating membrane and the fixed electrode plate, the method includes an impurity adding step of adding an impurity to a surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a forming step of forming the vibrating membrane and the fixed electrode plate above the semiconductor substrate to which the impurity has been added.

Abstract: A circuit includes a first circuit module with a first input node, a second input node and an output node. The first circuit module receives an input signal at the first input node and generates an amplified signal at the output node. The circuit further includes a second circuit module coupled between the output node and a reference potential line. The second circuit selectively draws a current from the output node in response to a first control signal. The first control signal is generated in response to sensing a voltage fluctuation at a power supply node which supplies power to the first circuit module.

Abstract: A method that includes forming a first level of active circuitry on a substrate, forming a first probe pad electrically connected to the first level of active circuitry where the first probe pad having a first surface, contacting the first probe pad with a probe tip that displaces a portion of the first probe pad above the first surface, and performing a chemical mechanical polish on the first probe pad to planarize the portion of the first probe pad above the first surface. The method also includes forming a second level of active circuitry overlying the first probe pad, forming a second probe pad electrically connected to the second level of active circuitry, contacting the second probe pad with a probe tip that displaces a portion of the probe pad, and chemically mechanically polishing the second probe pad to remove the portion displaced.

Abstract: An activity detector for a differential signal formed by two components may include a current source connected to a power supply line, and a first transistor has a drain being powered by the current source, and has a source that forms a first input terminal receiving a first component of the differential signal. A second transistor has a drain being powered by the current source, and has a source forms a second input terminal receiving the second component of the differential signal. A bias circuit applies a potential to the gates of the first and second transistors, establishing a balance condition where all the current from the current source is distributed between the two transistors when the first and second input terminal potential is equal to a threshold value. An activity indication terminal is taken from the drains of the first and second transistors.

Abstract: A method of increasing the color saturation of the RGB values of at least one pixel of an image, the method involving: calculating a luminance value based on RGB values of a first pixel; calculating a first maximum increase of said color saturation based on the highest of said RGB values and on said luminance value; calculating a second maximum increase of said color saturation based on the lowest of said RGB values and on said luminance value; and increasing the color saturation of said first pixel based on said first and second maximum increases.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a high-voltage transistor; voltage dropping circuitry, at least part of which is overlapping the high-voltage transistor; at least one intermediate contact point to the voltage dropping circuitry, connected to at least one intermediate position between a first and a second end of the voltage dropping circuitry; and at least one external connection connecting the at least one intermediate contact point to outside of the semiconductor structure.

Abstract: An acoustic sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate; a vibrating membrane, formed above the semiconductor substrate, which includes a vibrating electrode; and a fixed membrane, formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, which includes a fixed electrode, the acoustic sensor detecting an acoustic wave according to a change in capacitance between the vibrating electrode and the fixed electrode. The fixed membrane has a plurality of sound hole portions formed therein in order to allow the acoustic wave to reach the vibrating membrane from outside, and the fixed electrode is formed so that a boundary of an edge portion of the fixed electrode does not intersect the sound hole portions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for detecting a current comprising: generating a bias current, transmitting the bias current to a feedback stage and a measurement stage connected to the measurement node receiving a current to be measured, slaving a voltage to the measurement node at a constant value by the measurement and feedback stages, transmitting to an output stage, a current circulating in the measurement stage, which depends on the bias current and the current to be measured, and converting a current circulating in the output stage into a voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is keypad circuitry operable to detect a pressed key while reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI). The keypad circuitry is operable to reduce EMI in two ways: a) reducing the voltage swing occurring at the row circuitry and column circuitry of the keypad, and b) reducing the number of signal transitions by restricting the signal transitions to occurring at the column and row corresponding to a pressed key. By limiting signal transitions to occurring only at the row and column corresponding to a pressed key, fewer signal transitions occur, and thus, less EMI is produced. Additionally, reduced voltage swings at the row circuitry and column circuitry results in reduced EMI.

Abstract: A method for depositing a silicon oxide layer on a substrate including a silicon region and a silicon-germanium region, including the steps of: forming a very thin silicon layer having a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 1 nm above silicon-germanium; and depositing a silicon oxide layer on the substrate.

Abstract: An embodiment of a multimedia tagging system, includes a multimedia-content generator for producing multimedia content tagged with metadata, and a remote health-monitoring device for measuring and processing a set of biological and physiological signals of a user. The system is configured for tagging the multimedia content with tags extracted from a set of personal metadata obtained from the biological and physiological signals provided by the remote health-monitoring device and containing information relative to the emotional and health status of said user.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a three-dimensional integrated structure comprising a substrate and a plurality of projecting elements projecting from a flat surface thereof and obtained from a patterned and developed dry film photoresist. Advantageously, the three-dimensional integrated structure is highly defined, the projecting elements obtained by the patterned and developed dry film photoresist having a shape factor greater than 6. The three-dimensional integrated structure can be used to directly realize different type of electronic devices, such as microfluidic devices, microreactors or sensor devices.

Abstract: The integrated circuit packaging techniques of the disclosed embodiments utilize a thermally conductive heat sink to partially enclose an integrated circuit. The heat sink is separated from the integrated circuit by a substrate that is conformally positioned into a recess in the heat sink, enabling the heat sink to transfer thermal energy from the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for characterizing jitter of an internal clock signal of a circuit may include generating a series of samples of the internal clock signal by a reference clock signal, comparing the word formed by the N most recent samples of the series to an N-bit pattern, where N is an integer greater than, or equal to 2, and incrementing a first counter if the word complies with the pattern. The method may also include incrementing a second counter when the count of the first counter reaches a first threshold X1, and incrementing a third counter when the count of the first counter reaches a second threshold different from the first. The method may include calculating an average p and a standard deviation ? of a Gaussian density curve as a function of the counts reached in the second and third counters.

Abstract: A switching system for a combustion engine ignition system comprises a switching device switchable between an accumulation condition and a transfer condition to activate an ignition element. The switching system comprises control logic that provides a control signal for controlling the switching device, measures a progress indicator indicative of progress in switching the switching device from the transfer condition to the accumulation condition, and causes the control signal to vary with a first variation rate during a first stage until the progress indicator reaches a first progress condition. The control logic causes the control signal to vary with a second variation rate, lower than the first variation rate, during a second stage until the progress indicator reaches a second progress condition, and causes the control signal to vary with a third variation rate, higher than the second variation rate, during a third stage of the preliminary switching.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp assembly includes a fluorescent lamp ballast capable of detecting at least one of a plurality of input signals and generating an output signal. The output signal is associated with a power level that is based on the at least one detected input signal. The fluorescent lamp assembly also includes a fluorescent lamp capable of receiving the output signal and generating light. An intensity of the light is based on the power level associated with the output signal.