Abstract: A database stores updated information concerning protected communications services. A base station for a coexisting, and potentially co-channel, non-protected communications service makes an inquiry of the database requesting an identification of geographically relevant protected services along with the database stored information pertinent to each of those identified protected services. The returned information is processed by the base station to determine what channels are available for use by the non-protected service. An available channel is identified by the base station as the working channel for the non-protected service and the base station initiates a process to establish a communications network using the non-protected service and the selected working channel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microelectromechanical device and a process for manufacturing same. One or more embodiments may include forming a semiconductor structural layer separated from a substrate by a dielectric layer, and opening a plurality of trenches through the structural layer exposing a portion of the dielectric layer. A sacrificial portion of the dielectric layer is selectively removed through the plurality of trenches in membrane regions so as to free a corresponding portion of the structural layer to form a membrane. To close the trenches, the wafer is brought to an annealing temperature for a time interval in such a way as to cause migration of the atoms of the membrane so as to reach a minimum energy configuration.

Abstract: An embodiment relates to a method and an image processor for reducing chroma noise in digital-image data. An embodiment performs noise reduction in the color-filter-array domain prior to demosaicing in order to prevent spreading of noise in subsequent stages of the image-processing pipeline. Peaks in the CFA data are attenuated in order to prevent any undesired color cast. Specifically, any correction to a certain pixel is made in accordance with the amplitude of digital gains applied, as well as with the local luminance and the contribution of the current color channel to the local luminance. In this manner, corrections are restricted to image areas that are subject to high digital amplification, that are comparatively dark, and that are not dominated by the current color channel.

Abstract: A method that includes forming a first layer having a first dopant concentration, the first layer having an integrated circuit region and a micro-electromechanical region and doping the micro-electromechanical region of the first layer to have a second dopant concentration is presented. The method includes forming a second layer having a third dopant concentration overlying the first layer, doping the second layer that overlies the micro-electromechanical region to have a fourth dopant concentration, forming a micro-electromechanical structure in the micro-electromechanical region using the first and second layers, and forming active components in the integrated circuit region using the second layer.

Abstract: The presence of a child within an enclosed space in an appliance, such as a washing machine, dishwasher or refrigerator, is detected using one or more MEMS sensors positioned to detect movement within the enclosed space through various measured characteristics. In preference, combinations of different types of MEMS sensors are utilized to detect the movement. Movement may be attributed to the presence of a child inside the enclosed space, rather than resulting from other influences, with increased reliability if the determination is made based upon such combinations of different characteristics. Safety processes may be initiated upon detecting the presence of the child.

Abstract: An embodiment of an integrated circuit includes first and second pads, a supply conductor, and a selection circuit. The first pad is coupled to the supply conductor, and the selection circuit is configurable to couple the second pad to the supply conductor. For example, in a low-pin-count integrated circuit, one may select the second pad to be an input/output pad under normal-power conditions, and to be a supply pad under high-power conditions to reduce the voltage drop along the supply conductor.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a driving method for obtaining a linear gain variation of a transconductance amplifier that includes a first differential transistor cell, with adjustment of a driving voltage value of a degenerative driving transistor of the transconductance amplifier The method includes generating an output current signal of a second differential cell corresponding to the first differential transistor cell of the transconductance amplifier, the output current signal having a linear relationship with a transconductance value of the second differential cell as the driving voltage varies; generating a reference current signal having a linear relationship with a differential input voltage; comparing the output current signal and the reference current signal for adjusting the driving voltage value; and modifying the transconductance value of the second differential cell up to a balance of the current signals.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for implementing a multipoint control unit in an endpoint that is participating in and managing a multipoint audio conference in a packet network. The multipoint control unit establishes audio communications between a plurality of endpoints of the packet network, mixes audio communications from the plurality of endpoints, and provides echo cancellation for the endpoint that is managing the multipoint audio conference.

Abstract: A system on chip (SoC) has a digital domain. An adaptive voltage/frequency scaling circuit includes a critical path replica circuit with respect to that digital domain. The critical path replica circuit generates a margin signal, and the adaptive voltage scaling circuit responds to the margin signal by decreasing bias voltage (and/or increasing clock frequency) applied to the digital domain of the system on chip so as to recover available margin. A fail-safe timing sensor is included within the digital domain of the system on chip. The timing sensor generates a flag signal when timing criteria within the digital domain are violated. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit responds to the flag signal by increasing the bias voltage (and/or decreasing the clock frequency) applied to the digital domain of the system on chip so as to implement a recovery operation.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for providing an adaptive value of a TTL (Time to Live) count for broadcast/multicast messages in a wireless mesh network using a hybrid wireless mesh protocol. A mesh point controller is provided that adaptively selects the value of the TTL count and routes the broadcast/multicast message through the wireless mesh network based on the adaptively selected value of the TTL count. The adaptive selection of the TTL count in accordance with the principles of the invention significantly reduces the number of broadcast/multicast messages that must be transmitted (flooded) through the mesh network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of both MOS transistors with extremely low leakage currents at the pn junctions and logic/switching transistors, whose gates are laterally defined by spacers in a p-substrate or a p-well in an n-substrate. The aim of the invention is to provide a method for the production of MOS transistors with extremely low leakage currents that allows for parallel logic/switching transistors.

Abstract: A control device for a power factor correction device in forced switching power supplies is disclosed; the device for correcting the power factor comprises a converter and said control device is coupled with the converter to obtain from an input alternating line voltage a regulated output voltage. The converter comprises a power transistor and the control device comprises a driving circuit of said power transistor; the driving circuit comprises a timer suitable for setting the switch-off period of said power transistor. The timer is coupled with the alternating line voltage in input to the converter and is suitable for determining the switch-off period of the power transistor in function of the value of the alternating line voltage in input to the converter.

Abstract: A system for implementing a cyclic digital to analog converter (c-DAC) is capable of supporting a large size liquid crystal display. The system includes an upper DAC stage configured to output a first voltage between a lower voltage supply (HVDD) and an upper voltage supply (AVDD). The system also includes a lower DAC stage configured to output a second voltage between the lower voltage supply (HVDD) and a ground. The upper DAC stage includes a single PMOS switch and the lower DAC stage includes a single NMOS switch.

Abstract: An embodiment of a voltage converter, provided with: a voltage transformer having a primary winding receiving an input voltage, a secondary winding supplying an output voltage, and an auxiliary winding supplying a feedback voltage correlated to the output voltage; a main switch, coupled to the primary winding; a control circuit, which controls switching of the main switch and has a sampling stage for sampling and holding the feedback voltage and supplying a sampled signal; and a voltage limiting circuit, provided with a clamp capacitor, designed to be coupled across the primary winding. A sampling control stage is coupled to the sampling stage, and is designed, during a given operating condition of the voltage converter, to enable updating of the sampled signal on the basis of a state of charge of the clamp capacitor.

Abstract: A system for decoding a stream of compressed digital video images comprises a graphics accelerator for reading the stream of compressed digital video images, creating, starting from said stream of compressed digital video images, three-dimensional scenes to be rendered, and converting the three-dimensional scenes to be rendered into decoded video images. The graphics accelerator is preferentially configured as pipeline selectively switchable between operation in a graphics context and operation for decoding the stream of video images. The graphics accelerator is controllable during operation for decoding the stream of compressed digital video images via a set of application programming interfaces comprising, in addition to new APIs, also standard APIs for operation of the graphics accelerator in a graphics context.

Abstract: A structure including at least two neighboring components, capable of operating at high frequencies, formed in a thin silicon substrate extending on a silicon support and separated therefrom by an insulating layer, the components being laterally separated by insulating regions. The silicon support has, at least in the vicinity of its portion in contact with the insulating layer, a resistivity greater than or equal to 1,000 ohms.cm.

Abstract: A self-coexistence window reservation protocol for a plurality of Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) cells operating in a WRAN over a plurality of channels includes a sequence of self-coexistence windows that uniquely identifies a transmission period for each WRAN cell. A self-coexistence window reservation protocol is included within the first packet of a Coexistence Beaconing Protocol period identifying when each WRAN cell associated with a particular channel will transmit. When not actively transmitting, a WRAN cells remains in a passive, receiving mode to accept data. As the transmissions of each WRAN cell operating on a particular channel are scheduled, contention for a transmission period is eliminated.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator including a sheet of a deformable material containing closed cavities, each of which contains a drop of a vaporizable liquid, and a mechanism for transforming into electricity the power resulting from the deformation of the sheet linked to the evaporation/condensation of the liquid.

Abstract: A control device controls a switching circuit for a converter. The switching circuit comprises a half-bridge having a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor. The control device comprises a controller configured to control turning on and turning off said two transistors, so that a square-wave voltage is applied to the transformer primary. The controller is configured to start switching the half-bridge by turning on the low-side transistor. The control device comprises a first timer configure to initially turn on the low-side transistor for a duration given by a first time period useful for pre-charging a bootstrap capacitor couplable to the middle point of the half-bridge, and a second timer configured to keep the low-side transistor and the high-side transistor turned off for a second time period immediately following the first time period and having a longer duration than the first time period.

Abstract: The described process allows trenches to be etched in a structure comprising a support substrate and a multilayer, formed on the substrate, for the definition of wave guides of an integrated optical device and comprises a selective plasma attack in the multilayer through a masking structure that leaves uncovered areas of the multilayer corresponding to the trenches to be etched. Such a masking structure is obtained by forming a mask of metallic material on the multilayer that leaves uncovered the areas corresponding to the trenches to be etched and forming a mask of non-metallic material, for example photoresist, on it that leaves uncovered regions comprising at least part of the areas and an edge portion of the mask of metallic material.