Abstract: A MEMS angular rate sensor is presented with two pairs of suspended masses that are micromachined on a semiconductor layer. A first pair includes two masses opposite to and in mirror image of each other. The first pair of masses has driving structures to generate a mechanical oscillation in a linear direction. A second pair of masses includes two masses opposite to and in mirror image of each other. The second pair of masses is coupled to the first pair of driving masses with coupling elements. The two pairs of masses are coupled to a central bridge. The central bridge has a differential configuration to reject any external disturbances. Each of the masses of the two pairs of masses includes different portions to detect different linear and angular movements.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a circuit board that manages supply of electricity to the electronic device. The circuit board includes an integrated circuit and an external capacitor coupled to a supply terminal of the circuit board. During a startup operation of the integrated circuit, the integrated circuit supplies a first charging current to charge the capacitor to a supply voltage value. The circuit board includes a boost circuit that receives a portion of the first charging current and outputs a second charging current that augments charging of the capacitor. The second charging current is an amplification of the first charging current. The integrated circuit enables operation of the electronic device after the capacitor is charged to the supply voltage value.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes a switching power supply configured to have a first operating mode synchronized by a first clock signal generated by a clock generator a second asynchronous operating mode. The clock generator is configured such that the first clock signal becomes equal, upon transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode, to the signal having the closest rising edge of a second clock signal and a third clock signal complementary to the second clock signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device based on SiC includes forming a structural layer of SiC on a front side of a substrate. The substrate has a back side that is opposite to the front side along a direction. Active regions of the electronic device are formed in the structure layer, and the active regions are configured to generate or conduct electric current during the use of the electronic device. A first electric terminal is formed on the structure layer, and an intermediate layer is formed at the back side of the substrate. The intermediate layer is heated by a LASER beam in order to generate local heating such as to favor the formation of an ohmic contact of Titanium compounds. A second electric terminal of the electronic device is formed on the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A sensor includes detection circuitry and control circuitry coupled to the detection circuitry. The detection circuitry generates a detection signal indicative of a detected physical quantity. The control circuitry, in operation receives the detection signal and a frequency-indication signal, and generates a trigger signal based on the frequency-indication signal and a set of local reference signals. The sensor generates a digital output signal and a locking signal based on the trigger signal and the detection signal. The generating the digital output signal includes outputting a sample of the digital output signal based on the trigger signal. The locking signal is temporally aligned with the digital output signal.

Abstract: In an embodiment a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter includes a first switching circuit configured to switch a supply of an input voltage to an energy storage circuit configured to generate an output voltage, a driving circuit configured to drive the first switching circuit according to a comparison between the output voltage and a comparison voltage and a soft-start circuit configured to raise the comparison voltage from a start voltage to a target voltage during a soft-start phase of the DC-DC converter having a soft-start duration, wherein the soft-start circuit comprises a soft-start capacitor configured to provide the comparison voltage during the start phase, the soft-start capacitor having a soft-start capacitance, an auxiliary capacitor having an auxiliary capacitance, a second switching circuit configured to alternately charge and discharge the auxiliary capacitor with an auxiliary current according to a clock signal having a clock frequency and a charging circuit.

Abstract: An exemplary package comprises a smart card having a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a first area having reproduced thereon first readable information and a second area having reproduced thereon second readable information. The first side having a laminar member applied so as to cover the first side, the laminar member comprising a light-impermeable material and a first light-permeable portion at the first side. The first readable information is visible through the first light-permeable portion and the second readable information is covered and made invisible by the light-impermeable material. A light-permeable film material is wrapped onto the smart card having the laminar member applied thereon.

Abstract: An embodiment processing system comprises terminals configured to be connected to cells of a rechargeable battery to receive cell voltages, a digital processing circuit, a serial communication interface and a transmission queue interfacing the digital processing circuit with the serial communication interface for parallel operation. The digital processing circuit synchronously acquires a given number of digital samples of each of the cell voltages and stores them to a memory. The digital processing circuit encodes the digital samples stored to the memory via a data compression module, and stores the encoded data to the transmission queue. For example, the data compression module may generate the encoded data by subtracting a given offset from each digital sample to generate values indicative of the dynamic variation of each sample with respect to the offset, and removing a given number of most significant bits from each value.

Abstract: A switched-mode power supply includes a voltage ramp generation circuit that generates a voltage ramp signal. The voltage ramp generation circuit includes, selectively connected in parallel, at least three capacitors. The selective connection of the capacitors is made according to a value of an internal power supply voltage of the switched-mode power supply.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device comprising a support, an electrically-conductive layer covering the support, a semiconductor substrate on the conductive layer, and an insulating casing.

Abstract: A vertical photodiode includes an active area. The contacting pads for the diode terminals are laterally shifted away from the active area so as to not be located above or below the active area. The active area is formed in a layer of semiconductor material by a lower portion of a germanium area that is intrinsic and an upper portion of the germanium area that is doped with a first conductivity type. The vertical photodiode is optically coupled to a waveguide formed in the layer of semiconductor material.

Abstract: A method for testing a chip comprising: receiving N scan-in chains of test data; using the N scan-in chains of test data to perform tests on the chip; receiving a merged expected test-result and masking-instruction signal on X pins of the chip from the off-chip test equipment, X being less than 2*N; decoding the merged expected test-result and masking-instruction signal to extract N decoded output signals, each of the N decoded output signals corresponding to a respective chain of test results.

Abstract: A MEMS device having a body with a first and a second surface, a first portion and a second portion. The MEMS device further has a cavity extending in the body from the second surface; a deformable portion between the first surface and the cavity; and a piezoelectric actuator arranged on the first surface, on the deformable portion. The deformable portion has a first region with a first thickness and a second region with a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The second region is adjacent to the first region and to the first portion of the body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an efficient optical scanning system takes the output of a multi-laser bar emitter with high divergence and delivers a combined beam of long vertical stripes of optical power that have a nearly top hat distribution along a vertical scanning axis and a narrow width along a horizontal scanning axis. This line footprint of the combined beam is scanned by a mirror onto a scene for use as ranging light in a distance measurement system.

Abstract: An electronic device having a digitally controlled resistor is provided. The digitally controlled resistor includes various switch-resistor segments between voltage nodes. In one embodiment, the switch-resistor segment may include a resistor and a switch coupled parallel to the resistor. In another embodiment, the switch-resistor segment may include a resistor, a complement switch coupled in series with the resistor, and a switch coupled parallel to the resistor and the complement switch. Each switch included in the switch-resistor segment operates based on digital bits. Based on the logic value (either ‘0’ or ‘1’) assigned, the switches turn ON (when logic value is ‘1’) and OFF (when logic value is ‘0’). In some embodiments, the switches and the resistor included in the switch-transistor segment are arranged in a symmetrical manner between voltage nodes.

Abstract: Power module packaged in a housing accommodating a carrying substrate forming a plurality of connection regions of conductive material. An electronic component is arranged inside the housing, attached to a connection region of the plurality of connection regions. An electrical connector, coupled to the electronic component, extends towards the main surface of the housing and is accessible from the outside of the housing. The electrical connector has a tubular portion forming a pillar fixed to a pin which protrudes from the greater surface of the housing. The housing includes a packaging mass of electrically insulating material that embeds the pillar and blocks it therein.

Abstract: An input stage circuit for a sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter circuit receives a digital-to-analog converter generated feedback signal and an analog current input signal to generate a difference signal applied to an integrator circuit. A single bit quantization circuit quantizes an output of the integrator circuit to generate a bit signal that is applied to an input of the digital-to-analog converter. The input stage circuit includes a switched input capacitor controlled by first and second, non-overlapping, clock signals.

Abstract: A MEMS tri-axial accelerometer is provided with a sensing structure having: a single inertial mass, with a main extension in a horizontal plane defined by a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis and internally defining a first window that traverses it throughout a thickness thereof along a vertical axis orthogonal to the horizontal plane; and a suspension structure, arranged within the window for elastically coupling the inertial mass to a single anchorage element, which is fixed with respect to a substrate and arranged within the window, so that the inertial mass is suspended above the substrate and is able to carry out, by the inertial effect, a first sensing movement, a second sensing movement, and a third sensing movement in respective sensing directions parallel to the first, second, and third horizontal axes following upon detection of a respective acceleration component.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an electronic integrated circuit chip assembled on a first region of a substrate. A radiation element of an antenna is mounted to the substrate in a manner where it is separated from the substrate by a second layer of a second dielectric material, and i\s further offset with respect to the first region of the substrate so that the radiation element does not cover the electronic integrated circuit chip. A first coating layer of a first coating material covers at least a surface of the electronic integrated circuit chip facing away from the substrate further covers a surface of the radiation element facing away from the substrate.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an array of photosensors. A film of semiconductor nanoparticles is common to the photosensors of the array. The nanoparticles are configured to be excited by light with wavelengths in a range from 280 to 1500 nanometers. Each photosensor includes a top electrode and a bottom electrode positioned on opposite sides of the film of semiconductor nanoparticles. At least some of the photosensors further include a filter configured to transmit light with wavelengths in a range from 280 to 400 nanometers, and to at least partially filter out light with wavelengths greater than 400 nanometers from reaching the photosensor. A transistor level is electrically coupled to the top and bottom electrodes of the photosensors.