Abstract: A trimmable resistor for use in an integrated circuit is trimmed using a heater. The heater is selectively coupled to a voltage source. The application of voltage to the heater causes the heater temperature to increase and produce heat. The heat permeates through a thermal separator to the trimmable resistor. The resistance of the trimmable resistor is permanently increased or decreased when the temperature of the resistor is increased to a value within a particular range of temperatures.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing and for testing an integrated circuit, including the steps of forming, on the upper portion of the integrated circuit, a passivation layer including openings at the level of metal tracks of the last interconnect stack of the integrated circuit; forming, in the openings, first pads connected to second pads formed on the passivation layer by conductive track sections, the first pads being intended for the connection of the integrated circuit; testing the integrated circuit by bringing test tips in contact with the second pads; and eliminating at least a portion of at least one of the conductive track sections.

Abstract: A method for fabricating electrical bonding pads on one face of a wafer includes the production of electrically conductive areas and electrical connection branches connecting these conductive areas. A layer of mask material is deposited and openings are produced in this mask layer which extend above said conductive areas and at least some of which extend at least partly beyond the peripheral edges of the underlying conductive areas. Blocks made of a solder material are produces in the openings by electrodeposition in a bath. The mask material is then removed along with the connection branches. The wafer is passed through or placed in an oven so as to shape, on the conductive areas, the blocks into substantially domed electrical bonding pads.

Abstract: A method of controlling a moving part of a voice coil motor to move from an first position to a second position, wherein the position of the moving part is controlled by the level of an electrical signal applied to a coil of the voice coil motor, a first level of the electrical signal corresponding to the first position, and a second level of the electrical signal corresponding to the second position, the method including: at a first time, changing the electrical signal from the first level to an intermediate level, the intermediate level being chosen such that a peak overshoot of the moving part corresponds to the second position; and at a second time calculated to correspond to a delay of half an oscillation period of the moving part after the first time, changing the electrical signal to the second level.

Abstract: A data protection device for an interconnect network on chip (NoC) includes a header encoder that receives input requests for generating network packets. The encoder routes the input requests to a destination address. An access control unit controls and allows access to the destination address. The access control unit uses a memory to store access rules for controlling access to the network as a function of the destination address and of a source of the input request.

Abstract: An electrical connection support for receiving a semiconductor component includes an electrical connection plate having electrical connection pads. A stand-off structure is provided over the electrical connection pads. The stand-off structure may include a supplementary layer provided on a zone of the electrical connection plate which includes the electrical connection pads of the plate and is outside of a place configured to receive a semiconductor component. The stand-off structure further includes electrical connection vias passing through the supplementary layer. These vias are electrically connected to the electrical connection pads of the plate and have outer faces for making external electrical connection (for example, to another electrical connection support in a stacked structure).

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses a system and method for decoding multiple independent encoded audio streams using a single decoder. The system includes one or more parsers, a preprocessor, an audio decoder, and a renderer. The parser extracts individual audio frames from each input audio stream. The preprocessor combines the outputs of all parsers into a single audio frame stream and enables sharing of the audio decoder among multiple independent encoded audio streams. The audio decoder decodes the single audio frame stream and provides a single decoded audio stream. And the renderer renders the individual reconstructed audio streams from the single decoded audio stream.

Abstract: This method for transferring data through a network on chip (NoC) between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, comprising: retrieving from the first device request packets comprising request control data for controlling data transfer and actual request data to be transferred; storing said request control and data to be transferred in memory means provided in an network interface (NI); and elaborating data packets to be transferred to the second device through said network, said data packets comprising a header and a payload elaborated from said control data and said actual data, respectively; The control data and the actual data to be transferred are stored in separate first and second memory means.

Abstract: An amplifier having an output stage with a complementary pair of first and second transistors each coupled to an output node of the amplifier; control circuitry arranged to provide a control signal at a control node of the first transistor based on the voltage at an input node of the amplifier; and adjustment circuitry arranged to adjust the control signal to maintain the current through the first transistor above a minimum value.

Abstract: A method for fabricating electrical bonding pads on the electrical contact areas of a wafer includes producing first blocks made of a solder material, producing second blocks made of a solder material on these first blocks, and passing the blocks through an oven so as to shape the blocks into approximately domed electrical bonding pads.

Abstract: An SRAM memory device including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; each row of memory cells is adapted to store a RAM word; the RAM word includes a corresponding data word, a corresponding ECC word to be used for error detection and correction purposes and a corresponding applicative word to be used during debugging operations. The SRAM memory device further includes a configurable port adapted to receive a RAM word and to program corresponding memory cells of a selected row based on the received RAM word during a writing access of the SRAM memory device. The SRAM memory device further includes a memory controller unit including circuitry for selectively configuring the configurable port in one among a plurality of modes.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a wafer having a frontside and a backside. The wafer is formed from at least one integrated circuit chip having an electrical connection frontside co-planar with the wafer frontside and a backside co-planar with the wafer backside. A passive component including at least one conductive plate and a dielectric plate is positioned adjacent the integrated circuit chip. An encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip and the passive component, the block having a frontside co-planar with the wafer frontside and a backside co-planar with the wafer backside. An electrical connection is made between the electrical connection frontside and the passive component. That electrical connection includes connection lines placed on the wafer frontside and wafer backside. The electrical connection further includes at least one via passing through the encapsulation block.

Abstract: A surface-mounted shielded multicomponent assembly, comprising a wafer on which several electronic components are assembled; an insulating layer conformally deposited on the structure with a thickness smaller than the height of the electronic components, comprising at least one opening emerging on a contact of said wafer; a conductive shielding layer covering the insulating layer and said at least one opening; and a resin layer covering the conductive layer.

Abstract: A method provides an improved checking of repeatability and reproducibility of a measuring chain, in particular for quality control by semiconductor device testing. The method includes testing steps provided for multiple and different devices to be subjected to measurement or control through a measuring system that includes at least one chain of measuring units between a testing apparatus (ATE) and each device to be subjected to measurement or control. Advantageously, the method comprises checking repeatability and reproducibility of each type of unit that forms part of the measuring chain and, after the checking, making a correlation between the various measuring chains as a whole to check repeatability and reproducibility, using a corresponding device subjected to measurement or control.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor channel region and a gate region, wherein the gate region includes at least one buried part extending under the channel region. The buried part of the gate region is formed from a cavity under the channel region. The cavity is filled with a first material. An opening is made to access the first material. In one implementation, aluminium is deposited in the opening in contact with the first material. An anneal is performed to cause the aluminium to be substituted for the first material in the cavity. In another implementation, a second material different from the first material is deposited in the opening. An anneal is performed to cause an alloy of the first and second materials to be formed in the cavity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one first component (5) (for example, a first integrated circuit), having a front face provided with electrical connection pads. The first component is embedded in a support layer (2) is a position such that the front face of the first component is not covered and lies parallel to a first face of the support layer. An intermediate layer (8) is formed on the front face of the first component and on the first face of the support layer. An electrical connection network (9) within the intermediate layer selectively connects to the electrical connection pads of the first component. The device further includes at least one second component (11) (for example, a second integrate circuit, having one face placed above the intermediate layer and provided with electrical connection pads selectively connected to the electrical connection network.

Abstract: A method to estimate parameters of a system to spread a spectrum of a first periodic signal according to a modulation period. An embodiment comprises sampling the first signal using a second periodic signal, determining based on the sampling result each occurrence where the first and second signals are synchronous, incrementing a first counter at each sampling, the first counter being reset at each said occurrence, storing at each said occurrence the last value of the first counter before the resetting, providing a third periodic signal at a first level when said last value is greater than a threshold and at a second level when said last value is smaller than the threshold, and determining the modulation period based on the period of the third signal.

Abstract: A method for transmitting messages from first units of an integrated circuit to at least one second unit of the integrated circuit. The first units generate first digital messages and transform them into second digital messages obtained by application of an orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal transformation to the first messages. The second messages of the first units are added up and transmitted to the second unit.

Abstract: A source of photons resulting from a recombination of localized excitons, including a semiconductor layer having a central portion surrounded with heavily-doped regions; above said central portion, a layer portion containing elements capable of being activated by excitons, coated with a first metallization; and under the semiconductor layer, a second metallization of greater extension than the first metallization. The distance between the first and second metallizations is on the order of from 10 to 60 nm; and the lateral extension of the first metallization is on the order of from ?0/10*ne to ?0/2*ne, where ?0 is the wavelength in vacuum of the emitted light and ne is the effective refractive index of the mode formed in the cavity created by the two metallizations.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a test process of an image stabilization system in an image capture apparatus, comprising steps of: submitting the stabilization system to rotation vibratory movements around two distinct rotation axes, measuring characteristics of rotation vibratory movements, and setting the rotation vibratory movements to setpoint position values and, taking into consideration the measured characteristics of the vibratory movements, collecting images from the image capture apparatus submitted to vibration and analyzing the collected images.