Abstract: An optical waveguide includes opposed end sections for optical radiation to propagate in a longitudinal direction therebetween and an intermediate section extending between the end sections. The intermediate section includes first and second portions superposed in a superposition direction. One of the opposite end sections has a first height in the superposition direction corresponding to the sum of the heights of the superposed portions of the intermediate section. The other of the opposite end sections has a second height in the superposition direction corresponding to the height of the first of the superposed portions of the intermediate section.

Abstract: An integrated electronic device, for detecting for detecting changes in an environmental parameter indicative of an environment surrounding the device, includes: a first conductive element and a second conductive element; a measurement circuit including a first measurement terminal and a second measurement terminal respectively coupled to the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The measurement circuit is configured to provide an electrical potential difference between the first conductive element and the second conductive element is configured to determine a change in an impedance of an electromagnetic circuit including the first conductive element and the second conductive element and formed between the first measurement terminal and the second measurement terminal. The device determines that an increase in a presence of water within the environment has occurred in response to a decrease in a real part of the impedance of the electromagnetic circuit.

Abstract: A circuit, for managing operations for accessing a flash memory on the basis of requests received from a main CPU and from an auxiliary CPU, may be configured to: associate with the main CPU, a higher access priority to the flash memory than the access priority of the auxiliary CPU; command, in the absence of further requests for accessing the flash memory, the access to the flash memory for the main or auxiliary CPU which has initiated a first access request; verify, following a receipt of a second access request, the access priority associated with this second access request; suspend one of the first or the second access request having lower priority; and authorize the other of the first or the second access request having higher priority.

Abstract: A method and controller for controlling a converter are provided. The converter is operated in a first phase in which controller logic asserts a first gate drive signal to cause a first transistor of the converter to be conductive and deasserts a second gate drive signal to cause a second transistor of the converter to be non-conductive. In a first deadtime phase and a second phase, the controller logic deasserts both the first and second gate drive signals to cause leakage energy from a leakage inductance of a primary winding of the converter to be transferred to a clamp capacitance of the converter. After the leakage energy is transferred, the converter is operated in a third phase in which the logic asserts the second gate drive signal and deasserts the first gate drive signal.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit for use in devices involving digital-to-analog conversion of signals includes: a capacitive digital-to-analog converter array and an amplifier. The capacitive digital-to-analog converter includes an input port for receiving a digital input signal and an output port. The amplifier includes capacitive feedback loops that include a first capacitor coupling the output of the amplifier with the input of the amplifier and a second capacitor coupled to the output port of the digital-to-analog converter array at the input of the amplifier. The circuit further includes a set of switches that include a first switch and a second switch coupled with opposed ends of the second capacitor at the input and at the output of the amplifier, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lighting system including a bulb. The bulb includes a phosphor plate, and a scanning projector to emit a beam of collimated light and scan the beam of collimated light across the phosphor plate to thereby cause emission of light by portions of the phosphor plate impinged upon by the beam of collimated light. Control circuitry wirelessly receives configuration data and modulates the beam of collimated light during scanning so that the scanning forms a projection pattern on the phosphor plate. A control system is spaced apart from the bulb and processes the initial configuration data, and wirelessly sends the configuration data to the control circuitry of the bulb. A mobile wireless communications device wirelessly sends initial configuration data to the control system.

Abstract: A voltage-to-time converter circuit receives a first voltage signal and produces a PWM-modulated signal having a duty-cycle proportional to the first voltage signal. A current integrator circuit receives the PWM-modulated signal from the voltage-to-time converter circuit block and produces an output signal by integrating a current signal from a current source over integration time intervals having a duration which is a function of the duty-cycle of the PWM-modulated signal. The current signal is proportional to a second voltage signal. The output signal is accordingly proportional to a product of the first voltage signal and the current signal, which is furthermore proportional to a product of the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal.

Abstract: An HEMT device, comprising: a semiconductor body including a heterojunction structure; a dielectric layer on the semiconductor body; a gate electrode; a drain electrode, facing a first side of the gate electrode; and a source electrode, facing a second side opposite to the first side of the gate electrode; an auxiliary channel layer, which extends over the heterojunction structure between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, in electrical contact with the drain electrode and at a distance from the gate electrode, and forming an additional conductive path for charge carriers that flow between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor generates signal components corresponding to an uncalibrated representation of a sensed magnetic field in a three-dimensional coordinate system. A reader coupled to the magnetic field sensor determines a center offset based on received signal components, adjusts the received signal components based on the determined center offset, and applies Kalman filtering to the adjusted signal components, generating a set of ellipsoid parameters. The reader generates calibrated signal components based on the determined center offset and the generated set of ellipsoid parameters.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device may include a package having a component for sending/receiving optical signals along a first direction, and a chip of semiconductor material housed within the package. The chip may have a main surface and a portion exposed on the main surface for sending/receiving the optical signals along a second direction different from the first direction. The optoelectronic device may further include a component for deflecting the optical signals between the first direction and the second direction, the component being mounted on the main surface.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.

Abstract: A memory includes error correction circuitry that receives a data packet, outputs a correctable error flag indicating presence or absence of a correctable error in the data packet, and outputs an uncorrectable error flag indicating presence or absence of an uncorrectable error in the data packet. A response manager, operating in availability mode, generates output indicating that a correctable error was present if the correctable error flag indicates presence thereof, and generates an output indicating that an uncorrectable error was present if the uncorrectable error flag indicates presence thereof. In a coverage mode, the response manager generates an output indicating that a correctable error was potentially present but should be treated as an uncorrectable error if the correctable error flag indicates presence of the correctable error, and generates an output indicating that an uncorrectable error was present if the uncorrectable error flag indicates presence thereof.

Abstract: A sequence of images is processed to generate optical flow data including a list of motion vectors. The motion vectors are grouped based on orientation into a first set of moving away motion vectors and a second set of moving towards motion vectors. A vanishing point is determined as a function of the first set of motion vectors and a center position of the images is determined. Pan and tilt information is computed from the distance difference between the vanishing point and the center position. Approaching objects are identified from the second set as a function of position, length and orientation, thereby identifying overtaking vehicles. Distances to the approaching objects are determined from object position, camera focal length, and pan and tilt information. A warning signal is issued as a function of the distances.

Abstract: An electronic system supports superior coupling by implementing a communication mechanism that provides at least for horizontal communication for example, on the basis of wired and/or wireless communication channels, in the system. Hence, by enhancing vertical and horizontal communication capabilities in the electronic system, a reduced overall size may be achieved, while nevertheless reducing complexity in printed circuit boards coupled to the electronic system. In this manner, overall manufacturing costs and reliability of complex electronic systems may be enhanced.

Abstract: An integrated electronic device for detecting the composition of ultraviolet radiation includes a cathode region formed by a semiconductor material with a first type of conductivity. A first anode region and a second anode region are laterally staggered with respect to one another and are set in contact with the cathode region. The cathode region and the first anode region form a first sensor. The cathode region and the second anode region form a second sensor. In a spectral range formed by the UVA band and by the UVB band, the first and second sensors have, respectively, a first spectral responsivity and a second spectral responsivity different from one another.

Abstract: First and second comparators receive input signals of opposed polarities and drive operation of a switch in response thereto. A first current generator supplies a first current to the switch which, in response to the control of the first and second comparators, applies the first current, alternatively, to a first node or a second node. A second current generator sinks a second current from the first node and a third current generator sinks a third current from the second node. A logic circuit has inputs coupled to the first node and the second node, respectively, receives respective switching signals having fast switching wavefronts and delayed switching wavefronts. The output of logic circuit is configured for switching between a first state and a second state with switching between the first state and the second state triggered by the fast switching wavefronts of the respective switching signals.

Abstract: An integrated device for driving a lighting load, such as a LED, has a first memory element, configured to store a nominal duty-cycle at a nominal supply voltage. An actual voltage acquisition element is configured to detect an actual supply voltage. A processing unit is coupled to the first memory element and to the actual voltage acquisition element and configured to calculate a voltage compensated duty-cycle. A driver unit is coupled to the processing unit and is configured to be supplied according to the voltage compensated duty-cycle.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a (pre)driver circuit includes first and a second output terminal for driving an electronic switch that includes a control terminal and a current path through the switch. The arrangement can operate in one or more first driving configurations (e.g., for PMOS), with the first and second output terminals are coupled to the current path and the control electrode of the electronic switch, respectively, and one or more second driving configurations (e.g., for NMOS, both HS and LS), wherein the first and second output terminals of the driver circuit are coupled to the control electrode and the current path of the electronic switch, respectively.

Abstract: A probe card fits in a system for testing a micro-electro-mechanical device having an element sensitive to a magnetic field. The probe card is formed by a PCB having a through-opening and probe tips for electrically contacting the micro-electro-mechanical device. A housing structure is received within the through-opening. The housing structure includes a planar peripheral region surrounding seats that protrude and extend at least partly into the through-opening. Magnetic elements are arranged in the seats, with the magnetic elements configured to generate a test magnetic field for testing operation of the micro-electro-mechanical device.

Abstract: A roughened silicon surface is formed by a process including repetitively performed roughening cycles. Each roughening cycles including a step for depositing a non-planar polymeric layer over an area of a silicon body and a step for plasma etching the polymeric layer and the area of the silicon body etch in a non-unidirectional way. As a result, a surface portion of the silicon body is removed, in a non-uniform way, to a depth not greater than 10 nm.