Abstract: An integrated electronic circuit has probe indentations filled by a hard covering substance. The integrated circuit device results from a process of manufacturing including forming a substrate comprising a plurality of functional components of the electronic circuit, creating a plurality of conductive layers on such substrate to form an electric contact region with high hardness equal to or greater than a first hardness value of about 300 HV, contacting the electric contact region with a probe thereby causing an indentation. The process further comprises, after the test run, creating a covering conductive layer on at least one part of the electric contact region contacted by the probe to fill the indentation.

Abstract: A phase change memory device includes two portions with local bitlines connected to memory cells. A reading stage is configured to read logic data stored by the first and second memory cells. A first main bitline extends between the reading stage and the first local bitlines and a first main switch is coupled between the first main bitline and reading stage and likewise for the second portion. Local switches are associated with respective ones of the local bitlines. A first reference signal generator is coupled to the reading stage. The phase change memory device is configured to operate in a first reading mode, in which the logic data stored by the first memory cell is read by the reading stage by comparison with the reference signal.

Abstract: A transimpedance amplifier circuit includes a feedback control loop that generates a compensation current at an input of a transimpedance amplifier. The feedback control loop includes a differential integrator with an integration capacitor. A time constant associated with charging the integration capacitor is variable as a function of a pre-charge control signal. During a pre-charge phase, the pre-charge control signal is set to a first value so as to set the time constant associated with charging the integration capacitor to a first time constant value. During an operation phase, the pre-charge control signal is set to a second value so as to increase the time constant associated with charging the integration capacitor to a second time constant value greater than the first time constant value for the pre-charge phase.

Abstract: A wireless power transmitting/receiving device includes a power transmitting/receiving element, a plurality of switches, a current sensor and a controller. Each of the plurality of switches has a control terminal and a conduction terminal, with the conduction terminal being coupled to the power transmitting/receiving element. The current sensor senses a current through the power transmitting/receiving element, and the controller is configured to control the plurality of switches based on the sensed current.

Abstract: A MEMS piezoelectric device includes a monolithic semiconductor body having first and second main surfaces extending parallel to a horizontal plane formed by first and second horizontal axes. A housing cavity is arranged within the monolithic semiconductor body. A membrane is suspended above the housing cavity at the first main surface. A piezoelectric material layer is arranged above a first surface of the membrane with a proof mass coupled to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, along the vertical axis. An electrode arrangement is provided in contact with the piezoelectric material layer. The proof mass causes deformation of the piezoelectric material layer in response to environmental mechanical vibrations. The proof mass is coupled to the membrane by a connection element arranged, in a central position, between the membrane and the proof mass in the direction of the vertical axis.

Abstract: A control circuit for a switching voltage regulator is configured to receive an error signal representative of a regulator output voltage in relation to a nominal output voltage, and includes a set/reset flip-flop, a hysteresis comparator and a logic circuit. The flip-flop is configured to produce a switching control signal according to logic values at its set and reset terminals. The comparator is configured to produce a set signal at the set terminal when an error signal drops below a first value, and a reset signal when the error signal rises above a second value. The logic circuit is configured to prevent transmission of the reset signal to the reset terminal during a selected minimum time period and to thereafter enable transmission of the reset signal, and further, to produce an alternate reset signal at the reset terminal at the end of the selected maximum time period.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a high power factor quasi resonant converter. The converter converts an AC power line input to a DC output to power a load, generally a string of LEDs. The power input is fed into a transformer being controlled by a power switch. The power switch is driven by a controller having a shaping circuit. The shaping circuit uses a current generator, switched resistor and capacitor to produce a sinusoidal reference voltage signal. The controller drives the power switch based on the voltage reference signal, resulting in a sinusoidal input current in a primary winding of the transformer, resulting in high power factor and low total harmonic distortion for the converter.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit, for a capacitive acoustic transducer defining a sensing capacitor that generates a sensing signal as a function of an acoustic signal, has a first input terminal and a second input terminal, which are coupled to the sensing capacitor and: a dummy capacitor, which has a capacitance corresponding to a capacitance at rest of the sensing capacitor and a first terminal connected to the first input terminal; a first amplifier, which is coupled at input to the second input terminal and defines a first differential output of the circuit; a second amplifier, which is coupled at input to a second terminal of the dummy capacitor and defines a second differential output of the circuit; and a feedback stage, which is coupled between the differential outputs and the first input terminal, for feeding back onto the first input terminal a feedback signal, which has an amplitude that is a function of the sensing signal and is in phase opposition with respect thereto.

Abstract: A testing architecture for integrated circuits on a wafer includes at least one first circuit of a structure TEG realized in a scribe line providing separation between first and second integrated circuits. At least one pad is shared by a second circuit inside at least one of the first and second integrated circuits and the first circuit. Switching circuitry is coupled to the at least one pad and to the first and second circuits.

Abstract: A gyroscope includes a substrate, a first structure, a second structure and a third structure elastically coupled to the substrate and movable along a first axis. The first and second structure are arranged at opposite sides of the third structure with respect to the first axis A driving system is configured to oscillate the first and second structure along the first axis in phase with one another and in phase opposition with the third structure. The first, second and third structure are provided with respective sets of sensing electrodes, configured to be displaced along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis in response to rotations of the substrate about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and to the second axis.

Abstract: A semiconductor gas sensor device includes a first cavity that is enclosed by opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one conducting filament is provided to extend over the first cavity, and a passageway is provided to permit gas to enter the first cavity. The sensor device may further including a second cavity that is hermetically enclosed by the opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one another conducting filament is provided to extend over the second cavity.

Abstract: Cantilever probes are produced for use in a test apparatus of integrated electronic circuits. The probes are configured to contact corresponding terminals of the electronic circuits to be tested during a test operation. The probe bodies are formed of electrically conductive materials. On a lower portion of each probe body that, in use, is directed to the respective terminal to be contacted, an electrically conductive contact region is formed having a first hardness value equal to or greater than 300 HV; each contact region and the respective probe body form the corresponding probe.

Abstract: An integrated magnetoresistive device includes a substrate of semiconductor material that is covered, on a first surface, by an insulating layer. A magnetoresistor of ferromagnetic material extends within the insulating layer and defines a sensitivity plane of the sensor. A concentrator of ferromagnetic material includes at least one arm that extends in a transversal direction to the sensitivity plane and is vertically offset from the magnetoresistor. The concentrator concentrates deflects magnetic flux lines perpendicular to the sensitivity plane so as to generate magnetic-field components directed in a parallel direction to the sensitivity plane.

Abstract: An electronic circuit for amplifying signals with two components in phase quadrature, which includes: a feedback amplifier with a feedback capacitor; a switch that drives charging and discharging of the feedback capacitor; an additional capacitor; and a coupling circuit, which alternatively connects the additional capacitor in parallel to the feedback capacitor or else decouples the additional capacitor from the feedback capacitor. The switch opens at a first instant, where a first one of the two components assumes a first zero value; the coupling circuit decouples the additional capacitor from the feedback capacitor in a way synchronous with a second instant, where the first component assumes a second zero value.

Abstract: Switching circuitry includes first and second transistors in series between two terminals and including a common control node with a capacitance between the common control node and an intermediate point. A control circuit includes first and second circuits configured to charge and discharge the capacitance as a function of first and second control signals. The control circuit includes a third circuit having a plurality of diodes and a switch that operates when the voltage at the capacitance is greater than a threshold two diodes in cascade between the intermediate point and the common control node to enable current flow from the intermediate point to the common control node. When the voltage at the capacitance is smaller than the given threshold two diodes are connected in series between the common control node and the intermediate point to enable current flow from the common control node to the intermediate point.

Abstract: A micromechanical device includes a tiltable structure that is rotatable about a first rotation axis. The tiltable structure is coupled to a fixed structure through an actuation structure of a piezoelectric type. The actuation structure is formed by spring elements having a spiral shape. The spring elements each include actuation arms extending transversely to the first rotation axis. Each actuation arm carries a respective piezoelectric band of piezoelectric material. The actuation arms are divided into two sets with the piezoelectric bands thereof biased in phase opposition to obtain rotation in opposite directions of the tiltable structure about the first rotation axis.

Abstract: An electronic system includes a feedback voltage regulator circuit including input terminals receiving a rectified alternating input voltage signal and a feedback input terminal receiving a feedback voltage that is generated based on a load current through an electric load. A sensing element senses the load current through the electric load and generates sensed voltage based upon the sensed load current. A current transducer receives the sensed voltage and provides the feedback voltage based upon the sensed voltage. A current generator receives the alternating input voltage signal and provides a biasing current signal that is a function of the alternating input voltage signal to modulate the feedback voltage on the feedback input terminal based upon the alternating input voltage signal.

Abstract: A panning device for processing relative motion vectors and absolute motion vectors obtained from a video sequence, includes: a panning filter module, such as a high-pass IIR filter, for subjecting relative motion vectors to panning processing, an adder module for adding the relative motion vectors subjected to panning in the panning filter module to absolute motion vectors to obtain respective summed values of motion vectors, a clipping module for subjecting the summed values of motion vectors obtained in the adder module to clipping according to a selected cropping window for obtaining final output absolute motion vectors, a first leak integrator arranged after the panning filter module, and a second leak integrator arranged after the clipping module.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a memory device that includes an array of memory cells coupled to a plurality of bitlines. A memory cell is selected from among the array of memory cells. The selected memory cell is coupled to a selected bitline. During a program operation, a program current pulse is injected into the selected memory cell via a first switch coupled to the bitline. At an end of the program current pulse, the selected bitline is discharged via a second switch coupled to the bitline.

Abstract: An integrated MEMS gyroscope, is provided with: at least a first driving mass driven with a first driving movement along a first axis upon biasing of an assembly of driving electrodes, the first driving movement generating at least one sensing movement, in the presence of rotations of the integrated MEMS gyroscope; and at least a second driving mass driven with a second driving movement along a second axis, transverse to the first axis, the second driving movement generating at least a respective sensing movement, in the presence of rotations of the integrated MEMS gyroscope. The integrated MEMS gyroscope is moreover provided with a first elastic coupling element, which elastically couples the first driving mass and the second driving mass in such a way as to couple the first driving movement to the second driving movement with a given ratio of movement.