Abstract: An electronic component, in one embodiment, includes a semiconductor die, a die pad supporting the semiconductor die, and a plurality of leads that include a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines. The first set of metal lines cross over the second set of metal lines at crossings. The first set of metal lines is separated by a molding compound from the second set of metal line at the crossings. The first set of metal lines is in a same first plane parallel to the semiconductor die. Each of the second set of metal lines include a first portion oriented along the first set of metal lines and disposed in the first plane, and a second portion offset from the first portion. A plurality of electrical connections couple the semiconductor die to the plurality of leads.

Abstract: An apparatus for actuating in rotation and reading a centrifugal microfluidic disk for biological and/or biochemical analyses, comprising: a container body, defining an internal chamber forming a closed curvilinear path, the path comprising a housing region configured to house the centrifugal microfluidic disk, and a curvilinear channel fluidically coupled to the housing region; a heater operatively arranged in a section of the curvilinear channel; and a fan operatively arranged in a respective section of the curvilinear channel.

Abstract: A control circuit controls the operation of a brushless DC (BLDC) sensorless motor having a first terminal connected to a first winding, a second terminal connected to a second winding and a third terminal connected to a third winding. A driver circuit applies drive signals to the first and second terminals and places the third terminal in a high-impedance state. The drive signals include first drive signals at a first current amplitude and second drive signals at a second current amplitude different from the first current amplitude. A differencing circuit senses a first mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the first drive signals and senses a second mutual inductance voltage at the third terminal in response to the second drive signals. The differencing circuit further determines a difference between the first and second mutual inductance voltages and produces a difference signal that is used for zero-crossing detection and rotor position sensing.

Abstract: A power transistor supplying power to a load is coupled to a current limiter circuit including a differential amplifier that operates to detect a difference between a sense voltage, indicative of a load current, and a voltage reference. A control terminal of the power transistor is driven by a first output of the differential amplifier as a function of the detected difference. A voltage clamp circuit coupled to an input terminal generates a floating ground. A short-circuit protection circuit coupled to the floating ground and interposed between a second output of the differential amplifier and the control terminal of the power transistor provides a short-circuit protection for the first output of the differential amplifier. A reaction time circuit is coupled between the first and second outputs of the differential amplifier and a source terminal of the power transistor to limit a short-circuit current at the source terminal.

Abstract: An electrostatically actuated oscillating structure includes a first stator subregion, a second stator subregion, a first rotor subregion and a second rotor subregion. Torsional elastic elements mounted to the first and second rotor subregions define an axis of rotation. A mobile element is coupled to the torsional elastic elements. The stator subregions are electrostatically coupled to respective regions of actuation on the mobile element. The stator subregions exhibit an element of structural asymmetry such that the electrostatic coupling surface between the first stator subregion and the first actuation region differs from the electrostatic coupling surface between the second stator subregion and the second actuation region.

Abstract: A phase-change memory cell, comprising: a substrate housing a transistor, for selection of the memory cell, that includes a first conduction electrode; a first electrical-insulation layer on the selection transistor; a first conductive through via through the electrical-insulation layer electrically coupled to the first conduction electrode; a heater element including a first portion in electrical contact with the first conductive through via and a second portion that extends in electrical continuity with, and orthogonal to, the first portion; a first protection element extending on the first and second portions of the heater element; a second protection element extending in direct lateral contact with the first portion of the heater element and with the first protection element; and a phase-change region extending over the heater element in electrical and thermal contact therewith.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a memory having memory locations being subject to transient faults and permanent faults, and a fault detection circuit coupled to the memory. The fault detection circuit is configured to read the memory locations at a first time, and determine a first fault count and fault map signature including the transient and permanent faults at the first time based upon reading the plurality of memory locations, and to store the first fault count and fault map signature. The fault detection circuit is configured to read the memory locations at a second time and determine a second fault count and fault map signature including the transient and permanent faults at the second time based upon reading the memory locations, and compare the stored first fault count and fault map signature with the second fault count and fault map signature to determine a permanent fault count.

Abstract: A thermal control process for an electronic power device including a multi-junction integrated circuit may include defining a first and at least one second groups of junctions, with each group including one first and at least one second junctions, and associating a thermal detector with each group. A first group control may be executed which detects group electric signals representative of the temperature detected by the thermal detectors, processes the group electric signals with reference to a group critical thermal event, identifies a critical group when the corresponding group electric signal detects the critical group thermal event, and generates group deactivating signals suitable for selectively deactivating the first and the at least one second junctions of the identified critical group with respect to the remaining junctions of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference between a first current based on a direct memory bit and a second current based on a complementary memory bit. The direct memory bit is coupled to a first input of the sense amplifier circuit, and the complementary memory bit is coupled to a second input of the sense amplifier circuit. A controller is configured to, during a sense operation, selectively add a first margin current to the first current, and during the sense operation, selectively add a second margin current to the second current.

Abstract: In an embodiment, focusing an image-capture device such as, e.g., a camera including an optical system displaceable in opposite directions (A, B) via a focusing actuator, is controlled by evaluating a scale factor for the images acquired by the device. An accumulated value of the variations of the scale factor over a time interval (e.g., over a number of frames) is produced and the absolute value thereof is compared against a threshold. If the threshold is reached, which may be indicative of a zoom movement resulting in image de-focusing, a refocusing action is activated by displacing the optical system via the focusing actuator in the one or the other of the opposite focusing directions (A or B) as a function of whether the accumulated value exhibits an increase or a decrease (i.e., whether the accumulated value is positive or negative).

Abstract: A method that is for operating a serial protocol interface includes a communication device that is configured to exchange data over a communication link by sending output data on the communication link, and receiving input data on the communication link. The input data is synchronous with a clock signal generated at the communication device and propagated over the communication link. The method also includes initializing operation by sending the output data on the communication link at a first data rate, detecting a signal transition in the input data received on the communication link, and exchanging data over the communication link at a second data rate when the signal transition is detected, the second data rate being higher than the first data, with the exchanging of data at the second data rate synchronized as a function of the signal transition.

Abstract: An integrated detection structure has a first inertial mass and a second inertial mass, each of which is elastically anchored to a substrate and has a linear movement along a first horizontal axis, a first detection movement of rotation about a first axis of rotation parallel to a second horizontal axis and a second detection movement of translation along the second horizontal axis; driving electrodes cause linear movement of the inertial masses, in opposite directions of the first horizontal axis; a pair of flexural resonator elements and a pair of torsional resonator elements are elastically coupled to the inertial masses, the torsional resonator elements having a resonant movement of rotation about a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation, parallel to one another and to the first axis of rotation.

Abstract: A MEMS device includes a fixed supporting body forming a cavity, a mobile element suspended over the cavity, and an elastic element arranged between the fixed supporting body and the mobile element. First, second, third, and fourth piezoelectric elements are mechanically coupled to the elastic element, which has a shape symmetrical with respect to a direction. The first and second piezoelectric elements are arranged symmetrically with respect to the third and fourth piezoelectric elements, respectively. The first and fourth piezoelectric elements are configured to receive a first control signal, whereas the second and third piezoelectric elements are configured to receive a second control signal, which is in phase opposition with respect to the first control signal so that the first, second, third, and fourth piezoelectric elements deform the elastic element, with consequent rotation of the mobile element about the direction.

Abstract: An integrated fluidic circuit has a supporting surface that carries a first fluid to be moved at a first functional region; a dielectric structure, defining the supporting surface; and an electrode structure, coupled to the dielectric structure for generating an electric field at the first functional region, such as to modify electrowetting properties of the interface between the first fluid and the supporting surface. The dielectric structure has a first spatially variable dielectric profile at the first functional region, thus determining a corresponding spatially variable profile of the electric field, and, consequently, of the electrowetting properties of the interface between the first fluid and the supporting surface. The integrated fluidic circuit may achieve mixing between the first fluid and a second fluid.

Abstract: In an embodiment, digital video frames in a flow are subjected to a method of extraction of features including the operations of: extracting from the video frames respective sequences of pairs of keypoints/descriptors limiting to a threshold value the number of pairs extracted for each frame; sending the sequences extracted from an extractor module to a server for processing with a bitrate value variable in time; receiving the aforesaid bitrate value variable in time at the extractor as target bitrate for extraction; and limiting the number of pairs extracted by the extractor to a threshold value variable in time as a function of the target bitrate.

Abstract: A pressure sensing assembly includes: a substrate; a pressure sensor on the substrate; a package, the substrate and the pressure sensor being embedded in the package; and a pressure adapter, with a first interface, external to the package and having a first area, and a second interface, coupled to the pressure sensor and having a second area, different from the first area. The pressure adapter is configured to transfer a force between the first interface and the second interface so that a pressure on the second interface is different from a pressure on the first interface.

Abstract: An electronic power module comprising a case that houses a stack, which includes: a first substrate of a DBC type or the like; a die, integrating an electronic component having one or more electrical-conduction terminals, mechanically and thermally coupled to the first substrate; and a second substrate, of a DBC type or the like, which extends over the first substrate and over the die and presents a conductive path facing the die. The die is mechanically and thermally coupled to the first substrate by a first coupling region of a sintered thermoconductive paste, and the one or more conduction terminals of the electronic component are mechanically, electrically, and thermally coupled to the conductive path of the second substrate by a second coupling region of sintered thermoconductive paste.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for the application of an antiwetting coating on at least one surface of a substrate of semiconductor material comprising the steps of: a) applying on said at least one surface a metal layer of a material chosen in the group constituted by noble metals, coining metals, their oxides and their alloys; and b) applying on said metal layer a layer of a thiol of formula R—SH, where R is a linear alkyl chain having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms and, optionally, at least one hetero-atom, for obtaining an antiwetting coating. The disclosure further regards a method for the production of a nozzle plate for ink-jet printing and to an integrated ink-jet printhead provided with a nozzle plate obtained according to the method of the disclosure.

Abstract: A galvanic isolation system includes a first isolation barrier and a second isolation barrier. The first isolation barrier includes a transformer. The second isolation barrier includes an inductive circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. The first and the second isolation barriers are coupled to form an LC resonant network.

Abstract: A microfluidic-based sensor, comprising: a semiconductor body, having a first and a second side opposite to one another in a direction; a buried channel, extending within the semiconductor body; a structural layer, of dielectric or insulating material, formed over the first side of the semiconductor body at least partially suspended above the buried channel; and a first thermocouple element, including a first strip, of a first electrical conductive material, and a second strip, of a second electrical conductive material different from the first electrical conductive material, electrically coupled to the first strip. The first thermocouple element is buried in the structural layer and partially extends over the buried channel at a first location. A corresponding manufacturing method is disclosed.