Abstract: A track regulator circuit includes an input terminal for receiving an input signal, an output stage with an output terminal for applying an output signal to a load, an error amplifier coupled to the input terminal, and a feedback resistor between the output terminal and the error amplifier for transferring to the error amplifier a feedback signal indicative of the output signal. The error amplifier is configured for driving the output stage as a function of the difference between the input signal and the output signal so that the output signal tracks the input signal. The circuit includes a current generator coupled to the feedback resistor for injecting into the feedback resistor a soft-start current to unbalance the error amplifier, with the intensity of the soft-start current gradually ramping down to zero.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for a system for measuring temperature, which includes a first UV detector and a second UV detector. The first and second UV detectors generate a first current and a second current, respectively, as a function of the irradiance in the ultraviolet band. Moreover, the first and second UV detectors have coefficients of variation of the current with temperature, at constant irradiance, that are different from one another.

Abstract: A rigid mask protects selective portions of a chip including a plurality of wells for biochemical reactions. The rigid mask includes a supporting portion and a plurality of legs, where each leg is provided with a rigid stem and a plate. The plurality of legs are arranged and fixed with respect to the supporting portion in a way aligned to the spatial arrangement of the wells, and are configured in such a way that, when each leg is inserted into the corresponding well, the respective plate covers at least in part the bottom of the well, protecting it during a chemical/physical treatment of side walls of the wells.

Abstract: Color images designed to be displayed, for example, with a projector such as a laser pico projector, are subjected to gamut extension in respective iso-hue paths in the CIE1931xyY color space, operating for example, as follows: a plurality of iso-hue curves in the CIE1931xyY color space is determined; for the points subjected to gamut extension, the closest iso-hue curves are identified; and extension paths to be used for the operation of gamut extension are interpolated from said closest iso-hue curves.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for processing finger-detection data produced by a touch screen includes: computing the area of the finger-data map and extracting the main axes from the finger-data map, computing the lengths and orientations of the main axes, determining from the main axes a major axis having a major-axis orientation, computing a geometrical center and a center of mass of the finger-data map, computing an eccentricity of the finger-data map as a function of the lengths of the main axes outputting the major-axis orientation as indicative of the finger-orientation direction in the plane of the screen, outputting the mutual position of the geometrical center and the center of mass of the finger-data map as indicative of finger-pointing direction along the finger-orientation direction in the plane of the screen, and outputting a combination of the eccentricity and the area of the finger data map as indicative of finger orientation with respect to the plane of the screen.

Abstract: A pressure sensor with double measuring scale includes: a flexible body designed to undergo deflection as a function of a the pressure; piezoresistive transducers for detecting the deflection; a first focusing region designed to concentrate, during a first operating condition, a first value of the pressure in a first portion of the flexible body so as to generate a deflection of the first portion of the flexible body; and a second focusing region designed to concentrate, during a second operating condition, a second value of said pressure in a second portion of the flexible body so as to generate a deflection of the second portion of the flexible body. The piezoresistive transducers correlate the deflection of the first portion of the flexible body to the first pressure value and the deflection of the second portion of the flexible body to the second pressure value.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a leadframe that includes contact pins and a semiconductor die that has protruding connection formations. A flexible support member is disposed between the leadframe and the semiconductor die and supports the semiconductor die. The flexible support member has electrically conductive lines that extend between the leadframe and the semiconductor die. The electrically conductive lines of the flexible support member are electrically coupled with the contact pins of the leadframe and with the connection formations of the semiconductor die.

Abstract: A circuit can be used in a speaker system. The circuit includes an amplifier with an output configured to be coupled to a speaker. An offset comparator has an input coupled the output of the amplifier and is configured to provide an offset control signal. A digital circuit has a first input coupled to an output of the offset comparator, a second input configured to receive an amplifier control signal, a third input configured to receive a play control signal, and an output configured to provide a forced mute signal that can be used to control the amplifier.

Abstract: A method of predicting the orbit of a satellite of a satellite positioning system, including: associating first and second types of satellites with first and second models of celestial mechanics forces, respectively; storing first ephemerides data of a satellite, associated to first time intervals and second ephemerides data associated to second time intervals. Further, the method comprises: calculating reference satellite positions based on the first ephemerides data; estimating first and second satellite positions in the first time intervals by using the second ephemerides data and the first and second forces models, respectively; determining first and second estimate errors by comparing the reference positions with the first and second positions, respectively; and detecting the type of satellite between the first and second types by an analysis of the first and second errors.

Abstract: A FBDDA amplifier comprising: a first differential input stage, which receives an input voltage; a second differential input stage, which receives a common-mode voltage; a first resistive-degeneration group coupled to the first differential input; a second resistive-degeneration group coupled to the second differential input; a differential output stage, generating an output voltage; a first switch coupled in parallel to the first resistive-degeneration group; and a second switch coupled in parallel to the second resistive-degeneration group. The first and second switches are driven into the closed state when the voltage input assumes a first value such that said first input stage operates in the linear region, and are driven into the open state when the voltage input assumes a second value, higher than the first value, such that the first input stage operates in a non-linear region.

Abstract: Described herein is a module for controlling a switching converter, which includes at least one inductor element and one switch element and generates an output electric quantity starting from an input electric quantity. The control module generates a command signal for controlling the switching of the switch element and includes an estimator stage, which generates an estimation signal proportional to the input electric quantity, on the basis of the command signal and of an input signal indicating a time interval in which the inductor element is demagnetized. The control module generates the command signal on the basis of the estimation signal.

Abstract: An embodiment of an integrated electronic device having a body, made at least partially of semiconductor material and having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, and a first antenna, which is integrated in the body and enables magnetic or electromagnetic coupling of the integrated electronic device with a further antenna. The integrated electronic device moreover has a coupling region made of magnetic material, which provides, in use, a communication channel between the first antenna and the further antenna.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an electrochemical sensor comprises forming a graphene layer on a donor substrate, laminating a film of dry photoresist on the graphene layer, removing the donor substrate to obtain an intermediate structure comprising the film of dry photoresist and the graphene layer, and laminating the intermediate structure onto a final substrate with the graphene layer in electrical contact with first and second electrodes positioned on the final substrate. The film of dry photoresist is then patterned to form a microfluidic structure on the graphene layer and an additional dry photoresist layer is laminated over the structure. In one type of sensor manufactured by this process, the graphene layer acts as a channel region of a field-effect transistor, whose conductive properties vary according to characteristics of an analyte introduced into the microfluidic structure.

Abstract: A package for a device to be inserted into a solid structure may include a building material that includes particles of one of micrometric and sub-micrometric dimensions. The device may include an integrated detection module having at least one integrated sensor and the package arranged to coat at least one portion of the device including the integrated detection module. A method aspect includes a method of manufacturing the device. A system aspect is for monitoring parameters in a solid structure that includes the device.

Abstract: A read-amplifier circuit includes a core with a first input and a second input that are intended to receive in a measurement phase a differential signal arising from a first bit line and from a second bit line of the memory device. The circuit also includes a memory element with two inverters coupled in a crossed manner. The first and second inputs are respectively connected to two of the power supply nodes of the inverters via two transfer capacitors. A first controllable circuit is configured to temporarily render the memory element floating during an initial phase preceding the measurement phase and during the measurement phase.

Abstract: An integrated circuit integrated on a semiconductor material die and adapted to be at least partly tested wirelessly, wherein circuitry for setting a selected radio communication frequencies to be used for the wireless test of the integrated circuit are integrated on the semiconductor material die.

Abstract: A method of detecting sequences of multi-level encoded symbols. The multi-level encoded symbols are mapped and modulated with a modulation scheme having a number of constellation points identified by a sequence of bits arranged in at least a first and a second group. The first group is encoded with a first encoding scheme, and the second group is encoded with a second coding scheme, and the multi-level encoded symbols are transmitted by multiple transmitting sources and received as a received vector by multiple receiving elements. A first set of candidate sequences is selected and a first set of probability information is calculated for the first set of candidate sequences. Then the first group of bits of the symbols are decoded. The decoded bits of the first group are re-encoded and used to select a sub-set of constellation points.

Abstract: A significant reduction of the amplitude of the transient response is obtained by keeping a low dropout regulator circuit in a closed loop condition. This is achieved by manipulation of the reference voltage level when an open loop condition arises due to a falling input voltage. In this case, the reference voltage level is tracked with the input voltage level, keeping the output voltage regulated. As a consequence, the power pass element of the regulator is not forced into the linear region (in the case of a MOSFET) or deep saturation (in the case of a bipolar transistor).

Abstract: An estimate of the initial position of a rotor is made by monitoring sensed motor current signals which are amplitude and phase modulated with the rotor flux position in response to a high frequency voltage signal injection. The motor current signals are envelope detected to determine zero crossing points. Samples are taken of the motor current signals at positive and negative offsets from the zero crossing point, with the samples processed to identify a direction of the rotor flux axis. Further samples of at least one motor current signal are taken with respect to a certain phase reference, and the samples compared to resolve a polarity of the rotor flux axis which is indicative of the angular position of the rotor.

Abstract: A boost converter receives an input voltage and provides an output voltage and includes a power switch and a voltage control circuit configured to drive the power switch as a function of the output voltage. A voltage sensing circuit in the form of a voltage divider is coupled to sense the output voltage and provide a feedback voltage. The voltage control circuit drives the power switch. An electronic control switch is configured to selectively connect the voltage divider to sense the output voltage as a function of an enable signal generated by a timer circuit. The enable signal is pulsed such that the voltage divider is periodically connected to sense the output voltage during a first time and is disconnected from sensing during a second time.