Abstract: A power switching converter includes a switch coupled to an input terminal through a primary winding of a transformer and a control circuit configured to drive the switch to provide a regulated output signal at a secondary winding of the transformer. A wake up circuit is provided to force the switching-on of the switch when the power converter enters in a burst mode. The wake up circuit includes a transmitting section coupled to the secondary winding and a receiving section coupled to an auxiliary winding of the transformer and the control circuit. The transmitting section is configured to provide a wake up signal communicated in a wireless manner to the receiving section when the output signal falls below a threshold value.

Abstract: A method for forming an electronic device includes embedding an integrated circuit die in a package including substrate of thermally conductive material with front and back surfaces and a through-hole. The die is sunk in the through-hole. A first insulating material layer covers the die front surface and the package front surface with first windows for accessing die terminals. Package terminals and package track are arranged on the first insulating layer. A second insulating material layer covers the first insulating layer and the package tracks with second windows for accessing the package terminals.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated device, comprising: a package defining an internal space and having an acoustic-access opening in acoustic communication with an environment external to the package; a MEMS acoustic transducer, housed in the internal space and provided with an acoustic chamber facing the acoustic-access opening; and a filtering module, which is designed to inhibit passage of contaminating particles having dimensions larger than a filtering dimension and is set between the MEMS acoustic transducer and the acoustic-access opening. The filtering module defines at least one direct acoustic path between the acoustic-access opening and the acoustic chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for nucleic acid sequencing includes a nanochannel and a conveying device, configured to move a nucleic acid strand through the nanochannel. The conveying device includes: a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are arranged along the nanochannel so as to be in contact with a fluid occupying the nanochannel, the second electrode being arranged between the first electrode and the third electrode; and a control unit configured to apply a first voltage, a second voltage, and a third voltage, respectively, to the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode, for controlling movement of the nucleic acid strand through the nanochannel.

Abstract: A pattern of symbols is generated and sent to a projector, wherein the pattern includes an array of symbols having a given number of symbol columns and symbol rows, and an image is obtained from a camera. Next the image is decoded in order to generate a decoded pattern of symbols and the depth map is generated as a function of the pattern and the decoded pattern. The image is decoded by placing an array of classification windows on the image and determining the displacement of each classification window in order to optimize a given cost function. Finally, the decoded pattern is generated by determining a respective symbol for each classification window.

Abstract: A receiver is arranged to receive a plurality of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals from up to four different satellite navigation systems including a GLONASS system, a BeiDou system, a GPS system, and a Galileo system. Received GNSS signals are mixed with a first local frequency signal to generate a plurality of mixed signals. The mixed signals are processed in up to three parallel branches. In a first branch, a first portion of the mixed signals are transformed by passing the first portion through a band-pass filter having a bandwidth between about 0 MHz and 46 MHz and by amplifying the filtered signals with an AGC circuit. In a second branch, a second portion of the mixed signals are transformed by rejecting image signals of the second portion with an image rejection filter and mixing image rejection filter output signals with a second local frequency signal to derive first remixed signals.

Abstract: An integrated magnetoresistive sensor of an AMR (Anisotropic Magneto Resistance) type, formed by a magnetoresistive strip of ferromagnetic material and having an elongated shape with a preferential magnetization direction. A set/reset coil has a stretch, which extends over and transversely to the magnetoresistive strip. A concentrating region, also of ferromagnetic material, extends over the stretch of the set/reset coil so as to form a magnetic circuit for the field generated by the set/reset coil during steps of refresh and maintenance of magnetization of the magnetoresistive coil.

Abstract: A row decoder for a non-volatile memory device includes an input and pre-decoding module that receives address signals and generates pre-decoded address signals. A decoding module receives the pre-decoded address signals for generation on an output of decoded address signals. A driving module generates biasing signals for biasing wordlines of a memory array. The decoding module envisages a plurality of decoding stages, each of which carries out an operation of an OR logic combination between a first and a second predecoded address signal to be combined. The decoding module includes at least one first pass transistor for selectively transferring onto the output the one between the first and second predecoded address signals to be combined in a first operating condition. The decoding module includes at least one first pull-up transistor to selectively bring the output to a high state in at least one second operating condition.

Abstract: A driver device for driving a DC motor using PWM modulated drive signals includes comparator circuits for producing digitalized Back-EMF signals having first and second values as a function of the Back-EMF signals being above or below a respective threshold, and an inverter for driving the PWM modulated drive signals in a phased relationship with the digitalized Back-EMF signals. The driver device also includes controller circuits configured for controlling the respective threshold by minimizing the error between a time measured between two consecutive opposed edges of the digitalized Back-EMF signal and half a time measured between two consecutive homologous edges of the digitalized Back-EMF signal.

Abstract: An electronic circuit drives a plurality of LED strings connected in series. The electronic circuit includes a regulation module corresponding to each LED string, with the regulation module connected to the cathode terminal of the corresponding LED string. Each regulation module is further coupled to receive a reference voltage in phase with a rectified a.c. voltage. The regulation modules execute in turn and in sequence a current-regulation phase as a function of a trend of the reference voltage. Each regulation module, when executing the current-regulation phase, functions to regulate the current that flows in the corresponding LED string and in any previous LED strings in the series connection so that the regulated current is proportional to the reference voltage.

Abstract: A receiver for digital signals includes a radiofrequency stage. A feedback loop controls an amplitude of a modulated radiofrequency signal passing through the radiofrequency stage as a function of a comparison of a baseband signal with a reference value. A baseband stage includes an RC network cascaded to the radiofrequency stage and coupled to a baseband detector that generates the baseband signal. The feedback loop includes a circuit for detecting a range of variation of the comparison. The amplitude of the modulated radiofrequency signal is controlled as a function of an end value (e.g., maximum or minimum) of the detected range of variation. A switching circuit operates to selectively short circuit a resistive component of the RC network during receiver start-up.

Abstract: An electronic component includes one or more circuits having electrical connections coupled therewith. The electrical connections include a lead frame as well as electrical wires coupling the circuit or circuits to respective portions of the lead frame. The electrical wires may be formed as one piece with the respective portion of the lead frame without joints therebetween, e.g., by 3D printing.

Abstract: A driver circuit for driving a transmission line includes a voltage driver and a current driver. The voltage driver is for driving the transmission line with a first voltage gain in a first operation mode. The current driver is activatable in a second operation mode for driving, together with the voltage driver, the transmission line with a second voltage gain. The transmission line may be an Ethernet-over-copper transmission line with electrical data signals from a data generator.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a protective layer for protecting an intermediate structural layer against etching with hydrofluoric acid, the intermediate structural layer being made of a material that can be etched or damaged by hydrofluoric acid, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first layer of aluminum oxide, by atomic layer deposition, on the intermediate structural layer; performing a thermal crystallization process on the first layer of aluminum oxide, forming a first intermediate protective layer; forming a second layer of aluminum oxide, by atomic layer deposition, above the first intermediate protective layer; and performing a thermal crystallization process on the second layer of aluminum oxide, forming a second intermediate protective layer and thereby completing the formation of the protective layer. The method for forming the protective layer can be used, for example, during the manufacturing steps of an inertial sensor such as a gyroscope or an accelerometer.

Abstract: A clock-signal generator circuit, for generating an output clock signal starting from an input clock signal, includes: a monostable stage having a clock input configured to receive the input clock signal, a control input configured to receive a control signal, and an output configured to supply the output clock signal having a duty cycle variable as a function of the control signal; and a feedback loop, operatively coupled to the monostable stage for generating the control signal as a function of a detected value, and of a desired value, of the duty cycle of the output clock signal.

Abstract: A radiation hardened memory cell includes an odd number of storage elements configured to redundantly store an input data logic signal. The storage elements include output lines for outputting respective logic signals having respective logic values. A logic combination network receives the respective logic signals and is configured to generate an output signal having a same logic value as a majority of the logic signals output from the storage elements. An exclusive logic sum circuit receives the respective logic signals output from the storage elements and is configured to produce a refresh of the logic data signal as stored in the storage elements when one of the logic signals output from the storage elements undergoes a logic value transition due to an error event.

Abstract: The pressure in the combustion chamber of an electronically controlled spark plug ignition engine may be estimated in real time mode without specific sensors by processing sensed ionization current data to calculate features of the current waveform proven to be correlated to the pressure inside the engine cylinders and correlating them on the basis of a look up table of time invariant correlation coefficients generated through a calibration campaign of tests on a test engine purposely equipped with sensors. A mathematical model of the electrical and physical spark plug ignition system and combustion chamber of the engine is refined during calibration by iteratively testing the interactive performance of correlation coefficients of related terms of a mathematical expression of the model and comparing the expressed pressure value with the real pressure value as measured by a sensor.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical sensing structure having a membrane region including a membrane that undergoes deformation as a function of a pressure and a first actuator that is controlled in a first operating mode and a second operating mode, the first actuator being such that, when it operates in the second operating mode, it contacts the membrane region and deforms the membrane in a way different from when it operates in the first operating mode.

Abstract: A cascode voltage generating circuit and method are provided. The circuit includes four switching elements. In a high voltage operation mode, the first and second switching elements, respectively, couple a first intermediate voltage input node to a first intermediate voltage output node, and a second intermediate voltage input node to a second intermediate voltage output node. In a low voltage operation mode, the third switching element couples the first and second intermediate voltage input nodes to a ground reference voltage level, and the fourth switching element couples the first and second intermediate voltage output nodes to a supply voltage level.

Abstract: A vacuum integrated electronic device has an anode region of conductive material; an insulating region on top of the anode region; a cavity extending through the insulating region and having a sidewall; and a cathode region. The cathode region has a tip portion extending peripherally within the cavity, adjacent to the sidewall of the cavity. The cathode region is formed by tilted deposition, carried out at an angle of 30-60° with respect to a perpendicular to the surface of device.