Abstract: The integrated electronic device is for detecting a local parameter related to a force observed in a given direction, within a solid structure. The device includes at least one sensor configured to detect the above-mentioned local parameter at least in the given direction through piezo-resistive effect. At least one damping element, integrated in the device, is arranged within a frame-shaped region that is disposed around the at least one sensor and belongs to a substantially planar region comprising a plane passing through the sensor and perpendicular to the given direction. Such at least one damping element is configured to damp forces acting in the planar region and substantially perpendicular to the given direction.

Abstract: A multi-pixel photomultiplier optical sensor may include an array of photomultiplier dies. Each photomultiplier die may include a front side connection pad, SPAD cells, each SPAD cell including a front side electrode, a rear side electrode, and a resistor coupled in series to the front side electrode and coupled in common with other quenching resistors to the front side connection pad. The multi-pixel photomultiplier optical sensor may include a metallization layer in contact with the rear side electrode common to SPADs of the array of photomultiplier dies and electrically conductive pads. The electrically conductive bus may be coupled to an electrically conductive pin for distributing bias current to the array of photomultiplier dies.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an array of phase-change memory (PCM) cells, a plurality of wordlines coupled to the array of PCM cells, and a row decoder circuit coupled to the plurality of wordlines. The row decoder circuit includes a first low voltage logic gate and a first high voltage level shifter coupled to the first low voltage logic gate. The row decoder circuit also includes a second low voltage logic gate, a second high voltage level shifter coupled to the second low voltage logic gate, and a first low voltage logic circuit coupled to the second low voltage logic gate. In addition, the row decoder circuit includes a second low voltage logic circuit coupled to the second low voltage logic gate, and a low voltage wordline driver having an input coupled to the outputs of the first and second low voltage logic gates, and an output coupled to a selected wordline.

Abstract: An embodiment of a multimedia tagging system, includes a multimedia-content generator for producing multimedia content tagged with metadata, and a remote health-monitoring device for measuring and processing a set of biological and physiological signals of a user. The system is configured for tagging the multimedia content with tags extracted from a set of personal metadata obtained from the biological and physiological signals provided by the remote health-monitoring device and containing information relative to the emotional and health status of said user.

Abstract: An energy-scavenging interface includes first and second switches connected in series between an input and reference, and third and fourth switches connected in series between the input and an output. A control circuit closes the first and second switches and opens the third switch for a first time interval to store charge in a storage element. A scaled copy of a peak value of the charging current is obtained. The control circuit then opens the first switch and closes the third and fourth switches to generate an output signal as long as the value in current of the output signal is higher than the value of said scaled copy of the peak value.

Abstract: An optical demultiplexer includes an interleaver with at least four ports including a first port adapted to receive the sum of two optical signals A and B, a second port and a third port respectively for signals A and B, and a fourth port. The optical demultiplexer further includes an optical component coupled to at least one of the two ports for signals A and B and configured to split the optical signal to be outputted into a weak intensity optical signal and a strong intensity optical signal.

Abstract: An embodiment of integrated inductor device, comprising a plurality of modules overlaid to each other, each module including at least one coil of conducting material. The directly overlaid pairs of coils are coiled in opposite directions. The directly overlaid modules are mechanically coupled through first adhesive conductive regions and the coils of the directly overlaid modules are electrically coupled to each other through second adhesive conductive regions. The first and the second adhesive conductive regions coupling directly overlaid modules are formed in the same step of the process, are of the same material and are arranged at a same level.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a high-voltage first resistive structure which extends along a spiral path above the substrate and is separated from the substrate by a first dielectric layer; and a conductive shielding structure, including a plurality of first shielding strips, which are arranged in sequence along respective portions of the first resistive structure and are separated from the first resistive structure by a second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A device includes an epitaxial region extending into a front surface of a chip. A portion of the chip adjacent the epitaxial region defines a collector. A gate is provided in a trench extending into the epitaxial region from the front surface. An emitter includes a body extending into the epitaxial region at a first side of the trench and a source extending into the body region from the front surface at the trench. A dummy emitter extends into the epitaxial region from the front surface at a second side of the trench opposite said first side. The dummy emitter lacks the source. The gate extends along a first wall of the trench facing the emitter region. A dummy gate is formed in the trench in a manner electrically isolated from the gate and extending along a second wall of the trench opposite said first wall.

Abstract: A power supply includes a power supply circuit and a power-on circuit controlling transitioning of the power supply circuit to a turned-on state. The power-on circuit includes a code driver, a controller coupled to the power supply circuit and code driver, and a transducer to detect a wireless control signal and generate an enable signal based thereupon. A transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to the code driver, a second conduction terminal coupled to the controller, and a control terminal coupled to the transducer to receive the enable signal so the transistor switches based thereupon. The code driver detects a code embedded in the wireless control signal based upon switching of the transistor, and generates a power on signal for the controller based upon the code. The controller causes the power supply circuit to transition from the turned-off state to the turned-on state based upon the power on signal.

Abstract: The device has a fluid inlet; a filtering compartment, connected to the fluid inlet and accommodating a filtering matrix in presence of adsorption agents; a fluidic circuit connected downstream of the filtering compartment and including a discharge circuit and a loading circuit; a discharge chamber, connected downstream of the discharge circuit; a preparation outlet, connected downstream of the loading circuit; and suction pumps, connected to the fluidic circuit and configured so as to fluidically connect the filtering compartment alternatively to the discharge circuit or to the loading circuit.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method and an apparatus for manufacturing lead frames are described. For example, a coating layer is formed on one or more predefined portions of the surface of the substrate of the lead frame by delimiting the predefined portions by means of screen printing. The employment of screen printing may allow obtaining large amounts of lead frames with excellent electronic and structural properties in a quick and cost-effective way.

Abstract: The addition of high throughput capability elements to beacon frames and peer link action frames in wireless mesh networks enable the utilization of desirable features without further modifications to the network. Rules can be established for high throughput mesh point protection in a mesh network, Space-time Block Code (STBC) operations and 20/40 MHz operation selections. However, features such as PSMP (power save multi-poll) and PCO (phased coexistence operations) are barred from implementation to prevent collisions.

Abstract: A MEMS acoustic transducer device has a capacitive microelectromechanical sensing structure and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit includes a voltage-boosting circuit that supplies a boosted voltage on an output terminal, and a high-impedance insulating circuit element set between the output terminal and a terminal of the sensing structure, which defines a first high-impedance node associated with the insulating circuit element. The biasing circuit has: a pre-charge stage that generates a first pre-charge voltage on a first output thereof, as a function of, and distinct from, the boosted voltage; and a first switch element set between the first output and the first high-impedance node. The first switch element is operable for selectively connecting the first high-impedance node to the first output, during a phase of start-up of the biasing circuit, for biasing the first high-impedance node to the first pre-charge voltage.

Abstract: A power amplifier includes a clamping circuit configured to provide a clamped voltage from a power supply; an amplifier pair having first inputs coupled to the clamping circuit, second inputs and an output for providing an amplified signal; and a biasing circuit coupled between the clamping circuit and the second inputs. The biasing circuit is configured to adjust input bias voltages of the amplifier pair such that the output of the amplifier pair varies proportionally to a change of the power supply.

Abstract: A control device of a switching converter controls the closing and opening of a switch of the converter that regulates the operation of an inductor. The control device includes a ramp voltage generator, a switch control circuit configured to close the switch based on a comparison of the ramp voltage with a first signal and a generator control circuit configured to control the ramp voltage generator based on a value of a second signal representative of a current flowing through the inductor of the converter, in comparison with the value of a third signal.

Abstract: A control unit for power supply circuits of points of load (POL) of an electronic system includes a means for autonomous customization by the customer-user of the original control program residing in the ROM of the device, as well as configuration of control parameters of the POL. Microprocessor architecture of the device includes a dedicated logic block and a rewritable non-volatile memory coupled to the data bus of the device or to an auxiliary bus thereof, thus providing a means for software extension of the power supply circuits. RAM is loaded at start-up with data of modified or added routines for implementing new commands and values of configuration and control data of the POL. The RAM may optionally be subjected to encryption/decryption for protection. During operation, program execution jumps from ROM address space to RAM address space and vice versa when certain values of a program counter are reached.

Abstract: A biasing and driving circuit for an electric load, having an input adapted to receive an a.c. input voltage and an output adapted to supply a d.c. output voltage, comprising: a voltage-regulator device, having a feedback input terminal configured to receive a sensing voltage that is a function of a supply current that flows through the electric load and regulating, on the basis of the sensing voltage received, the supply current; a resistive sensing element, operatively coupled to the feedback input, configured to receive the supply current and generate the sensing voltage as a function of the supply current; a resistor coupled to the feedback input; and an auxiliary biasing circuit adapted to receive the a.c. input voltage and inject through the resistor an a.c. auxiliary biasing current that varies in a way inversely proportional to the input voltage.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a primary-controlled 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, and may be compatible with phase-cut dimmers. 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 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: A microelectromechanical device includes: a body accommodating a microelectromechanical structure; and a cap bonded to the body and electrically coupled to the microelectromechanical structure through conductive bonding regions. The cap including a selection module, which has first selection terminals coupled to the microelectromechanical structure, second selection terminals, and at least one control terminal, and which can be controlled through the control terminal to couple the second selection terminals to respective first selection terminals according, selectively, to one of a plurality of coupling configurations corresponding to respective operating conditions.