Abstract: A system and method for determining handedness in a device. The system including a first electrode, a second electrode, a sensor, and a processing circuit coupled to each other. The first electrode is placed at a first location, and the second electrode is placed at a second location on the device—the first location is different from the second location. The electrodes are configured to sense a variation in an electrostatic field in response to a user interacting with the device. The sensor detects a differential potential between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the processing circuit determines whether the user is interacting with the device using a left hand or a right hand. The determining is based on data received from the sensor corresponding to the differential potential.

Abstract: An embodiment method comprises collecting at least one electrophysiological signal of a human over a limited time duration, and computing a set of electrophysiological signal features. The computing comprises at least one of: providing at least one reference electrophysiological signal and applying dynamic time warping processing to the at least one collected and at least one reference electrophysiological signals, applying stacked-auto-encoder artificial neural network processing to the collected electrophysiological signal, or filtering the electrophysiological signal collected via joint low-pass and high-pass filtering. The method further comprises applying pattern recognition processing to the computed set of features, producing a virtual key signal indicative of an identity of the human, and applying the virtual key signal to a user circuit to switch it between a first state and a second state as a result of the virtual key signal matching an authorized key signal stored in the user circuit.

Abstract: Electronic device, comprising: a semiconductor body having a surface; a body region in the semiconductor body, extending along a main direction parallel to the surface of the semiconductor body; and a source region in the body region, extending along the main direction. The electronic device has, at the body and source regions, a first and a second electrical contact region alternating with each other along the main direction, wherein the first electrical contact region exposes the body region, and the second electrical contact region exposes the source region. The electronic device further comprises an electrical connection layer extending with electrical continuity longitudinally to the body and source regions, in electrical connection with the first and the second electrical contact regions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a control circuit, a primary sensor device coupled to the control circuit, and a plurality of groups of secondary sensor devices coupled to the primary sensor device. The primary sensor device receives a master clock signal from the control device and outputs, to each group of secondary sensor devices, a respective secondary clock signal with a frequency lower than the primary clock signal. The primary sensor device generates primary sensor data. The primary sensor device receives secondary sensor data from each group of secondary sensor devices. The primary sensor device combines the primary sensor data and all of the secondary sensor data into a sensor data stream with a time division-multiplexing scheme and outputs the sensor data stream to the control circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor die includes a structural body that has a power region and a peripheral region surrounding the power region. At least one power device is positioned in the power region. Trench-insulation means extend in the structural body starting from the front side towards the back side along a first direction, adapted to hinder conduction of heat from the power region towards the peripheral region along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The trench-insulation means have an extension, in the second direction, greater than the thickness of the structural body along the first direction.

Abstract: The vertical-conduction electronic power device is formed by a body of wide band gap semiconductor which has a first conductivity type and has a surface, and is formed by a drift region and by a plurality of surface portions delimited by the surface. The electronic device is further formed by a plurality of first implanted regions having a second conductivity type, which extend into the drift region from the surface, and by a plurality of metal portions, which are arranged on the surface. Each metal portion is in Schottky contact with a respective surface portion of the plurality of surface portions so as to form a plurality of Schottky diodes formed by first Schottky diodes and second Schottky diodes, wherein the first Schottky diodes have, at equilibrium, a Schottky barrier having a height different from that of the second Schottky diodes.

Abstract: A device for emitting an ultrasound acoustic wave in a propagation medium, comprising: a package including a base substrate and a cap coupled to the base substrate and defining therewith a chamber in the package; a semiconductor die, coupled to the base substrate in the chamber, comprising a semiconductor body; a micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) integrated at least in part in the semiconductor body and including a cavity in the semiconductor body and a membrane suspended over the cavity; and an actuator, operatively coupled to the membrane, which can be operated for generating a deflection of the membrane. The membrane is designed in such a way that a resonance frequency thereof matches an acoustic resonance frequency that, during operation of the MUT, develops in said chamber of the package.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a device for measuring the flow of fluid inside a tube moved by a peristaltic pump is provided with: a detection electrode arrangement coupled to the tube to detect an electrostatic charge variation originated by the mechanical action of the peristaltic pump on the tube; a signal processing stage, electrically coupled to the detection electrode arrangement to generate an electrical charge variation signal; and a processing unit, coupled to the signal processing stage to receive and process in the frequency domain the electrical charge variation signal to obtain information on the flow of a fluid that flows through the tube based on the analysis of frequency characteristics of the electrical charge variation signal.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a multi-die semiconductor device, a metal leadframe includes a die pad and electrically-conductive leads arranged around the die pad. First and second semiconductor dice are arranged on the die pad. A laser-activatable material is disposed on the dice and leads, and a set of laser-activated lines is patterned, including a first subset coupling selected bonding pads of the dice to selected leads, a second subset coupling selected bonding pads amongst themselves, and a third subset coupling the lines in the second subset to at least one line in the first subset. A first metallic layer is deposited onto the laser-activated lines to provide first, second and third subsets of electrically-conductive lines. A second metallic layer is selectively deposited onto the first and second subsets by electroplating to provide first and second subsets of electrically-conductive tracks. The electrically-conductive lines in the third subset are selectively removed.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a MEMS device includes forming a first structural layer of a first thickness on a substrate. First trenches are formed through the first structural layer, and masking regions separated by first openings are formed on the first structural layer. A second structural layer of a second thickness is formed on the first structural layer in direct contact with the first structural layer at the first openings and forms, together with the first structural layer, thick structural regions having a third thickness equal to the sum of the first and the second thicknesses. A plurality of second trenches are formed through the second structural layer, over the masking regions, and third trenches are formed through the first and the second structural layers by removing selective portions of the thick structural regions.

Abstract: An apparatus for growing semiconductor wafers, in particular of silicon carbide, wherein a chamber houses a collection container and a support or susceptor arranged over the container. The support is formed by a frame surrounding an opening accommodating a plurality of arms and a seat. The frame has a first a second surface, opposite to each other, with the first surface of the frame facing the support. The arms are formed by cantilever bars extending from the frame into the opening, having a maximum height smaller than the frame, and having at the top a resting edge. The resting edges of the arms define a resting surface that is at a lower level than the second surface of the frame. The seat has a bottom formed by the resting surface.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of measuring a load current flowing through a current measurement resistor coupled between a source node and a load node includes: measuring a first voltage across a replica resistor when a first end of the replica resistor is coupled to the source node and a second end of the replica resistor is coupled to a reference current source; measuring a second voltage across the replica resistor when the second end of the replica resistor is coupled to the source node and the first end of the replica resistor is coupled to the reference current source; measure a third voltage across the current sensing resistor; and calculating a corrected current measurement of the load current based on the measured first voltage, the measured second voltage and the measured third voltage.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a “waterproof” package including a substrate of an organic material permeable to humidity and/or moisture as well as one or more electronic components arranged on the substrate. The substrate comprises a barrier layer capable of countering penetration of humidity and/or moisture into the package through the organic material substrate.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a backlight panel illuminating a display panel. The backlight panel includes an array of light emitting pixels, each light emitting pixel having at least one subpixel with one or more light emitting diodes positioned on a substrate. The pixel further includes at least one photodetector positioned on the substrate and arranged to detect an amount of reflected light emitted by said subpixel and reflected by the display panel.

Abstract: A pre-driving stage drives one or more Field Effect Transistors in a power stage driving a load. A method for measuring current flowing in the Field Effect Transistors includes: measuring drain to source voltages of the one or more Field Effect Transistor; and measuring an operating temperature of the one or more Field Effect Transistor. The current flowing in the Field Effect Transistors is measured by: calculating the respective on drain to source resistance at the operating temperature as a function of the measured operating temperature and obtaining the current value as a ratio of the respective measured drain to source voltage over the calculated drain to source resistance at the operating temperature.

Abstract: A measurement system, featuring first and second capacitances, and switching, control, and measurement circuits, charges/discharges the capacitances during normal operation. The switching and control circuits periodically connect a first terminal of the first capacitance to a first voltage and a reference voltage, and a first terminal of the second capacitance to a second voltage and the reference voltage. The second terminal of the first capacitance and the second terminal of the second capacitance are connected to the input terminals of the differential integrator, the charge difference between the capacitances being transferred to the differential integrator. A comparator triggers when the output signal of the differential integrator exceeds the hysteresis threshold of the comparator.

Abstract: A differential pair of FETs forms a sensor circuit coupled to a differential current reading circuit that includes a current to voltage converter and an analog to digital converter. An ESD protection circuit interposed between the sensor circuit and the differential current reading circuit adds spurious currents to a differential sensor current output by the sensor circuit. A circuit before the ESD protection circuit switches the sign of the differential sensor current according to a period of complementary phase clock signals which correspond to a sampling interval of the analog to digital converter. A circuit selects signals depending on the value of the period of the phase clock signals to eliminate the spurious currents.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a detection device includes: an infrared temperature sensor configured to provide a temperature signal associated with an heat emission of at least one individual within a monitored area; an electrostatic-charge-variation sensor configured to provide a charge-variation signal indicative of a variation of electrostatic charge associated with the at least one individual; and a processing unit, coupled to the infrared temperature sensor and to the electrostatic-charge-variation sensor, the processing unit configured to detect a presence of the at least one individual within the monitored area by receiving the temperature signal and the charge-variation signal, and jointly processing the temperature signal and charge.

Abstract: A circuit includes a memory array with memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, where each row includes a word line connected to the memory cells of the row, and each column includes a bit line connected to the memory cells of the column. Computational weights for an in-memory compute operation (IMCO) are stored in the memory cells. A word line control circuit simultaneously actuates word lines in response to input signals providing coefficient data for the IMCO by applying word line signal pulses. A column processing circuit connected to the bit lines processes analog signals developed on the bit lines in response to the simultaneous actuation of the word lines to generate multiply and accumulate output signals for the IMCO. Pulse widths of the signal pulses are modulated to compensate for cell drift. The IMCO further handles positive/negative calculation for the coefficient data and computational weights.

Abstract: An electronic circuit includes first and second channels which respectively receive first and second analog signals. The first channel includes a first digital to analog converter having an output coupled to a first input of a first sign comparator, and the second channel includes a second digital to analog converter. A switch network selectively couples, upon reception of a self-test mode signal signaling a test phase, an output of the second digital to analog converter to a second input of the first sign comparator. A ramp generation circuit supplies to the first digital to analog converter and the second digital to analog converter two identical ramps of digital codes, which are shifted by a programmable offset with respect to one another. A checking circuit issues a test status signal based on the output of the first sign comparator.