Abstract: A circuit for decoding a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal generates an output signal switching between a first and second logic values as a function of a duty-cycle of the PWM signal. Current generating circuitry receives the PWM signal and injects a current to and sinks a current from an intermediate node as a function of the values of the PWM signal. A capacitor coupled to the intermediate node is alternatively charged and discharged by the injected and sunk currents, respectively, to generate a voltage. A comparator circuit coupled to the intermediate node compares the generated voltage to a comparison voltage and drives the logic values of the output signal as a function of the comparison.

Abstract: A MOSFET transistor device includes a functional layer of silicon carbide, having a first conductivity type. Gate structures are formed on a top surface of the functional layer and each includes a dielectric region and an electrode region. Body wells having a second conductivity type are formed within the functional layer, and the body wells are separated from one another by surface-separation regions. Source regions having the first conductivity type are formed within the body wells, laterally and partially underneath respective gate structures. Modified-doping regions are arranged in the surface-separation regions centrally thereto, underneath respective gate structures, in particular underneath the corresponding dielectric regions, and have a modified concentration of dopant as compared to the concentration of the functional layer.

Abstract: A process is proposed for manufacturing an integrated device having at least one MOS transistor integrated on a die of semiconductor material. The process includes forming one or more gate trenches with corresponding field plates and gate regions. A body region is formed by implanting dopants selectively along one or more implantation directions that are tilted with respect to a front surface of the die. Moreover, a corresponding integrated device and a system comprising this integrated device are proposed.

Abstract: The present description concerns an electronic system including one or a plurality of first microprocessors, a second microprocessor for securely managing first encryption keys of the first microprocessors, the second microprocessor being configured to communicate with each first microprocessor and including a first non-volatile memory having at least one second key stored therein, and for each first microprocessor, a second non-volatile memory external to the second microprocessor and containing the first keys of the first microprocessor encrypted with the second key.

Abstract: Methods and devices for protecting against electrical discharges are provided. One such device for protecting against electrical discharges includes a semiconductor substrate and an isolation trench in the semiconductor substrate. The isolation trench includes an enclosed space that contains a gas.

Abstract: A GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver apparatus includes a bank of correlators configured to receive in-phase and quadrature versions of a received signal. A code numerical controlled oscillator is configured to determine a code frequency. A GNSS pseudo random noise sequence generator is configured to generate a pseudo random noise sequence at the code frequency set by the code numerical controlled oscillator. A GNSS pseudo random noise delayed sequence generator includes a first shift register and a second shift register. Taps of the shift registers are selectable as a punctual replica, an early replica and a delayed replica of the pseudo random noise sequence. An enable circuit is configured to generate an enable signal coupled to an enable input of the flip-flops, the enable signal operating at a selectable enable frequency.

Abstract: A method of operating a battery management system is disclosed. A first voltage drop is sensed between a first terminal of a first battery cell and a second terminal of the first battery cell and a second voltage drop is sensed between a charge distribution pin and the second terminal of the first battery cell. The charge distribution pin is coupled to the first terminal of the first battery cell through a resistor. A difference is calculated between the first voltage drop and the second voltage drop and a faulty condition is detected when Rn absolute value of the difference between the first voltage drop and the second voltage drop exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit includes a first voltage regulator having a first output voltage selection pin set and producing a first output voltage based on a first digital signal received at the first output voltage selection pin set, and a second voltage regulator having a second output voltage selection pin set and producing a second output voltage based on a second digital signal received at the second output voltage selection pin set. The first and second voltage regulators are operable in a voltage tracking mode with the output voltage of the second voltage regulator tracking the output voltage of the first voltage regulator when digital signals received at the selection pin sets have a same value. An overvoltage sensor detects overvoltage events at the first voltage regulator. Control circuitry selectively avoids operation in voltage tracking mode as a result of an overvoltage event detected at the first voltage regulator.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device and method for depth sensing by utilizing the combination of a ranging sensor and an image sensor. The ranging sensor can accurately detect distance measurement from an object. The image sensor can take images with high resolution of the object. By combining each sensor data from the ranging sensor and the image sensor, accurate depth information with high resolution of the object may be obtained. A structured light having patterned shapes are used in conjunction with the ranging sensor to receive reflected patterned shapes of the object. These reflected patterned shapes are used to analyze distance measurements associated with the specific patterned shapes. These distance measurements from both the ranging sensor and the image sensor is aligned and combined to generate an accurate depth map with high resolution using a processor of an electronic device including the ranging sensor and the image sensor.

Abstract: A circuit includes a current controller oscillator generating a CCO output signal at a CCO output, a charge pump boosting a supply voltage based on the CCO output signal and producing a charge pump output voltage at an output, and a current sensing circuit sensing load current at the output and generating a feedback signal having a magnitude that varies with the sensed load current if a magnitude of the sensed load current is between lower and upper load current thresholds. A frequency of the CCO output signal is constant at a lower frequency threshold where the sensed load current is below the lower load current threshold, asymptomically rises to an upper frequency threshold where the sensed load current is above the upper load current threshold, and is proportional to the feedback signal where the sensed load current is between the lower and upper load current thresholds.

Abstract: The physically unclonable function device (DIS) comprises a set of MOS transistors (TR1i, TR2j) mounted in diodes having a random distribution of respective threshold voltages, and comprising N first transistors and at least one second transistor. At least one output node of the function is capable of delivering a signal, the level of which depends on the comparison between a current obtained using a current circulating in the at least one second transistor and a current obtained using a reference current that is equal or substantially equal to the average of the currents circulating in the N first transistors. A first means (FM1i) is configured to impose on each first transistor a respective fixed gate voltage regardless of the value of the current circulating in the first transistor, and a second means (SM2j) is configured to impose a respective fixed gate voltage on each second transistor regardless of the value of the current circulating in the second transistor.

Abstract: A PLL includes a phase-frequency-detector-and-charge-pump-circuit (PFDCPC) receiving a reference signal and divided signal, and generating a charge-pump current. A loop-filter is between output of the PFDCPC and a reference-voltage. A first voltage-to-current converter (V2I1) has low gain, and a second voltage-to-current converter (V2I2) has high gain. A low-gain-path is between outputs of the PFDCPC and V2I1, and a high-gain-path is between the outputs of the PFDCPC and V2I2. A current-controlled-oscillator receives an input signal, and generates an output signal. A loop divider divides the output signal by a divider-value, producing the divided signal. The low-gain-path runs directly from the PFDCPC, through the V2I1, to the input of the current-controlled-oscillator. The high-gain-path runs from the PFDCPC to the loop-filter, from a tap of the loop-filter to a low-pass filter through a current mirror, from a tap of the low-pass filter through the V2I2, to the input of the current-controlled-oscillator.

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 semiconductor chip is mounted at a first surface of a leadframe and an insulating encapsulation is formed onto the leadframe. An etching mask is applied to a second surface of the leadframe to cover locations of two adjacent rows of electrical contacts as well as a connecting bar between the two adjacent rows which electrically couples the electrical contacts. The second surface is then etched through the etching mask to remove leadframe material at the second surface and define the electrical contacts and connecting bar. The electrical contacts include a distal surface as well as flanks left uncovered by the insulating encapsulation. The etching mask is then removed and the electrical contacts and the connecting bars are used as electrodes in an electroplating of the distal surface and the flanks of the electrical contacts. The connecting bar is then removed from between the two adjacent rows during device singulation.

Abstract: A memory includes memory cells arranged in rows and in columns, with at least one bit line for each column being coupled to the memory cells of the column. A read/write circuit is coupled to the bit lines and is configured to receive, for each column, a binary datum to be stored in one of the memory cells of the column. The read/write circuit includes, for each column, a latch configured to store a bit of a key, and an encryption circuit configured to encrypt the received binary datum with the bit of the key to provide encrypted binary datum. The read/write circuit controls the bit line to thereby store the encrypted binary datum.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a support substrate with leads arranged therearound, a semiconductor die on the support substrate, and a layer of laser-activatable material molded onto the die and the leads. The leads include proximal portions facing towards the support substrate and distal portions facing away from the support substrate. The semiconductor die includes bonding pads at a front surface thereof which is opposed to the support substrate, and is arranged onto the proximal portions of the leads. The semiconductor device has electrically-conductive formations laser-structured at selected locations of the laser-activatable material.

Abstract: A voltage converter includes a circuit formed by a parallel association, connected between first and second nodes, of a first branch and a second branch. The first branch includes a first controlled rectifying element having a first impedance. The second branch includes a resistor associated in series with a second rectifying element having a second impedance substantially equal to the first impedance. The second rectifying element may, for example, be a triac having its gate coupled to receive a signal from an intermediate node in the series association of the second branch. Alternatively, the second rectifying element may be a thyristor having its gate coupled to receive a signal at the anode of the thyristor.

Abstract: An optoelectronic element is located in a package. The package includes a first optical block and a second optical block that are attached to each other by a bonding layer. One of the first and second optical blocks is attached to lateral walls of the package by glue. The material of the bonding layer is configured to induce less stress to the first and second optical blocks than the glue.

Abstract: A temperature sensing circuit a switched capacitor circuit selectively samples ?Vbe and Vbe voltages and provides the sampled voltages to inputs of an integrator. A quantization circuit quantizes outputs of the integrator to produce a bitstream. When a most recent bit of the bitstream is a logic zero, operation includes sampling and integration of ?Vbe a first given number of times to produce a voltage proportional to absolute temperature. When the most recent bit of the bitstream is a logic one, operation includes cause sampling and integration of Vbe a second given number of times to produce a voltage complementary to absolute temperature. A low pass filter and decimator filters and decimates the bitstream produced by the quantization circuit to produce a signal indicative of a temperature of a chip into which the temperature sensing circuit is placed.

Abstract: A leadframe includes a pattern of electrically-conductive formations with one or more sacrificial connection formations extending bridge-like between a pair of electrically-conductive formations. The sacrificial connection formation or formations are formed at one of the first surface and the second surface of the leadframe and have a thickness less than the leadframe thickness between the first surface and the second surface. A filling of electrically-insulating material is molded between the electrically-conductive formations of the leadframe, with electrically-insulating material molded between the connection formation(s) and the other surface of the leadframe. The sacrificial connection formation(s) counter deformation and displacement of parts during formation and pre-molding of the leadframe.