Abstract: A forward converter circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A first transistor is coupled in series with the primary winding and a second transistor is coupled in series with the secondary winding. A control circuit generating control signals for controlling operation of the first and second transistors. The control signals are generated responsive to the values in certain triggered counting circuits satisfying programmable thresholds.

Abstract: Device for generating a signal of parametrizable frequency comprising a phase locked loop including a generator of a reference signal, a phase-frequency comparator comprising a first input for receiving the reference signal, an oscillator controlled on the basis of the result output by the phase-frequency comparator, a fractional divider coupled between an output of the oscillator and a second input of the phase-frequency comparator, and a selector selectively linking an input of the oscillator either with an input of the generator, or with the output of the oscillator as a function of the multiplication ratio of the fractional divider.

Abstract: A distributed coupler including a first line intended to convey a radio signal between its two ends and a second line intended to sample, by coupling, part of the signal, wherein: one of the lines is formed on an insulating substrate; and the other line is formed in a lead frame supporting the substrate, one line being above the other.

Abstract: In a 60 Hz WGA wireless network, not all frames with the duration field are received by a STA in a WGA network because of directional antennas. Therefore, a NAV Timer cannot account for the reserved duration of the channel by only updating with the longest duration field received. A STA can receive two frames each with a source and destination addresses and update the NAV Timer by comparing the received addresses to overcome such problem. Further, a STA can receive one frame with a source and destination addresses and update the NAV Timer by comparing the received addresses with the NAVSRC and NAVDST values.

Abstract: A method of extraction of a key from a physical unclonable function exploiting the states of cells of a volatile memory after a powering on, wherein: cells are read according to addresses stored in a non-volatile memory; an error-correction code corrects the read states; and, in case an error has been corrected, the address of the cell providing an erroneous state is replaced in the non-volatile memory with that of another cell providing the non-erroneous state.

Abstract: A dynamic biasing circuit of the substrate of a MOS power transistor may include a first switch configured to connect the substrate to a current source which forward biases the intrinsic source-substrate diode of the transistor, when the gate voltage of the transistor turns the transistor on. The current source may include a stack of diodes in the same conduction direction as the intrinsic diode between the substrate and a supply voltage.

Abstract: An asymmetrical bidirectional protection component formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, including: a first implanted area of the first conductivity type; a first epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type on the substrate and the first implanted area; a second epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type on the first epitaxial layer, the second layer having a doping level different from that of the first layer; a second area of the first conductivity type on the outer surface of the epitaxial layer, opposite to the first to area; a first metallization covering the entire lower surface of the substrate; and a second metallization covering the second area.

Abstract: A Shockley diode including: a vertical stack of first to fourth layers of alternated conductivity types between first and second electrodes; a recess formed in the fourth layer and extending vertically to penetrate into the second layer; a first region of same conductivity type as the second layer but of greater doping level, extending at the bottom of the recess in the second layer; and a second region of same conductivity type as the third layer but of greater doping level, extending along the lateral walls of the recess and connecting the first region to the fourth layer.

Abstract: Integrated mask-programmable device, having a plurality of metal levels including a top metal level, a bottom metal level and a first intermediate metal level formed between the top and bottom metal levels, and a plurality of via levels arranged between the bottom and the first intermediate metal levels and between the first intermediate and the top metal levels and connecting each metal level to adjacent metal levels. The plurality of metal levels forms a first, a second and at least a third terminal, the top and bottom metal levels having at least two metal regions, and the first intermediate metal level having at least three metal regions. The first terminal is connected to third terminal or the second terminal is connected to the third terminal by modifying a single metal or via level.

Abstract: A method and integrated circuit for preserving a battery's charge and protecting electrical devices is disclosed. A maximum and a minimum battery voltage value at the output port are stored in a memory. A steady state battery voltage at the output port is measured and stored in the memory. A processor compares the measured steady battery voltage value to the maximum and the minimum battery voltage values. If the measured steady state battery voltage value is greater than the maximum battery voltage value, an over voltage state is reported by the processor. If the measured steady state battery voltage value is less than the minimum battery voltage value, a low battery voltage state is reported by the processor.

Abstract: Electronic device which comprises a substrate provided with at least one passing opening, a MEMS device with function of differential sensor provided with a first and a second surface and of the type comprising at least one portion sensitive to chemical and/or physical variations of fluids present in correspondence with a first and a second opposed active surface thereof, the first surface of the MEMS device leaving the first active surface exposed and the second surface being provided with a further opening which exposes said second opposed active surface, the electronic device being characterized in that the first surface of the MEMS device faces the substrate and is spaced therefrom by a predetermined distance, the sensitive portion being aligned to the passing opening of the substrate, and in that it also comprises a protective package, which incorporates at least partially the MEMS device and the substrate so as to leave the first and second opposed active surfaces exposed respectively through the passin

Abstract: A processing system includes a plurality of processing resources capable of executing a plurality of objects. The objects include a client object and one or more server objects. The client object is capable of requesting a service provided by at least one of the one or more server objects. The processing system also includes a hardware object request broker capable of receiving one or more messages from the processing resource executing the client object and communicating the one or more messages to the processing resource executing at least one of the one or more server objects that provides the requested service. The one or more messages are capable of invoking the requested service.

Abstract: A method for decoding tail-biting convolutional codes. The method includes initializing a correction depth, selecting a first starting state from a set of encoding states, and initializing a metric value for the selected starting state as zero and the other states as infinity. The input bit stream is read and a Search Depth Viterbi algorithm (SDVA) is performed to determine path metrics and identify a minimum-metric path. The ending state for the minimum-metric path is determined and the output for this ending state is identified as “previous output.” A second starting state is set to the ending state of the minimum-metric path, and symbols equal to the correction depth from the previous output are read. The SDVA is performed on the second set of read symbols to generate a corrected output. A decoded output is generated by replacing symbols at the beginning of the previous output with the corrected output.

Abstract: A method and a circuit for protecting a numerical quantity contained in an integrated circuit on a first number of bits, in a modular exponentiation computing of a data by the numerical quantity, including: selecting at least one second number included between the unit and said first number minus two; dividing the numerical quantity into at least two parts, a first part including, from the bit of rank null, a number of bits equal to the second number, a second part including the remaining bits; for each part of the quantity, computing a first modular exponentiation of said data by the part concerned and a second modular exponentiation of the result of the first by the FIG. 2 exponentiated to the power of the rank of the first bit of the part concerned; and computing the product of the results of the first and second modular exponentiations.

Abstract: A method for measuring current in each phase of a three-phase inverter driven motor is based on the three-phase inverter being controlled in a PWM mode by three PWM signals including the use of a common DC-link current sensing resistor. The current on the sensing resistor is intermittently sampled. The method includes determining a modulation index for the voltage demand set by a motor controller. Based on specific mutual duty cycle conditions of the three PWM phase driving signals, sampling windows of sufficient duration are created for allowing distinct sampling of two of the phase currents.

Abstract: An image sensor has a per-column ADC arrangement including first and second capacitors for correlated double sampling, and a comparator circuit. The capacitors are continuously connected to, respectively, the analog pixel signal and a ramp signal without use of a hold operation. The comparator circuit comprises a differential amplifier having one input connected to the junction of the two capacitors and another input connected to a reference signal. The reference signal is preferably sampled and held from a reference voltage. The use of a differential amplifier as first stage of the comparator addresses problems arising from ground voltage bounce when a large pixel array images a scene with low contrast.

Abstract: A method for identifying non stuck-at faults in a read-only memory (ROM) includes generating a golden value of a victim cell, providing a fault-specific pattern through an aggressor cell, generating a test reading of the victim cell in response to the provided fault-specific pattern, and determining whether the ROM has at least one non stuck-at fault. The determination is based on a comparison of the golden value and the test reading of the victim cell.

Abstract: A power supply circuit for an electrical appliance, including a turning-on stage configured for determining a transition from a turned-off state, in which the power supply circuit is off and does not supply electric power, to a turned-on state of the power supply circuit. The turning-on stage includes a transducer of the remote-control type configured for triggering the transition in response to the reception of a wireless signal.

Abstract: A method to parameterize and recognize circular gestures on touch sensitive surfaces includes dividing the touch sensitive surface into four quadrants, detecting a transition from a first quadrant into a second quadrant, time-stamping and tracking each detected quadrant transition, and computing the time between quadrant transitions so that the circular speed and direction of the circular gestures on the touch sensitive surface can be detected. The detected direction can be either a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction.

Abstract: An antenna generating an electromagnetic field for an electromagnetic transponder and a terminal provided with such an antenna. The antenna comprises a first inductive element designed to be connected to two terminals employing an energizing voltage, and a parallel resonant circuit coupled with the first inductive element.