Abstract: A method for interoperations between single-radio (channel switching) devices and single-radio (always-on) devices includes single-radio (always-on) devices keep announcing safety messages on the safety channel at any time and keep monitoring packet transmissions on the safety channel at all times when it not transmitting in a normal mode; single-radio (channel switching) devices announce safety messages on the safety channel and keep monitoring packet transmissions on the safety channel during a safety channel interval; and once a single-radio (always-on) device detects the existence of a single-radio (channel-switching) device after successfully receiving at least one safety message transmitted by the single-radio (channel-switching) device during the safety channel interval, it enters to an interoperation mode, in which the single-radio (always-on) device shall transmit safety messages at least during the safety channel interval of the single-radio (channel-switching) device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a DC-DC converter, which includes an inductor; a first transistor coupled to the inductor and configured to pass an inductor current to the inductor; and a second transistor forming a current mirror with the first transistor. The integrated circuit further includes an operational amplifier. The operational amplifier includes a first input node and a second input node. The first input node is configured to couple to a drain of the first transistor when the first transistor is turned on, and decoupled from the drain of the first transistor when the first transistor is turned off. The second input node is coupled to a drain of the second transistor.

Abstract: Power MOS device of the type comprising a plurality of elementary power MOS transistors having respective gate structures and comprising a gate oxide with double thickness having a thick central part and lateral portions of reduced thickness. Such device exhibiting gate structures comprising first gate conductive portions overlapped onto said lateral portions of reduced thickness to define, for the elementary MOS transistors, the gate electrodes, as well as a conductive structure or mesh. Such conductive structure comprising a plurality of second conductive portions overlapped onto the thick central part of gate oxide and interconnected to each other and to the first gate conductive portions by means of a plurality of conducive bridges.

Abstract: A package includes a substrate provided with a passing opening and a MEMS device. The MEMS device includes an active surface wherein a portion of the MEMS device is integrated sensitive to the chemical/physical variations of a fluid. The active surface of the MEMS device faces the substrate and is spaced therefrom, the sensitive portion being aligned to the passing opening. A protective package incorporates the MEMS device and the substrate, leaving at least the sensitive portion of the MEMS device exposed through the passing opening of the substrate.

Abstract: A dryer having an improved automatic dryness detection circuit is provided. Wet clothing in the dryer bin contacts a sensor and causes a pulse to be sent to a microcontroller if the resistance of the clothes is low enough. The microcontroller disregards pulses which are shorter than a threshold time and counts pulses which are longer than a threshold time. The microcontroller issues a termination signal if the rate of pulses is lower than a threshold rate.

Abstract: An embodiment of an electronic system includes a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit. The electronic system further includes a resonant LC circuit having a resonance frequency for coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit; each electronic circuit includes functional means for providing a signal at the resonance frequency to be transmitted to the other electronic circuit through the LC circuit and/or for receiving the signal from the other electronic circuit. The LC circuit also include capacitor means having at least one first capacitor plate included in the first electronic circuit and at least one second capacitor plate included in the second electronic circuit. The LC circuit further includes first inductor means included in the first electronic circuit and/or second inductor means included in the second electronic circuit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a number of pads. The integrated circuit further includes a cascode transistor having an open drain connection to a first one of the pads. A bias generator circuit is included in the integrated circuit. The bias generator circuit has an output connected to a gate terminal of the cascode transistor. In a first mode of operation, the bias generator outputs a bias signal that is derived from an integrated circuit supply voltage present at a second one of the pads. However, in a second mode of operation provided when the integrated circuit supply voltage is not present, the bias generator generates the bias signal derived from a voltage present at the first one of the pads.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for detecting a root moisture content of clothing in a clothes dryer. The dryer has two conducting bars situated in the dryer bin. A pulse generator circuit is coupled to the conducting bars. A microcontroller is coupled to an output of the pulse generator circuit. The pulse generator circuit generates a pulse when wet clothing contacts the conducting bars in the dryer bin. The microcontroller receives the pulses and counts the pulses that are longer than a threshold length. The microcontroller issues a termination signal based on the number of counted pulses.

Abstract: A dual supply circuit uses a dual feedback control, single inductor, dual polarity boost architecture with a low side power FET for end of current recirculation sensing. A dual feedback system tracks the output voltage variations and a low side power FET end of current recirculation sensing utilizes the internal current limit sensing system. Logic defining the state of operations allows the regulator to operate in both single and dual mode to cater to wide application ranges. The positive boost regulator can be operated in a buck mode making the output voltage constant with high input supply.

Abstract: A substrate clamp ring has an edge exclusion lip with a variable bottom surface. At least a portion of that bottom surface has a height above the substrate contact level selected to minimize accumulation over time of deposited aluminum-copper alloy across lower portions of the bottom surface, and to allow the aluminum-copper alloy to be deposited to a thickness of at least 2 microns on each of a predetermined number of substrates without bridging. The height of the bottom surface at an innermost edge of the lip is preferably about 17 mils, while a height of the bottom surface over the substrate edge is preferably about 8.5 mils.

Abstract: A system for controlling the transfer of a signal sequence in a first clock domain to a plurality of other clock domains. The system comprising: detecting circuitry for detecting receipt of the signals from the clock domains and setting an update signal when all of the signals received from the clock domains have a common state; and gating circuitry for receiving the update signal and operable, when the update signal is set, to allow a next signal in the sequence to be received at the input of the first circuitry.

Abstract: A communication signal carrier on a communication channel in a digital cable receiver can be characterized as analog without exhaustively attempting to determine a symbol rate or modulation scheme of a digital carrier. The signal level in the channel is observed at different channel bandwidths, and these observations are used to differentiate between analog and digital carriers.

Abstract: A method and an equipment for cleaning masks used for photolithography steps, including at least one step of thermal treatment under pumping at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure and at a temperature greater than the ambient temperature.

Abstract: The method is for estimating the fading coefficients of a plurality of transmission channels on which signals to be sent, generated as a function of a sequence of symbols, are transmitted according to a particular modulation, e.g. AM-PSK modulation. The fading coefficients are estimated by using estimations of the transmitted symbols obtained in advance, thus obtaining DC components of the received signal by coherent demodulation locked to the phases of the transmitted AM-PSK signals, and processing these DC components. The method may not require the choice of a stochastic distribution model of the channel fading, thus it remains efficient even when the channel characteristics vary significantly. Moreover, the method works correctly even if the received stream is disturbed by inter-symbolic interference (ISI) and/or by multi-path fading.

Abstract: A microfabricated structure that includes a first layer of material on a substrate, and a second layer of material over the first layer that forms an encapsulated cavity, and a structural support layer added to the second layer. Openings can be formed in the cavity, and the cavities can be layered side by side, vertically stacked with interconnections via the openings, and a combination of both can be used to construct stacked arrays with interconnections throughout.

Abstract: In an input device, a control element is operated by a user; a pressure sensor is mechanically coupled to the control element and is provided with a monolithic body of semiconductor material housing a first sensitive element, which detects an actuation of the control element; a supporting element is connected to the pressure sensor; and connection elements electrically connect the monolithic body to the supporting element without interposition of a package. In particular, the monolithic body has electrical-contact areas carried by one main surface thereof, and the printed circuit board has conductive regions carried by a main face thereof; the connection elements are conductive bumps and electrically connect the electrical-contact areas to the conductive regions.

Abstract: A method for associating with a digital image a class of a plurality of predefined classes having respective models, the method including the phases of dividing the digital image pixel by pixel into one or more regions belonging to a set of predefined regions that differ from each other on account of their type of content, the division being effected by establishing whether or not a pixel of the image belongs to a respective region on the basis of an operation of analyzing the parameters this pixel, the analysis operation being carried out by verifying that the parameters satisfy predefined conditions and/or logico-mathematical relationships of belonging to the respective region, acquiring from the digital image divided into regions information regarding the regions that are present in it, comparing this information with at least one model characterizing a respective class of said plurality, and associating with the digital image a class on the basis of the comparison phase.

Abstract: A semiconductor electronic device that includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; a seed layer positioned on the substrate and having a notched wall extending transversely with respect to the substrate top surface, the wall defining a first recess extending into the seed layer with a height equal to a thickness of the seed layer; a first conductive nanowire in contact with the notched wall, the first conductive nanowire having a contact portion extending into the first recess and covering opposite sidewalls and a bottom of the first recess; a first insulating nanowire in contact with a sidewall of the first conductive nanowire; an insulating layer on the contact portion of the first conductive nanowire and having a first window substantially in correspondence with the contact portion of the first conductive nanowire; and a first conductive die on the insulating layer that includes a conductive contact extending into the first window and contacting the contact portion of the first conductive nano

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding media signals, includes the operations of generating at a transmitting side multiple descriptions associated to data of the media signals through a downsampling operation performed on the data, and decoding at a receiving side the multiple descriptions for reconstructing the data by merging the multiple descriptions. The operation of generating multiple descriptions further includes the operations of obtaining a spectral representation of the data, including bands associated to different ranges, the bands being obtained by a suitable quantization operation and including at least one highly quantized band, that is subjected to a higher degree of quantization. A scrambling operation is performed on the spectral representation by moving the at least one highly quantized band to a different range, the scrambling operation being performed prior the downsampling operation. In decoding, a descrambling operation is performed before the merging operation on the multiple descriptions.

Abstract: An image data file undergoes compression, such as JPEG compression. The size of the resulting compressed file is compared with a file size limit. If the file size limit is exceeded, then the compression factor may be increased. A scaler reduces the image pixel resolution if the required compression factor would otherwise exceed a predetermined limit. This may prevent a high degree of compression from providing an image of poor visual quality.