Abstract: Transmission of data frames over a channel in a communications network takes place on a slotted time base. A method comprises an evaluation, by at at least one node of the network having a frame available for transmission, of whether the channel is available for transmission. If the the channel is available for transmission, the available frame is transmitted over the channel in a subsequent slot of the slotted time base. If the channel is not available for transmission, owing to a frame (having a certain temporal length) being transmitted over the channel at a certain time, the slotted time base of the at least one node is resynchronized as a function of the frame being transmitted. The resynchronization includes identifying, as a function of the certain temporal length, an interval of delay to evaluate again in at a furture time whether the channel is available for transmission.

Abstract: A method for producing an integrated circuit pointed element is disclosed. An element has a projection with a concave part directing its concavity towards the element. The element includes a first etchable material. A zone is formed around the concave part of the element. The zone includes a second material that is less rapidly etchable than the first material for a particular etchant. The first material and the second material are etched with the particular etchant to form an open crater in the concave part and thus to form a pointed region of the element.

Abstract: A dual input single output (DISO) regulator, includes a comparator configured to receive a first and second power supply signal and to provide a first compared signal; a first switch configured to couple the first power supply source to an intermediate node, and a second switch configured to couple the second power supply source to the intermediate node; a control logic circuit, coupled to the first comparator, to the first switch, and to the second switch, and configured to receive the compared signal to control the first and the second switch in a first and second operating condition based on the compared signal. The intermediate node being biased by an intermediate power supply signal correlated to the first or second power supply signal. The DISO regulator includes a low-dropout regulator, configured to provide a regulated power supply signal based on the intermediate power supply signal.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an integrated circuit package includes a first electrode and a second electrode on a support substrate. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage differential. A dendritic migration of a migratory species can develop under the voltage differential and a non-hermetic environment. The dendritic migration is interrupted by a floating electrical barrier mounted onto the support substrate between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrical barrier includes a dam for preventing the metal migration. The dam has a height approximately equal to or greater than the largest dimension of a single atom of the migratory species. The first electrode and the second electrode can be mounted on the same side of the support substrate, or on two opposite sides of the support substrate.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a transmitter includes a transmission path configurable to generate first pilot clusters in response to a matrix, each first pilot cluster including a respective first pilot subsymbol in a first cluster position and a respective second pilot subsymbol in a second cluster position such that a vector formed by the first pilot subsymbols is orthogonal to a vector formed by the second pilot subsymbols, the matrix having a dimension related to a number of cluster positions in each of the first pilot clusters. For example, where such a transmitter transmits simultaneous orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexed (OFDM) signals (e.g., MIMO-OFDM signals) over respective channels that may impart inter-carrier interference (ICI) to the signals due to Doppler spread, the pattern of the pilot symbols that compose the pilot clusters may allow a receiver of these signals to estimate the responses of these channels more accurately than conventional receivers.

Abstract: A trench is opened in a dielectric layer. The trench is then lined with a barrier layer and a metal seed layer. The metal seed layer is non-uniformly doped and exhibits a vertical doping gradient varying as a function of trench depth. The lined trench is then filled with a metal fill material. A dielectric cap layer is then deposited over the metal filled trench. Dopant from the non-uniformly doped metal seed layer is then migrated to an interface between the metal filled trench and the dielectric cap layer to form a self-aligned metal cap.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method for manufacturing a power device being integrated on a semiconductor substrate comprising at least the steps of making, in the semiconductor substrate, at least a trench having sidewalls and a bottom, covering the sidewalls and the bottom of said at least one trench with a first insulating coating layer and making, inside said at least one trench, a conductive gate structure. An embodiment of the method provides the formation of the conductive gate structure comprising the steps of covering at least the sidewalls with a second conductive coating layer of a first conductive material; making a conductive central region of a second conductive material having a different resistivity than the first conductive material; and making a plurality of conductive bridges between said second conductive coating layer and said conductive central region.

Abstract: An embodiment of a vertical-conduction integrated electronic device formed in a body of semiconductor material which includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor material and with a first type of conductivity, the first semiconductor material having a first bandgap; an epitaxial region made of the first semiconductor material and with the first type of conductivity, which overlies the substrate and defines a first surface; and a first epitaxial layer made of a second semiconductor material, which overlies the first surface and is in direct contact with the epitaxial region, the second semiconductor material having a second bandgap narrower than the first bandgap. The body moreover includes a deep region of a second type of conductivity, extending underneath the first surface and within the epitaxial region.

Abstract: A crystal oscillator circuit is configured to output an oscillation signal. A bias circuit responds to control signal to generate a bias current for application to the crystal oscillator circuit. A current generator generates a sense current from the control signal. The sense current is compared to a reference current by a comparator circuit. The comparator circuit generates a ready signal in response to the comparison. The ready signal is indicative of whether the oscillation signal output from the crystal oscillator circuit is ready for use by other circuitry. The reference current may be generated by a circuit which replicates the bias circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microfluidic jetting device having a piezoelectric member positioned above a displaceable membrane. A voltage is applied across the piezoelectric member causing deformation of the piezoelectric member. The deformation of the piezoelectric member results in a displacement of the membrane, which is formed above a cavity. Displacement of the membrane creates pressure to jet or eject liquid from the cavity and suction liquid into the cavity through ports or apertures formed in the in membrane.

Abstract: A memory circuitry includes memory components operable in response to first edges of an internal clock; and internal clock generating circuitry to generate the internal clock in response to a system clock, wherein the first edges of the internal clock are generated in response to both a rising and a falling edge of the system clock.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of forming a copper portion surrounded by an insulating material in an integrated circuit structure, the insulating material being a first oxide, the method having steps including forming a composite material over a region of the insulating material where the copper portion is to be formed, the composite material having first and second materials, annealing such that the second material reacts with the insulating material to form a second oxide that provides a diffusion barrier to copper; and depositing a copper layer over the composite material by electrochemical deposition to form the copper portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technical solution for a unified driver used in a handheld device. An embodiment of the technical solution may comprise a unified driving method used in a handheld device, which method may comprise: determining driver types of currently installed hardware; setting a current dispatch table on the basis of the driver type and a unified dispatch table suitable for multiple hardware and driving corresponding hardware or software by calling the current dispatch table.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for displaying enabling the transmission, formatting, and display of multimedia data after a hot plug event during a start-up dead period. In particular, approaches for transmission, formatting, and display of multimedia data in the absence or non-operation of a hot plug detect system or signal, so that multimedia information can be displayed in a proper format even during the dead period when no hot plug detect signal is received.

Abstract: A DFE filter includes an input, a first filter loop coupled to the input for providing an odd bit-stream, and a second filter loop coupled to the input for providing an even bit-stream, wherein the first and second filter loops are identical and interleaved.

Abstract: A method for communicating video data on a wireless channel in a packet-switched network includes the steps of operating at a wireless terminal a compression in packets on the video data during a video coding operation, detecting wireless channel conditions and adapting control parameters of the video coding operation to the detected wireless channel conditions. The compression operation is a robust header compression operation and the step of adapting control parameters of said video coding operation is performed depending on information about the wireless channel conditions detected on a feedback channel made available in a decompression step associated with the compression operation.

Abstract: A system for noise removal is coupled to a signal unit that provides a digital signal. The noise removal system includes a transformation module to transform the digital signal into an f-digital signal, a threshold filter to generate a noiseless signal from the f-digital signal based on a threshold profile, and a signal synthesizer to provide a gain to the noiseless signal and to transform the noiseless signal into an output signal.

Abstract: The programming of a read-only memory formed of MOS transistors is set by a mask for forming an insulating layer prior to the forming of contacts of active regions of the transistors. The programming of the read-only memory cannot be determined by visible inspection of the memory.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes calibration circuitry for adjusting the bandwidth of at least one sub-converter of an interleaved analog to digital converter (ADC), the at least one sub-converter having an input switch coupled to an input line of the ADC, the calibration circuitry having a control circuit adapted to adjust a bulk voltage of a transistor forming the input switch.

Abstract: A trench is opened in a dielectric layer. The trench is then lined with a barrier layer and a metal seed layer. The metal seed layer is non-uniformly doped and exhibits a vertical doping gradient varying as a function of trench depth. The lined trench is then filled with a metal fill material. A dielectric cap layer is then deposited over the metal filled trench. Dopant from the non-uniformly doped metal seed layer is then migrated to an interface between the metal filled trench and the dielectric cap layer to form a self-aligned metal cap.