Abstract: A method forms an HEMT transistor of the normally off type, including: a semiconductor heterostructure, which comprises at least one first layer and one second layer, the second layer being set on top of the first layer; a trench, which extends through the second layer and a portion of the first layer; a gate region of conductive material, which extends in the trench; and a dielectric region, which extends in the trench, coats the gate region, and contacts the semiconductor heterostructure. A part of the trench is delimited laterally by a lateral structure that forms at least one first step. The semiconductor heterostructure forms a first edge and a second edge of the first step, the first edge being formed by the first layer.

Abstract: Provided is a control device is for a switching voltage regulator having a switching circuit. The control device receives input and output voltages of the switching circuit and a measurement signal indicative of a current of the switching circuit. The control device has: a feedback module that detects an error signal indicative of a difference between the output voltage and a nominal voltage, and provides a control signal as a function of the error signal; a threshold-correction module that provides offset and ramp signals; and a driving-signal generation module coupled to the feedback and threshold-correction modules, which receives the measurement signal, compares the measurement signal with a threshold and, in response, provides a modulated signal for driving the switching circuit. The threshold is a function of the control, offset and ramp signals. The threshold-correction module provides the offset signal as a function of the input or output voltages.

Abstract: A power module includes a support, a first control contact area on the support, a second control contact area on the support, a first electronic power device, a second electronic power device, a first clip, a second clip, a third clip, and a package embedding the support, the first and the second electronic power devices as well as partially the first, the second and the third clips. The first electronic power device has a first conduction pad electrically coupled to the first clip, a second conduction pad electrically coupled to the third clip, and a control pad coupled to the first control contact area. The second electronic power device has a first conduction pad electrically coupled to the third clip, a second conduction pad electrically coupled to the second clip, and a control pad coupled to the second control contact area.

Abstract: A signal processing circuit includes a filter generating a quantizer input signal from a noise shaping input signal and a quantizer output signal. A quantizer divides the quantizer input signal by a scaling factor to produce a noise shaping output signal and multiplies the noise shaping output signal by the scaling factor to produce the quantizer output signal. Receiver circuitry scales the quantizer output signal by a second scaling factor. A dynamic range optimization circuit compares a current value of the noise shaping input signal to a threshold value, lowers or raises the scaling factor in response to the comparison, and proportionally lowers or raises the scaling factor such that a ratio between the scaling factor and second scaling factor remains substantially constant.

Abstract: An audio device includes a gain step selection circuit that receives a different requested gain value and an associated requested step size from each of a plurality of sources, compares each requested gain value to a same feedback gain value and generates a polarity based thereupon, performs step polarization on each requested step size as a function of the generated polarity therefor to thereby generate a plurality of step values, and outputs a least of the plurality of step values as an output step value. An accumulator circuit generates a current input gain value based upon the output step value and the feedback gain value, and then updates the feedback gain value to be equal to the current input gain value. A normalizing circuit multiplies an input data value by the current input gain value and applies a truncation function to a result thereof to produce an output data value.

Abstract: A power MOSFET device includes an active area accommodating a first body region and a second body region having a first and, respectively, a second conductivity value. The second value is higher than the first value. A first channel region is disposed in the first body region between a first source region and a drain region, and the first channel region has and having a first channel length. A second channel region is disposed in the second body region between a second source region and the drain region, and the second channel region has and having a second channel length smaller than the first channel length. A first device portion, having a first threshold voltage, includes the first channel region, and a second device portion, having a second threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage, includes the second channel region.

Abstract: A convolutional accelerator includes a feature line buffer, a kernel buffer, a multiply-accumulate cluster, and mode control circuitry. In a first mode of operation, the mode control circuitry stores feature data in a feature line buffer and stores kernel data in a kernel buffer. The data stored in the buffers is transferred to the MAC cluster of the convolutional accelerator for processing. In a second mode of operation the mode control circuitry stores feature data in the kernel buffer and stores kernel data in the feature line buffer. The data stored in the buffers is transferred to the MAC cluster of the convolutional accelerator for processing. The second mode of operation may be employed to efficiently process 1×N kernels, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

Abstract: A low power crystal oscillator circuit having a high power part and a low power part. Oscillation is initialized using the high power part. Once the crystal is under stable oscillation, the circuit switches to the low power part and continue operation for a long duration.

Abstract: An image sensor is includes a plurality of pixels. Each of the pixels includes a silicon photoconversion region and a material that at least partially surrounds the photoconversion region. The material has a refraction index smaller than the refraction index of silicon, and the interface between the photoconversion region of the pixel and the material is configured so that at least one ray reaching the photoconversion region of the pixel undergoes a total reflection or a plurality of successive total reflections at the interface.

Abstract: A leadframe having extensions around an outer edge of a die pad are disclosed. More specifically, leadframes are created with a flange formed at the outer edge of the die pad and extending away from the die pad. The flange is bent, such that it is positioned at an angle with respect to the die pad. Leadframes are also created with anchoring posts formed adjacent the outer edge of the die pad and extending away from the die pad. The anchoring posts have a central thickness that is less than a thickness of first and second portions opposite the central portion. When the leadframe is incorporated into a package, molding compound completely surrounds each flange or anchoring post, which increases the bond strength between the leadframe and the molding compound due to increased contact area. The net result is a reduced possibility of delamination at edges of the die pad.

Abstract: An input signal has a desired signal component and an interfering signal component superimposed thereon. Interfering component estimation processing is applied to the input signal, obtaining as a result a filtered signal comprising a sequence of filtered data samples. The filtered signal is subtracted from the input signal obtaining as a result an output signal comprising a sequence of output data samples. The interfering component estimation processing applies conjugating processing to the input signal, providing a conjugated version of the input signal. An adaptive signal processing coefficient is computed and adaptive signal processing is applied to the conjugated version of the input signal using the adaptive processing coefficient.

Abstract: A method of driving an electrical load includes coupling a power supply source to a power supply pin of a driver circuit, and coupling an electrical load to at least one output pin of the driver circuit. A driver sub-circuit of the driver circuit produces at least one driving signal for driving the electrical load. The at least one driving signal is provided to the electrical load via the at least one output pin. The at least one driving signal is modulated to supply the electrical load with a load current and to subsequently interrupt the load current. A compensation current pulse is sunk from the power supply pin, at a compensation circuit of the driver circuit, in response to the load current being interrupted.

Abstract: The disclosure includes a method of authenticating a processor that includes an arithmetic and logic unit. At least one decoded operand of at least a portion of a to-be-executed opcode is received on a first terminal of the arithmetic and logic unit. A signed instruction is received on a second terminal of the arithmetic and logic unit. The signed instruction combines a decoded instruction of the to-be-executed opcode and a previous calculation result of the arithmetic and logic unit.

Abstract: A processing system includes a transmission terminal configured to provide a transmission signal, a reception terminal configured to receive a reception signal, a microprocessor programmable via software instructions, a memory controller configured to be connected to a memory, a serial communication interface, and a communication system. Specifically, the serial communication interface supports a CAN FD Light mode of operation and a UART mode of operation. For this purpose, the serial communication interface comprises a control register, a clock management circuit, a transmission shift register, a transmission control circuit, a reception shift register and a reception control circuit. Accordingly, the microprocessor can transmit and/or receive CAN FD Light or UART frames via the same serial communication interface.

Abstract: A device includes: a micromechanical sensing structure configured to provide an electrical detection quantity as a function of a load; and a package enclosing the micromechanical sensing structure and providing a mechanical and electrical interface with respect to an external environment. The package includes a housing structure defining a cavity housing the micromechanical sensing structure; and a package coating that coats, at least in part, the housing structure, the package coating including a mechanical interface configured to transfer, in a uniform manner, the load on the housing structure and on the micromechanical sensing structure, wherein the housing structure includes a deformable layer interposed and in contact between the micromechanical sensing structure and the package coating, and wherein the deformable layer defines a mechanical-coupling interface.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an electronic device includes: forming a drift layer of an N type; forming a trench in the drift layer; forming an edge-termination structure alongside the trench by implanting dopant species of a P type; and forming a depression region between the trench and the edge-termination structure by digging the drift layer. The steps of forming the depression region and the trench are carried out at the same time. The step of forming the depression region comprises patterning the drift layer to form a structural connection with the edge-termination structure having a first slope, and the step of forming the trench comprises etching the drift layer to define side walls of the trench, which have a second slope steeper than the first slope.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing a first time domain with a second time domain of a system on chip includes a detection of at least one periodic trigger event generated in the first time domain, the second time domain or in a third time domain; acquisitions, made at the instants of the at least one trigger event, of the current timestamp values representative of the instantaneous states of the time domain(s) other than the trigger time domain; a comparison, made in the third time domain, between differential durations between current timestamp values which are respectively acquired successively; and a synchronization of the second time domain with the first time domain, on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a sub-system and a reference sub-system. The reference sub-system is substantially identical to the sub-system but is non-operating by default. The integrated circuit includes a test circuit that obtains a parameter value of the sub-system and a reference parameter from the reference sub-system. The integrated circuit detects deterioration of the sub-system based on the parameter value and the reference parameter. The integrated circuit deactivates the sub-system and activates the reference sub-system responsive to detecting deterioration of the sub-system.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, electronic components integrated in the semiconductor substrate, an electric connection structure overlying the semiconductor substrate, and an conductive region, with elongated shaped, having a first and a second end. The conductive region is formed in the electric connection structure, extends over an entire length of the substrate and is not directly electrically connected to the electronic components. A first and a second synchronization connection element are electrically coupled to the first end and to the second end, respectively, of the conductive region and have each a respective synchronization connection portion facing the coupling face.

Abstract: A PFC correction circuit includes first, second, and third phase inputs coupled to three-phase power mains, with a three-phase full-wave rectifying bridge connected to an input node. First, second, and third boost inductors are respectively connected between first, second, and third phase inputs and first, second, and third taps of the three-phase full-wave rectifying bridge. A boost switch is connected between the input node and ground, and a boost diode is connected between the input node and an output node. A multiplier input driver generates a single-phase input signal as a replica of a signal at the three-phase power mains after rectification. A single-phase power factor controller generates a PWM signal from the single-phase input signal. A gate driver generates a gate drive signal from the PWM signal. The boost switch is operated by the gate drive signal.