Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a resistive differential alignment monitor (RDAM), including a first variable-width resistor and a second variable-width resistor, which are members of a conductor level. Each of the resistors include a wide portion and a narrow portion. The RDAM further includes a vertical connector to each of the wide portion and the narrow portion of the first variable-width resistor, and to the wide portion and the narrow portion of the second variable-width resistor. The vertical connectors are members of a vertical connector level. Test terminals are coupled to the vertical connectors. The vertical connectors to the first variable-width resistor and the vertical connectors to the second variable-width resistor are separated by equal distances and are oriented anti-parallel to each other. The RDAM may be used to estimate a misalignment distance between the members of the vertical connector level and the members of the conductor level.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for inherited access permissions, thereby facilitating read and write access by called contexts. Hardware logic may enforce access permissions in the system. When a processor core executes code associated with a first context, the processor core generates a first hardware signal identifying the first context. The processor core may then switch from the first context to the second context due to the first context calling the second context. The processor core may then generate a second hardware signal identifying the calling (first) context, and then the first hardware signal identifies the called (second) context. The hardware logic that enforces the access permissions may then determine that the second context is being called and that the second context includes either direct access permissions or inherited access permissions associated with the calling (first) context.

Abstract: In described examples of a system for outputting a patterned light beam, the system includes: an illumination source; a positive optical element positioned to receive light from the illumination source and to output converging light; a reflective element positioned to receive the converging light from the positive optical element, the reflective element configured to reflect the converging light to form a scan beam; and a negative optical element to receive the scan beam from the reflective element, the negative optical element configured to output the scan beam to a field of view.

Abstract: A real time, on-the-fly data encryption system is operable to encrypt and decrypt data flow between a secure processor and an unsecure external memory system. Multiple memory segments are supported, each with its own separate encryption capability, or no encryption at all. Data integrity is ensured by hardware protection from code attempting to access data across memory segment boundaries. Protection is also provided against dictionary attacks by monitoring multiple access attempts to the same memory location.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes an input terminal; an output terminal; a delay circuit including an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal coupled of the delay circuit coupled to the input terminal; a comparator including a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal of the comparator coupled to a supply voltage terminal, the second input terminal of the comparator coupled to a reference voltage terminal; and a logic AND gate including a first input terminal, a second input terminal, a third input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal of the logic AND gate coupled to the output terminal of the comparator, the second input terminal of the logic AND gate coupled to the output terminal of the delay circuit, the third input terminal of the logic AND gate coupled to the input terminal, and the output terminal of the logic AND gate coupled to the output terminal.

Abstract: A system includes a multiplexer, an input/output (I/O) pin, a logic circuit, and a control register. The multiplexer has multiple inputs, an output, and a selection input. The logic circuit is coupled between the multiplexer and the I/O pin. The logic circuit has a first input. The control register includes first and second bit fields corresponding to the I/O pin. The first bit field is coupled to the selection input of the multiplexer, and the second bit field is coupled to the first input of the logic circuit.

Abstract: A system includes a multi-core shared memory controller (MSMC). The MSMC includes a snoop filter bank, a cache tag bank, and a memory bank. The cache tag bank is connected to both the snoop filter bank and the memory bank. The MSMC further includes a first coherent slave interface connected to a data path that is connected to the snoop filter bank. The MSMC further includes a second coherent slave interface connected to the data path that is connected to the snoop filter bank. The MSMC further includes an external memory master interface connected to the cache tag bank and the memory bank. The system further includes a first processor package connected to the first coherent slave interface and a second processor package connected to the second coherent slave interface. The system further includes an external memory device connected to the external memory master interface.

Abstract: Techniques related to executing a plurality of instructions by a processor comprising a method for executing a plurality of instructions by a processor. The method comprises detecting a pipeline hazard based on one or more instructions provided for execution by an instruction execution pipeline, beginning execution of an instruction, of the one or more instructions on the instruction execution pipeline, stalling a portion of the instruction execution pipeline based on the detected pipeline hazard, storing a register state associated with the execution of the instruction based on the stalling, determining that the pipeline hazard has been resolved, and restoring the register state to the instruction execution pipeline based on the determination.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit module utilizing dither to reduce multiplicative noise. A dither generation circuit generates a noise-shaped analog dither signal having lower amplitudes at frequencies below a cutoff frequency than at frequencies above the cutoff frequency. The noise-shaped analog dither signal is added to the input analog signal to be converted and the summed signal applied to an analog-to-digital converter The dither generation circuit may be implemented as an analog dither generator followed by an analog high-pass filter. The dither generation circuit may alternatively be implemented digitally, for example with a digital noise-shaping filter applying a high-pass digital filter to a pseudo-random binary sequence. The digital dither generation circuit may alternatively be implemented by one or more 1-bit sigma-delta modulators, each generating a bit of a digital dither sequence that is converted to analog.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a first BAW oscillator, a first coupling stage, a second BAW oscillator, and a second coupling stage. The first BAW oscillator is configured to generate a first output signal at a frequency. The first coupling stage is coupled to the first BAW oscillator, and is configured to amplify the first output signal. The second BAW oscillator is coupled to the first coupling stage, and is configured to generate a second output signal at the frequency. The second output signal differs in phase from the first output signal. The second coupling stage is coupled to the first BAW oscillator and the second BAW oscillator, and is configured to amplify the second output signal and drive the first BAW oscillator.

Abstract: An example semiconductor package comprises a patch antenna formed in a first conductor layer of a multilayer package substrate. The multilayer package substrate comprises conductor layers spaced from one another by dielectric material and coupled to one another by conductive vertical connection layers. The multilayer package substrate has a board side surface opposite a device side surface. The semiconductor package further comprises a semiconductor die mounted to the device side surface of the multilayer package substrate spaced from and coupled to the patch antenna. An antenna horn is mounted to the device side surface and aligned with the patch antenna using a mounting structure. The semiconductor package further comprises a reflector formed on a second conductor layer in the multilayer package substrate. The second conductor layer is positioned closer to the board side surface of the multilayer package substrate compared to the patch antenna.

Abstract: A synchronization circuit includes a first synchronizer having a first data input, a first clock input, and first output; a second synchronizer having a second data input, a second clock input, and a second output; selection circuitry having first, second, third and fourth inputs, and a synchronized data output, the first and second inputs coupled to the first and second outputs, respectively; and storage circuitry having a storage data input coupled to the synchronized data output, a third clock input, and a feedback output coupled to the fourth input.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes determining a target picture virtual memory access (VMA) bandwidth rate, wherein the target picture VMA bandwidth rate indicates a maximum VMA bandwidth rate for motion compensation of a picture, and verifying the target picture VMA bandwidth rate for a compressed video bit stream.

Abstract: One example described herein includes a method for fabricating integrated circuit (IC) packages. The method includes fabricating a plurality of IC dies and providing a conductive metal material sheet. The method also includes laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form a lead-frame sheet. The lead-frame sheet includes at least one of through-holes and three-dimensional locking features. The method further includes coupling the IC dies to the lead-frame sheet and coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to packaging material to form an IC package block comprising the IC packages.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one example of the description, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a hinge. The MEMS device also includes a spring tip. Additionally, the MEMS device includes a top layer including a recessed shelf and a top surface, where the recessed shelf is coupled to the hinge.

Abstract: A gate driver circuit includes first through third transistors, a first voltage clamp, and control logic. The first transistor has a first control input and first and second current terminals. The first current terminal couples to a first voltage terminal. The first voltage clamp couples between the first voltage terminal and the first control input. The second transistor couples between the first control input and the second voltage terminal. The third transistor couples between the first control input and the second voltage terminal. The third transistor is smaller than the second transistor. The control logic is configured to turn on both the second and third transistors to thereby turn on the first transistor, and the first control logic configured to turn off the second transistor after the first transistor turns on while maintaining in an on-state the third transistor to maintain the first transistor in the on-state.

Abstract: A method for decoding an encoded video bit stream in a video decoder is provided that includes determining a scan pattern type for a transform block to be decoded, decoding a column position X and a row position Y of a last non-zero coefficient in the transform block from the encoded video bit stream, selecting a column-row inverse transform order when the scan pattern type is a first type, selecting a row-column inverse transform order when the scan pattern type is a second type, and performing one dimensional (1D) inverse discrete cosine transformation (IDCT) computations according to the selected transform order to inversely transform the transform block to generate a residual block.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a set of processor cores, wherein each processor core of the set of processor cores includes BIST logic circuitry and multiple memory blocks coupled to the BIST logic circuitry. Each processor core further includes multiple power control circuitry, where each power control circuitry of the multiple power control circuitry is coupled to a respective processor core of the set of processor cores, multiple isolation circuitry, where each isolation circuitry of the multiple isolation circuitry is coupled to a respective processor core of the set of processor cores, a built-in-self repair (BISR) controller coupled to the each of the set of processor cores, each of the multiple power control circuitry, and each of the multiple isolation circuitry, and a safety controller coupled to the BISR controller, the multiple power control circuitry, and to the multiple isolation circuitry.

Abstract: A converter includes a transformer having a primary and secondary windings. The primary winding has first and second winding terminals. A switch network has first-sixth switch network terminals. The first switch network terminal couples to the first winding terminal. The second switch network terminal couples to the second winding terminal. A first transistor has a first control input and first and second current terminals. The second current terminal couples to the third switch network terminal. A second transistor has a second control input and third and fourth current terminals. The fourth current terminal couples to the fourth switch network terminal. A third transistor has a third control input and fifth and sixth current terminals. The fifth current terminal couples to the fifth switch network terminal. A fourth transistor has a fourth control input and seventh and eighth current terminals. The seventh current terminal couples to the sixth switch network terminal.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to facilitate atomic compare and swap in cache for a coherent level 1 data cache system are disclosed. An example system includes a cache storage; a cache controller coupled to the cache storage wherein the cache controller is operable to: receive a memory operation that specifies a key, a memory address, and a first set of data; retrieve a second set of data corresponding to the memory address; compare the second set of data to the key; based on the second set of data corresponding to the key, cause the first set of data to be stored at the memory address; and based on the second set of data not corresponding to the key, complete the memory operation without causing the first set of data to be stored at the memory address.