Abstract: In one example, a method comprises etching a vertical spring in a substrate, the vertical spring encompassing a device formed on a front side of the substrate. The method further comprises bonding a cap to the front side of the substrate, the cap disposed over the device and the vertical spring.

Abstract: A processor includes a plurality of execution units. At least one of the execution units is configured to determine, based on a first field of a first instruction, a number of additional instructions to execute in conjunction with the first instruction and prior to execution of the first instruction. The at least one of the execution units is further configured to determine, based on a second field of the first instruction, a subset of the additional instructions to execute atomically.

Abstract: A nanoscale thermoelectric device, which may be operated as a refrigerator or as a thermoelectric generator includes N-type and p-type active areas connected to a central terminal and end electrodes made of interconnect metal. Reducing lateral dimensions of the active areas reduces vertical thermal conduction, thus improving the efficiency of the thermoelectric device. The thermoelectric device may be integrated into the fabrication process sequence of an IC without adding process cost or complexity. Operated as a refrigerator, the central terminal may be configured to cool a selected component in the IC, such as a transistor. Operated as a thermoelectric generator with a heat source applied to the central terminal, the end terminals may provide power to a circuit in the IC.

Abstract: In some examples, a digital frequency locked loop (DFLL) device includes a phase frequency detector (PFD) configured to receive a reference clock signal and an indicator of a primary clock signal and to determine differences between periods of the reference clock signal and the indicator. The DFLL also includes a controller coupled to the PFD. The controller is configured to store digital signals indicating a first and a second of the differences determined by the PFD, determine a period error by subtracting the second difference from the first difference, and compare the period error to a programmed threshold. The DFLL also includes a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) coupled to the controller, the DCO configured to provide the primary clock signal having a frequency adjusted based on the comparison.

Abstract: An example device includes: converter circuitry having an output configured to couple to a first memory circuit from a plurality of memory circuits, the converter circuitry configured to: receive a first instruction formatted with a uniform protocol; and convert the first instruction from the uniform protocol to a protocol specific to the first memory circuit; logic circuitry having an input configured to couple to the first memory circuit, the logic circuitry configured to: receive a first result of the first instruction from the first memory circuit; and responsive to a second instruction, combine the first result with other results from ones of the plurality of memory circuits into an output.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC), comprising a fuse structure (eFuse) formed in a resistive layer over a semiconductor substrate, the eFuse subject to a change in resistance through the controlled application of a programming current from a programming voltage source connected to a first terminal of the eFuse; a blow transistor formed on or over the substrate and having a control terminal configured to cause the programming current to flow through the eFuse in response to a programming signal; an intermediate transistor formed on or over the substrate and electrically coupled in series between a second terminal of the eFuse and the blow transistor; and, control circuitry formed on or over the substrate and electrically coupled to a node between the second terminal of the eFuse and the intermediate transistor, the control circuitry configured to reduce the flow of programming current through the eFuse in the event that a voltage detected at the node reaches a threshold level.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to clock gating. An example integrated circuit includes an oscillator that outputs a clock signal to a clock gating system that generates and provides a gated clock signal to a data storage circuit. The clock gating system includes a first digital logic circuit having an input coupled to the oscillator to receive the clock signal, an active-low latch that includes an input coupled to an output of the first digital logic circuit and an input coupled to receive an enable signal, a second digital logic circuit that includes an input coupled to the oscillator and an input coupled to the output of the active-low latch, and an active-high latch that includes an input coupled to the output of the second digital logic circuit, an input coupled to receive the enable signal, and an output configured to provide a gated clock signal to the data storage circuit.

Abstract: In an example, a system includes a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor and the second transistor configured to provide current to a load. The system also includes a sense transistor coupled to the first transistor, the sense transistor configured to sense a current flowing through the first transistor. The system includes an amplifier coupled to the sense transistor, where the amplifier includes a first input, a second input, and an output. The system also includes pre-bias circuitry coupled to the amplifier, where the pre-bias circuitry is configured to provide a voltage to the first input of the amplifier responsive to the first transistor being off, where the voltage biases the amplifier.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for read-modify-write support in multi-banked data RAM cache for bank arbitration. An example data cache system includes a store queue including a plurality of bank queues including a first bank queue having a write and read port configured to receive a respective write and read operation, storage coupled to the store queue including a plurality of data banks including a first data bank having a first port configured to receive the write or the read operation, first through third multiplexers, and bank arbitration logic including first arbiters including a first arbiter and second arbiters including a second arbiter, the first arbiter coupled to the second arbiter, the second and third multiplexers, the second arbiter coupled to the first multiplexer.

Abstract: An etching composition includes phosphate ions, pyrophosphate ions, polyphosphate ions. or a combination thereof and an oxidant. The etching composition has a neutral or basic pH.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to facilitate an atomic operation and/or a histogram operation in cache pipeline are disclosed An example system includes a cache storage coupled to an arithmetic component; and a cache controller coupled to the cache storage, wherein the cache controller is operable to: receive a memory operation that specifies a set of data; retrieve the set of data from the cache storage; utilize the arithmetic component to determine a set of counts of respective values in the set of data; generate a vector representing the set of counts; and provide the vector.

Abstract: Local automatic white balance (AWB) of wide dynamic range (WDR) images is provided. Methods and systems include collecting, by an image signal processor (ISP), statistics for local AWB from at least one wide dynamic range (WDR) image received by the ISP; generating, by a processor, based on the statistics, local gain lookup tables (LUTs), one for each color channel represented in the WDR image(s), each local gain LUT providing a correlation between gain and intensity; and storing the local gain LUTs. Further processing includes, for each of multiple pixels of a WDR image to be output calculating an intensity value, accessing the local gain LUT for the color channel corresponding to that pixel using the calculated intensity value to identify a corresponding local gain value, and applying the local gain value to that pixel.

Abstract: In described examples, a memory module includes a memory array with a primary access port coupled to the memory array. Error correction logic is coupled to the memory array. A statistics register is coupled to the error correction logic. A secondary access port is coupled to the statistics register to allow access to the statistics register by an external device without using the primary interface.

Abstract: A stepper motor controller includes a first error amplifier, a second error amplifier, and a comparator. The first error amplifier has a first input adapted to be coupled to a current sensor to receive a sensed drive current, a second input adapted to receive an expected drive current and an output to provide a first error signal based on a comparison of the sensed drive current and the expected drive current. The second error amplifier has a first input adapted to be coupled to a voltage sensor to receive a sensed drive voltage, a second input coupled to the output of the first error amplifier and an output to provide a second error signal based on a comparison of the sensed drive voltage and the first error signal. The comparator has a first input adapted to receive a reference signal, a second input coupled to the output of the second error amplifier and an output to provide a stepper motor control signal based on a comparison of the reference signal and the error signal.

Abstract: A device includes a memory bank. The memory bank includes data portions of a first way group. The data portions of the first way group include a data portion of a first way of the first way group and a data portion of a second way of the first way group. The memory bank further includes data portions of a second way group. The device further includes a configuration register and a controller configured to individually allocate, based on one or more settings in the configuration register, the first way and the second way to one of an addressable memory space and a data cache.

Abstract: A caching system including a first sub-cache, and a second sub-cache coupled in parallel with the first sub-cache; wherein the second sub-cache includes line type bits configured to store an indication that a corresponding line of the second sub-cache is configured to store write-miss data.

Abstract: A digital-to-time converter (DTC) circuit. The DTC circuit includes a charge node. A variable current source has a source input and a source output. The source input is coupled to a DTC digital input and the source output is coupled to the charge node. A capacitor has a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode. The first capacitor electrode is coupled to the charge node. A comparator has a first comparator input, a second comparator input, and a comparator output. The first comparator input is coupled to the charge node, the second comparator input is coupled to a reference voltage terminal, and the comparator output is coupled to a DTC output. A pre-charge circuit has a pre-charge control input and a pre-charge output. The pre-charge control input is coupled to a DTC pre-charge input and the pre-charge output is coupled to the capacitor.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to forward and invalidate inflight data in a store queue. An example apparatus includes a cache storage, a cache controller coupled to the cache storage and operable to receive a first memory operation, determine that the first memory operation corresponds to a read miss in the cache storage, determine a victim address in the cache storage to evict in response to the read miss, issue a read-invalidate command that specifies the victim address, compare the victim address to a set of addresses associated with a set of memory operations being processed by the cache controller, and in response to the victim address matching a first address of the set of addresses corresponding to a second memory operation of the set of memory operations, provide data associated with the second memory operation.

Abstract: A technique for image processing, comprising: receiving input image data, wherein the image data is companded into a first bit depth, wherein the image data includes incomplete color values for pixels of the image data, and wherein the image data is associated with a first color space, interpolating the image data to generate color values for the incomplete color values for pixels of the image data, expanding the image data from the first bit depth to a second bit depth, wherein the color values of the expanded image data have a linear dynamic range, and wherein the second bit depth is higher than the first bit depth, converting the color values for pixels of the expanded image data from the first color space to a second color space, and compressing the color values for pixels of the image data to a third bit depth, the third bit depth lower than the second bit depth, and wherein the compressed color values have a nonlinear dynamic range.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a L2 controller, a request to perform a global operation on a L2 cache and preventing new blocking transactions from entering a pipeline coupled to the L2 cache while permitting new non-blocking transactions to enter the pipeline. Blocking transactions include read transactions and non-victim write transactions. Non-blocking transactions include response transactions, snoop transactions, and victim transactions.