Abstract: A device for recovering or dampening vibratory energy from a mechanical resonator, comprising: an electrical generator comprising an element for converting mechanical vibration energy into electrical charges coupled to the resonator, the electrical generator periodically transferring a portion of the electrical charges from one terminal of the conversion element to the other; a frequency variation to phase variation conversion device, comprising an injection-locked oscillator of which the free-running oscillation frequency is equal to the resonance frequency of the resonator, and supplying to the electrical generator a control signal of frequency equal to that of the signal outputted by the conversion element and of which the phase shift depends on the difference between the frequency of the signal outputted by the conversion element and the resonance frequency of the resonator.

Abstract: A detecting device configured to detect chemical or biological species in a given environment, includes a matrix-array sensor formed from opto-mechanical discs that are optically and mechanically resonant, able to bind to species of the environment, and arranged in rows and columns. The opto-mechanical discs of a given row are optically coupled to the same optical waveguide. Actuating electrodes are provided in order to ensure the mechanical resonance of the opto-mechanical discs. One p-n junction is associated with each opto-mechanical disc, the junctions of a given column being electrically connected to the same biasing electrode, so as to block the flow through the corresponding opto-mechanical disc of a parasitic electrical current.

Abstract: A bandpass filter configured to receive a temporally modulated periodic input signal Vin(t), and to deliver an output signal Vout(t), and includes, in combination: a phase comparator configured to receive, on a first input, the temporally modulated periodic input signal Vin(t) as first signal, and to generate an output signal with a variable duty cycle; coupled to an injection-locked oscillator configured to receive as input, the output signal from the phase comparator, and to generate a signal Vr(t) that is phase-offset with respect to the output signal from the phase comparator; the phase-offset signal being applied to a second input of the phase comparator as second input signal; and the output signal from the phase comparator being the output signal Vout(t) from the bandpass filter and being representative of the phase difference between the two input signals Vin(t) and Vr(t).

Abstract: A temperature sensor supplying a measurement signal varying linearly to within 10% as a function of the temperature at least over a temperature range, including an oscillator supplied by a supply voltage and supplying a first oscillating signal, said oscillator including first MOS transistors, the voltage at each internal node of the oscillator having a dynamic range equal to the supply voltage, the measuring signal corresponding to the supply voltage.

Abstract: Injection-locked oscillator comprising: a control input receiving a control signal, the value of the natural frequency of the oscillator being a function of the amplitude of the control signal; a synchronisation input receiving a periodic synchronisation signal, the oscillator outputting an output signal with a frequency equal to the frequency of the synchronisation signal, and such that a phase shift between the output signal and the synchronisation signal depends on a difference between the natural frequency of the oscillator and the frequency of the synchronisation signal; a first load impedance onto which a load signal is applied; a second load impedance; a first coupling component periodically coupling the second load impedance to the first load impedance, at the synchronisation frequency.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a delay generation circuit and the corresponding circuit.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a delay generation circuit and the corresponding circuit.

Abstract: A temperature sensor supplying a measurement signal varying linearly to within 10% as a function of the temperature at least over a temperature range, including an oscillator supplied by a supply voltage and supplying a first oscillating signal, said oscillator including first MOS transistors, the voltage at each internal node of the oscillator having a dynamic equal to the supply voltage, the measuring signal corresponding to the supply voltage.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a time delay, including a capacitive element for integrating a first current supplied by a first current source, in which the first current source includes a switched-capacitor circuit.

Abstract: An interface circuit for a sensor including: a first injection-locked oscillator having: a first input coupled to a sensor, a free-running oscillation frequency of the first injection-locked oscillator being controlled by a signal from the sensor; and a second input coupled to receive a synchronization signal at a reference frequency, the first injection-locked oscillator being adapted to generate an output signal at said reference frequency, the output signal being phase shifted with respect to the synchronization signal as a function of the signal from the sensor.

Abstract: An interface circuit for a sensor including: a first injection-locked oscillator having: a first input coupled to a sensor, a free-running oscillation frequency of the first injection-locked oscillator being controlled by a signal from the sensor; and a second input coupled to receive a synchronization signal at a reference frequency, the first injection-locked oscillator being adapted to generate an output signal at said reference frequency, the output signal being phase shifted with respect to the synchronization signal as a function of the signal from the sensor.

Abstract: A measurement circuit for a sensor, the measurement circuit includes at least one detection branch including at least a first series of at least one dipole and a second series of at least one dipole, the series being connected in parallel and connected at their inputs to a common input terminal, each series of dipole being connected to a distinct output terminal, and an electronic circuit including a bias circuit configured to apply a bias current to the detection branch from the input terminal, and a read circuit configured to impose on each output terminal the same potential referred to as the “reference potential” (VREF); the electronic circuit including a determination circuit for determining variations in impedances of each series of dipole of the detection branch on the basis of the current applied to each output terminal by the read circuit so as to keep the potentials equal.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop double-point modulator may include a frequency divider having a ratio which can be changed by a first modulation signal, and an oscillator, a frequency of which can be changed by a second modulation signal correlated to the first modulation signal. A calibration circuit may be configured, in a calibration mode, to match the gains of the first and second modulation signals based on frequency measurements of the oscillator for two different calibration values of the second modulation signal. The phase-locked double-point modulator may also include an attenuator having a constant ratio greater than 1 and placed in the path of the second modulation signal, and a selector switch configured to be controlled by the calibration circuit to reduce the ratio of the attenuator in the calibration mode.

Abstract: A fractional frequency divider including a frequency division unit for generating a reduced frequency timing signal having j pulses for every k pulses of an original timing signal, wherein j and k are each integers; and phase correction circuitry adapted to selectively shift each jth pulse of the reduced frequency timing signal by a first fixed time period.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for transmission by ultra-wide-band pulses of digital data formed with a flow of information elements, this method comprising at least one operation including sequentially encoding the information elements by modulating an oscillating signal In order to avoid the use of a bandpass filter, the oscillating signal is modulated in amplitude depending on the identity or dissimilarity of each information element relative to the preceding information element.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop double-point modulator may include a frequency divider having a ratio which can be changed by a first modulation signal, and an oscillator, a frequency of which can be changed by a second modulation signal correlated to the first modulation signal. A calibration circuit may be configured, in a calibration mode, to match the gains of the first and second modulation signals based on frequency measurements of the oscillator for two different calibration values of the second modulation signal. The phase-locked double-point modulator may also include an attenuator having a constant ratio greater than 1 and placed in the path of the second modulation signal, and a selector switch configured to be controlled by the calibration circuit to reduce the ratio of the attenuator in the calibration mode.

Abstract: A fractional frequency divider including a frequency division unit for generating a reduced frequency timing signal having j pulses for every k pulses of an original timing signal, wherein j and k are each integers; and phase correction circuitry adapted to selectively shift each jth pulse of the reduced frequency timing signal by a first fixed time period.

Abstract: A digital frequency synthesizer receiving a first signal corresponding to a periodic sequence of first pulses at a first frequency and providing a second signal corresponding to a periodic sequence of second pulses at a second frequency. The synthesizer includes a first circuit clocked by a third signal corresponding to a sequence of third pulses and obtained from the first signal, the first circuit providing a fourth digital signal which, for any set of third successive pulses, increases (decreases) on each pulse and decreases (increases) at the end of said set; and a second circuit receiving the first and fourth signals and providing, for each first pulse from among some at least of the first pulses, a second pulse which is shifted with respect to the first pulse by a duration which depends on the fourth signal.

Abstract: A circuit for providing an A.C. signal including a number N of nanomagnetic oscillators, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2, each nanomagnetic oscillator providing a periodic signal; a unit for providing a control signal that can take N values, each periodic signal being associated with one of the values of the control signal; and a multiplexer receiving the N periodic signals and the control signal and providing the A.C. signal equal to one of the periodic signals according to the value of the control signal.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for transmission by ultra-wide-band pulses of digital data formed with a flow of information elements, this method comprising at least one operation including sequentially encoding the information elements by modulating an oscillating signal In order to avoid the use of a bandpass filter, the oscillating signal is modulated in amplitude depending on the identity or dissimilarity of each information element relative to the preceding information element.