Abstract: Each realization of an electric circuit design defines a frequency response. For a test lot of the design, frequency responses are measured, each at a stable value of an environment parameter, wherein the totality of the values are distributed over a parameter range. Based on the measurements, a design-specific model is defined that describes a frequency response of the design in dependence of the environment parameter. For a unit in a main lot of realizations of the design, a unit-specific frequency response is measured at a stable value of the environment parameter; the model is fitted to the response, whereby a unit-specific model is obtained; data representing the unit-specific model is stored in association with the unit; and the unit is operated in conjunction with a compensation stage configured to determine a present value of the environment parameter and compensate drift in relation to a parameter-independent reference frequency response.

Abstract: Each realization of an electric circuit design defines a frequency response. For a test lot of the design, frequency responses are measured, each at a stable value of an environment parameter, wherein the totality of the values are distributed over a parameter range. Based on the measurements, a design-specific model is defined that describes a frequency response of the design in dependence of the environment parameter. For a unit in a main lot of realizations of the design, a unit-specific frequency response is measured at a stable value of the environment parameter; the model is fitted to the response, whereby a unit-specific model is obtained; data representing the unit-specific model is stored in association with the unit; and the unit is operated in conjunction with a compensation stage configured to determine a present value of the environment parameter and compensate drift in relation to a parameter-independent reference frequency response.

Abstract: A heavy vehicle includes a drive unit arranged substantially along a longitudinal geometrical axis of the vehicle. The drive unit is inclined by being pivoted about an axis whereby the drive unit forms an angle relative to the longitudinal geometrical axis. The pivot axis is situated in an intersectional point between the longitudinal geometrical axis and a longitudinal center axis of the drive unit, and the intersectional point is situated in a position within the extension of the drive unit.

Abstract: A dual chamber cardiac pacemaker has a pulse controller for delivering stimulation pulses to the ventricle of a heart, a ventricular sensor for sensing ventricular depolarization, and a unit for identifying a beginning of an A-V interval of the heart. The pulse controller causes a ventricular stimulation pulse to be generated at a predetermined energy level after the expiration of a predetermined A-V interval. The controller prolongs the A-V interval under certain circumstances. Upon the expiration of the prolonged A-V interval, the pulse controller causes the ventricular pulse generator to emit a ventricular stimulation pulse at a higher energy level than the predetermined energy level to evoke a response in the ventricle. This allows the intrinsic heart activity to be detected and utilized, while ensuring safe pacing, as well as successful and reliable stimulation and maintaining a low power consumption during normal operation.

Abstract: In a method of etching a substrate having a surface layer of conductive material, a circuit pattern is transferred to the surface layer in a central surface area portion of the substrate by electrochemical etching. To prevent excessive current densities from forming at the periphery of the central surface area portion during the etching step, a frame adapted to attract electrical field is provided adjacent to the central surface area portion. The frame can be part of a separate frame element which is placed on the substrate before the etching step, or be incorporated in a resist coating on the substrate. The frame can be transferred to the resist coating by any suitable means, for example by photolithographic exposure through a mask with a suitable frame pattern. Alternatively, the frame can be incorporated in a prefabricated substrate element, to which the circuit pattern is transferred in the etching step.

Abstract: A SINC filter for an oversampling Sigma-Delta digital to analog converter (OSDAC) having a cascaded construction that results in reduced sensitivity to capacitor mismatch. Specifically, the SINC filter circuit filter may be defined by a transfer function H(z), which is further defined by first constituent transfer functions H1(z) and H2(z). The constituent transfer functions may be implemented in a cascaded fashion. Preferably, one of the cascaded sections includes a resistor string that defines a plurality of reference voltages. A plurality of switching elements are configured to controllably switch these reference voltages to a capacitor of a tap.

Abstract: In a method of etching a substrate (1) having a surface layer (3) of conductive material, a circuit pattern is transferred to the surface layer (3) in a central surface area portion (4) of the substrate (1) by electrochemical etching. To prevent excessive current densities from forming at the periphery of the central surface area portion (4) during the etching step, a frame (9) adapted to attract electrical field is provided adjacent to the central surface area portion (4). The frame (9) can be part of a separate frame element which is placed on the substrate (1) before the etching step, or be incorporated in a resist coating on the substrate (1). The frame (9) can be transferred to the resist coating by any suitable means, for example by photolithographic exposure through a mask with a suitable frame pattern. Alternatively, the frame (9) can be incorporated in a prefabricated substrate element, to which the circuit pattern is transferred in the etching step.

Abstract: An improved SC filter for OSDACs for asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) applications. More specifically, an improved switched-capacitance (SC) filter for an over-sampled digital to analog converter intended for use in a multi-mode analog front end for a host of ADSL applications. The SC filter is configured for low power consumption and for a low-ambient noise floor across the frequencies of interest. The SC filter is further configured to drive a resistive load of a few kohms and for low signal distortion. The SC filter lowers power consumption by decimating the input waveform and reducing the number of operational amplifiers in the circuit.

Abstract: A parallel SC ADC (switched capacitor analog-to-digital converter) includes a passive sampling technique controlled by a global clock phase to reduce the influence of the sampling phase skew. Since it does not require operational amplifiers for sampling, it is very suitable for high speed applications, and yet it can reduce the sampling-phase-skew-related distortion by 20-40 dB in a high speed, parallel SC ADC.

Abstract: A voltage-to-current converter for converting an input voltage signal into an output current signal, while providing a filtering function. The input voltage signal is converted to an intermediate current signal by an input resistance and an equivalent resistance provided by, for example, an inverting amplifier and a transistor. A current mirror having a dominant pole converts the intermediate current signal to the output voltage signal, and provides low pass filtering. The converter avoids the use of linear capacitors, and can be easily implemented in a CMOS device.

Abstract: An electric heating device (34) in which is included an electric energy source (45) which is designed as a thin film battery (45). The heating device also includes a resistor heating unit (40) comprising a first material stratum (40) consisting of an electrically conductive polymer material with PTC properties. The resistor heating unit (40) and the electric energy source (45) are disposed adjacent to one another and form a composite unit in which the major surfaces of the first material stratum (40) and thin film battery (45), respectively, face towards one another. Electrodes (42, 43) are connected, by the intermediary of a switch (48), to the poles of the battery (45) and to the resistor heating unit (40).