Abstract: A circuit for processing broadcast signals that includes circuitry for receiving and processing broadcast signals which contain audio information and providing a first audio signal, and circuitry for controlling the amplitude of a received second audio signal in response to a first control signal, and providing a third audio signal wherein the circuit further comprises circuitry that receives the first audio signal and provides the second audio signal for automatically limiting the amplitude of the first audio signal in response to at least one reference signal.

Abstract: A frequency-shift modulation device includes an oscillating circuit, a phase-locked loop and a digital frequency modulation circuit. The oscillating circuit is connected to the phase-locked loop in order to produce a fixed-frequency clock signal. This clock signal is used for timing the frequency modulation circuit. A standard model crystal oscillator can be used in the oscillating circuit, given that the RF frequency of a wireless transmission signal which is produced by the modulation device is determined digitally.

Abstract: A process for determining the displacement of an entity equipped with a sensor for capturing a sequence of images, comprising a step for determining a motion vector associated with a current image as a function of at least one correlation calculation between a first block of pixels in the current image and a second block of pixels from which the vector points towards said first block of pixels, with said second block being in a previous image in the sequence of images, wherein the dimensions of the first block are determined as a function of at least a motion vector associated with a previous image in the image sequence.

Abstract: A frequency-shift modulation device includes an oscillating circuit, a phase-locked loop and a digital frequency modulation circuit. The oscillating circuit is connected to the phase-locked loop in order to produce a fixed-frequency clock signal. This clock signal is used for timing the frequency modulation circuit. A standard model crystal oscillator can be used in the oscillating circuit, given that the RF frequency of a wireless transmission signal which is produced by the modulation device is determined digitally.

Abstract: A motion capture device for communicating with a host device in order to input captured motion. The device includes an amplifier module structured to weight displacement measurements by a gain, and an adjustment module structured to adjust the gain as a function of a speed of the capture device.

Abstract: In relation to a current image from a sequence of images captured by an image sensor, in a first step, a temporary motion vector is determined as a function of reference data comprising a preceding image and a motion vector associated to the preceding image. Then, in a second step, if the temporary motion vector does not satisfy a reliability criterion, the first step is repeated in relation to a following image, on the basis of the same reference data. Otherwise, the temporary motion vector is associated with the current image.

Abstract: An image sequence sensor senses images. To associate a motion vector with an image of the sequence currently being processed, k candidate vectors are generated by adding, to a reference motion vector, respectively k search vectors. Then, a motion vector is selected from among the k candidate vectors as a function of a selection rule. Thereafter, the previous two steps are repeated m times, the reference motion vector being on the one hand, for a first iteration of the first step, an initial reference vector selected from among a set of vectors comprising at least one motion vector associated with a previous processed image and being on the other hand, for the m repetitions of the first step, the motion vector selected in the second step preceding the first step. Then, the vector obtained in the third step is associated with the image currently being processed.

Abstract: A motion estimation method is provided for processing successive images in an image sequence, with a motion vector being associated with each of the processed images. For a current image, motion vectors associated with images that precede the current image in the sequence are selected. Candidate motion vectors are generated from the motion vectors that are selected. A motion vector is elected from among the candidate motion vectors. Information that associates the elected motion vector with the current image is stored in memory. At least one of candidate motion vectors is an acceleration vector generated from the acceleration between first and second motion vectors averaged relative to a first and second images, with the first and second images being distinct and preceding the current image in the image sequence. A motion vector averaged relative to a given image is obtained from selected motion vectors associated with images preceding the given image.

Abstract: An optical mouse includes an image sensor for providing image data via an analog-to-digital converter to a correlation circuit and a motion estimation circuit to provide output signals representative of motion of the mouse. The output signals may be disabled when the mouse is lifted away from the working surface. This may be achieved by high-pass filtering the signals, summing each frame in a summer to provide a single value, and comparing this to a threshold. If the filtered and summed value exceeds the threshold, this may indicate that the image contains in-focus objects, and that the mouse is on the working surface.

Abstract: An amplification circuit is provided for the signal output from a microphone in which the signal is amplified by a differential structure amplifier. The circuit includes the pull-up voltage, which initializes the operating state of the microphone, being coupled to a first input of the differential structure amplifier and to a second input of the differential structure amplifier through a pull-up resistor.

Abstract: A method for converting an analog signal into a digital signal with automatic gain control includes inputting an analog signal into an analog-to-digital converter of a delta-sigma type having an output sampling frequency. The automatic gain control is performed in the analog-to-digital converter downstream of a delta-sigma modulator on an intermediate digital signal sampled at an intermediate sampling frequency greater than an output sampling frequency.

Abstract: A modulator including a noise shaper receiving the input signal and providing a signal coded over one bit, a phase loop including an adder and a shift register. The adder receives the signal coded over one bit, the output of the shift register, and a constant. The input of the shift register receives the adder output. A sinusoidal shaper is coupled to the output of the shift register to provide a signal modulated in frequency by the input signal. The present invention also relates to a modulation chain including a modulator.

Abstract: A modulator including a noise shaper receiving the input signal and providing a signal coded over one bit, a phase loop including an adder and a shift register. The adder receives the signal coded over one bit, the output of the shift register, and a constant. The input of the shift register receives the adder output. A sinusoidal shaper is coupled to the output of the shift register to provide a signal modulated in frequency by the input signal. The present invention also relates to a modulation chain including a modulator.

Abstract: An integrated control and regulation circuit for a power stage of a regulated power supply, includes a current generator which, when the power supply is switched on, charges a decoupling capacitor to decouple a power stage of the power supply, through a first switch. The output from a logic circuit controls this first switch, and opens it when the regulated output voltage from the power stage reaches its nominal value. Preferably, a second switch controlled by the same output from the logic circuit deactivates a regulation loop of the power stage during the start up phase and in the case of a short circuit.

Abstract: A device for generating a regulated DC voltage from a DC power supply voltage source includes a loop formed by a reference voltage generator powering an operational amplifier. The output of the operational amplifier powers the input to the reference voltage generator.

Abstract: An amplifier output stage comprises an output transistor having a control terminal coupled to a first supply rail through a controllable current source, and a main terminal connected to an output terminal of the output stage; and an auxiliary differential stage operatively connected to compare the voltage on the output terminal to a reference voltage and to pull the control terminal of the output transistor towards a second supply rail when the voltage on the output terminal reaches the reference voltage.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a signal with a 50% duty cycle comprises an oscillator that provides a first control signal, a reference generator that provides a first reference signal, a control circuit that provides a second control signal and that is responsive to the first reference signal, a first current source load inverter that provides the second reference signal and that is responsive to the second control signal, and an output circuit that provides an output signal having a duty cycle substantially equal to 50% and a frequency substantially equal to that of the first control signal. The output circuit further includes a second current source load inverter that is responsive to both the first and second control signals.

Abstract: The invention provides a demodulation PLL wherein: the first position of a switch, which is controlled by a control circuit, respectively connects the outputs of a mixer and a LP filter to high gain and low gain inputs of an oscillator when frequency signals at the inputs of the mixer have not converged sufficiently, i.e. during the PLLs tuning mode; the second position of the switch respectively connects the outputs of the mixer and the LP filter to the low gain and high gain inputs of the oscillator when the frequency signals at the inputs of the mixer and the signal levels on the input and output of the filter have converged sufficiently, i.e. during the PLLs demodulation mode.

Abstract: The invention provides a demodulation PLL wherein: the first position of a switch, which is controlled by a control circuit, respectively connects the outputs of a mixer and a LP filter to high gain and low gain inputs of an oscillator when frequency signals at the inputs of the mixer have not converged sufficiently, i.e. during the PLLs tuning mode; the second position of the switch respectively connects the outputs of the mixer and the LP filter to the low gain and high gain inputs of the oscillator when the frequency signals at the inputs of the mixer and the signal levels on the input and output of the filter have converged sufficiently, i.e. during the PLLs demodulation mode.