Abstract: A method for producing a thin-film photovoltaic device (1), comprising the following steps: providing a substrate (2); placing a photovoltaic film (3) on said substrate by stacking layers comprising at least a first conductive layer (4) forming a rear electrical contact, a second photoactive layer (5) that is absorbent in the solar spectrum and is made from an inorganic material, and a third layer (6) made from a transparent conductive material forming a front electrical contact; —dividing the photovoltaic film into a plurality of individual and interconnected photovoltaic cells (30), —forming a plurality of individual holes (31) passing at least through the first and second layers of photovoltaic film in each cell, by applying a mask (8) according to a printing method, in particular material-jet digital printing, flexography, screen printing, or pad printing, said mask having main areas defining a positive or negative stencil for said holes. The present invention is applicable in the field of solar glazing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells in a structure made up of thin films, comprising the following steps: a step of producing an intermediate product by depositing on the entirety of a substrate a layer of a conductive material, forming an absorbing layer on this layer of a conductive material, and producing holes through the stack formed by the layer of a conductive material and the absorbing layer, the layer of a conductive material forming the backside electrode; a step of depositing a transparent insulating material in the holes of the intermediate product, the absorbing layer being devoid of this material; and a step of depositing a layer forming the front side electrode, on the entirety of the product obtained.

Abstract: Thin-film photovoltaic device (1) comprising a substrate on which is deposited a photovoltaic film (3) comprising a first conductive layer forming a back electrical contact, a second photoactive layer that is absorbent in the solar spectrum and that is based on an inorganic material, and a third layer made of a transparent conductive material forming a front electrical contact, said photovoltaic film being divided to form a plurality of individual and interconnected photovoltaic cells (30), wherein it comprises a plurality of individual holes (31) at least passing through the first and second layers of the photovoltaic film in each cell, each hole having dimensions in the principle plane comprised between 10 nanometres and 400 microns, each hole being separated from the closest adjacent hole by a distance comprised between 5 nanometres and 400 microns, and each cell having an apertured area, corresponding to the area of the holes arranged in said cell in the principle plane, comprised between 10 and 90% of th

Abstract: A method for producing a thin-film photovoltaic device (1), comprising the following steps: providing a substrate (2); placing a photovoltaic film (3) on said substrate by stacking layers comprising at least a first conductive layer (4) forming a rear electrical contact, a second photoactive layer (5) that is absorbent in the solar spectrum and is made from an inorganic material, and a third layer (6) made from a transparent conductive material forming a front electrical contact; dividing the photovoltaic film into a plurality of individual and interconnected photovoltaic cells (30), forming a plurality of individual holes (31) passing at least through the first and second layers of photovoltaic film in each cell, by applying a mask (8) according to a printing method, in particular material-jet digital printing, flexography, screen printing, or pad printing, said mask having main areas defining a positive or negative stencil for said holes. The present invention is applicable in the field of solar glazing.

Abstract: An electronic device such as a computer, is provided with a processor responsive to a sleep signal being asserted to emit a sleep acknowledgement signal and enter a low power mode, and a memory which is also settable in a low power mode. The memory is, for example, a DRAM with a self refresh mode. Control of entry of the memory into its low power (or sleep) mode is effected by a sleep control circuit. This circuit sets the memory into its low power mode upon detection of the sleep acknowledgement signal emitted by the processor. Preferably, the sleep control circuit forms part of a memory controller, and the sleep acknowledgement signal is a bus transaction, that is detected by the memory controller.

Abstract: A long-haul PCI bridge pier is provided that comprises a PCI interface for connection to a PCI bus, a high speed link interface for connection to a high speed link, and a PCI adapter operative to transform PCI information received at said PCI interface into high speed information to be transmitted through the high speed interface, and operative to transform high speed information received at said high speed interface into PCI information to be transmitted through the PCI interface. The PCI bridge pier permits remote connection of a PCI bus with a high speed link such as a serial link. Two such PCI bridge piers, in combination with a high speed link may be used for implementing a long haul PCI-to-PCI bridge.

Abstract: A Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller incorporates a memory test circuit that executes, using a dedicated system, repetitive memory read and write test phases such as are executed in conventional memory test methods by programs.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying the frequency of a logic signal that may have a frequency equal to one of n discrete frequencies. The method includes the steps of sequentially transmitting trains of clock pulses of decreasing frequencies. Each clock frequency is a constant multiple of one of the discrete frequencies. The time duration of the first train of clock pulses corresponds to the measurement time duration of a logic signal at the first discrete frequency. The time duration of the i.sup.th train of pulses is such that the sum of the time durations of the first to the i.sup.th pulse trains corresponds to the measurement time duration of a logic signal at the i.sup.th discrete frequency.

Abstract: A known method for transition encoding a logic signal involves: recording for each of a succession of window periods, the position of occurence of a first transition of the logic signal during that window by noting a count value reached at the time the first transition occurs; indicating the status of the logic signal after this first transition by appropriately setting a first bit; and indicating the occurence of a second transition during the same window period by the setting of a second bit. In order to avoid wrong encodings resulting from the occurence of a third transition within the same window period, the present invention provides for the effect delaying of any such third transition until the start of the next window period.

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding successive information trains serially coded wherein each information bit is transmitted during a determined time interval, at least one level change appearing for each bit during this time interval, wherein, during the encoding, each information train is preceded by a heading having a time duration of two determined time intervals during which a code violation is carried out so that, during at least one time interval, no transition appears and wherein, while decoding, said violation is detected for finding the heading.