Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting a fatigue undergone on at least one specific location of a hydraulic unit (10), the method being characterized in that the fatigue undergone on the at least on specific location is detected by at least one fatigue indicator (F) said at least one fatigue indicator arranged for being remotely queried via wirings or via a wireless connection.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a kit of parts that includes heat sink parts, each heat sink part having a contact area for contacting a surface of an electronic device. The heat sink parts are connected but are spaced apart to allow them to adjust and keep their contact areas contacting the surface of the electronic device when the surface is distorted, for example due to heating. A heat sink part includes at least two spaced apart heat sink elements which are connected.

Abstract: An event-recording circuit for recording electrical events experienced by an internal circuit in a semiconductor device is disclosed. The event-recording circuit is coupled to the internal circuit via a spark gap circuit. The spark gap circuit includes one or more encapsulated air-gap structures that are fabricated using a process flow that matches, or is adapted from, a process flow used in fabricating the semiconductor device. The event-recording circuit further includes a recording device that has an electrical property that is changed by a signal passed by the spark gap circuit, such as an ESD or EOS signal. Accordingly, a test may be performed to determine the presence, and in some cases the extent, of the change to the electrical property in a failure analysis of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a semiconductor power device and a method of assembling such a device is provided. The semiconductor power device includes a first substrate, a second substrate and an interconnect structure. The first substrate includes a switching semiconductor element, a first electrically conductive layer(s) and a first receiving element. The second substrate includes a second receiving element and a second electrically conductive layer(s). The interconnect structure provides an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer. The interconnect structure further includes a plurality of interconnect elements of an electrical conductive material. At least one of the plurality of interconnect elements is an alignment interconnect element.

Abstract: A method for checking the operation of a high-pressure fuel supply unit for an internal combustion engine, consisting in driving a high-pressure fuel injection pump by a starter, and after the engine is synchronised and fuel injection into the cylinders is shut off, in defining an initial base pressure in a high-pressure rail, in activating the injection pump by issuing successive timing and angle-setting commands, on the basis of the initial pressure, and in comparing the first pressure and the second pressure obtained in the rail by these timing and angle-setting commands, and/or by comparing at least one of the pressures with a reference pressure in order to check the operation of the high-pressure fuel supply unit for the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A method for starting a direct-injection internal combustion engine of a vehicle includes: rotating the high-pressure injection pump by a starter; measuring fuel pressure delivered by the pump, taken at two successive compression top dead centers of the pump operating in maximum output mode; establishing the pressure gradient of the fuel, on an angular reference system, based on the two successive pressure measurements; comparing the established gradient with a predefined bijective table that respectively matches a plurality of quantities of fuel to be injected and a plurality of pressure gradients; and adapting the quantity of fuel injected during the starting phase before the engine reaches steady operating speed, depending on the result of the comparison, in order to inject a quantity of fuel that corresponds, in the predefined bijective table, to the established pressure gradient, upon authorization of the first injection given by the engine control unit.

Abstract: A method for checking the operation of a high-pressure fuel supply unit for an internal combustion engine, consisting in driving a high-pressure fuel injection pump by a starter, and after the engine is synchronised and fuel injection into the cylinders is shut off, in defining an initial base pressure in a high-pressure rail, in activating the injection pump by issuing successive timing and angle-setting commands, on the basis of the initial pressure, and in comparing the first pressure and the second pressure obtained in the rail by these timing and angle-setting commands, and/or by comparing at least one of the pressures with a reference pressure in order to check the operation of the high-pressure fuel supply unit for the internal combustion engine

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a semiconductor power device and a method of assembling such a device is provided. The semiconductor power device includes a first substrate, a second substrate and an interconnect structure. The first substrate includes a switching semiconductor element, a first electrically conductive layer(s) and a first receiving element. The second substrate includes a second receiving element and a second electrically conductive layer(s). The interconnect structure provides an electrical connection between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer. The interconnect structure further includes a plurality of interconnect elements of an electrical conductive material. At least one of the plurality of interconnect elements is an alignment interconnect element.

Abstract: A method for starting a direct-injection internal combustion engine of a vehicle includes: rotating the high-pressure injection pump by a starter; measuring fuel pressure delivered by the pump, taken at two successive compression top dead centers of the pump operating in maximum output mode; establishing the pressure gradient of the fuel, on an angular reference system, based on the two successive pressure measurements; comparing the established gradient with a predefined bijective table that respectively matches a plurality of quantities of fuel to be injected and a plurality of pressure gradients; and adapting the quantity of fuel injected during the starting phase before the engine reaches steady operating speed, depending on the result of the comparison, in order to inject a quantity of fuel that corresponds, in the predefined bijective table, to the established pressure gradient, upon authorization of the first injection given by the engine control unit.