Abstract: A three-dimensional integrated structure may include two assembled integrated circuits respectively including two metallic lines, and at least two cavities passing through one of the integrated circuits and opening onto two locations respectively in electrical contact with the two metallic lines. The cavities may be sized to place a measuring apparatus at the bottom of the cavities, and in electrical contact with the two locations.

Abstract: An image sensor includes an analog-to-digital converter receiving a pixel signal output. The converter includes a first inverting amplifier circuit having an input and an output, the first inverting amplifier circuit including a first bias circuit having a control node and configured to source current for first inverting amplifier circuit operation. The converter further includes a second inverting amplifier circuit having an input and an output, the second inverting amplifier circuit including a second bias circuit having a control node and configured to source current for second inverting amplifier circuit operation. The output of the first inverting amplifier circuit is coupled to the input of the second inverting amplifier circuit. A positive feedback circuit couples the output of the second inverting amplifier circuit to the control node of the first bias circuit.

Abstract: A tunnel-effect power converter including first and second electrodes having opposite surfaces, wherein the first electrode includes protrusions extending towards the second electrode.

Abstract: A variable capacitance device including: first and second transistors coupled in parallel between first and second nodes of the capacitive device, a control node of the first transistor being adapted to receive a control signal, and a control node of the second transistor being adapted to receive the inverse of the control signal, wherein the first and second transistors are formed in a same semiconductor well.

Abstract: An SRAM having two capacitors connected in series between respective bit storage nodes of each memory cell. The two inverters of the memory cell are powered by a positive voltage and a low voltage. The two capacitors are connected to each other at a common node. A leakage current generator is coupled to the common node. The leakage current generator supplies to the common node a leakage current to maintain a voltage which is approximately halfway between the voltages of the high and low SRAM supplies.

Abstract: A multi-axis gyroscope includes a microelectromechanical structure configured to rotate with respective angular velocities about respective reference axes, and including detection elements, which are sensitive in respective detection directions and generate respective detection quantities as a function of projections of the angular velocities in the detection directions. The gyroscope including a reading circuit that generates electrical output signals, each correlated to a respective one of the angular velocities, as a function of the detection quantities. The reading circuit includes a combination stage that combines electrically with respect to one another electrical quantities correlated to detection quantities generated by detection elements sensitive to detection directions different from one another, so as to take into account a non-zero angle of inclination of the detection directions with respect to the reference axes.

Abstract: An integrated microelectromechanical structure is provided with: a die, having a substrate and a frame, defining inside it a detection region and having a first side extending along a first axis; a driving mass, anchored to the substrate, set in the detection region, and designed to be rotated in a plane with a movement of actuation about a vertical axis; and a first pair and a second pair of first sensing masses, suspended inside the driving mass via elastic supporting elements so as to be fixed with respect thereto in the movement of actuation and so as to perform a detection movement of rotation out of the plane in response to a first angular velocity; wherein the first sensing masses of the first pair and the first sensing masses of the second pair are aligned in respective directions, having non-zero inclinations of opposite sign with respect to the first axis.

Abstract: In a method for recovery of a dock from a received digital data stream and an apparatus for recovering a clock from a received digital data stream, phase-shifted dock signals are generated from a receiver's dock. After selecting one of the phase-shifted clock signals, two other phase-shifted clock signals are determined. Depending on sample values taken at rising/falling edges of the three selected phase-shifted clock signals, counter values are increased and compared. The selection of phase-shifted clock signals and the steps of sampling the input digital data stream, comparing the values and increasing counter values, if required, are repeatedly performed until the comparison result of the counter values indicates that one of the latter determined phase-shifted clock signals strobes the received digital data stream in the centre of a bit period.

Abstract: A variable capacitance device including: first and second transistors coupled in series by their main current nodes between first and second nodes of the device, a control node of the first transistor being adapted to receive a first control signal, and a control node of the second transistor being adapted to receive a second control signal; and control circuitry adapted to generate the first and second control signals from a selection signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor chips from a semiconductor wafer, including the steps of: fastening, on a first support frame, a second support frame having outer dimensions smaller than the outer dimensions of the first frame and greater than the inner dimensions of the first frame; arranging the wafer on a surface of a film stretched on the second frame; carrying out wafer processing operations by using equipment capable of receiving the first frame; separating the second frame from the first frame and removing the first frame; and carrying out wafer processing operations by using equipment capable of receiving the second frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is a programmable pulse width discriminator circuit operable to receive a set of parameters from a user and indicate when an input signal satisfies conditions set by the user-defined parameters. The input signal is sampled by the pulse width discriminator circuit to detect a desired state of the input signal. The user may set the parameters such that the pulse width discriminator indicates the condition wherein the number of consecutive samples for which the input signal is the desired state is (i) greater than a first threshold value, (ii) less than a second threshold value, or (iii) between the first and second threshold values. In these embodiments, the user sets the first and second threshold values and selects which set of conditions are indicated by the output of the circuit.

Abstract: A SIM module includes a SIM and a plastic support on which the SIM is attached. A discontinuity channel between the plastic support and the SIM is formed all around the SIM, the discontinuity channel being interrupted in at least two points of the plastic support attaching the SIM to the plastic support. The points are on a short side and on a long side of the SIM.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for detecting the presence of an object near a detection device, comprising: emitting pulses of an incident photon beam, detecting photodiodes which trigger avalanche after the reception by the photodiode of at least one photon of a reflected photon beam produced by a reflection of the incident beam on an object near the detection device, determining a distance between the photodiodes and an object in a detection area, as a function of the time between a transmit time of the incident beam and avalanche triggering times of the photodiodes, and correcting the distance determined as a function of a calibration measurement obtained in the absence of object in the detection area, to compensate for photon reflections on a transparent plate arranged between the photodiodes and the detection area.

Abstract: A high side driver circuit includes a driver stage having an input, an output, a first power terminal and a second power terminal, a transistor having a first power terminal, a second power terminal, and a control terminal coupled to the output of the driver stage, and a switch coupled between the second power terminal of the driver stage and the second power terminal of the transistor.

Abstract: High precision connectivity for a device under test (DUT) in an electronic test system at reduced cost and superior performance characteristics is provided by incorporating an appropriate contact structure into a printed circuit board (PCB) of the electronic test system. Alternatively, a superior adapter that is formed on the basis of highly precise volume production techniques, for example using well-established semiconductor materials and related manufacturing techniques, is provided to support high precision connectivity.

Abstract: A driving circuit includes a controller, a converter and a feedback module. The controller receives an input supply at a supply node, and generates a control signal according to the input supply. The converter receive an input signal at an input node and a control signal at a control node, and is configured to convert the input signal to a driving signal in response to the control signal. The driving signal of the converter is feedback by the feedback module to the controller. The input supply is generated from the input signal or the feedback driving signal. The drive circuit may drive a display device.

Abstract: A method determines a resonance frequency of a resonant device. The method includes stimulating the resonant device with a periodic input signal having a frequency in a frequency interval; determining a frequency value for said periodic input signal in said frequency interval for which a phase-difference between said periodic input signal and a corresponding periodic output signal of the resonant device is minimum; generating a flag indicating that a resonance frequency has been determined; and generating signals representing said resonance frequency as a value of the frequency of said periodic input signal.

Abstract: A method of acquiring a satellite signal includes providing a CDMA-modulated signal, defining a first search frequency interval and a first reception sensitivity, and performing a first acquisition of the modulated signal according to the first sensitivity and the first frequency interval in order to provide an acquisition or failed acquisition result. In case of a failed acquisition, performing a second acquisition of the modulated signal as a function of a second search frequency interval, narrower than the first frequency interval, and a second reception sensitivity, greater than the first sensitivity and depending on a power of a side lobe of the modulated signal.

Abstract: A fully integrated ramp generator circuit includes a first current generator that sources current to first capacitor through a first transistor that is gate controlled by the complement of a periodic signal. The ramping voltage stored on the first capacitor is buffered to an output node as a ramp output signal. A second transistor couples the output node to the first current generator and is gate controlled by the periodic signal. The periodic signal is generated at the output of a flip-flop that receives an input clock signal and reset signal. The reset signal is generated by a comparator circuit operable to compare the voltage on a second capacitor to a reference. The second capacitor is charged by a second current source and discharged by a third transistor that is gate controlled by the periodic signal.

Abstract: A Local Interconnect Network (LIN) driver circuit employs a charging/discharging current applied to the gate of a driver transistor coupled to an LIN bus. The charging current includes a constant charging current and an additional soft charging current, whereas the discharging current includes a constant discharging current and an additional soft discharging current. As a result of the soft charge/discharge components, there is a significant reduction in electromagnetic emission on the LIN bus.