Abstract: An embodiment relates to a sensor integrated on a semiconductor substrate and comprising at least one first and second photodiode including at least one first and one second p-n junction made in such a semiconductor substrate as well as at least one first and one second antireflection coating made on top of such a first and second photodiode. At least one antireflection coating of such a first and second photodiode comprises at least one first and one second different antireflection layer to make a double layer antireflection coating suitable for obtaining for the corresponding photodiode a responsivity peak at a predetermined wavelength of an optical signal incident on the sensor. An embodiment also refers to an integration process of such a sensor, as well as to an ambient light sensor made with such a sensor.

Abstract: A hardware coprocessor architecture calculates the Difference-of-Gaussian (DoG) pyramid of an input image and extracts from this the interest points to be used in several image detection algorithms. Advantages of the architecture include the possibility to process the image by stripes, namely by blocks having one dimension coincident with the input image width, in the absence of an input frame buffer and the possibility to avoid RAM memory. The coprocessor is suitable to be tightly coupled with raw image sources like sensors.

Abstract: A method for real-time quantitative detection of single-type, target nucleic acid sequences amplified using a PCR in a microwell, comprising introducing in the microwell a sample comprising target nucleic acid sequences, magnetic primers, and labelling probes; performing an amplification cycle to form labelled amplicons; attracting the magnetic primers to a surface through a magnetic field to form a layer including labelled amplification products and free magnetic primers; and detecting the labelled amplification products in the layer with a surface-specific reading method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a nitroaniline derivative of Formula I for the production of nitric oxide and for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of a disease wherein the administration of nitric oxide is beneficial. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for the production of NO irradiating a nitroaniline derivative of Formula I, a kit comprising a nitroaniline derivative of Formula I and a carrier and to a system comprising a source of radiations and a container associated to a nitroaniline derivative of Formula I. In Formula I, R and RI are each independently hydrogen or a C1-C3 alkyl group; RII is hydrogen or an alkyl group.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a control unit includes a determiner and a requestor. The determiner is configured to determine media-data rate in response to the network throughput and one of multiple fill ranges to which a level of a buffer corresponds, and the requestor is configured to request a media-file segment having the determined media-data rate. For example, such a control unit may be able to control the streaming of a video file in a way that reduces or prevents buffer underflows (i.e., video “freezes”), reduces the start-up delay, and that reduces the frequency of changes from one quality level (e.g., resolution) to another quality level, while streaming the highest-quality version of the video file that the data throughput allows. That is, the control unit seeks to maximize the streamed video quality while minimizing the number of buffer underflows, the number of changes in the streamed resolution caused by changes in the throughput, and the start-up delay.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical-acoustic-transducer assembly has: a first die integrating a MEMS sensing structure having a membrane, which has a first surface in fluid communication with a front chamber and a second surface, opposite to the first surface, in fluid communication with a back chamber of the microelectromechanical acoustic transducer, is able to undergo deformation as a function of incident acoustic-pressure waves, and faces a rigid electrode so as to form a variable-capacitance capacitor; a second die, integrating an electronic reading circuit operatively coupled to the MEMS sensing structure and supplying an electrical output signal as a function of the capacitive variation; and a package, housing the first die and the second die and having a base substrate with external electrical contacts. The first and second dice are stacked in the package and directly connected together mechanically and electrically; the package delimits at least one of the front and back chambers.

Abstract: An asynchronous level shifter electronic circuit including: a transmitter, which can be coupled to a first voltage and generates a communication signal; a receiver, which can be coupled to a second voltage; and a capacitive coupling stage, which receives the communication signal and supplies a corresponding filtered signal to the receiver. The receiver includes: a threshold device, which has an input terminal and an output terminal and switches an electrical quantity on the output terminal between a first value and a second value, as a function of corresponding transitions through a threshold of a first intermediate signal present on the input terminal, to generate a second intermediate signal; and a biasing circuit, which generates the first intermediate signal to have a d.c. component, which is a function of the second intermediate signal, and superposed on which is a variable component, which is a function of the filtered signal.

Abstract: A method for personalizing a SIM card may include loading the SIM card on a conveyor belt of a production machine, programming the SIM card, and unloading the programmed SIM card from the conveyor belt. If the intermediate result is wrong, the method may check an intermediate result of the programming and re-program the SIM card.

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 power bipolar structure is described having at least one first, one second and one third terminal and including at least one power bipolar transistor having a finger structure coupled to at least one driving block. The power bipolar transistor includes at least one elemental bipolar cell connected to these first, second and third terminals and including at least one power elemental bipolar structure corresponding to a finger of the power bipolar transistor, electrically coupled between the first and second terminals and coupled to a driving section of the driving block by at least one sensing section able to detect information on the operation of the power elemental bipolar structure, the sensing section being in turn coupled to a control circuit and supplying it with a current value as a function of the local temperature of the power elemental bipolar structure.

Abstract: An authentication method of a first module by a second module includes the steps of generating a first random datum by the second module to be sent to the first module, generating a first number by the first module starting from the first datum and by way of a private key, and generating a second number by the second module to be compared with the first number, so as to authenticate the first module. The step of generating the second number is performed starting from public parameters and is independent of the step of generating the first number.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor, including a Hall magnetic sensor, formed within a first die and configured to detect a first magnetic field, and a first anisotropic magnetoresistive magnetic sensor, having a first anisotropic magnetoresistive transducer, formed within a second die and configured to generate an electrical measurement quantity as a function of a second magnetic field. An electronic reading circuit formed within the first die, is electrically connected to the first anisotropic magnetoresistive transducer, and provides a first measure indicating the second magnetic field, on the basis of the electrical measurement quantity. The first and second dice are fixed with respect to one another and have main surfaces parallel to the same reference plane. The first magnetic field being oriented in a first direction perpendicular to the reference plane and the second magnetic field being oriented in a second direction parallel to the reference plane.

Abstract: A method of testing integrated circuits, including establishing at least a first physical communication channel between a test equipment and an integrated circuit under test by having at least a first probe of the test equipment contacting a corresponding physical contact terminal of the integrated circuit under test; having the test equipment and the integrated circuit under test exchange, over said first physical communication channel, at least two signals selected from the group including at least two test stimuli and at least two test response signals, wherein said at least two signals are exchanged by means of at least one modulated carrier wave modulated by the at least two signals.

Abstract: An embodiment of a microelectromechanical device having a first structural element, a second structural element, which is mobile with respect to the first structural element, and an elastic supporting structure, which extends between the first and second structural elements to enable a relative movement between the first and second structural elements. The microelectromechanical device moreover possesses an anti-stiction structure, which includes at least one flexible element, which is fixed only with respect to the first structural element and, in a condition of rest, is set at a first distance from the second structural element. The anti-stiction structure is designed to generate a repulsive force between the first and second structural elements in the case of relative movement by an amount greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A spark plug, including an insulator embedding a first metallic electrode axially extending therethrough from a high voltage outer end terminal to the center of the inner end of the insulator from which it protrudes; a metallic ground electrode isolated from the first electrode and having an extended inner termination facing toward the first electrode extending from the insulator tip for defining therebetween a spark gap, a resistive element connected to the ground electrode such that upon mounting the spark plug in an internal combustion engine, the ground electrode electrically connects to the engine body through the resistive element; and to a second outer termination of the ground electrode, adapted to constitute an accessible sensing terminal.

Abstract: An integrated control circuit of a switch is described, which is adapted to open or close a current path; said integrated circuit includes a comparator to compare a first signal with a second signal representative of the current flowing through said current path. The comparator outputs a third variable signal between a low logic level and a high logic level according to whether said second signal is lower than said first signal or vice versa; the integrated circuit has a driver to generate a signal to drive said switch in response to the third signal, and is configured to detect a spike on the leading edge of said second signal and to blank said third signal for a first blanking time period which depends on a turn-on delay of said switch and a second blanking period which depends on the duration of said spike on the leading edge of said second signal.