Abstract: An IC structure includes a fin structure, a contact overlying the fin structure along a first direction, and an isolation layer between the contact and the fin structure. The isolation layer is adjacent to a portion of the contact along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus with a local interconnect structure. The apparatus can include a first transistor, a second transistor, a first interconnect structure, a second interconnect structure, and a third interconnect structure. The local interconnect structure can be coupled to gate terminals of the first and second transistors and routed at a same interconnect level as reference metal lines coupled to ground and a power supply voltage. The first interconnect structure can be coupled to a source/drain terminal of the first transistor and routed above the local interconnect structure. The second interconnect structure can be coupled to a source/drain terminal of the second transistor and routed above the local interconnect structure. The third interconnect structure can be routed above the local interconnect structure and at a same interconnect level as the first and second interconnect structures.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a processor, a baseband signal processing circuit and a wireless transceiver circuit. The processor determines a transmission need, determines a transmission rate according to the transmission need and a channel condition, and provides data and information regarding the transmission rate to the baseband signal processing circuit. The information regarding the transmission rate includes at least one of a selected transmission standard, a selected physical layer data transmission rate and a selected modulation and coding scheme. The baseband signal processing circuit is coupled to the processor and processes the data according to the information regarding the transmission rate to accordingly generate a packet. The wireless transceiver circuit is coupled to the baseband signal processing circuit and transmits the packet.

Abstract: A communication device includes a radio transceiver and a collision detection device. The radio transceiver is configured to receive a wireless signal which includes an acknowledgment packet from a wireless communication channel. The acknowledgment packet includes acknowledgment information which corresponds to a plurality of transmitted packets. The collision detection device is coupled to the radio transceiver and configured to receive the acknowledgment packet, determine whether collision has occurred in the wireless communication channel according to the acknowledgment information corresponding to the transmitted packets and accordingly generate a detection result. The collision detection device determines whether collision has occurred according to a distribution of the acknowledgment information having a predetermined acknowledgment status.

Abstract: A communication device includes a packet detection circuit, a decoding circuit and a threshold decision circuit. The packet detection circuit is arranged to perform packet detection according to at least one threshold to determine whether a packet is included in a received signal. The decoding circuit is arranged to decode the packet when packet detection circuit determines that the packet is included in the received signal, and determine whether the packet is a predetermined packet. The threshold decision circuit is arranged to calculate a number of the predetermined packet received within a time period and adjust the at least one threshold according to the number of the predetermined packet.

Abstract: A communication device includes a radio transceiver and a collision detection device. The radio transceiver is configured to receive a wireless signal which includes an acknowledgment packet from a wireless communication channel. The acknowledgment packet includes acknowledgment information which corresponds to a plurality of transmitted packets. The collision detection device is coupled to the radio transceiver and configured to receive the acknowledgment packet, determine whether collision has occurred in the wireless communication channel according to the acknowledgment information corresponding to the transmitted packets and accordingly generate a detection result. The collision detection device determines whether collision has occurred according to a distribution of the acknowledgment information having a predetermined acknowledgment status.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for controlling a wireless communication device to reduce the number of retry times of data packets during transmission. The method includes steps of: using a first packet length to generate and transmit data packets; counting retry times of data packets in a predetermined time period and generating a result accordingly; and using a second packet length smaller than said first packet length to generate and transmit data packets when said result is greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A communication device includes a packet detection circuit, a decoding circuit and a threshold decision circuit. The packet detection circuit is arranged to perform packet detection according to at least one threshold to determine whether a packet is included in a received signal. The decoding circuit is arranged to decode the packet when packet detection circuit determines that the packet is included in the received signal, and determine whether the packet is a predetermined packet. The threshold decision circuit is arranged to calculate a number of the predetermined packet received within a time period and adjust the at least one threshold according to the number of the predetermined packet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing dynamic statistical period adjustment regarding rate adaption (RA) are provided. The method includes: collecting respective transmission results of multiple data packets to perform parallel processing, where the parallel processing includes statistical period control and RA control. The statistical period control includes: determining whether a first loop index reaches a monitored period threshold; performing first transmitting (TX) information statistics; calculating variance of TX information statistics results; and selectively adjusting a statistical period threshold. The RA control includes: determining whether a second loop index reaches the statistical period threshold; performing second TX information statistics; and performing the RA. The statistical period control may dynamically adjust the statistical period of the RA control, to enhance transmission efficiency of the wireless communications device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing dynamic statistical period adjustment regarding rate adaption (RA) are provided. The method includes: collecting respective transmission results of multiple data packets to perform parallel processing, where the parallel processing includes statistical period control and RA control. The statistical period control includes: determining whether a first loop index reaches a monitored period threshold; performing first transmitting (TX) information statistics; calculating variance of TX information statistics results; and selectively adjusting a statistical period threshold. The RA control includes: determining whether a second loop index reaches the statistical period threshold; performing second TX information statistics; and performing the RA. The statistical period control may dynamically adjust the statistical period of the RA control, to enhance transmission efficiency of the wireless communications device.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for controlling a wireless communication device to reduce the number of retry times of data packets during transmission. The method includes steps of: using a first packet length to generate and transmit data packets; counting retry times of data packets in a predetermined time period and generating a result accordingly; and using a second packet length smaller than said first packet length to generate and transmit data packets when said result is greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for controlling a wireless communication device to transmit data packets. The method includes steps of: transmitting data packets; counting retry times of data packets in a predetermined time period and generating a result accordingly; comparing said result with a predetermined value and generating a comparison result accordingly; and reducing transmission time of data packets according to said comparison result.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for controlling a wireless communication device to transmit data packets. The method includes steps of: transmitting data packets; counting retry times of data packets in a predetermined time period and generating a result accordingly; comparing said result with a predetermined value and generating a comparison result accordingly; and reducing transmission time of data packets according to said comparison result.

Abstract: A light guiding apparatus includes at least adjacent two light-receiving devices having a first light-receiving device and a second light-receiving device. Each light-receiving device has an illuminated surface and a shady surface according to a position of incident light. A holding member is respectively disposed over the corresponding first light-receiving device. A light guiding device is disposed on the holding member. The light guiding device has a curved reflection surface and a rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism is used to guide the incident light onto a shady surface of the second light-receiving device or shield the first light-receiving device. A driving control apparatus controls the rotating mechanism for rotating the light guiding device.

Abstract: Disclosure is related to a reconfigurable sorter and a method of sorting using the sorter. The reconfigurable sorting method is adapted to the sorter essentially consisting of multiple serially-connected comparison units. The each comparison unit includes two registers. The sorter is particularly a reconfigurable device according to the number of sorted numerals. According to the exemplary embodiment, an input mode is initiated firstly. Initial values are set to the registers. The numerals are sequentially inputted to the registers. At the input mode, the values in the registers may be shifted if necessary and mutually compared in every comparison unit. The values in the registers of every comparison unit may be swapped based on the comparison. At output mode, the numerals are outputted sequentially. The values in the registers are shifted and swapped until all numerals are completely outputted. The output appears the sorted numerals with low timing latency.

Abstract: A method for signal estimation and compensation and an apparatus using the same, adapted for estimating and compensating an imbalance effect between an in-phase path and a quadrature path of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication system are provided. The method includes the following steps: receiving a signal, and using a plurality of symbols in a plurality of time frame to generate a plurality of balance coefficient groups, wherein every balance coefficient group includes a plurality of balance coefficient candidates; deriving a balance coefficient according to the balance coefficient set; and compensating the signal according to the balance coefficient.

Abstract: A receiver with Inphase-Quadrature (I-Q) imbalance compensation and an I-Q imbalance compensation method thereof are provided. The receiver chooses a first receiving signal which includes a first data and a first noise, as well as a second receiving signal which includes a second data and a second noise from a plurality of receiving signals. The first data have a first positive frequency data and a first negative frequency data, while the second data have a second positive frequency data and a second negative frequency data. The receiver calculates an I-Q imbalance compensation parameter according to the first receiving signal and the second receiving signal, and compensates for a third receiving signal according to the I-Q imbalance compensation parameter. The I-Q imbalance compensation method is applied to the receiver to implement the aforesaid operations.

Abstract: Disclosure is related to a reconfigurable sorter and a method of sorting using the sorter. The reconfigurable sorting method is adapted to the sorter essentially consisting of multiple serially-connected comparison units. The each comparison unit includes two registers. The sorter is particularly a reconfigurable device according to the number of sorted numerals. According to the exemplary embodiment, an input mode is initiated firstly. Initial values are set to the registers. The numerals are sequentially inputted to the registers. At the input mode, the values in the registers may be shifted if necessary and mutually compared in every comparison unit. The values in the registers of every comparison unit may be swapped based on the comparison. At output mode, the numerals are outputted sequentially. The values in the registers are shifted and swapped until all numerals are completely outputted. The output appears the sorted numerals with low timing latency.

Abstract: A method for signal estimation and compensation and an apparatus using the same, adapted for estimating and compensating an imbalance effect between an in-phase path and a quadrature path of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication system are provided. The method includes the following steps: receiving a signal, and using a plurality of symbols in a plurality of time frame to generate a plurality of balance coefficient groups, wherein every balance coefficient group includes a plurality of balance coefficient candidates; deriving a balance coefficient according to the balance coefficient set; and compensating the signal according to the balance coefficient.

Abstract: A receiver with Inphase-Quadrature (I-Q) imbalance compensation and an I-Q imbalance compensation method thereof are provided. The receiver chooses a first receiving signal which includes a first data and a first noise, as well as a second receiving signal which includes a second data and a second noise from a plurality of receiving signals. The first data have a first positive frequency data and a first negative frequency data, while the second data have a second positive frequency data and a second negative frequency data. The receiver calculates an I-Q imbalance compensation parameter according to the first receiving signal and the second receiving signal, and compensates for a third receiving signal according to the I-Q imbalance compensation parameter. The I-Q imbalance compensation method is applied to the receiver to implement the aforesaid operations.