STMicroelectronics (Grenoble) SAS Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130057344 | DIFFERENTIAL RF AMPLIFIER - An RF amplifier including first and second branches coupled in parallel between first and second supply voltage terminals, and a differential pair including first and second transistors each having first and second main current terminals, the second main current terminal of the first transistor being coupled by a first capacitor to the first main current terminal of the second transistor, and the second main current terminal of the second transistor being coupled by a second capacitor to the first main current terminal of the first transistor, wherein the first branch includes a first resistor coupled between the first main current terminal to of the first transistor and the second capacitor, and the second branch includes a second resistor; coupled between the first main current terminal of the second transistor and the first capacitor. | 03-07-2013 |
20120266452 | DUAL THIN FILM PRECISION RESISTANCE TRIMMING - A trimmable resistor for use in an integrated circuit is trimmed using a heater. The heater is selectively coupled to a voltage source. The application of voltage to the heater causes the heater temperature to increase and produce heat. The heat permeates through a thermal separator to the trimmable resistor. The resistance of the trimmable resistor is permanently increased or decreased when the temperature of the resistor is increased to a value within a particular range of temperatures. | 10-25-2012 |
20120102538 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DECODING MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT AUDIO STREAMS USING A SINGLE AUDIO DECODER - An embodiment of the present invention discloses a system and method for decoding multiple independent encoded audio streams using a single decoder. The system includes one or more parsers, a preprocessor, an audio decoder, and a renderer. The parser extracts individual audio frames from each input audio stream. The preprocessor combines the outputs of all parsers into a single audio frame stream and enables sharing of the audio decoder among multiple independent encoded audio streams. The audio decoder decodes the single audio frame stream and provides a single decoded audio stream. And the renderer renders the individual reconstructed audio streams from the single decoded audio stream. | 04-26-2012 |
20120030540 | RAM MEMORY DEVICE SELECTIVELY PROTECTABLE WITH ECC - An SRAM memory device including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; each row of memory cells is adapted to store a RAM word; the RAM word includes a corresponding data word, a corresponding ECC word to be used for error detection and correction purposes and a corresponding applicative word to be used during debugging operations. The SRAM memory device further includes a configurable port adapted to receive a RAM word and to program corresponding memory cells of a selected row based on the received RAM word during a writing access of the SRAM memory device. The SRAM memory device further includes a memory controller unit including circuitry for selectively configuring the configurable port in one among a plurality of modes. The plurality of modes includes a first mode, wherein the configurable port is configured in such a way to disable the programming of the data word and of the corresponding ECC word of the received RAM word and at the same time enable the programming of the applicative word of the received RAM word during the writing access. The plurality of modes includes a second mode, wherein the configurable port is configured in such a way to disable the programming of the applicative word of the received RAM word and at the same time enable the programming of the data word and of the corresponding ECC word of the received RAM word during the writing access. | 02-02-2012 |
20120025348 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE COMPRISING A PASSIVE COMPONENT OF CAPACITORS AND PROCESS FOR FABRICATION - A semiconductor device includes a wafer having a frontside and a backside. The wafer is formed from at least one integrated circuit chip having an electrical connection frontside co-planar with the wafer frontside and a backside co-planar with the wafer backside. A passive component including at least one conductive plate and a dielectric plate is positioned adjacent the integrated circuit chip. An encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip and the passive component, the block having a frontside co-planar with the wafer frontside and a backside co-planar with the wafer backside. An electrical connection is made between the electrical connection frontside and the passive component. That electrical connection includes connection lines placed on the wafer frontside and wafer backside. The electrical connection further includes at least one via passing through the encapsulation block. | 02-02-2012 |
20120020039 | SURFACE-MOUNTED SHIELDED MULTICOMPONENT ASSEMBLY - A surface-mounted shielded multicomponent assembly, comprising a wafer on which several electronic components are assembled; an insulating layer conformally deposited on the structure with a thickness smaller than the height of the electronic components, comprising at least one opening emerging on a contact of said wafer; a conductive shielding layer covering the insulating layer and said at least one opening; and a resin layer covering the conductive layer. | 01-26-2012 |
20110254580 | METHOD FOR AN IMPROVED CHECKING OF REPEATABILITY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF A MEASURING CHAIN FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE TESTING - A method provides an improved checking of repeatability and reproducibility of a measuring chain, in particular for quality control by semiconductor device testing. The method includes testing steps provided for multiple and different devices to be subjected to measurement or control through a measuring system that includes at least one chain of measuring units between a testing apparatus (ATE) and each device to be subjected to measurement or control. Advantageously, the method comprises checking repeatability and reproducibility of each type of unit that forms part of the measuring chain and, after the checking, making a correlation between the various measuring chains as a whole to check repeatability and reproducibility, using a corresponding device subjected to measurement or control. | 10-20-2011 |
20110249702 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTIMATING PARAMETERS OF A SYSTEM FOR SPREADING THE SPECTRUM OF A CLOCK SIGNAL - A method to estimate parameters of a system to spread a spectrum of a first periodic signal according to a modulation period. An embodiment comprises sampling the first signal using a second periodic signal, determining based on the sampling result each occurrence where the first and second signals are synchronous, incrementing a first counter at each sampling, the first counter being reset at each said occurrence, storing at each said occurrence the last value of the first counter before the resetting, providing a third periodic signal at a first level when said last value is greater than a threshold and at a second level when said last value is smaller than the threshold, and determining the modulation period based on the period of the third signal. | 10-13-2011 |
20110248397 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING STACKED COMPONENTS - A semiconductor device includes at least one first component ( | 10-13-2011 |
20110235501 | DEVICE FOR EXCHANGING DATA BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A method for transmitting messages from first units of an integrated circuit to at least one second unit of the integrated circuit. The first units generate first digital messages and transform them into second digital messages obtained by application of an orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal transformation to the first messages. The second messages of the first units are added up and transmitted to the second unit. | 09-29-2011 |
20110204323 | SOURCE OF PHOTONS RESULTING FROM A RECOMBINATION OF LOCALIZED EXCITONS - A source of photons resulting from a recombination of localized excitons, including a semiconductor layer having a central portion surrounded with heavily-doped regions; above said central portion, a layer portion containing elements capable of being activated by excitons, coated with a first metallization; and under the semiconductor layer, a second metallization of greater extension than the first metallization. The distance between the first and second metallizations is on the order of from 10 to 60 nm; and the lateral extension of the first metallization is on the order of from λ0/10*n | 08-25-2011 |
20110181741 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TESTING AN IMAGE STABILIZING DEVICE FOR AN IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to a test process of an image stabilization system in an image capture apparatus, comprising steps of: submitting the stabilization system to rotation vibratory movements around two distinct rotation axes, measuring characteristics of rotation vibratory movements, and setting the rotation vibratory movements to setpoint position values and, taking into consideration the measured characteristics of the vibratory movements, collecting images from the image capture apparatus submitted to vibration and analyzing the collected images. | 07-28-2011 |
20110151657 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING ELECTRICAL BONDING PADS ON A WAFER - A method for fabricating electrical bonding pads on the electrical contact areas of a wafer includes producing first blocks made of a solder material, producing second blocks made of a solder material on these first blocks, and passing the blocks through an oven so as to shape the blocks into approximately domed electrical bonding pads. | 06-23-2011 |
20110141311 | CONTROL OF A DYNAMIC IMAGE SENSOR - A method and a circuit for controlling a dynamic image sensor defining, for each image, several successive time intervals of exposure of photodiode cells, starting from successive decreasing reset levels, wherein the time intervals of exposure of the image respect a homogeneous distribution of the amount of cells in ranges of brightness levels. | 06-16-2011 |
20110134612 | REBUILT WAFER ASSEMBLY - An electronic component package including an electronic component having a circuit surface, a block of resin partially surrounding the electronic component, and a multi-layer interconnection in contact with said circuit surface, wherein the multi-layer interconnection is connected to bond-pads having a pitch lower than 50 μm, and the block of resin is made of injection-molding resin. | 06-09-2011 |
20110109388 | DIFFERENTIAL RF AMPLIFIER - An RF amplifier including first and second branches coupled in parallel between first and second supply voltage terminals, and a differential pair including first and second transistors each having first and second main current terminals, the second main current terminal of the first transistor being coupled by a first capacitor to the first main current terminal of the second transistor, and the second main current terminal of the second transistor being coupled by a second capacitor to the first main current terminal of the first transistor, wherein the first branch includes a first resistor coupled between the first main current terminal of the first transistor and the second capacitor, and the second branch includes a second resistor; coupled between the first main current terminal of the second transistor and the first capacitor. | 05-12-2011 |
20110083714 | THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR - A thermoelectric generator including a membrane maintained by lateral ends and capable of taking a first shape when its temperature reaches a first threshold and a second shape when its temperature reaches a second threshold greater than the first threshold; and mechanism capable of converting the motions and the deformations of the membrane into electricity. | 04-14-2011 |
20110074536 | ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT WITH AN INDUCTOR - An electronic device which includes an electronic component having a substrate and a plurality of metal interconnection layers, the plurality of metal interconnection layers having a top surface. It further comprises a dielectric layer situated above said metal interconnection layers, a conductive layer situated above said dielectric layer, an inductor coil and a ground shield, the inductor coil being formed in the conductive layer and the ground shield being formed in a layer of said plurality of metal interconnection layers. | 03-31-2011 |
20110063033 | OUTPUT STAGE OF A CLASS-A AMPLIFIER - An output stage of an integrated class-A amplifier in a technology adapted to a first voltage and intended to be powered by a second voltage greater than the first one, including: one or several transistors of a first channel type between a first terminal of application of the second voltage and an output terminal of the stage; transistors of a second channel type between this output terminal and a second terminal of application of the second voltage, wherein: a first transistor of the second channel type has its gate directly connected to an input terminal of the stage; at least a second and a third transistors of the second channel type are in series between the output terminal and said first transistor, the gate of the second transistor being connected to the midpoint of a resistive dividing bridge between said output terminal and the gate of the third transistor, and the gate of the third transistor being biased to a fixed voltage. | 03-17-2011 |
20100325870 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING ELECTRONIC MODULES - Electronic modules are transported with respect to equipment for manipulating and testing electronic modules. The transport is formed from a thin support having openings for receiving electronic modules. A locating mechanism associated with the thin support serves to locate the support relative to transport and testing equipment. A mechanism is further provided for holding the received electronic modules within the openings during transport and testing. | 12-30-2010 |
20100290646 | SWITCHING AMPLIFIER - An amplifier having at least one switch controlled by an output voltage of a hysteresis block, wherein the hysteresis block is adapted to receive an input voltage signal based on an integration of an error signal, a low threshold voltage and a high threshold voltage, and is arranged to change the output voltage from a first value to a second value when the input voltage signal is higher than the high threshold voltage and to change the output voltage from the second value to the first value when the input voltage signal is lower than the low threshold voltage, and wherein the low threshold voltage is equal to V | 11-18-2010 |
20100244249 | SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGE - A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor die attached to a support having electrically conductive paths, the semiconductor die having a bond-pad electrically connected to the electrically a conductive path on the support by a wire-bond of a first metallic composition, the wire-bond and the bond-pad being coated with a protection layer of a second metallic composition. | 09-30-2010 |
20100225379 | ANALOG SWITCH - An analog switch including at least one first MOS transistor capable of transferring a signal from a first terminal to a second terminal; a connection circuit for bringing a substrate terminal of the first transistor to a voltage which is a function of the voltages of the first and second terminals; and a circuit for controlling a control voltage of the first transistor with the signal. | 09-09-2010 |
20100193845 | BACKSIDE ILLUMINATION SEMICONDUCTOR IMAGE SENSOR - A backside illumination semiconductor image sensor, wherein each photodetection cell includes a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type of a first doping level delimited by an insulation wall, electron-hole pairs being capable in said body after a backside illumination; on the front surface side of said body, a ring-shaped well of the second conductivity type, this well delimiting a substantially central region having its upper portion of the first conductivity type of a second doping level greater than the first doping level; and means for controlling the transfer of charge carriers from said body to said upper portion. | 08-05-2010 |
20100148339 | PROCESS FOR FABRICATING A SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENT SUPPORT, SUPPORT AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An electrical connection support for receiving a semiconductor component includes an electrical connection plate having electrical connection pads. A stand-off structure is provided over the electrical connection pads. The stand-off structure may include a supplementary layer provided on a zone of the electrical connection plate which includes the electrical connection pads of the plate and is outside of a place configured to receive a semiconductor component. The stand-off structure further includes electrical connection vias passing through the supplementary layer. These vias are electrically connected to the electrical connection pads of the plate and have outer faces for making external electrical connection (for example, to another electrical connection support in a stacked structure). | 06-17-2010 |
20100102439 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH PROTECTIVE SCREEN - A multi-layer substrate has a front face with external pads. An integrated-circuit chip is positioned inside of the multi-layer substrate. An electronic and/or electric component is also positioned inside of the substrate above the integrated-circuit chip. An electrical connection network is formed in the multi-layer substrate to selectively connect the integrated-circuit chip and component together and to the external pads. A first screen is positioned within the multi-layer substrate between the integrated-circuit chip and the electrical connection network, this first screen being connected by vias to the external pads. A second screen is position on a top (external) surface of the multi-layer substrate above the component and electrical connection network, this second screen being connected by vias to the external pads. The integrated-circuit chip is position to be inside the first and second screens. | 04-29-2010 |
20100091188 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF SECONDARY DECODED MEDIA STREAMS WITH A PRIMARY MEDIA STREAM - System and method for synchronizing one or more secondary decoded media streams to a primary decoded media stream. The system includes a media stream processor and a mixer. The media stream processor receives a primary decoded media stream and secondary decoded media streams. The media stream processor synchronizes the secondary decoded media streams with the primary decoded media stream. The output of the media stream processor is coupled to the mixer. The mixer receives its second input from the primary decoded media stream. The mixer mixes the received streams and generates a PTS value for its output media stream by extrapolating the PTS of the primary decoded media stream. | 04-15-2010 |
20100073122 | DUAL THIN FILM PRECISION RESISTANCE TRIMMING - A trimmable resistor for use in an integrated circuit is trimmed using a heater. The heater is selectively coupled to a voltage source. The application of voltage to the heater causes the heater temperature to increase and produce heat. The heat permeates through a thermal separator to the trimmable resistor. The resistance of the trimmable resistor is permanently increased or decreased when the temperature of the resistor is increased to a value within a particular range of temperatures. | 03-25-2010 |
20100046669 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING IMPERFECTIONS OF A RADIO FREQUENCY TRANSMISSION SUBSYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION APPLIANCE INCORPORATING SUCH A TRANSMISSION SUBSYSTEM - A method processes defects in a radio frequency transmission subsystem due to elements therein. The defects may include mismatch between two channels in phase quadrature in the transmission subsystem and a transposition signal leaking from a first frequency transposition stage of the transmission subsystem. The method may include calibration processing including estimating compensation parameters representative of the defects. The estimating may include delivering, into the transmission subsystem upstream of the elements creating the defects, a reference signal having a reference frequency, obtaining, downstream of the first transposition stage, of a resultant reference signal, and obtaining, from the resultant reference signal, of an approximate value for each compensation parameter. The method also may include compensating for the defects by injecting the approximate values into the transmission subsystem. | 02-25-2010 |
20100039180 | AMPLIFYING CIRCUIT - An amplifier having an output stage with a complementary pair of first and second transistors each coupled to an output node of the amplifier; control circuitry arranged to provide a control signal at a control node of the first transistor based on the voltage at an input node of the amplifier; and adjustment circuitry arranged to adjust the control signal to maintain the current through the first transistor above a minimum value. | 02-18-2010 |
20100022214 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING THE DC OFFSET OF A RADIOFREQUENCY RECEPTION SUBSYSTEM - A method may compensate for direct current (DC) offset in a radio frequency reception device. The method may include partitioning an analog portion of the reception device into a plurality of zones, for each zone, calibrating initial DC offset compensation to be applied within an operating range of a respective zone, the operating range of the other zones being limited to a threshold operating range, and determining DC offset compensation to be applied to the reception device throughout the operating range based on the basic DC offset compensations. | 01-28-2010 |
20100020903 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING THE DC OFFSET OF A RADIOFREQUENCY RECEPTION SUBSYSTEM - A method may compensate for direct current (DC) offset in a radio frequency reception device. The method may include partitioning an analog portion of the reception device into a plurality of zones, for each zone, calibrating initial DC offset compensation to be applied within an operating range of a respective zone, the operating range of the other zones being limited to a threshold operating range, and determining DC offset compensation to be applied to the reception device throughout the operating range based on the basic DC offset compensations. | 01-28-2010 |
20090257651 | COMPRESSION/DECOMPRESSION OF DIGITAL IMAGES - A method of compressing at least a part of a digital image comprises the steps of: dividing said digital image into groups of pixels; assigning a first information to each group of pixels wherein said first information indicates at least two reference colors selected for said group of pixels and, for each pixel in said group of pixels, which reference color or combination thereof is selected; assigning a second information to each group of pixels indicating a mode of compression used for said group of pixels; said first information indicating at least a third color for at least one of said groups of pixels. | 10-15-2009 |
20090251212 | SWITCHING AMPLIFIER - An amplifier having at least one switch controlled by an output voltage of a hysteresis block, wherein the hysteresis block is adapted to receive an input voltage signal based on an integration of an error signal, a low threshold voltage and a high threshold voltage, and is arranged to change the output voltage from a first value to a second value when the input voltage signal is higher than the high threshold voltage and to change the output voltage from the second value to the first value when the input voltage signal is lower than the low threshold voltage, and wherein the low threshold voltage is equal to V | 10-08-2009 |
20090212333 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A BURIED-GATE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND CORRESPONDING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor channel region and a gate region, wherein the gate region includes at least one buried part extending under the channel region. The buried part of the gate region is formed from a cavity under the channel region. The cavity is filled with a first material. An opening is made to access the first material. In one implementation, aluminum is deposited in the opening in contact with the first material. An anneal is performed to cause the aluminum to be substituted for the first material in the cavity. In another implementation, a second material different from the first material is deposited in the opening. An anneal is performed to cause an alloy of the first and second materials to be formed in the cavity. | 08-27-2009 |
20090164679 | DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE - A method for transmitting data in packets between a first circuit element and a second circuit element includes sending the data by the first circuit element followed by a reception and a storage of the data by the second circuit element. A data transmission flow control operation detects an event signaling an imminent state of congestion of the data stored by the second circuit element. In response thereto, the control operation stops the sending of the data from the first circuit element to the second circuit element until a delay period expires and the event is no longer detected. | 06-25-2009 |
20090147783 | Buffering architecture for packet injection and extraction in on-chip networks - This method for transferring data through a network on chip (NoC) between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, comprising:
| 06-11-2009 |
20090135299 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING A DIGITAL VIDEO STREAM AND CORRESPONDING DEVICE - According to this method for processing a digital video stream of colour images intended to be displayed on a matrix screen formed of macropixels having at least four subpixels each, the colour components of each image are transformed into an RGB format based on a polygonal representation of the colour components, and designed for the display of images using at least four colours by activating the four subpixels. The colour components of the image are adapted in the course of said transformation. | 05-28-2009 |
20090134514 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING ELECTRICAL BONDING PADS ON A WAFER - A method for fabricating electrical bonding pads on one face of a wafer includes the production of electrically conductive areas and electrical connection branches connecting these conductive areas. A layer of mask material is deposited and openings are produced in this mask layer which extend above said conductive areas and at least some of which extend at least partly beyond the peripheral edges of the underlying conductive areas. Blocks made of a solder material are produces in the openings by electrodeposition in a bath. The mask material is then removed along with the connection branches. The wafer is passed through or placed in an oven so as to shape, on the conductive areas, the blocks into substantially domed electrical bonding pads. | 05-28-2009 |
20090129390 | Method for transferring a stream of at least one data packet between first and second electric devices and corresponding device - Systems and methods for transferring a stream of at least one data packet between a first electronic device and second electronic device through a network-on-chip are disclosed. These systems and methods can comprise storing data packets in memory means provided in a network interface and transferring data packets from the memory means to the second electronic device. Packets can be transferred from the memory means after a quantity of packets is stored in the memory means, the quantity of packets being determined according to a value of a control parameter. | 05-21-2009 |
20090102403 | VCM CONTROL CIRCUIT - A method of controlling a moving part of a voice coil motor to move from an first position to a second position, wherein the position of the moving part is controlled by the level of an electrical signal applied to a coil of the voice coil motor, a first level of the electrical signal corresponding to the first position, and a second level of the electrical signal corresponding to the second position, the method including: at a first time, changing the electrical signal from the first level to an intermediate level, the intermediate level being chosen such that a peak overshoot of the moving part corresponds to the second position; and at a second time calculated to correspond to a delay of half an oscillation period of the moving part after the first time, changing the electrical signal to the second level. | 04-23-2009 |
20090089861 | PROGRAMMABLE DATA PROTECTION DEVICE, SECURE PROGRAMMING MANAGER SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO AN INTERCONNECT NETWORK FOR AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A data protection device for an interconnect network on chip (NoC) includes a header encoder that receives input requests for generating network packets. The encoder routes the input requests to a destination address. An access control unit controls and allows access to the destination address. The access control unit uses a memory to store access rules for controlling access to the network as a function of the destination address and of a source of the input request. | 04-02-2009 |
20080297922 | MOBILE LENS UNIT WITH DETECTION DEVICE - A lens unit including a lens barrel for receiving at least one lens, a motor arranged to displace the lens barrel between an initial position and a maximum displacement, wherein the displacement of a lens barrel is proportional to the level of an electrical signal applied to the motor when the electrical signal is between first and second levels, the first level corresponding to a level for starting movement of the lens barrel from the initial position and the second level corresponding to a level for bringing the lens barrel to the maximum displacement; a first conductor fixed to the lens barrel and arranged to make electrical contact with a second conductor when said lens barrel is at one of said initial position and said maximum displacement; and a processor arranged to detect a change in the contact situation between the first and second conductive surfaces, to determine one of said first and second levels based on level of the electrical signal at the time of the change and to generate, based on said determined level, a level of said electrical signal for a desired displacement. | 12-04-2008 |