Abstract: Integrated circuit (IC) structures, computing devices, and related methods are disclosed. An IC structure includes an interlayer dielectric (ILD), an interconnect, and a liner material separating the interconnect from the ILD. The interconnect includes a first end extending to or into the ILD and a second end opposite the first end. A second portion of the interconnect extending from the second end to a first portion of the interconnect proximate to the first end does not include the liner material thereon. A method of manufacturing an IC structure includes removing an ILD from between interconnects, applying a conformal hermetic liner, applying a carbon hard mask (CHM) between the interconnects, removing a portion of the CHM, removing the conformal hermetic liner to a remaining CHM, and removing the exposed portion of the liner material to the remaining CHM to expose the second portion of the interconnects.

Abstract: Vertical thin film transistors (TFTs) including a gate electrode pillar clad with a gate dielectric. The gate dielectric is further clad with a semiconductor layer. Source or drain metallization is embedded in trenches formed in an isolation dielectric adjacent to separate regions of the semiconductor layer. During TFT operation, biasing of the gate electrode can induce one or more transistor channel within the semiconductor layer, electrically coupling together the source and drain metallization. A width of the channel may be proportional to a height of the gate electrode pillar clad by the semiconductor layer, while a length of the channel may be proportional to the spacing between contacts occupied by the semiconductor layer. In some embodiments, a memory device may include cells comprising a vertical thin film select transistor and a capacitor (1TFT-1C).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are quantum dot devices, as well as related computing devices and methods. For example, in some embodiments, a quantum dot device may include a base and a fin extending away from the base and including a quantum well layer. The device may further include a first gate disposed on a first side of the fin and a second gate disposed on a second side of the fin, different from the first side. Providing gates on different sides of a fin advantageously allows increasing the number of quantum dots which may be independently formed and manipulated in the fin. The quantum dots formed in such a device may be constrained in the x-direction by the one or more gates, in the y-direction by the fin, and in the z-direction by the quantum well layer, as discussed in detail herein. Methods for fabricating such devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments may relate to a die with a front-end and a backend. The front-end may include a transistor. The backend may include a signal line, a conductive line, and a diode that is communicatively coupled with the signal line and the conductive line. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses may provide for technology that determines the size of a graphics primitive, renders pixels associated with the graphics primitive on a per tile basis if the size exceeds a threshold, and renders the pixels associated with the graphics primitive in a mesh order if the size does not exceed the threshold. In one example, the technology discards state data associated with the graphics primitive in response to a completion of rendering the pixels associated with the graphics primitive in the mesh order.

Abstract: Microelectronic assemblies that include a lithographically-defined substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) component, and related devices and methods, are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a microelectronic assembly may include a package substrate portion having a first face and an opposing second face; and an SIW component that may include a first conductive layer on the first face of the package substrate portion, a dielectric layer on the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer on the dielectric layer, and a first conductive sidewall and an opposing second conductive sidewall in the dielectric layer, wherein the first and second conductive sidewalls are continuous structures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for scheduling threads on local and remote processing resources.

Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to sparse 3D convolution acceleration in a convolutional layer of an artificial neural network model. An embodiment of an apparatus includes one or more processors including a graphics processor to process data; and a memory for storage of data, including feature maps. The one or more processors are to provide for sparse 3D convolution acceleration by applying a shared 3D convolutional kernel/filter to an input feature map to produce an output feature map, including increasing sparsity of the input feature map by partitioning it into multiple disjoint input groups; generation of multiple disjoint output groups corresponding to the input groups by performing a convolution calculation represented by the shared 3D convolutional kernel/filter on all feature values associated with active/valid voxels of each input group to produce corresponding feature values within corresponding output groups; and outputting the output feature map by sequentially stacking the output groups.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are generally directed to an end-to-end trainable degradation restoration network (DRN) that enhances the ability of a super-resolution (SR) subnetwork to deal with noisy low-resolution images. An embodiment of a method includes estimating, by a noise estimator (NE) subnetwork of the DRN, an estimated noise map for a noisy input image; and predicting, by the SR subnetwork of the DRN, a clean upscaled image based on the input image and the noise map by, for each of multiple conditional residual dense blocks (CRDBs) stacked within one or more cascade blocks representing the SR subnetwork, adjusting, by a noise control layer of the CRDB that follows a stacked set of a multiple residual dense blocks of the CRDB, feature values of an intermediate feature map associated with the input image by applying (i) a scaling factor and (ii) an offset factor derived from the noise map.

Abstract: An embodiment of an adaptive video encoder may include technology to determine headset-related information including at least one of focus-related information and motion-related information, and determine one or more video encode parameters based on the headset-related information. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Some aspects relate to an apparatus, method and/or system of radar tracking. For example, a radar tracker may be configured to generate target tracking information corresponding to a plurality of targets in an environment of a radar device. For example, the radar tracker may include a processor configured to determine the target tracking information based on a plurality of multi-target density functions corresponding to a respective plurality of target types, and to update the plurality of multi-target density functions based on detection information corresponding to a plurality of detections in the environment. For example, the radar tracker may include an output to output the target tracking information.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are generally directed to an improved vector normalization instruction. An embodiment of a method includes responsive to receipt by a GPU of a single instruction specifying a vector normalization operation to be performed on V vectors: (i) generating V squared length values, N at a time, by a first processing unit, by, for each N sets of inputs, each representing multiple component vectors for N of the vectors, performing N parallel dot product operations on the N sets of inputs. Generating V sets of outputs representing multiple normalized component vectors of the V vectors, N at a time, by a second processing unit, by, for each N squared length values of the V squared length values, performing N parallel operations on the N squared length values, wherein each of the N parallel operations implement a combination of a reciprocal square root function and a vector scaling function.

Abstract: A security processor includes a scheduler to read input data blocks from an input buffer, send the input data blocks to one or more cryptographic circuits in a first random order; and send data blocks having random values in a second random order to one or more of the cryptographic circuits that did not receive the input data blocks.

Abstract: An embodiment of a semiconductor package apparatus may include technology to identify workload control variables, add workload flags to respective edges in a static single assignment graph, and propagate constants based on the identified workload control variables and the workload flags. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An apparatus enables a high-bandwidth 4-way data serializing (4:1 serializer) digital-to-analog converter. The apparatus uses active inductor-based bandwidth extension technique for two-stage driver enabling design of quarter-rate 4-way data serializing transmitter. The 4:1 serializer output bandwidth is extended by gate-resistor-peaked n-type transistor load working as an active inductor. A current steering switch with current source is used as the final driver. The 4:1 serializer includes a pulse width tuning technique with tunable ground voltage on the ground terminal of a pulse generator to tune an effective threshold voltage of the pulse generator. A Bessel-like LC filter is coupled to an output of the 4:1 serializer. The filter includes shunt peaking paths that provide zeros, which natively cancel large parasitic capacitance at a shunt peaking node. As such, active and passive devices including driver circuitry, ESD diodes, and any other sensing circuitry are flexibly added on any LC filter nodes.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for metadata, which corresponds to cached data, to be selectively stored to a sequestered memory region. In an embodiment, integrated circuitry evaluates whether a line of a cache can accommodate a first representation of both the data and some corresponding metadata. Where the cache line can accommodate the first representation, said first representation is generated and stored to the line. Otherwise, a second representation of the data is generated and stored to a cache line, and the metadata is stored to a sequestered memory region that is external to the cache. The cache line include an indication as to whether the metadata is represented in the cache line, or is stored in the sequestered memory region. In another embodiment, a metric of utilization of the sequestered memory region is provided to software which determines whether a capacity of the sequestered memory region is to be modified.

Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus comprises decode circuitry to decode a single instruction, the single instruction to include a field for an identifier of a first source operand, a field for an identifier of a destination operand, and a field for an opcode, the opcode to indicate execution circuitry is to program a user timer, and execution circuitry to execute the decoded instruction according to the opcode to retrieve timer program information from a location indicated by the first source operand, and program a user timer indicated by the destination operand based on the retrieved timer program information. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: There is disclosed an example of an artificial intelligence (AI) system, including: a first hardware platform; a fabric interface configured to communicatively couple the first hardware platform to a second hardware platform; a processor hosted on the first hardware platform and programmed to operate on an AI problem; and a first training accelerator, including: an accelerator hardware; a platform inter-chip link (ICL) configured to communicatively couple the first training accelerator to a second training accelerator on the first hardware platform without aid of the processor; a fabric ICL to communicatively couple the first training accelerator to a third training accelerator on a second hardware platform without aid of the processor; and a system decoder configured to operate the fabric ICL and platform ICL to share data of the accelerator hardware between the first training accelerator and second and third training accelerators without aid of the processor.

Abstract: A flit-based packetization approach is used for transmitting information between electronic components. A protocol stack can generate transaction layer packets from information received from a transmitting device, assemble the transaction layer packets into one or more flits, and protect the flits with a flit-level cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scheme and a flit-level forward error correction or parallel-forward error correction (FEC) scheme. Flit-level FEC schemes can provide improved latencies and efficiencies over per-lane FEC schemes. To improve retry probability, flits can contain information indicating whether immediately preceding flits are null flits. Receivers can avoid sending a retry request for a corrupted flit if a seceding flit indicates the corrupted flit is a null fit. Parity flits can be used to protect groups of flits and correct single-flit errors.

Abstract: A device package and method of forming the device package are described. The device package includes a dielectric on a conductive pad, a first via on a top surface of conductive pad, where the first via extends through dielectric, and a conductive trace on dielectric. The device package has a second via on dielectric, where the conductive trace connects to first and second vias, and the second via connects to an edge of conductive trace opposite from first via. The device package may have a seed on dielectric, where the seed electrically couples to conductive trace, a first seed on the top surface of conductive pad, where the first via is on first seed, and a second seed on a top surface of first via, the second seed on surfaces of second via, where the conductive trace is on second seed disposed on both first and second vias.

Abstract: A device includes a device level having a metallization structure coupled to a semiconductor device and a transistor above the device level. The transistor has a body including a single crystal group III-V or group IV semiconductor material, a source structure on a first portion of the body and a drain structure on a second portion of the body, where the source structure is separate from the drain structure. The transistor further includes a gate structure including a first gate structure portion in a recess in the body and a second gate structure portion between the source structure and the drain structure. A source contact is coupled with the source structure and a drain contact is coupled with the drain structure. The source contact is in contact with the metallization structure in the device level.

Abstract: An apparatus to facilitate broadcast remote sealing for scalable trusted execution environment provisioning is disclosed. The apparatus includes one or more processors to: request a group status report to confirm a status of a group of trusted execution platforms from a cloud service provider (CSP) providing scalable runtime validation for on-device design rule checks; validate, by a tenant, a minimum trusted computing base (TCB) declared with the group status report; determine, based on validation of the minimum TCB, whether a set of group members of the group of trusted execution platforms satisfies security requirements of the tenant; responsive to the set of group members satisfying the security requirement, utilize a group public key to encrypt a workload of the tenant; and send the encrypted workload to the CSP for storage by the CSP and subsequent execution by an execution platform of the group using a private group key.

Abstract: A microelectronic package may be fabricated having a microelectronic die stack attached to a microelectronic substrate and at least one microelectronic device, which is separate from the microelectronic die stack, attached to the microelectronic substrate within the footprint of one of the microelectronic dice within the microelectronic die stack. In one embodiment, the microelectronic die stack may have a plurality of stacked microelectronic dice, wherein one microelectronic die of the plurality of microelectronic dice has a footprint greater than the other microelectronic die of the plurality of microelectronic dice, and wherein the at least one microelectronic device is attached to the one microelectronic die of the plurality of microelectronic dice having the greater footprint.

Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of negotiating a range measurement protocol.

Abstract: A port of a computing device includes multiple receiver-transmitter pairs, each of the receiver-transmitter pairs including a respective receiver and a respective transmitter. The device further includes state machine logic that detects a training sequence received by a particular one of the receiver-transmitter pairs on a particular lane from a tester device. The training sequence includes a value to indicate a test of the particular receiver-transmitter pair by the tester device. The particular receiver-transmitter pair enters a first link state in association with the test and one or more other receiver-transmitter pairs of the port enter a second link state different from the first link state in association with the test to cause crosstalk to be generated on the particular lane during the test.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include device packages and methods of forming such packages. In an embodiment, the method of forming a device package may comprise forming a reinforcement layer over a substrate. One or more openings may be formed through the reinforcement layer. In an embodiment, a device die may be placed into one of the openings. The device die may be bonded to the substrate by reflowing one or more solder bumps positioned between the device die and the substrate. Embodiments of the invention may include a molded reinforcement layer. Alternative embodiments include a reinforcement layer that is adhered to the surface of the substrate with an adhesive layer.

Abstract: Technologies for media management for providing column data layouts for clustered data include a device having a column-addressable memory and circuitry connected to the memory. The circuitry is configured to store a data cluster of a logical matrix in the column-addressable memory with a column-based format and to read a logical column of the data cluster from the column-addressable memory with a column read operation. Reading the logical column may include reading logical column data diagonally from the column-address memory, including reading from the data cluster and a duplicate copy of the data cluster. Reading the logical column may include reading from multiple complementary logical columns. Reading the logical column may include reading logical column data diagonally with a modulo counter. The column data may bread from a partition of the column-address memory selected based on the logical column number. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a metal interconnect structure, comprising: a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate; an opening in the dielectric layer, wherein the opening has sidewalls and exposes a conductive region of at least one of the substrate and an interconnect line; an adhesive layer, comprising manganese, disposed over the conductive region and on the sidewalls; and a fill material, comprising cobalt, within the opening and on a surface of the adhesion layer. Other embodiments are described herein.

Abstract: An interface couples a controller to a physical layer (PHY) block, where the interface includes a set of data pins comprising transmit data pins to send data to the PHY block and receive data pins to receive data from the PHY block. The interface further includes a particular set of pins to implement a message bus interface, where the controller is to send a write command to the PHY block over the message bus interface to write a value to at least one particular bit of a PHY message bus register, bits of the PHY message bus register are mapped to a set of control and status signals, and the particular bit is mapped to a recalibration request signal to request that the PHY block perform a recalibration.

Abstract: A system is provided which comprises: a first circuitry to generate a first clock signal; and a second circuitry to generate a second clock signal such that: a frequency of the second clock signal is varied over a clock pulse of the first clock signal, and an average of the frequency of the second clock signal over the clock pulse of the first clock signal is substantially maintained at a target frequency.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments generally relate to methods, systems and apparatuses for directing Autonomous Driving (AD) vehicles. In one embodiment, an upcoming condition is assessed to determine the computational needs for addressing the condition. A performance value and latency requirement value are assigned to the upcoming condition. A database of available nodes in the network is then accessed to select an optimal node to conduct the required computation. The database may be configured to maintain real time information concerning performance and latency values for all available network nodes. In certain embodiments, all nodes are synchronized to maintain substantially the same database.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for approximation using polynomial functions are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor comprises decoding and execution circuitry. The decoding circuitry is to decode an instruction, where the instruction comprises a first operand specifying an output location and a second operand specifying a plurality of data element values to be computed. The execution circuitry is to execute the decoded instruction. The execution includes to compute a result for each of the plurality of data element values using a polynomial function to approximate a complex function, where the computation uses coefficients stored in a lookup location for the complex function, and where data element values within different data element value ranges use different sets of coefficients. The execution further includes to store results of the computation in the output location.

Abstract: A multichip package may include at least a package substrate, a main die mounted on the package substrate, a transceiver die mounted on the package substrate, and an optical engine die mounted on the package substrate. The main die may communicate with the transceiver die via a first high-bandwidth interconnect bridge embedded in the package substrate. The transceiver die may communicate with the optical engine die via a second high-bandwidth interconnect bridge embedded in the package substrate. The transceiver die has physical-layer circuits that directly drive the optical engine. An optical cable can be connected directly to the optical engine of the multichip package.

Abstract: In a communication device and corresponding methods, a hierarchical, reduced power, beam search process includes a hierarchical activation of the radio frequency frontend (RFFE), transceiver, and baseband integrated circuit (BBIC) for a beam searching operations. For example, a first signal metric measurements can be performed to determine signal information. An operating mode can be determined based on the signal information. In a first operating mode, one or more second signal metric measurements can be performed for a subset of beamforming configurations of the wireless communication device to determine beamforming information. In a second operating mode, one or more third signal metric measurements can be performed on the beamforming configurations to determine the beamforming information.

Abstract: Embodiments may be generally directed to techniques to cause communication of a registration request between a first end-point and a second end-point of an end-to-end path, the registration request to establish resource load monitoring for one or more resources of the end-to-end path, receive one or more acknowledgements indicating resource loads for each of the one or more resources of the end-to-end path, at least one of the acknowledgements to indicate a resource of the one or more resources is not meeting a threshold requirement for the end-to-end path, and perform an action for communication traffic utilizing the one or more resources based on the acknowledgement.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for enabling derivation and distribution of an attestation manifest for a software update image are described. In an example, these systems and methods include orchestration functions and communications, providing functionality and components for a software update process which also provides verification and attestation among multiple devices and operators.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which comprises: a plurality of dielectric layers forming a substrate, a plurality of first conductive contacts on a first surface of the substrate, a cavity in the first surface of the substrate defining a second surface parallel to the first surface, a plurality of second conductive contacts on the second surface of the substrate, one or more integrated circuit die(s) coupled with the second conductive contacts, and mold material at least partially covering the one or more integrated circuit die(s) and the first conductive contacts. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are capacitor-wirebond pad structures for integrated circuit (IC) packages, as well as related methods and devices. For example, in some embodiments, an IC package may include a die and an IC package support. The IC package support may include a capacitor, and the capacitor may include a first capacitor plate, a second capacitor plate, and a capacitor dielectric between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate. The die may be wirebonded to the first capacitor plate.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, articles, and methods are described below including operations for scalable real-time face beautification of video images.

Abstract: Described herein are embedded dynamic random-access memory (eDRAM) memory cells and arrays, as well as corresponding methods and devices. An exemplary eDRAM memory array implements a memory cell that uses a thin-film transistor (TFT) as a selector transistor. One source/drain (S/D) electrode of the TFT is coupled to a capacitor for storing a memory state of the cell, while the other S/D electrode is coupled to a bitline. The bitline may be a shallow bitline in that a thickness of the bitline may be smaller than a thickness of one or more metal interconnects provided in the same metal layer as the bitline but used for providing electrical connectivity for components outside of the memory array. Such a bitline may be formed in a separate process than said one or more metal interconnects. In an embodiment, the memory cells may be formed in a back end of line process.

Abstract: Embodiments of an access point (AP), station (STA) and method of communication are generally described herein. The AP may be configurable for multi-band operation in a plurality of frequency bands, each frequency band comprising one or more channels. The AP may select a subset of the frequency bands for which the AP is to request per-band channel availability information from the STA. The AP may transmit a Trigger Frame (TF) for a multi-band bandwidth query report polling (MB-BQRP) to request the per-band channel availability information. The AP may receive an uplink frame that includes a multi-band bandwidth query report (MB-BQR) that indicates the per-band channel availability information. The AP may determine, based on the MB-BQR, for an uplink transmission by the STA: one or more frequency bands of the subset of frequency bands, and one or more corresponding channels.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having differentiated neighboring partitioned source or drain contact structures are described. An integrated circuit structure includes a first gate stack over a first fin, and a second gate stack over a second fin. First and second epitaxial source or drain structures are at first and second ends of the first fin. Third and fourth epitaxial source or drain structures are at first and second ends of the second fin. A first conductive contact structure is coupled to one of the first or the second epitaxial source or drain structures, and has a first portion partitioned from a second portion. A second conductive contact structure is coupled to one of the third or the fourth epitaxial source or drain structures, and has a first portion partitioned from a second portion. The second conductive contact structure is neighboring the first conductive contact structure and has a composition different than a composition of the first conductive contact structure.

Abstract: Method and system for performing data movement operations is described herein. One embodiment of a method includes: storing data for a first memory address in a cache line of a memory of a first processing unit, the cache line associated with a coherency state indicating that the memory has sole ownership of the cache line; decoding an instruction for execution by a second processing unit, the instruction comprising a source data operand specifying the first memory address and a destination operand specifying a memory location in the second processing unit; and responsive to executing the decoded instruction, copying data from the cache line of the memory of the first processing unit as identified by the first memory address, to the memory location of the second processing unit, wherein responsive to the copy, the cache line is to remain in the memory and the coherency state is to remain unchanged.

Abstract: Matrix multiplication systolic array feed methods and related processing element (PE) microarchitectures for efficiently implementing systolic array generic matrix multiplier (SGEMM) in integrated circuits is provided. A systolic array architecture may include a processing element array, a column feeder array, and a row feeder array. A bandwidth of external memory may be reduced by a factor of reduction based on interleaving of the matrix data via a feeding pattern of the column feeder array and the row feeder array.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for improving provision of secret data on programmable devices. An appliance receives physical unclonable function (PUF) data pertaining to an integrated circuit. Secret data is provided to the appliance from a secret vault. Public and private PUF keys are derived based upon the PUF data. Further, ephemeral public and private keys are derived by the appliance. The public and private PUF keys, along with the ephemeral public and private keys are used to establish a secure channel for programming the secret data on the programmable device.

Abstract: A device package and a method of forming a device package are described. The device package has dies disposed on a substrate, and one or more layers with a high thermal conductivity, referred to as the highly-conductive (HC) intermediate layers, disposed on the dies on the substrate. The device package further includes a lid with legs on an outer periphery of the lid, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The legs of the lid are attached to the substrate with a sealant. The bottom surface of the lid is disposed over the one or more HC intermediate layers and the one or more dies on the substrate. The device package may also include thermal interface materials (TIMs) disposed on the HC intermediate layers. The TIMs may be disposed between the bottom surface of the lid and one or more top surfaces of the HC intermediate layers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor comprises a decoder to decode a first instruction, the first instruction comprising an opcode and at least one parameter, the opcode to identify the first instruction as an instruction associated with an indirect branch, the at least one parameter indicative of whether the indirect branch is allowed; and circuitry to generate an error message based on the at least one parameter.

Abstract: A device package and a method of forming a device package are described. The device package includes a plurality of posts disposed on a substrate. Each post has a top surface and a bottom surface that is opposite from the top surface. The device package also has one or more dies disposed on the substrate. The dies are adjacent to the plurality of posts on the substrate. The device package further includes a lid disposed above the plurality of posts and the one or more dies on the substrate. The lid has a top surface and a bottom surface that is opposite from the top surface. Lastly, an adhesive layer attaches the top surfaces of the plurality of posts and the bottom surface of the lid. The device package may also include one or more thermal interface materials (TIMs) disposed on the dies.

Abstract: A transistor cell including a deep via that is at least partially lined with a dielectric material. The deep via may extend down to a substrate over which the transistor is disposed. The deep via may be directly connected to a terminal of the transistor, such as the source or drain, to interconnect the transistor with an interconnect metallization level disposed in the substrate under the transistor, or on at opposite side of the substrate as the transistor. Parasitic capacitance associated with the close proximity of the deep via metallization to one or more terminals of the transistor may be reduced by lining at least a portion of the deep via sidewall with dielectric material, partially necking the deep via metallization in a region adjacent to the transistor.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for implementing a software defined industrial system are described herein. For example, an orchestrated system of distributed nodes may run an application, including modules implemented on the distributed nodes. In response to a node failing, a module may be redeployed to a replacement node. In an example, self-descriptive control applications and software modules are provided in the context of orchestratable distributed systems. The self-descriptive control applications may be executed by an orchestrator or like control device and use a module manifest to generate a control system application. For example, an edge control node of the industrial system may include a system on a chip including a microcontroller (MCU) to convert IO data. The system on a chip includes a central processing unit (CPU) in an initial inactive state, which may be changed to an activated state in response an activation signal.