A method is provided for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC). The SSC is connected with a capacitive integrating converter to convert a received signal into a bit stream. An oscillator provides a plurality of sampling frequencies. A counter connected with the capacitive integrating converter collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is than stored in an output register. The method includes performing some conversions with different sampling frequencies from the oscillator or a frequency divider by the capacitive integrating Signal-Converter; storing the results of the samplings and using the results in the following cycle to calculate for each sampling frequency a difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency; and calculating the digital representative of the input signal from the external sensing capacitor as the reverse weighted average of the samplings of the different frequencies.
G01D 5/24 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying capacitance
G01D 3/032 - Measuring arrangements with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups of this group mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure affecting incoming signal, e.g. by averagingMeasuring arrangements with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups of this group mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure gating undesired signals
G01R 27/26 - Measuring inductance or capacitanceMeasuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance methodMeasuring loss factorMeasuring dielectric constants
G01R 31/00 - Arrangements for testing electric propertiesArrangements for locating electric faultsArrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
H03M 1/14 - Conversion in steps with each step involving the same or a different conversion means and delivering more than one bit
H03M 1/60 - Analogue/digital converters with intermediate conversion to frequency of pulses
2.
METHOD TO DISTINGUISH INDOOR VOC SOURCES AND TO ESTIMATE HUMAN GENERATED CO2 CONCENTRATION
The invention discloses a method to distinguish indoor VOC sources and to estimate human generated Carbon Dioxide (C02) concentration. The object of this invention to improve the estimated CO2 (eC02) concentration for non-industrial indoor applications will be solved by a method comprising the following steps: - observing a temporal change of a VOC concentration by measuring a present VOC concentration by a VOC sensitive sensor and comparing it with a previous VOC concentration of at least one previous measurement of the VOC concentration, - splitting the change of the VOC concentration into a human generated VOC concentration change and a non-human generated VOC concentration change, - accumulate the human generated VOC concentration change to a human generated VOC concentration, resulting in a total human generated VOC concentration (humanVOC), - calculating an estimated CO2 concentration (eC02) only from the total human generated VOC concentration (humanVOC), whereas the estimated CO2 concentration is a part of the total human generated VOC concentration.
The invention relates to an inductive proximity switch. The object of the invention to present a very simplified inductive position sensor, which can be reliably used for detecting a zero crossing of its output voltage when a target moves by will be solved by an inductive proximity switch comprising a transmitter coil, a receiver coil, an integrated circuit for excitation of the transmitter coil and a signal processing unit for processing a received signal from the receiver coil, wherein an oscillator excites a resonant circuit comprising the transmitter coil and a parallel capacitor for inducing a voltage in the receiver coil, wherein the receiver coil comprises two symmetrical segments with opposite orientation that are connected in series, wherein the transmitter coil surrounds the segments of the receiver coil or the transmitter coil is surrounded by the segments of the receiver coil.
The invention relates to an arrangement and a method performing data exchange between various integrated circuits, IC, (3,4,5,6,7) in an automotive control system wherein the data are exchanged by a bus and has the object to enable ASIL C/D system coverage and to tie various ICs (clocks, regulators, memory interfaces, sensor signal conditioners, power management ICs etc.) This is solved the data are exchanged by a bus being ASIL C/D compliant and forming a common protocol to exchange information among the integrated circuits (3,4,5,6,7). The method is solved by functions implemented within the bus as setting the frequency of operation; arbitrating roles of the integrated circuits as master or slave device; checking integrity of exchanged data; frame repetition; detecting bus stuck- at failure modes; filtering or denouncing failures and warnings from peripheral devices; detecting remote out of specification local clock; and monitoring and predicting system reliability and profiling maintenance events.
The invention discloses a method for acquisition of failure tolerant thermo-voltage in a thermocouple sensor. The object of the invention to provide a method that can compensate an insulation resistance to ground fault will be solve by a method comprising the following steps: performing four different voltage measurements by measuring at two different common mode voltage levels, each at a positive and a negative current polarity, resulting in four different measurement values nl, pI, nIl and pll, calculating a compensated thermo-voltage VTC_comp using nl, pI, nIl and pll by a digital signal processing, whereas the compensated thermo-voltage VTC_comp is independent from a local occurrence of an insulation resistance fault along a sensor wire of the thermocouple sensor.
G01K 7/10 - Arrangements for compensating for auxiliary variables, e.g. length of lead
G01K 7/02 - Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
6.
TWO-LOOP CONTROLLER ARCHITECTURE FOR DIGITAL CONTROL OF A DC-DC CONVERTER
The invention discloses a two-loop controller architecture for digital control of a DC-DC converter regulating an output voltage configured to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a power stage in dependence of a voltage error signal. The object to find an always stable controller architecture that can compensate for load transients and for abrupt changes of the set-point voltage will be solved by a controller architecture comprising an inner loop comprised an error amplifier, a main controller configured to compensate for load transients and for abrupt changes of a set-point value and a digital pulse width modulator, and an outer loop comprised a second error amplifier, a second main controller configured to compensate a voltage error of the inner loop to achieve a regulation of an output voltage around the desired set-point value and providing an input for the first error amplifier of the inner loop, wherein the combination of the inner loop and the outer loop configured to eliminate the dependency of the controller parameters with respect to components values of the power stage (1) of the DC-DC converter.
H02M 3/157 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators with digital control
The invention discloses an inductive torque sensor and a combined inductive torque and angle sensor for position sensing. The object of the invention to propose a torque sensor as well as a combined torque and angle sensor which does not require a shielding of the sensor PCB and which can provide a plausibility check of the torque sensor when using only three sensors will be solved by an inductive torque sensor for detection of torque movements comprising a stationary printed circuit board (PCB) with sensing coils, a primary target and a secondary target, whereas the primary target and secondary target each comprise of different metallic patterns, whereas each target covers 50% of the sensing coils and the combined coverage of both targets varies between 50% and 100% depending on the relative position between the two targets. The objective is also solved by a combined inductive torque and angle sensor comprising a primary target wheel, a secondary target wheel and a torsion beam, whereas the primary target wheel is centrally stacked on the torsion beam and comprises a metallic pattern for a steering angle 360° single-turn sensor and a first metallic pattern for the torque sensor, and the secondary target wheel comprises a second metallic pattern of the torque sensor.
G01D 5/20 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
G01L 3/10 - Rotary-transmission dynamometers wherein the torque-transmitting element comprises a torsionally-flexible shaft involving electric or magnetic means for indicating
8.
Method for improving EMC robustness of integrated capacitive sensors
A method is provided for improving the EMC robustness of Integrated Capacitive Sensor systems with a sensor Signal-Conditioner (SSC). The SSC is connected with a capacitive integrating converter to convert a received signal into a bit stream. An oscillator provides a plurality of sampling frequencies. A counter connected with the capacitive integrating converter collects the bit stream and calculates the digital representative of the physical input which is than stored in an output register. The method includes performing some conversions with different sampling frequencies from the oscillator or a frequency divider by the capacitive integrating Signal-Converter; storing the results of the samplings and using the results in the following cycle to calculate for each sampling frequency a difference to the prior sampling of the same frequency; and calculating the digital representative of the input signal from the external sensing capacitor as the reverse weighted average of the samplings of the different frequencies.
G01R 27/26 - Measuring inductance or capacitanceMeasuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance methodMeasuring loss factorMeasuring dielectric constants
G01D 3/032 - Measuring arrangements with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups of this group mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure affecting incoming signal, e.g. by averagingMeasuring arrangements with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups of this group mitigating undesired influences, e.g. temperature, pressure gating undesired signals
G01D 5/24 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing memberMeans for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for convertingTransducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying capacitance
G01R 31/00 - Arrangements for testing electric propertiesArrangements for locating electric faultsArrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
H03M 1/14 - Conversion in steps with each step involving the same or a different conversion means and delivering more than one bit
H03M 1/60 - Analogue/digital converters with intermediate conversion to frequency of pulses
9.
UV light sensor with stray light suppression, and a method for detecting UV light
The invention relates to a UV light sensor produced in a CMOS method, comprising a substrate that has a surface, one or more sensor elements that detect radiation and are designed in said substrate, at least one passivation layer arranged over said substrate surface, and a functional layer that is arranged over said passivation layer and designed in the form of at least one filter. The problem addressed by the invention of providing a UV light sensor which is sensitive exclusively within the UV wavelength range is solved, in terms of arrangement, by means of filters designed directly on a planar passivation layer, and stray light suppressing means around said at least one sensor element and/or around the UV light sensor. In terms of the method, the problem is solved by measuring two output signal from at least two photo diodes fitted with different filters, and by determining a mathematical relationship between the two output signals.
An optical lens has a light sensing die integrated into the optical lens. The optical lens is extended compared to a spherical optical lens such that the optical lens is elongated in order to allow for placement of the ambient light sensing die without causing any blocking or distortion of the optical lens. The shape of the optical lens and the placement of the ambient light sensing die is compensated for the change in shape compared to a spherical optical lens thus allowing for correct focal length parametrics.
A method and arrangement for setting an effective resolution of an output signal in an incremental delta-sigma analog-to-digital conversion by an incremental delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter, includes feeding a difference between an input signal and a reference voltage signal formed in a feedback branch to a first integrator. Safeguarding the stability of multi-stage incremental delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters for large input signal ranges and not requiring direct damping of the input signal, such that a direct SNR impairment with regard to the ADC-inherent noise sources can be avoided, is achieved by a virtual reference voltage in the feedback branch of the incremental delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter. The reference voltage signal is adapted to a changing input signal range by a settable reference capacitance and a clock cycle number dependent thereon is set.
A multi-phase power converter comprising a plurality of phases for generating an output voltage according to a switching signal and an input voltage, each phase of the plurality of phases comprising a switching element and inductance; wherein the plurality of phases is connected to a common star point, wherein an output capacitor is connected to the common star point. The phases of the multi-phase power converter are not identical in terms of their inductance. Therefore, at least one phase may be optimized for a low current such that, in low power operation, said at least one phase is optimal for lower current levels.
H02M 3/158 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
The present invention relates to a switchable power converter comprising a switchable power stage for generating an output voltage according to a switching signal and an input voltage by means of a switching element comprising a high-side switch and a low-side switch. In a light load mode, the controller is configured to disable, i.e. turn off, the low-side switch and to generate the switching signal to partially turn on the high-side switch during an on-time of the switching signal. Partially turning on the high-side switch is achieved by operating the high-side switch in its linear region.
H02M 3/156 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
The present invention relates to an analog co-processor for a mixed signal processing system. The analog co-processor comprises a plurality of components that cannot be manufactured in a sub-micron fabrication process. Each of the plurality of components configured to perform analog or mixed signal processing. The plurality of components may be arranged at a single substrate.
H02M 3/157 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators with digital control
The invention relates to a method for producing radiation-impermeable elements, which surround, in a shielding manner, at least one functional unit comprising a plurality of functional elements, wherein the functional unit has a top side, a back side, and peripheral side edges, and wherein a plurality of functional units is jointly produced contiguously in a wafer combination. The problem addressed by the invention is that of preventing irradiation from the side and from above outside of the functional elements, for a functional unit. This problem is solved in that the following steps are performed sequentially: introducing a trench between functional units arranged next to each other, depositing radiation-impermeable elements on the surfaces of the produced trench and directly on the edge regions of the top side of the functional unit which are adjacent to the trench, and nondestructively singulating the functional units by means of the radiation-impermeable elements.
H01L 27/14 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy
H01L 31/18 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
H01L 21/78 - Manufacture or treatment of devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components or integrated circuits formed in, or on, a common substrate with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices
16.
UV LIGHT SENSOR WITH STRAY LIGHT SUPPRESSION, AND A METHOD FOR DETECTING UV LIGHT
The invention relates to a UV light sensor produced in a CMOS method, comprising a substrate that has a surface, one or more sensor elements that detect radiation and are designed in said substrate, at least one passivation layer arranged over said substrate surface, and a functional layer that is arranged over said passivation layer and designed in the form of at least one filter. The problem addressed by the invention of providing a UV light sensor which is sensitive exclusively within the UV wavelength range is solved, in terms of the arrangement, by means of filters designed directly on a planar passivation layer, and stray light suppressing means around said at least one sensor element and/or around the UV light sensor. In terms of the method, the problem is solved by measuring two output signals from at least two photo diodes fitted with different filters, and by determining a mathematical relationship between the two output signals.
The present invention relates to a power converter generating an adjusted supply voltage according to the performance required by a supplied device. The supplied device communicates its required supply voltage, i.e. the reference supply voltage, to the power converter. With the required supply voltage communicated to and an adjusted supply voltage generated by the power converter, the energy consumption of the device is optimized.
G05F 1/00 - Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
G06F 1/26 - Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
H02M 3/156 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
H02M 3/157 - Conversion of DC power input into DC power output without intermediate conversion into AC by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators with digital control
18.
Circuit and method for performing arithmetic operations on current signals
A circuit for performing arithmetic operations includes a differential capacitive transimpedance amplifier (CTIA) and a cross-multiplexer. The cross multiplexer forwards the current to be integrated out of a plurality of current sources either to the positive input port of the differential CTIA for positive integration in direct mode or to the negative input port of the differential CTIA for negative integration in reverse mode.
A capacitive-to-digital converter is provided which includes: sensor, offset and reference capacitors, an integrator circuit and a demodulation circuit. The sensor capacitor is switched according to a first clock and the offset capacitor according to a second clock, which has a higher switching frequency. The reference capacitor is switched according to a return signal from the converter's output. The integrator circuit includes an integrator capacitor, and has first and second nodes, with the sensor, offset and reference capacitors each being switched to the first and second nodes based on the respective first clock, second clock or return signal. The demodulation circuit receives and converts output of the integrator circuit into a digital output. The higher frequency clocking of the offset capacitor allows for a reduction in capacitance of the offset, reference or integrator capacitor, and the multiclocking of the converter allows for use of a multireferencing to the sensor capacitor.
Method and system are provided for evaluating linearity of a capacitive-to-digital converter (CDC) of a capacitive sensor integrated circuit chip. The evaluating employs multiple test capacitors, which may be on-chip with the CDC, and includes: obtaining capacitance values for the multiple test capacitors and parasitic capacitances of a first input A and a second input B to the capacitive-to-digital converter; applying the multiple test capacitors in multiple permutations to the first input A and the second input B, and for each of at least some permutations, determining an error between an expected output of the CDC using the obtained capacitance values and an actual measured output of the CDC; and determining linearity error for the CDC using the determined errors for the permutations of applying the multiple test capacitors to the first input A and the second input B of the CDC.
An arrangement for digital measuring a capacitive sensor is provided with a charge balance frequency converter having an operational amplifier with an inverting input, a noninverting input and an output. Between the output and the inverting input an integrating capacitor is connected, and the noninverting input is connected with a reference potential. The arrangement provides a simple switched capacitor architecture for measuring the sensor capacitance, which tolerates grounded sensor capacitors, and which is not affected by the shunt resistance. The value of the shunt resistance is determined at the same time. The arrangement makes use of a two frequency measurement of the capacitor resistance combination by using the charge balancing procedure followed by a calculation based on the results of two conversions and the ratio of the clock frequencies of the first and second conversion.
A circuit arrangement for producing a defined output signal in CMOS integrated circuit is provided in which the output of a sensor signal conditioning circuit is connected to the drain terminal of a first N channel depletion transistor, to a source terminal of a second N channel depletion transistor and to the output (OUT) of an integrated CMOS circuit. The gate terminals of the first and second N channel depletion transistors are connected to the output (VP) of a control circuit and the first terminal of a discharge resistance. The second terminal of the discharge resistance and the source terminal of the first N channel depletion transistor are connected to a potential VSS, and the drain terminal of the second N channel depletion transistor is connected to a potential VDD.
H02H 3/24 - Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition, with or without subsequent reconnection responsive to undervoltage or no-voltage
23.
Circuit arrangement to adjust and calibrate a MEMS-sensor device for flow measurement of gases or liquids
Circuitry is disclosed for the calibration of heating element and ambient temperature sensors, comprising: a) an amplifier having positive and negative inputs, and an output; b) one or more heating MOS transistors selectably coupled in parallel and having 1) a heating transistor drain coupled to the positive input of the amplifier; 2) a heating transistor source configured to receive a supply voltage; and 3) a heating transistor gate coupled to the amplifier output; c) one or more ambient MOS transistors selectably coupled in parallel and having 1) an ambient transistor drain, 2) an ambient transistor gate coupled to the amplifier output; and 3) an ambient transistor source configured to receive the supply voltage; d) a temperature difference resistance configured: 1) to be coupled at least partially between an ambient connection and the ambient transistor drain; and 2) to be coupled at least partially between the ambient connection and the negative input of the amplifier.
In a method and arrangement for forming reception pulses, output signals of an upstream comparator which recognizes light pulses are used to evaluate a downstream arrangement and are newly formed and emitted as pulses. The aim is to produce a method and an associated circuit arrangement for forming reception pulses which represent a saving in energy, whereby said arrangement can be integrated into existing receiver systems, requires no external time base and can work with the signal of an upstream comparator. In a first step, an input signal delivered by an upstream comparator is delayed, whereupon a time reference is produced in a controlled manner and an output pulse begins to be formed in a controlled manner by means of the delayed input signal from the first step. The input signal level is examined once production of the time reference is completed. The examination refers back to the length of the received pulse, and the duration of the output impulse is adjusted according to the results of the examination.
patents
