Patents Assigned to AMS International AG
  • Patent number: 11979714
    Abstract: An integrated optical transducer for measuring displacement of a diaphragm comprises the diaphragm, a lens element and a substrate body having a waveguide structure and a coupling element. The diaphragm is arranged distant from the substrate body and substantially parallel to a main extension plane of the substrate body. The waveguide structure is configured to guide light from a light source to the coupling element and from the coupling element to a photodetector. The coupling element is configured to couple at least part of the light in the waveguide structure onto a light path between the coupling element and the diaphragm and to couple light reflected by a surface of the diaphragm from the light path into the waveguide structure. The lens element is arranged on the light path such that light on the light path passes through the lens element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Ronald Dekker, Rene Heideman, Arne Leinse, Catalin Lazar, Laurent Nevou, Colin Steele, Anderson Pires Singulani, Goran Stojanovic, Simon Mueller
  • Patent number: 11973507
    Abstract: A comparator circuit includes an input stage with a set of differential current paths and a pair of differential input transistors connected to a pair of input terminals. An output stage includes an output current path between a first and a second supply terminal, an output transistor connected in the output current path and having a control terminal coupled to the set of differential current paths, and a comparator output connected to the output current path. An auxiliary stage includes an auxiliary current path between the supply terminals, an auxiliary current source, a first auxiliary transistor connected in the auxiliary current path and having a control terminal connected to the control terminal of the output transistor, and a voltage follower with a second auxiliary transistor and a third auxiliary transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Vincenzo Leonardo
  • Patent number: 11962277
    Abstract: A switched-capacitor amplifier comprises a comparator, sample and amplification capacitors and a controller to control charge and discharge current sources in dependence on an output signal of the comparator. A closed loop control circuit is configured to determine the delay of the comparator and control an offset of the comparator in response to the determined delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Fridolin Michel
  • Patent number: 11953632
    Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray detector component comprising an X-ray detector chip made from a silicon substrate and comprising charge collecting electrodes. The X-ray detector chip is suitable for providing an X-ray-dependent current at the charge collecting electrodes. The X-ray detector component further comprises a CMOS read-out circuit chip comprising connection electrodes. The X-ray detector chip and the CMOS read-out circuit chip are mechanically and electrically connected in such a manner that the charge collecting electrodes and the connection electrodes are electrically connected. The invention further relates to an X-ray detection module, an imaging device and a method for manufacturing an X-ray detector component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Jens Hofrichter
  • Publication number: 20240106400
    Abstract: In one embodiment a differential amplifier arrangement includes a first input configured to receive a first input signal, a second input configured to receive a second input signal, a first output configured to provide a first output signal, a second output configured to provide a second output signal, a common mode loop configured to regulate an output common mode of the differential amplifier arrangement depending on a difference between a common mode reference signal and an average of the first and the second output signal, and a differential mode loop configured to regulate a differential mode output of the differential amplifier arrangement depending on a difference between a difference between the first and the second input signal and a difference between the first and the second output signal. Therein the difference between the first and the second output signal is substantially constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventors: Srinidhi Koushik KANAGAL RAMESH, Markus AUER
  • Publication number: 20240105861
    Abstract: An optical system includes a circuit board, an optical emitter device mounted on the circuit board, and a cap mounted on the circuit board. The cap and the circuit board together define a chamber therebetween, the chamber enclosing the optical emitter device. The cap includes one or more opaque regions and one or more transparent regions, wherein the one or more opaque regions of the cap are configured to prevent light emitted from the optical emitter device from travelling out of the chamber in one or more undesirable directions, wherein the one or more transparent regions of the cap are configured to allow light emitted from the optical emitter device to travel out of the chamber in one or more desirable directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventor: Tiao ZHOU
  • Patent number: 11927441
    Abstract: A self-mixing interferometry sensor module, comprising a light emitter (LE), a detector unit (DU) and an optical element (OE), wherein the light emitter (LE) is operable to emit coherent electromagnetic radiation towards an external object (ET) to be placed outside the sensor module and undergo self-mixing interference, SMI, caused by reflections of the emitted electromagnetic radiation from the external object back inside the sensor module. The detector unit (DU) is operable to generate output signals indicative of an optical power output of the light emitter (LE) due to the SMI. The optical element (OE) is aligned with respect to the light emitter (LE) such that a first fraction of electromagnetic radiation is directed towards the external target (ET) or the light emitter (LE) and a second fraction of electromagnetic radiation is directed towards the detector unit (DU). An optical power ratio determined by the first and second fractions meets a pre-determined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Ferran Suarez, Daniel Najer
  • Patent number: 11929759
    Abstract: A DAC, for use in an iADC, is configured for converting a multi-bit word to an analog feedback signal. The DAC comprises a MMS logic block. It further comprises a plurality of output elements configured to generate respective analog portions based on a selection vector and a signal combiner for combining the analog portions to the analog feedback signal. In the MMS logic block switching blocks are arranged cascaded. Each switching block receives at least a portion of the multi-bit word, splits the portion into two sub-portions and forwards them to one subsequent switching block or to one output element. A weight factor is adjusted by multiplying it with the difference of the two sub-portions. A weight accumulator accumulates successive adjusted weight factors, wherein the way of splitting the portion of a further multi-bit word is determined based on the sign of the weight accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Thomas Fröhlich
  • Patent number: 11921150
    Abstract: An electric circuit arrangement to determine a level of an excess bias voltage of a single photon avalanche diode comprises an evaluation circuit being configured to determine a level of an excess bias voltage of the single photon avalanche diode in dependence on a signal course of an output signal of the single photon avalanche diode. In a first operational cycle of the circuit arrangement a voltage jump to the level of the excess bias voltage is generated at an output terminal, when a photon hits a photosensitive area of the single photon avalanche diode. In a subsequent second operational cycle, the output terminal of the single photon avalanche diode is coupled to a supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Nenad Lilic
  • Publication number: 20240063607
    Abstract: A self-mixing interferometric, SMI, laser sensor comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, configured to emit laser radiation, the VCSEL comprising a first distributed Bragg reflector, DBR, a second DBR and a cavity region including an active light generation region, wherein the cavity region is arranged in a layer structure between a front side of the first DBR and a back side of the second DBR. Therein at least one of the first and second DBR comprises a first contrast region and a second contrast region, the first contrast region having a first refractive index contrast ?n1 regarding an emission wavelength of the VCSEL and the second contrast region having a second refractive index contrast ?n2/n larger than the first refractive index contrast ?n1/n.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventors: Laurent Nevou, Jean Francois Seurin, Svenja Mauthe, Jens Geiger
  • Publication number: 20240060766
    Abstract: A self-mixing interferometry sensor module, comprising a light emitter (LE), a detector unit (DU) and an optical element (OE), wherein the light emitter (LE) is operable to emit coherent electromagnetic radiation towards an external object (ET) to be placed outside the sensor module and undergo self-mixing interference, SMI, caused by reflections of the emitted electromagnetic radiation from the external object back inside the sensor module. The detector unit (DU) is operable to generate output signals indicative of an optical power output of the light emitter (LE) due to the SMI. The optical element (OE) is aligned with respect to the light emitter (LE) such that a first fraction of electromagnetic radiation is directed towards the external target (ET) or the light emitter (LE) and a second fraction of electromagnetic radiation is directed towards the detector unit (DU). An optical power ratio determined by the first and second fractions meets a pre-determined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventors: Ferran SUAREZ, Daniel NAJER
  • Patent number: 11906385
    Abstract: A photonic device includes a semiconductor substrate and a pressure-sensitive membrane. The pressure-sensitive membrane is arranged in or on the substrate. A photonic structure is at least partly coupled to the membrane and arranged to change an optical property depending on a deformation to be induced by a pressure applied to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Jens Hofrichter
  • Patent number: 11900864
    Abstract: A display includes a display substrate having an active display area including a plurality of first display subpixels. A transceiver circuit is arranged to drive the display in a first mode of operation or in a second mode of operation. The first display subpixels include micro light-emitting diodes and/or resonant-cavity light emitting devices. In the first mode of operation, the transceiver circuit provides a forward bias to the first display subpixels, such that the first display subpixels are operable to emit light. In the second mode of operation, the transceiver circuit provides a reverse bias to the first display subpixels, such that the first display subpixels are operable to detect light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: AMS INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventor: Jens Hofrichter
  • Publication number: 20240036219
    Abstract: An electric circuitry for baseline extraction in a photon counting system includes an input signal integrity detector to determine an integrity of an input signal for baseline extraction, a sampling circuit to sample the input signal during a sampling time, and to provide a sampled version of the input signal, a signal processing circuit to process the sampled version of the input signal, and a signal processing controller to control the signal processing circuit. The input signal integrity detector is configured to determine the integrity of the input signal for baseline extraction by evaluating the input signal or the sampled version of the input signal. The signal processing controller is configured to control the signal processing circuit so that the sampled version of the input signal is processed, when the integrity of the input signal for baseline extraction is determined by the input signal integrity detector at least during the sampling time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventor: Fridolin MICHEL
  • Publication number: 20240039247
    Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor device (1) comprising a semiconductor body (10) having a first region (101), a second region (102) and an active region (103) configured to emit or detect electromagnetic radiation in an emission direction (S) is described herein. The optoelectronic semiconductor device (1) further comprises a first reflector (21) arranged on a first side of the semiconductor body (10) and a second reflector (22) arranged on a second side of the semiconductor body (10), opposite the first side, a first electrode (31) and a second electrode (32), an aperture region (104) and an optical element (40) arranged downstream of the active region (103) in the emission direction (S). The emission direction (S) is oriented parallel to a stacking direction of the semiconductor body (10). The first electrode (31) is arranged on the first region (101) and the second electrode (32) is arranged between the second reflector (22) and the active region (103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventors: Laurent NEVOU, Jean Francois SEURIN, Svenja MAUTHE, Jens GEIGER
  • Publication number: 20240036218
    Abstract: A front-end electronic circuitry for a photon counting application includes an input node to receive an input signal, an output node to provide an output signal, a charge sensitive amplifier, and a feedback element having a variable resistance. The charge sensitive amplifier includes an amplifier circuit having an input side being coupled to the input node and an output side to provide the output signal, and a capacitor being arranged in a first feedback path between the input side and the output side of the amplifier circuit. The feedback element is arranged in a second feedback path in parallel to the capacitor. The variable resistance of the feedback element is dependent on a level of the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventor: Fridolin MICHEL
  • Patent number: 11887937
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a ground plane (2), an integrated circuit chip (1) disposed on the ground plane (2), the integrated circuit chip (1) comprising one or more electrically conductive layers (10) encircling a periphery of the integrated circuit chip (1), and a plurality of bondwires (9) electrically coupling the one or more electrically conductive layers (10) to the ground plane (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ams International AG
    Inventors: Benjamin Joseph Sheahan, Richard Jennings, Robert Allen Helmick, Marko Magerl, Christian Stockreiter
  • Publication number: 20240030903
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a first integrator unit to charge a first capacitor at a first integration node, a second integrator unit to charge a second capacitor at a second integration node, a chopped comparator unit and a logic unit. The chopped comparator unit includes comprises a switching unit, a sensing comparator and a replica comparator. The switching unit is configured to couple the first integration node, the second integration node and a reference voltage VREF to the sensing comparator and the replica comparator, depending upon a phase determined by a first input clock signal C1 and a second input clock signal C2, which have opposite phases. The logic unit is configured to generate signals C1, C2, D1, D2, E1, E2 for controlling each integrator unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventors: Josip MIKULIC, Gregor SCHATZBERGER
  • Publication number: 20240031729
    Abstract: A noise cancellation enabled headphone to be worn on or over an ear of a user includes a speaker, a feed-forward microphone predominantly sensing ambient sound, an error microphone being arranged in front of the speaker in a primary direction of sound emission of the speaker and adapted to sensing sound being output from the speaker and ambient sound. A baffle is arranged between the speaker and the error microphone in the primary direction of sound emission such that the sound being output from the speaker is delayed by the baffle at a location of the error microphone. An adaptive noise cancellation controller is configured to perform feed-forward noise cancellation based on a feed-forward signal recorded with the feed-forward microphone and filtered with feed-forward filter parameters, and to adjust the feed-forward filter parameters based on an error signal recorded with the error microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventor: Peter MCCUTCHEON
  • Publication number: 20240021652
    Abstract: An integrated detector device for direct detection of X-ray photons includes a CMOS body including a substrate portion and a dielectric portion arranged on a main surface of the substrate portion, an integrated circuit in the CMOS body having implants at or above the main surface for forming charge collectors, and a metal structure in the dielectric portion that extends from the charge collectors to a contact surface of the dielectric portion facing away from the substrate portion. The device further includes an absorber portion arranged on the contact surface of the dielectric portion, the absorber portion including an absorber element that is in electrical contact with the metal structure, and an electrode structure that is in direct contact with the absorber element forming an electrical contact. The absorber element is configured to absorb X-ray photons and generate electrical charges based on the absorbed X-ray photons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ams International AG
    Inventor: Jens HOFRICHTER