Abstract: A circuit for sensing a current comprises a substrate having a first and a second major surface, the second major surface being opposite to the first major surface. At least one magnetic field sensing element is arranged on the first major surface of the substrate and is suitable for sensing a magnetic field caused by a current flow in a current conductor coupled to the second major surface. The substrate also comprises at least one insulation layer, substantially buried between the first major surface and the second major surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A photonic mixer device for multiplying an impinging optical signal with a reference electrical signal includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; two detector regions of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; two biasing regions of the first conductivity type with a higher dopant concentration than the dopant concentration of the semiconductor substrate, each biasing region positioned near one of the respective detector regions, wherein an electrical field can be formed in the semiconductor substrate by applying a voltage bias between the biasing regions; two bias electrodes, which are isolated from the substrate and the biasing regions, wherein each bias electrode is only locally, partially or completely, covering an outer edge of one of the respective biasing regions.

Abstract: Method of determining a position of a sensor device relative to a magnetic source, includes: a) determining a first and a second magnetic field component at a first sensor location; b) determining a third and a fourth magnetic field component at a second sensor location; c) determining a first difference of the first and third component, and determining a second difference of the second and fourth component, and determining a first angle based on a ratio of the first and second difference; d) determining a first sum of the first and third component, and determining a second sum of the second and fourth component; e) determining a second angle based on a ratio of said first and second sum; f) comparing the first and second angle to detect error.

Abstract: A thermal imaging apparatus comprising: a thermal detector device (100) comprising an array of thermal sensing pixels (102) and signal processing circuitry (104) coupled to the detector device (100). The circuitry (104) supports a background identifier (110) and a pixel classifier (112), the background identifier (110) comprising a common intensity identifier (114) and an expected background intensity calculator (116). The background identifier (110) receives pixel measurement data captured by the detector device (100) in respect of pixels of the array (102) and the common intensity identifier (114) identifies a largest number of substantially the same pixel intensity values from the pixel measurement data. The expected background intensity calculator (116) uses the largest number of substantially the same pixel intensity values to generate a model of expected background intensity levels.

Abstract: A sensor and a sensing system includes a chain of sensors, wherein each sensor comprises an input control port, an output control port, a power interface and an output interface, and is configured such that, when the sensor is powered over the power interface, an enable signal at the input control port triggers the sensor for executing a sequence which comprises measuring a physical property, and subsequently transmitting an enable signal over the output control port. The output control port of an earlier sensor is connected with the input control port of a next sensor. A first sensor is configured for repeating the sequence with a predefined period.

Abstract: A contactor includes: a first and second power terminal; a sub-circuit connected between this first and second power terminal and comprising the following three elements connected in series: an electrical conductor portion, a primary switch, and a fuse. The primary switch has a movable part driven by an actuator. The contactor further has a magnetic sensor for measuring a primary current flowing through the electrical conductor portion, and a controller connected to the magnetic sensor and to the actuator. The controller has a communication port for receiving commands. The contactor can detect whether the primary switch is actually open. The controller is configured for: (i) receiving a command to open the switch; (ii) operating the actuator, (iii) detecting if the primary switch is actually open; and (iv) blowing the fuse if the switch is not open.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a silicon substrate having an active surface; a first sensing area disposed near a first edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate such that the first sensing area has at least one first magnetic sensing element is made of a first compound semiconductor material and contact pads; and a second sensing area disposed near a second edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate, such that the second edge is substantially opposite to the first edge, such that the second sensing area has at least one second magnetic sensing element made of a second compound semiconductor material and contact pads. A processing circuit is disposed of in the silicon substrate and is electrically connected via wire bonds and/or a redistribution layer with the contact pads of the first and second sensing areas.

Abstract: An indirect time of flight range calculation apparatus comprises a light source, a photonic mixer that generates a plurality of output signals corresponding to a first plurality of phase values. A signal processor is also provided to calculate a first vector and a first angle from the first vector. The photonic mixer generates a second plurality of electrical output signals corresponding to a second plurality of phase values. Each phase value of the second plurality of phase values is respectively offset with respect to each phase value of the first plurality of phase values by a predetermined phase offset value. The signal processor processes the second plurality of electrical output signals in order to calculate a second vector, and de-rotates the second vector calculated and calculates a second angle from the de-rotated vector before offsetting the second angle against the first angle, thereby generating a corrected output angle.

Abstract: A method of determining a linear or angular position of a magnetic sensor device relative to a magnetic source, or vice versa, the sensor device includes at least four magnetic sensor elements. The method involves the steps of: a) determining a first magnetic field gradient; b) determining a second magnetic field gradient; c) determining a ratio of the first and second magnetic field gradient; d) converting the ratio into a position; while matching signal paths of the magnetic sensor elements so as to improve signal-to-noise.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor arrangement for determining a signal magnetic flux in a manner which is substantially strayfield immune, comprises: a signal magnetic field source; a first and second magnetic flux concentrator forming an air gap between exterior faces of the magnetic flux concentrators; the flux concentrators being configured for guiding a signal magnetic flux to and across the air gap in a gap direction; a magnetic field sensor arranged inside the air gap, and configured for measuring a first and second signal in the gap direction and perpendicular to the gap direction; and for reducing or eliminating an magnetic disturbance field based on the first and second signal. An angle sensor arrangement. A torque sensor. A method of measuring a signal flux, an angle, a torque in a substantially strayfield immune manner.

Abstract: A position sensor device includes: a first, second and third magnetic sensor for measuring a first magnetic field component oriented in the first direction, and a second magnetic field component oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a processing circuit for determining a first and a second difference of signals provided by the first and third sensor, and for determining and outputting a first angle based on these differences; and for determining a third and a fourth difference of signals provided by the second sensor and one of the first and the third sensor; and for determining a second angle based on the third and the fourth difference, and for outputting the second angle and/or a diagnostic signal based on a comparison of the first and second angle.

Abstract: A method of determining a gradient of a magnetic field, includes the steps of: biasing a first/second magnetic sensor with a first/second biasing signal; measuring and amplifying a first/second magnetic sensor signal; measuring a temperature and/or a stress difference; adjusting at least one of: the second biasing signal, the second amplifier gain, the amplified and digitized second sensor value using a predefined function f(T) or f(T, ??) or f(??) of the measured temperature and/or the measured differential stress before determining a difference between the first/second signal/value derived from the first/second sensor signal. A magnetic sensor device is configured for performing this method, as well as a current sensor device, and a position sensor device.

Abstract: A sensor device comprising: a lead frame; a first/second semiconductor die having a first/second sensor structure at a first/second sensor location, and a plurality of first/second bond pads electrically connected to the lead frame; the semiconductor dies having a square or rectangular shape with a geometric center; the sensor locations are offset from the geometrical centers; the second die is stacked on top of the first die, and is rotated by a non-zero angle and optionally also offset or shifted with respect to the first die, such that a perpendicular projection of the first and second sensor location coincide.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor device comprises a substrate. A first magnetic sensor, a second magnetic sensor, and one or more inductors are disposed over the substrate and are controlled by a magnetic sensor controller having a control circuit. The control circuit is adapted for controlling the first magnetic sensor to measure magnetic fields under presence of a first set of magnetic fields, and for controlling the second magnetic sensor to measure magnetic fields under presence of a second set of magnetic fields generated by the inductors. The control circuit calculates a relative sensitivity matching value that converts magnetic field values measured by the second magnetic sensor to a comparable magnetic field value measured by the first magnetic sensor or vice versa.

Abstract: A current sensor system for accurately measuring an AC electrical current having frequencies up to 2 kHz, the system comprising: an electrical conductor (e.g. busbar) for conducting said AC current thereby creating a first magnetic field; a magnetic sensor device for measuring a magnetic field component or gradient; an object (e.g. a metal plate) having an electrically conductive surface arranged in the vicinity of said conductor for allowing eddy currents to flow in said surface, thereby creating a second magnetic field which is superimposed with the first magnetic field; wherein the magnetic sensor device is configured for determining the current as a signal or value proportional to the measured component or gradient. The metal plate may have an opening. The current sensor system may further comprise a shielding.

Abstract: A gas sensor device (100) is configured to measure a predetermined gas of interest and comprises an enclosure (101) comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) and defining a first cavity (124), an optically transmissive second closed cavity (126) and a third cavity (128). The second cavity (126) is interposed between the first and third cavities (124, 128). The first cavity (124) comprises an inlet port (130) for receiving a gas under test, an outlet port (132) for venting the gas under test. The first cavity (124) also comprises an optical source (112) and a measurement sensor (114). The second cavity (126) is configured as a gaseous filter comprising a volume of the gas of interest sealingly disposed in the second cavity (126), and the third cavity (128) comprises a reference measurement sensor (116) disposed therein.

Abstract: A method for multipath error compensation comprises an unstructured light source (142) illuminating a scene during a plurality of consecutive time frames. A structured light source (144) illuminates the scene concurrently, the illumination by the structured source (144) occurring during predetermined frames of the plurality of consecutive time frames. An array of photodetectors (102) each generate a set of signals in response to irradiation with light reflected from the scene according to an indirect time of flight calculation technique to yield a plurality of sets of signals. An error estimate is derived (130) from the plurality of sets of signals generated during a selected time frame of the plurality of consecutive time frames when structured illumination takes place and another time frame temporally about the selected time frame when both structured and unstructured illumination takes place. The error estimate is applied in a range calculation with respect to the scene.

Abstract: A current sensor system for measuring an AC electrical current, includes: a busbar having a beam shaped portion having a length and a width; a sensor device comprising two sensor elements spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the beam shaped portion. The sensor device is configured for measuring a magnetic field difference or a magnetic field gradient, and for determining the AC current based on said difference or gradient.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor system includes an integrated circuit comprising a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a plurality of magnetic sensors configured for measuring at least two first magnetic field components oriented in a first direction, and for measuring at least two second magnetic field components oriented in a second direction; a permanent magnet movable relative to the integrated circuit and configured for generating a magnetic field. A processing circuit is configured for determining at least two physical quantities related to a position of the magnet, using a predefined algorithm based on the measured first and second magnetic field components or values derived therefrom, as inputs, and that uses a plurality of at least eight constants which are determined using machine learning. A force sensor system, a joystick or thumbstick system, and a method may use the magnetic sensor system.

Abstract: A current sensor system has a conductor and a packaged integrated circuit for sensing a current in the conductor. The conductor is external to the packaged integrated circuit. The packaged integrated circuit includes a substrate having an active surface and a back surface; one or more magnetic sensing elements; a processing circuit arranged to process signals received from the one or more magnetic sensing elements to derive an output signal indicative of a sensed current in the conductor; a housing; a plurality of leads; electrical connections between the leads and the active surface. The back surface of the substrate is disposed on a support formed by at least two inner lead portions of the plurality of leads and the active side of the substrate is oriented towards the outer ends of the outer lead portions of the leads in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the support.