Patents by Inventor Alexander Kurz

Alexander Kurz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090009291
    Abstract: A method for wireless data transmission, in, for example, RFID systems, between a base station and a passive transponder, as well as a passive transponder is provided by inductive coupling, as well as a passive transponder. It is possible to transmit data from the base station to the transponder by a first data transmission protocol type and by at least one second data transmission protocol type, whereby the first or the at least second data transmission protocol type is selected by writing a configuration register in the transponder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Martin Berhorst, Alexander Kurz, Peter Schneider
  • Publication number: 20080031317
    Abstract: A method and transponder for wireless data transmission between a base station and a transponder is provided by means of inductive coupling, the transponder supports a first data transmission protocol type and/or a second data transmission protocol type. In the first data transmission protocol type, the data transmission is ended when a maximum value for the duration between successive field gaps is exceeded and in the second data transmission protocol type, after the initiation of the data transmission a reference duration is transmitted by the base station, by means of which the calibration value is determined in the transponder, whereby the calibration value is used for calibrating subsequently received durations. The reference duration is selected as greater than the maximum duration value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Alexander Kurz, Mathew Neal
  • Publication number: 20070194937
    Abstract: A transponder and a method for wireless data transmission is provided. The transponder comprises an input circuit with input terminals for connecting an antenna coil for data transmission to a base station by means of inductive coupling, a first controllable switching means, at least one resistor, which is looped in series with the first controllable switching means between the input terminals of the input circuit, and a controller which is designed in such a way that it connects through the first switching means as soon as a voltage applied at the input terminals falls below a first settable threshold value, and again interrupts it as soon as the voltage applied at the input terminals for a settable duration is above the first settable threshold value and/or above a second settable threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: Martin Berhorst, Alexander Kurz, Peter Schneider
  • Publication number: 20070194928
    Abstract: A circuit for voltage limitation is provided in a transponder with a resonant circuit, which comprises at least one inductor, a capacitor, a depletion layer component with an input, output, and a control input, a first resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the input of the depletion layer element, and a second resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the output of the depletion layer element, whereby there is a connection between the control input of the depletion layer component and the first resonant circuit terminal and the second resonant circuit terminal. A method for voltage limitation in a transponder is provided, whereby for voltage limitation in the transmitting and receiving resonant circuit, the control terminal of the depletion layer element is driven by the voltage of the first and second resonant circuit terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: Martin Berhorst, Alexander Kurz, Peter Schneider
  • Patent number: 7236743
    Abstract: In a method for interference suppression using a quality-adjustable bandpass filter in a receiver circuit for carrier-modulated received signals (SIN), the bandpass filtered received signal (Bout) is demodulated, and a switching process is triggered with the demodulated received signal (Dout). In order to eliminate internal or self-induced interferences that would be caused by a switching process in the output portion of the receiver, a quality reduction of the bandpass filter is correlated with the switching process that causes the interference. The method is especially suitable in connection with circuits for infrared receivers, which can thereby be manufactured in a small size, without external components, and thus economically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignees: Vishay Semiconductor GmbH, Atmel Germany GmbH, Melexis GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz, Karl-Ulrich Stahl
  • Publication number: 20060255887
    Abstract: An integrated circuit is disclosed with adjusting elements, which in a first manufacturing stage are connected via tracks to terminal pads lying outside the integrated circuit. At least one of the tracks of the integrated circuit lies on a surface of a region, which includes semiconductor material and in a second manufacturing stage is isolated by a pn junction from additional semiconductor material, which is adjacent to the region. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing this type of integrated circuit is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Juergen Haefner, Alexander Kurz, Wolfgang Sinderhauf, Matthias Tortschanoff, Ulrich Wicke
  • Publication number: 20060226900
    Abstract: A method and circuit for amplifying and demodulating amplitude-modulated signals is disclosed that amplifies a primary signal into an amplified signal, bandpass filters the amplified signal into a filtered signal, compares the filtered signal with a regulation threshold and regulates the gain of the primary signal such that peak values of the filtered signal approach the regulation threshold, compares the filtered signal with a signal threshold, and demodulates the result of the comparison. Whereby a value of the signal threshold is smaller than a value of the regulation threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventor: Alexander Kurz
  • Publication number: 20050202798
    Abstract: A method and circuit arrangement are provided for switching an electronic circuit into a power-saving mode by a switchover signal that is characterized in that a data output pin of the circuit is simultaneously used as an input pin for an external signal on the basis of which the switchover signal is then produced. When method or circuit arrangement is used, an electronic circuit can be placed in the power-saving mode without the need to provide an additional connecting pin for this purpose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventor: Alexander Kurz
  • Publication number: 20050194538
    Abstract: An infrared receiver chip is provided for installation in a standardized lead frame of an infrared receiver module having multiple contact areas for connection of associated function points of the lead frame via bond wires, wherein at least one contact area is spaced apart from the outer edge of the infrared receiver chip and all contact areas are positioned with respect to one another such that, when the infrared receiver chip is installed in any standardized lead frame, the respective bond wires do not cross when the bond wires are routed directly from the associated contact area to the associated function point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Inventor: Alexander Kurz
  • Patent number: 6937051
    Abstract: An integrated circuit can be tested externally at its normal signal output pin(s) without requiring additional testing output pins or test measuring pads. The integrated circuit includes a circuit unit that generates a normal output signal provided to the signal output pin in a normal operating mode and generates a test signal in a testing mode, a switching element that selectively does or does not connect the test signal from the circuit unit to the signal output pin, and a control unit that controls the switching element with a control signal responsive to the potential level present at the signal output pin. When the circuit is to be tested, a defined voltage is applied to the signal output pin by a voltage divider formed of resistors between a supply voltage and a reference voltage. This causes the control unit to close the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: Atmel Germany GmbH, Vishay Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz
  • Patent number: 6937048
    Abstract: In previously known methods for testing internal signals of an integrated circuit, additional output pins were required which, in general, were linked to additional measuring pads within the integrated circuit. In the new method, the circuit functions are tested by using the output pins at which the output signal is present during normal operation of the integrated circuit. By means of a simple, external connection, with which a defined voltage value is set at the signal output, the integrated circuit is switched by means of an integrated control unit into a test mode in which it applies selected signals, which are to be tested, at the signal output. There is no need for additional internal measuring pads or additional output pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: Atmel Germany GmbH, Vishay Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz
  • Publication number: 20040239363
    Abstract: An integrated circuit can be tested externally at its normal signal output pin(s) without requiring additional testing output pins or test measuring pads. The integrated circuit includes a circuit unit that generates a normal output signal provided to the signal output pin in a normal operating mode and generates a test signal in a testing mode, a switching element that selectively does or does not connect the test signal from the circuit unit to the signal output pin, and a control unit that controls the switching element with a control signal responsive to the potential level present at the signal output pin. When the circuit is to be tested, a defined voltage is applied to the signal output pin by a voltage divider formed of resistors between a supply voltage and a reference voltage. This causes the control unit to close the switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicants: ATMEL Germany GmbH, Vishay Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz
  • Publication number: 20030171108
    Abstract: Method for interference suppression by means of a quality-adjustable bandpass filter in a receiver circuit for carrier-modulated received signals (SIN), in which the bandpass filtered received signal (Bout) is demodulated, and a switching process is triggered with the demodulated received signal (Dout). Known receiver circuits, however, have the disadvantage, due to small dimensions of the circuit surface area, that interferences, for example in the form of oscillator oscillations due to capacitive couplings, are caused by switching processes in the output portion of the receiver, especially by driving transistors. These interferences cannot be eliminated by an amplifier regulation provided in the circuit. According to the invention, such internal or self-induced interferences or disturbances are eliminated in that a quality reduction of the bandpass filter is correlated with the switching process that causes the interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz, Karl-Ulrich Stahl
  • Publication number: 20020079916
    Abstract: In previously known methods for testing internal signals of an integrated circuit, additional output pins were required which, in general, were linked to additional measuring pads within the integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: ATMEL Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Eichin, Alexander Kurz