Abstract: Methods and apparatus for photodetection having parallax compensation for near and far object signal return. In embodiment, a photoreceiver comprising a at least one light-sensitive pixel to transduce light to electrical signals has at least a first one of the pixels including a first subpixel region having a first light response characteristic and a second subpixel region having a second light response characteristic, wherein the first and second light characteristics are configured to correspond to variations in intensity of reflected light from objects at different distances when the portion of the reflected light reaching the first one of the pixels imaged onto the first and second subpixel regions.

Abstract: A heterogeneous sensor system includes a magnetic field sensor and an inductive sensor. A checker is configured to receive the magnetic field sensor output signal and the inductive sensor output signal and determine whether an error has occurred based on a comparison of the magnetic field sensor output signal and the inductive sensor output signal. Targets include at least a portion that is conductive and may include a ferromagnetic portion for back biased magnetic sensing. Additional features include on axis and off axis positioning of the sensors with respect to the target, multi-track targets for absolute position sensing, angle sensing and torque sensing configurations.

Abstract: In one aspect, an angle sensor includes a first plurality of magnetoresistance elements located at a first location on an axis and a second plurality of magnetoresistance elements located at a second location on the axis. The first plurality of magnetoresistance elements includes a first one or more magnetoresistance elements each having a reference direction in a first direction; and a second one or more magnetoresistance elements each having a reference direction in a second direction. The second plurality of magnetoresistance elements includes a third one or more magnetoresistance elements each having a reference direction in the first direction, and a fourth one or more magnetoresistance elements each having a reference direction in the second direction. The angle sensor senses movement of a magnetic target, and the magnetic target is a ring magnet or a single pole magnet.

Abstract: A current sensor assembly can include: a coil structure having a first coil and a second coil connected in series, the coil structure configured to generate a differential magnetic field responsive to an electrical current passing through the first and second coils; a first magnetic field sensing element disposed proximate to the first coil and operable to generate a first signal responsive to the differential magnetic field passing through the first magnetic field sensing element in a first direction; a second magnetic field sensing element disposed proximate to the second coil and operable to generate a second signal responsive to the differential magnetic field passing through the second magnetic field sensing element in a second direction; and a circuit operable to subtract the first and second signals to generate a differential signal proportional to the electrical current.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for receiving a return laser pulse at a detector system having pixels in a pixel array and analyzing a response of the pixels in the pixel array including comparing the response to at least one threshold corresponding to decay of photonic energy of the laser pulse over distance and target reflectivity, wherein the at least one threshold comprises a first threshold corresponding to a low trigger for a pulse generated by a first type of laser and a second threshold corresponding to a high trigger for the pulse generated by the first type of laser. Embodiments can further include generating an alert signal based on the response of the pixels in the pixel array.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes forming a coil in a coil layer, performing planarization on the coil layer, and depositing a magnetoresistance (MR) element on the planarized coil layer. No dielectric material is between the planarized coil layer and the MR element. In another aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes a substrate, a planarized coil layer comprising a coil on the substrate, a magnetoresistance (MR) element in contact with the planarized coil layer, and a capping layer deposited over the MR element and the planarized coil layer. No dielectric material is between the planarized coil layer and the MR element.

Abstract: In one aspect, a dual double-pinned spin valve element includes a first spin valve that includes a first pinned layer and a second pinned layer and a second spin valve disposed on the first spin valve and comprising a third pinned layer and a fourth pinned layer. The first, second, third and fourth pinned layers each have a magnetization in a first direction.

Abstract: A current sensor IC includes a unitary lead frame having a primary conductor with a first thickness and a secondary lead having a second thickness less than the first thickness. A semiconductor die adjacent to the primary conductor includes a magnetic field sensing circuit to sense a magnetic field associated with the current and generate a secondary signal indicative of the current. An insulation structure is disposed between the primary conductor and the die. A mold material encloses a first portion of the secondary lead and a second portion of the secondary lead that is exposed outside of the package has the second thickness.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and circuits utilize one or multiple data-stream watchdog codes for verifying a temporal state of data from a sensor system. A data-stream watchdog system can includes a sensor system configured to detect physical phenomena and produce corresponding output signals; a memory structure configured to store the output signals as sequential data on a repeating cycle, a watchdog code generator configured to insert a watchdog code into the stored sequential data and update the watchdog code periodically, and a data transmitter configured to receive the sequential data with included watchdog code from the memory structure and transmit the sequential data with the included watchdog code over a physical data channel each cycle of the repeating cycle. An application system receives the data and a watchdog code checker checks whether the watchdog code in the sequential data is correct and produces an error indication when the watchdog code is incorrect.

Abstract: A first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and a third semiconductor region are arranged in layers. Trenches penetrate through the second semiconductor region and reach the first semiconductor region. Each of the trenches may include a gate electrode, and an insulating film insulating the gate electrode from the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. An upper electrode is electrically connected to the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region. A fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type is arranged on an outer side of the trench of which the gate electrode is an outermost gate electrode in a plan view. An edge trench is arranged on an outer side of the fourth semiconductor region. The fourth semiconductor region is electrically connected to the upper electrode and a bottom of the fourth semiconductor may be arranged deeper than a bottom of the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: A two-wire electronic circuit can sense a voltage across terminals of a transistor and control an electrical current of the two-wire electronic circuit in accordance with the sensed voltage.

Abstract: A method for controlling a buck-boost converter includes generating a first threshold voltage with a decreasing voltage level, generating a second threshold voltage with an increasing voltage level, and sensing an inductor current. A signal indicative of the sensed inductor current is compared to the first threshold voltage to control an on time of the high side buck switch and is compared to the second threshold voltage to control an off time of the high side boost switch. Also described is a controller including a compensator responsive to an output voltage feedback signal to generate a compensation voltage and a modulator having a buck signal path coupled to receive the compensation voltage and configured to control an on time of the high side buck switch and a boost signal path coupled to receive the compensation voltage and configured to control an off time of the high side boost switch.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the temperature of a pixel array. In embodiments, a first pixel in a pixel array is reverse-biased and a second pixel in the pixel array is forward-biased. A voltage for the second pixel can be measured to determine a temperature of the pixel array from the measured voltage for the second pixel.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes at least one coil responsive to an AC coil drive signal; at least one magnetic field sensing element responsive to a sensing element drive signal and configured to detect a directly coupled magnetic field generated by the at least one coil and to generate a magnetic field signal in response to the directly coupled magnetic field; a processor responsive to the magnetic field signal to compute a sensitivity value associated with detection of the directly coupled magnetic field and substantially independent of a reflected magnetic field reflected by a conductive target disposed proximate to the at least one magnetic field sensing element; and an output signal generator configured to generate an output signal of the magnetic field sensor indicative of the reflected magnetic field.

Abstract: A current sensor IC includes a unitary lead frame having a primary conductor with a first thickness and a secondary lead having a second thickness less than the first thickness. A semiconductor die adjacent to the primary conductor includes a magnetic field sensing circuit to sense a magnetic field associated with the current and generate a secondary signal indicative of the current. An insulation structure is disposed between the primary conductor and the die. A mold material encloses a first portion of the secondary lead and a second portion of the secondary lead that is exposed outside of the package has the second thickness.

Abstract: A multichannel magnetic field sensor including a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements includes a multiplexed signal path. A front end amplifier is coupled to receive a first magnetic field signal during a first time interval and a second magnetic field signal during a second time interval. A first low pass filter processes the amplified signal during the first time interval and a second low pass filter processes the amplified signal during the second time interval. A sinc filter is coupled to receive the first low pass filtered signal during the first time interval and the second low pass filtered signal during the second time interval. A Schmitt trigger circuit includes a comparator to process the sinc filter output signal and to generate a first comparator output signal during the first time interval and a second comparator output signal is provided during the second time interval.

Abstract: A packaged current sensor integrated circuit includes a primary conductor having an input portion and an output portion configured to carry a current to be measured by a magnetic sensing element supported by a semiconductor die adjacent to the primary conductor. The primary current path contains a mechanical locking feature. The thickness of the molded body of the package is reduced to improve vibration immunity.

Abstract: Differential magnetic field torque sensors include first and second magnetic field concentrators that guide magnetic flux to a magnetic field sensor from first and second magnetic field directors and a target, such as a multipole magnet assembly configured as a ring magnet. The magnetic field concentrators have pairs of sections that are interdigitated and configured adjacent to magnetic field sensing elements of the magnetic field sensor. The magnetic field directors can each have a plurality of teeth, which can be interdigitated and adjacent or proximate to the target. The magnetic field directors can be configured to be mounted as a unit to a rotatable shaft while the target can be configured to be mounted to a different rotatable shaft. The magnetic field concentrators and magnetic field sensor can be fixed while the magnetic field directors and target can rotate with respect to each other about a twist axis.

Abstract: In one aspect, a double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) includes a region of a semiconductor having a first region of a semiconductor having a first-type dopant, a first well having a second-type dopant, a dielectric within the first well, the dielectric having a bottom surface and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, a gate disposed on the top surface of the dielectric. The gate, the dielectric and the first well are configured to form a first reduced surface field (RESURF). The bottom surface of the dielectric has a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion of the bottom surface of the dielectric is closer to the top surface of the dielectric than the second portion of the bottom surface of the dielectric.

Abstract: A system, comprising a bus bar having a first through-hole formed therein and a first current sensor that is disposed adjacent to the first branch. The first through-hole is arranged to define, at least in part, a first branch of the bus bar and a second branch of the bus bar. The first branch has different length and/or thickness than the second branch. The first current sensor is arranged to measure an electrical current through the bus bar.