Abstract: A semiconductor component is provided with a semiconductor substrate, in the upper face of which an active region made of a material of a first conductivity type is introduced by ion implantation. A semiconducting channel region having a defined length and width is designed within the active region. Each of the ends of the channel region located in the longitudinal extension is followed by a contacting region made of a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type. The channel region is covered by an ion implantation masking material, which comprises transverse edges defining the length of the channel region and longitudinal edges defining the width of the channel region and which comprises an edge recess at each of the opposing transverse edges aligned with the longitudinal extension ends of the channel region, the contacting regions that adjoin the channel region extending all the way into said edge recess.

Abstract: The device for ambient light compensation for use in optical sensors exposed to both useful light and ambient light comprises at least one first photodiode and at least one second photodiode, the at least one first photodiode being adapted to be exposed to substantially the same useful light and ambient light as the at least one second photodiode. The device further comprises a current mirror circuit having an input and an output, the at least one first photodiode being connected to the input of the current mirror circuit, and the at least one second photodiode being connected to the output of the current mirror circuit. The current mirror circuit comprises a lowpass filter connected between the input and the output of the current mirror circuit. The output of the current mirror circuit provides an output signal representing the useful signal compensated for ambient light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting blockages of unipolar stepper motors having one or more motor windings by analyzing the motor current supply, comprising the following method steps: impressing an operating current according to a current supply variant for the operation of the unipolar stepper motor into the one or more motor windings thereof by means of one controllable switch per motor winding connection, wherein the switch selectively connects the respective motor winding connection to a first supply voltage connection and wherein the connections of each motor winding lying at a common potential are permanently connected to a second supply voltage connection, wherein the current supply variant has phases between the switching of the motor windings, in which phases the motor winding connections of a motor winding connected to the switches are switched to high impedance, detecting the voltage at a motor winding connection switched to high impedance at least for the high-impedance phase and c

Abstract: The interference-compensated sensor (10) for detecting an object located in a detection area in a contactless manner, particularly a rain sensor, is provided with a first and a second measuring channel (12,14) each having a control device and an output (20,22), wherein both measuring channels (12,14) are substantially identical. The sensor (10) further comprises a main subtractor (24) having an output (26) for outputting the difference of the signals at the outputs (20,22) of the measuring channels (12,14). The sensor (10) is provided with a controller unit (30) having an input that is connected to the output (26) of the main subtractor (24) and with an output for outputting a controller signal, by means of which the two measuring channels (12,14) can be controlled in such a way that the signal at the output (26) of the main subtractor (24) can be controlled to zero. By means of the magnitude of the signal at the output of the controller, it can be determined if an object is located in the detection area.

Abstract: An inductive position sensor, which in particular is a rotational angle sensor, is provided with two first transmitter units for the generation of two site-dependent first alternating fields having the same carrier frequency, and at least one oscillating circuit arranged in or on an element which may be moved within the alternating field and the position of which is to be determined. The oscillating circuit can be energized by the total alternating field and generates a oscillating-circuit alternating field having the same carrier frequency as the first alternating fields.

Abstract: In an inductive position sensor for determining the position, particularly the rotation angle, of a movable element, at least two subsystems are provided, which each have second transmitting units with an actuating unit, an oscillating circuit on the movable element, and a receiving unit with an evaluating unit. According to the invention, it is provided that the operation of the individual subsystems is carried out alternately. Thus, if one subsystem is operating, all other subsystems are deactivated. In this way, all subsystems are individually operated in a consecutive manner. The synchronization required to do so is provided by a non-galvanic coupling of the subsystems, and in particular by an inductive coupling by way of preferably existing inductances of the subsystems.

Abstract: In the method for addressing the participants of a bus system, the central control unit connects the bus line to one potential of the operating voltage, while each participant tries to pull the bus line to a reference potential, normally the operating voltage, wherein, due to the current source behavior of the switch placing the bus to the operating voltage, a current is detectable by a detector arranged in the bus line and associated with the participant. When the participant detects this decrease of current, said participant switches off its switch. Due to time-defined slow connection of the switched current sources, this process takes place sequentially within a group of participants until the last participant is reached. The detector associated with this participant does in no case detect a current, such that, after elapse of a predeterminable on-period, the switch of this participant is still open.

Abstract: An inductive position sensor, which in particular is a rotational angle sensor, is provided with two first transmitter units for the generation of two site-dependent first alternating fields having the same carrier frequency, and at least one oscillating circuit arranged in or on an element which may be moved within the alternating field and the position of which is to be determined. The oscillating circuit can be energized by the total alternating field and generates a oscillating-circuit alternating field having the same carrier frequency as the first alternating fields.

Abstract: A device for detecting the wetting and/or soiling of a windscreen surface, in particular in a vehicle, comprises a camera with a sensor having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged as an array and adapted to be illuminated according to an illumination cycle, and having a focussing optic for a camera focus set to almost infinite. The device is further provided with a light source for illuminating a detection portion of the screen surface detectable by the camera. The light source may be switched on and off according to a predeterminable ON/OFF cycle. The ON/OFF cycle is synchronized to the illumination cycle of the camera sensor, and the wetting/soiling of the screen surface may be detected by comparing the image information from the sensor of the camera when the light source is turned on and when the light source is turned off.

Abstract: The method is provided for addressing the participants of a bus system comprising a control unit, a bus starting from the control unit and a plurality of participants connected to the bus. In the method, each participant not addressed so far feeds an identifying current for identification purposes into the bus, wherein all identifying currents flow through the bus towards the control unit. Each participant not addressed so far detects the current flowing through the bus. Only that participant not addressed so far, which does not detect any current or merely detects a current which is smaller than a predeterminable first threshold value, is identified as a participant not addressed so far. An address for addressing purposes is assigned to the participant thus identified. The aforementioned steps are carried out, without the respective participant addressed last, until all participants not addressed so far are addressed.

Abstract: A device for detecting the wetting and/or soiling of a windscreen surface, in particular in a vehicle, comprises a camera with a sensor having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged as an array and adapted to be illuminated according to an illumination cycle, and having a focussing optic for a camera focus set to almost infinite. The device is further provided with a light source for illuminating a detection portion of the screen surface detectable by the camera. The light source may be switched on and off according to a predeterminable ON/OFF cycle. The ON/OFF cycle is synchronized to the illumination cycle of the camera sensor, and the wetting/soiling of the screen surface may be detected by comparing the image information from the sensor of the camera when the light source is turned on and when the light source is turned off.

Abstract: The electrical circuit for driving a load comprises a transistor (12;14;22) having a load current flowing therethrough, a measurement device (30,32) for determining the voltage drop across this transistor (12;14;22), a device (42) for impressing a measuring current into the transistor (12;14;22), and a device for determining the resistance value of the transistor (12;14;22) in its ON state, this resistance value being between a known maximum value (RXMAX) and a known minimum value (RXMIN). The device for determining the resistance value is provided with a measuring bridge (36) having the transistor (12;14;22) and a known reference resistor (RR) arranged in its first bridge arm (38) and having three respectively known resistors (R1,R2,R3) arranged in its second bridge arm (40).

Abstract: A device for detecting the angle of incidence of radiation on a radiation incidence surface (14) comprises at last two first pairs (36) of photodiodes comprising first photodiodes (30) arranged along a first axis (12) and connected in series in a pair-wise manner. Each of the first photodiodes (30) comprises a space-charge zone (32) having a space-charge zone face (34) oriented towards the radiation incidence face (14). Further, the device is provided with a a shading mask (46) arranged at a distance (44) above the space-charge zone faces (34) of the first photodiodes (30) and comprising radiation-transmitting areas (48). Each radiation-transmitting area (48) is assigned to the space-charge zone faces (34) of the two first photodiodes (30) of a first pair (36) of photodiodes.

Abstract: The electrical circuit for driving a load comprises a transistor (12;14;22) having a load current flowing therethrough, a measurement device (30,32) for determining the voltage drop across this transistor (12;14;22), a device (42) for impressing a measuring current into the transistor (12;14;22), and a device for determining the resistance value of the transistor (12;14;22) in its ON state, this resistance value being between a known maximum value (RXMAX) and a known minimum value (RXMIN). The device for determining the resistance value is provided with a measuring bridge (36) having the transistor (12;14;22) and a known reference resistor (RR) arranged in its first bridge arm (38) and having three respectively known resistors (R1,R2,R3) arranged in its second bridge arm (40).

Abstract: A method for automatically assigning addresses in a bus system with a bus, a plurality of participating units connected to the bus and a control device for issuing control signals to the units also coupled to the bus, where each unit comprises an actuator and an actuator driving device for displacing the actuator along a displacement path defined by two end positions, is characterized by the following steps: storing, in the control device, operating data sets that, upon adjustment of the actuators from one end position to another end position, describe expected operation parameters of the actuator driving devices of the units, these set parameters being different for each actuator driving device, and storing address data that are also different and are assigned to the different set parameters; the control device causes the actuator driving devices of the units to move the respective assigned actuators to the one end position; the control device then causes the actuator driving devices of the units to move the

Abstract: The MOS transistor with high voltage sustaining capability and low closing resistance comprises a substrate doped with charge carriers of a first line type. In the substrate drain and source regions are configured doped with charge carriers of a second line type opposed to the first line type. Further, the MOS transistor is provided with a gate electrode arranged in the region between the drain and the source regions on the substrate and comprising a drain-side end region. A drain extension region is doped with charge carriers of the second line type, connected with the drain region and extends to below the drain-side end of the gate electrode. The drain extension region is produced by an ion implantation process comprising at least a first implantation step. The drain extension region comprises in its region near the top side and facing the top side of the substrate a lower doping material concentration than in its region below the region near the top side.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement, provided for driving a load by two transistors connected in series with the load, comprises a first transistor (M1) provided with a control input adapted to receive a first control signal, and with a conductive path to be controlled in dependence on the first control signal, the current flowing via the conductive path being limited to a first maximum value (Ilim(M1). Further the circuit arrangement comprises a second transistor (M2) provided with a control input adapted to receive a second control signal, and with a conductive path to be controlled in dependence on the second control signal, the current flowing via the conductive path being limited to a second maximum value (Ilim(M2). The first maximum value (Ilim(M1) is larger than the second maximum value (Ilim(M2). The load (R) is connected in series with the conductive paths of the first and second transistors (M1,M2).

Abstract: In a method for producing an integrated circuit using a CMOS process, in particular a HV CMOS process, components are formed within troughs of different depths and of a first conductivity type, in particular N-type troughs, which are formed in a substrate layer of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, in particular a P-type substrate. Further, a SOI wafer substrate is used that comprises a top substrate layer for forming the CMOS components, a lateral insulation layer provided beneath the substrate layer, and a support layer arranged beneath the insulation layer. The top substrate layer has a thickness less than or equal to the greatest trough depth of the CMOS process.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for recognizing the step of stepping motors by analyzing the current that flows through the motor, without using any sensors. In order to overcome the problems caused by the use of a shunt resistance, the resulting current measurement errors and toggling, and to ensure an as disturbance-free and reliable operation as possible in all operation states of both unipolar and bipolar stepping motors, the disclosed process has the following steps: a defined current is transmitted to a motor winding after a reversal of the current flow direction in a first motor winding; a motor winding connection is switched with a high ohmic value; the response signal at the motor winding connection switched with a high ohmic value is sensed; the length of the response signal is evaluated. Alternatively, triggering is provoked by an external triggering signal, independently of the reversal of the current flow direction.

Abstract: In a channel well of a semiconductive substrate, source, drain and gate electrodes are formed. Below the gate electrode region, a plurality of partial regions of the second conductive type are arranged next to each other in the direction of the extension of the gate electrode region and in a mutually spaced relationship, said partial regions bordering on the gate electrode region and extending through the channel well region into the region of the substrate bordering on the channel well region from below.