Patents Assigned to EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
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Patent number: 8629684Abstract: The electronic circuit has a capacitive sensor that includes two capacitors mounted in differential, whose common electrode can move relative to each fixed electrode of the two capacitors to alter the capacitive value of each capacitor. The electronic circuit has an interface connected to the capacitive sensor, which includes a charge transfer amplifier unit connected to the common electrode, an integrator unit, and an excitation unit arranged between the output of the first integrator unit and the sensor to polarise each fixed electrode of the sensor capacitors at a determined voltage value. A compensation capacitor is connected to the input of the integrator unit. The electronic circuit interface includes comparison means for comparing the output voltage with a comparison voltage to control disconnection of the compensation capacitor at the integrator unit input, if the deviation between the output voltage and the comparison voltage exceeds a determined voltage threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Alexandre Deschildre, Sylvain Grosjean, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20130300437Abstract: A physical parameter is measured via an electronic circuit connected to a two capacitor sensor. The circuit includes an amplifier connected to the common capacitor electrode, a logic unit for digital processing amplifier data and supplying a digital measuring signal, a digital-analogue converter for supplying a measuring voltage based on the digital measuring signal, a switching unit for alternately supplying the measuring voltage to the first and second fixed capacitor electrodes, and a regulated voltage for negative biasing or a low voltage for positive biasing from a voltage supply source. A first phase consists in biasing the first fixed electrode with the measuring voltage from first binary word and reference voltage, and the second fixed electrode with low voltage, and a second phase consists in biasing the second fixed electrode with measuring voltage from second binary word, which is reverse of the first binary word, and the reference voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventors: Sylvain GROSJEAN, Christophe ENTRINGER
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Patent number: 8500030Abstract: The electronic circuit is intended to form with an antenna a responder that operates without resetting to zero when the power supply of the electronic circuit is switched on (without POR). To increase efficiency and reduce the costs of testing a plurality of such integrated circuits in a wafer, means are provided that allow the logic circuit (8) to be reset to zero during such a test by electrical contact with the pads (P1, P2) of each circuit by using two extractors (12 and 14) of clock signals (CL1 and CL2) connected to the inputs of a generator (20) of a zero reset signal (SR). The state of the generator is essentially given by the difference in pulses received from the two clock signal extractors. As soon as the state of the generator corresponds to a value equal to or greater than a predefined integer, the logic circuit is reset to zero, which never occurs with the responder receiving an interrogation signal of a reader.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Zoran Randjelovic, Maksimilijan Stiglic
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Publication number: 20130191060Abstract: The method is for measuring a physical parameter via an electronic circuit connected to a two differential capacitor sensor having two fixed electrodes and a common moving electrode. The circuit supplies first and second digital measuring signals. Each measuring cycle consists on biasing fixed electrodes by a first biasing and a second biasing reverse of the first biasing, alternated with biasing the electrodes by the measuring voltage based on first and second digital signals. Each conversion starts by a small step value added to or subtracted from each digital signal in each cycle. If the successive identical amplifier output states counted or counted down by a counter is higher than a threshold, a large step value is added to or subtracted from the digital signals in each cycle. Re-adaptation to the small step value occurs when a sign change is detected in the counter, until the conversion end.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2013Publication date: July 25, 2013Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventor: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SA
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Publication number: 20130187668Abstract: The method is for measuring a physical parameter by an electronic circuit connected to a two differential capacitor sensor having two fixed electrodes and a common moving electrode. The electronic circuit supplies first and second digital measuring signals. Each measuring cycle consists on biasing the electrodes by the measuring voltage based on the first digital signal, connecting the fixed electrodes to a supply voltage source for a first biasing, biasing the electrodes by the measuring voltage based on the second digital measuring signal, and inversely connecting the fixed electrodes to a supply voltage source for a second biasing. In first successive measuring cycles, the first and second digital signals are adapted to each cycle by a large step value. In second successive measuring cycles, the first and second digital signals are adapted to each cycle by a small step value until the end of the conversion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2013Publication date: July 25, 2013Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventor: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SA
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Publication number: 20130163697Abstract: The circuit is provided for the transmission of data amplitude modulated radio frequency signals. The circuit includes a local oscillator for generating an oscillating signal at a determined carrier frequency, a unit for shaping data pulses to supply a data amplitude modulation control signal (Vmod), and a power amplifier receiving the oscillating signal and the data amplitude modulation control signal (Vmod) for the transmission of data amplitude modulated radio frequency signals by an antenna or an antenna arrangement. The data pulse shaping unit (13) includes a pulse shaper (21) for digitally adapting the data transition edges on the basis of an incoming digital data signal (d), and a digital-analogue conversion stage (26, 27) for converting a digital data signal shaped in the unit, in order to supply the data amplitude modulation control signal (Vmod) to the power amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventor: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SA
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Publication number: 20130159751Abstract: The Installation is equipped with a power supply unit and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), this installation being able to be connected to a second HDMI device with which it can communicate by using a protocol defined in the HDMI Standard, this installation or device being able to be set in Standby or Power-down mode and to be removed from this Standby or Power-down mode by said second HDMI device via a Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) line. The installation has a Power Management Unit (PMU) arranged on the primary side of said power supply unit, this PMU having its own power supply circuit directly connected to the power supply source of this installation or device and being arranged for switching OFF the electrical energy on the secondary side of said power supply unit when this installation or device enters said Standby or Power-down mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicants: MINEBA CO., LTD., EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventors: Yves Théoduloz, Josef Fisch, Manfred Schlenk, Fabien Maupas
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Patent number: 8429981Abstract: The measuring method is for measuring a physical parameter using an electronic interface circuit (1) for a capacitive sensor (2) with at least two capacitors (C1X, C2X) whose common electrode (CM) is mobile between the fixed electrodes. The electronic circuit includes an amplifier (4) connected to the common electrode (CM) by a switching unit (3), a logic unit (5) connected to the amplifier for supplying first and second digital measuring signals, and a digital-analogue converter (7) for supplying a measurement voltage (VDAC) to the electrodes on the basis of a conversion of one of the digital signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2010Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Sylvain Grosjean, Michel Willemin, Alexandre Deschildre, Beat Pfefferli
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Publication number: 20130095780Abstract: The transponder comprises an antenna and a receiver circuit (2) for receiving RF signals, this receiver circuit is implemented with a control mechanism to activate it at least periodically in a listening mode. This receiver circuit is comprises a decoding circuit (4), formed at least by a demodulator (8) and a decoder (10), and a wake-up circuit (14B) to analyze received RF signals in the listening mode and arranged for controlling the activation of the decoding circuit in this listening mode. The wake-up circuit comprises a frequency discriminator (17) and a digital modulation or preamble detector (18) downstream from a field clock generator (28). The wake-up circuit receives as entry an alternating signal branched from the signal chain through the receiver circuit upstream from the demodulator and it activates the decoding circuit only when a modulation or a preamble is detected in a received RF signal by the digital modulation or preamble detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2012Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventor: EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
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Patent number: 8422317Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) unit formed by at least a NVM cell and a sensor activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, the NVM unit arranged for storing in the NVM cell, by using electrical power of the electrical stimulus pulse, a bit of information relative to detection by the sensor, during a detection mode of the self-powered detection device, of at least one physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity and resulting in a voltage stimulus signal provided between a set control terminal and a base terminal of the NVM unit with at least a given set voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: David A. Kamp, Filippo Marinelli, Thierry Roz
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Patent number: 8422293Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises a non-volatile memory cell and a sensor activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, this sensor forming an energy harvester transforming energy from the physical or chemical action orphenomenon into an electrical stimulus pulse, the memory cell arranged for storing, by using electrical power of the electrical stimulus pulse, at least a bit of information relative to detection by the sensor of at least a first physical or chemical action or phenomenon. The non-volatile memory cell comprises a FET transistor having a control gate, a first diffusion defining a first input and a second diffusion defining a second input. This FET transistor is set to its written logical state from its initial logical state when, in a detection mode, it receives on a set terminal a voltage stimulus signal resulting from the first physical or chemical action or phenomenon.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: David A. Kamp, Filippo Marinelli, Thierry Roz
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Patent number: 8411505Abstract: The self-powered detection device comprises a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) unit (52) formed at least by a NVM cell and a sensor which is activated by a physical or chemical action or phenomenon, this sensor forming an energy harvester that transforms energy from said physical or chemical action or phenomenon into an electrical stimulus pulse, said NVM unit being arranged for storing in said NVM cell, by using the electrical power of said electrical stimulus pulse, a bit of information relative to the detection by said sensor, during a detection mode of the self-powered detection device, of at least one physical or chemical action or phenomenon applied to it with at least a given strength or intensity and resulting in a voltage stimulus signal provided between a set control terminal (SET) and a base terminal (SET *) of said NVM unit with at least a given set voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventor: David A. Kamp
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Patent number: 8405613Abstract: A method for measuring relative motion between an illuminated portion of a surface and an optical sensing device comprising a coherent light source and a photodetector device comprising an array of pixels and comparators for extracting motion features. The method includes the steps (a)-(d). Step (a) includes illuminating with the coherent light source the surface portion at a determined flash rate. Step (b) includes detecting, using the array of pixels a speckled light intensity pattern of the illuminated portion of the surface for each flash. Step (c) includes extracting edge direction data of two different types from the detected speckled light intensity patterns. Step (d) includes measuring relative motion between the optical sensing device and the illuminated portion of the surface based on extracted edge direction data.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2006Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Lawrence Bieber, Michel Willemin, Gil Afriat, James Harlod Lauffenburger, Kevin Scott Buescher
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Patent number: 8381992Abstract: The electronic card comprises at least one integrated circuit disposed on a printed circuit board, connection means to an electrical supply source connected to the printed circuit board in order to supply said integrated circuit, and control means which can be actuated manually and are connected to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is provided for processing signals generated by the control means. Said integrated circuit, the control means at least a part of connection means to and the supply source are enclosed in at least one layer of insulating material forming said card. The control means are formed by an assembly of electrodes in order to define a touch screen with capacitive keys which can each be activated by means of a finger (D) of a user or a pen placed on one contact surface of the card opposite at least one touch key for introduction of data or a command.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Alain Hamm, Emile Grosjacques, Fabrizio Vige, Jérôme Fabrizio
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Publication number: 20130043859Abstract: The method adjusts a reference voltage of an electronic circuit based on a band-gap voltage supplied by a first band-gap stage. The band-gap stage includes a current source connected to a first branch, which includes a first configurable resistor in series with a first diode, and to a second branch, which includes a second configurable resistor connected to a complementary resistor in series with a second diode. The current source is a PMOS transistor controlled by an output voltage of a first operational amplifier of a current control loop. The appropriate binary word for configuring the configurable resistors is determined based on four band-gap voltage values measured at two different temperatures and two resistive values of the resistors configured by the same first binary word and by the same second binary word which is different from the first binary word.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 21, 2013Applicant: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Yves THEODULOZ, Richard Stary, Petr Drechsler
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Patent number: 8195100Abstract: The transponder circuit comprises a double clock extractor unit (31, 32, 33), an antenna coil connected to a modulator rectifier block to supply a rectified supply voltage on the basis of a picked up radio-frequency signal, and a control logic receiving a clock signal (CLK) of the double clock extractor unit. The control logic supplies a modulation signal (MOD) to the modulator rectifier block as well as to the double clock extractor unit. A terminal (B1) of the antenna coil is connected to the double clock extractor unit, which comprises a first sensitive clock extractor, which is a comparator (32) with a sensitivity threshold defined by a low reference voltage (Vref), and a second clock extractor, which consists of two successive inverters (31, 33).Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventors: Maksimilijan Stiglic, Zoran Randjelovic
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Patent number: 8154387Abstract: An electronic tag is configured to be responsive to a TTO or TTF protocol energizing signal from a reader, but to suspend transmission when receiving an RTF protocol communication signal from a reader. The tag typically includes a protocol detector 120 which is operable to detect receipt of an RTF protocol communication signal and to suspend transmission when the electronic tag receives an RTF protocol communication signal from a reader.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2007Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignees: EM Microelectronic-Marin SA, Ipico South Africa (Proprietary) LimitedInventors: Hendrik Lodewyk Van Eeden, Albertus Jacobus Pretorius, Josef Preishuber-Pfluegl, Andreas Schuhai, Thierry Roz, Christopher Turner
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Patent number: 8151072Abstract: The electronic device, in particular a transponder, includes a non volatile memory (EEPROM) having a plurality of words 1 to N whose read and/or write access can be locked. The protection register (22) is formed of two protection words A and B these two protection words are alternately active and inactive during the successive locking of words 1 to N of the programmable memory (16). The state of the protection register is defined by the active word. An initially active word is not deleted until the content thereof has been copied into the inactive word. Once the content has been altered in accordance with the lock command, the initially inactive word becomes the active word of the protection register.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2008Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventor: Maksimilijan Stiglic
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Patent number: 8125201Abstract: The DC-DC converter (21) is for integration in a low power transceiver (100). The converter is able to supply an output voltage that is higher than the input voltage. The converter includes two distinct variable voltage regulator circuits (3 and 4). The first variable voltage regulator circuit (3) is arranged to operate at a first frequency and a second variable voltage regulator circuit (4) is arranged to operate at a second frequency, which is lower than the first frequency. The converter further includes switching means connected to each variable voltage regulator circuit for selecting one of the two regulator circuits to switch on.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SAInventor: Arthur Descombes
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Publication number: 20110185127Abstract: The processor circuit (1) has a Harvard architecture. This processor circuit includes a calculation unit (2), a first memory element (3a) for data storage and a second memory element (4a) for instruction storage. Said first and second memory elements (3a, 4a) are connected by at least one communication bus (5, 6) to the calculation unit. The processor circuit includes management means (8), placed between the first and second memory elements and the calculation unit and capable of saving several data items or instructions to save time during successive data reading.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SAInventors: Yves Theoduloz, Hugo Jaeggi, Tomas Toth