Abstract: A weight sensor comprises a sensing system including a target piece and a sensing element, configured to provide changes of a magnetic field, being generated by motion of the target piece. The sensing element senses these changes and provides a signal representative of the position of the target piece. An integrated circuit with processing means can process signals from the sensing element. The flexible piece receives a force stimulus, so that upon exerting a force on the flexible piece by a product due to the weight of said product, the displacement of the target piece with respect to sensing elements can be sensed.

Abstract: A rotation angle detector includes a magnet arranged to rotate, and a magnetic detection circuit provided with a first pair of magnetic detection elements arranged to be in combination sensitive to a first magnetic field in circumferential direction to the first surface and to a second magnetic field in normal direction to the first surface and arranged away from the rotation axis, and configured to detect magnetic flux of the magnet. A second pair of magnetic detection elements are arranged to be in combination sensitive to the first magnetic field in circumferential direction to the first surface and to the second magnetic field in normal direction to the first surface. A signal processing unit is configured to output a signal representative of a rotation angle of the magnet based on outputs of the first and second pair of magnetic detection elements.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one integrated magnetic flux concentrator, comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface; b) making at least one cavity in said upper surface; c) depositing one or more layers of one or more materials, including sputtering at least one layer of a soft magnetic material; d) removing substantially all of the soft magnetic material that is situated outside of the at least one cavity, while leaving at least a portion of the soft magnetic material that is inside said at least one cavity. A semiconductor substrate comprising at least one integrated magnetic flux concentrator. A sensor device or a sensor system, a current sensor device or system, a position sensor device or system, a proximity sensor device or system, an integrated transformer device or system.

Abstract: A system for characterizing a transistor circuit which has a local minimum in its transfer characteristic by finding its local minimum. The system comprises: a bias voltage generator for generating a toggling signal; a multiplier configured for multiplying an electrical signal which is a function of the drain source current of the transistor circuit, with a waveform alternating between two predefined values synchronously with the toggling signal; a first integrator configured for integrating the electrical signal from the multiplier, and wherein if more integrators are present, linear combinations of output signals of the integrators are provided to the further integrators; a summator configured for summing the toggling signal and an integration signal and configured for outputting the sum to the gate of the transistor circuit.

Abstract: An angular position sensor system includes a two-pole magnet rotatable about a rotation axis; a magnetic sensor device having a plurality of horizontal Hall elements including at least a first, second and third horizontal Hall element located on a virtual circle having a centre located on the rotation axis. The Hall elements are spaced by multiples of 90. The magnetic sensor device has a processing unit connected to the horizontal Hall elements for obtaining a first, second and third signal, and for determining a first pairwise difference between the first and second sensor signal, and for determining a second pairwise difference between the second and third sensor signal, and for determining an angular position of the magnet relative to the sensor device based on a ratio of these pairwise differences.

Abstract: A sensing system and a method for sensing position include a first magnetic track comprising a first number of multipoles for generating a magnetic field solidarily fixed to a second magnetic track for generating a magnetic field and a second sensor for sensing magnetic field, forming a magnetic structure. At least two sensors are included. The first sensor is positioned proximal to the first magnetic track, closer to the first magnetic track than to the second magnetic track. The second sensor is positioned proximal to the second magnetic track. The distance between the first sensor and the second magnetic track is larger than the distance between the second sensor and the second magnetic track. The magnetic flux density generated by the first and second magnetic tracks follow a ratio of two or more.

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.

Abstract: A method of determining an orientation ?,? of a magnet which is pivotable about a reference position having a predefined position relative to a semiconductor substrate, comprising: a) determining at least two of the following magnetic field gradients: i) a first magnetic field gradient dBx/dx; ii) a second magnetic field gradient dBy/dy; iii) a third magnetic field gradient dBz/dx; iv) a fourth magnetic field gradient dBz/dy; b) determining a first angle ? based on at least one of the magnetic field gradients; c) determining a second angle ? based on at least one of the magnetic field gradients. A sensor device is configured for performing this method. A sensor system includes such sensor device and a magnet, optionally connected to a joystick.

Abstract: A current sensor device for measuring a current in a conductor comprising: current sensing means comprising a magnetic sensing element for contactlessly measuring the current; amplification means arranged to act in a first and second state, said amplification means in said first and second state being arranged for amplifying a first and second signal, respectively, from said current sensing means with an adjustable first gain and a second gain and a first and second bandwidth to yield a first and second amplified signal, respectively, wherein said first gain is higher than the second gain, wherein the first gain and the second gain are larger than 1; processing means for controlling at least said first gain, for detecting an event based on at least said second amplified signal and for producing a signal indicative of said event; an output terminal arranged for outputting a signal indicative of said current based on said first amplified signal; and an output terminal arranged for outputting said signal indicat

Abstract: A sensor interface circuit includes at least two sensor inputs and at least two front-end circuits to obtain sensor signal acquisitions from the at least two sensor inputs; a test circuit configured to test correct functionality of at least part of one of the front end circuits by applying a test input to the front end circuit under test, by reading a test output of the front end circuit, and by comparing the test output with an expected result thus obtaining at least one test result. The test input is applied intermittently between sensor signal acquisitions; a processing device is configured to compare the sensor signal acquisitions from the different sensor inputs and combine the comparison with the at least one test result to evaluate correct functionality of the sensor interface circuit.

Abstract: An electronic circuit device for acquiring an analog signal. The device comprising: a data line, one or more control lines (of which at least a clock line, and configured for transmitting a stored digital measurement result using the data line and the one or more control lines, in accordance with a synchronous serial communication protocol; a detection means for recognizing a synchronization pulse on one of the one or more control lines or on the data line; wherein the device is configured for repetitively measuring the analog signal or for measuring the analog signal triggered by the synchronization pulse; and for storing one or more digital measurement results or combinations thereof when triggered by the synchronization pulse.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field; a lever or stick, which can be manually tilted about a reference orientation; a magnetic sensor device for measuring the magnetic field. The magnetic source forms a central opening. The stick includes a ferromagnetic object mounted such that a potential energy of the magnetic field is minimal when the stick is oriented in the reference orientation.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an optical sensor includes a photodetector and an integrator. The method comprises exposing the photodetector to incoming light; obtaining an initial integrated signal at an initial frame; at least once executing the steps of changing at least one control parameter of the optical sensor, exposing the photodetector to incoming light, and obtaining one or more subsequent integrated signals at a subsequent frame; obtaining a characteristic of the optical sensor from the obtained integrated signals; comparing the obtained characteristic with a pre-determined characteristic of the optical sensor to diagnose the optical sensor.

Abstract: A hybrid position sensor for determining a position of a hybrid target includes a conductive target and a magnet configuration which are rigidly connected and at least partially overlapping. The position sensor has a first transducer configured for generating a first signal induced by the conductive target and indicative for the position of the hybrid target; a second transducer, at least partially overlapping with the first transducer, and configured for generating a second signal induced by the magnet configuration and indicative for the position of the hybrid target; a processing device configured for receiving the first signal to determine a first position of the hybrid target and for receiving the second signal to determine a second position of the hybrid target and for determining reliability of the position sensor based on the determined first and second position.

Abstract: A method or system configured for assessing the integrity of a sensor module mounted in a tire of a wheel or on an inner surface of the tire of the wheel.

Abstract: An Inductive angle sensor comprising: a number of inductively coupled transmitter coils together forming an inductively coupled transmitter coil system; a number of receiver coil sets; a number of integrated devices each having a first and a second oscillator pin, each integrated device having an excitation circuit for providing an alternating signal over its oscillator pins, and having an evaluation circuit for evaluating signals obtained from a set of receiver coils; at least one movable target arranged in the vicinity of the receiver coils; wherein each transmitter coil has a first end connected to a first oscillator pin of a first integrated device and has a second end (TX1b) connected to a second oscillator pin of a subsequent integrated 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 method of operating a plurality of driving units for powering electronic units is described. The method includes interchanging a data frame including a bit sequence, between a master control unit and at least one of a plurality of driving units at slave nodes. The method includes applying an ID field for addressing at least one driving unit, and applying a data field comprising information and/or instructions regarding the status of the electronic units. Applying the ID field comprises indicating the driving unit address using a first bit sub-string comprising N bits, allowing the master control unit to identify whether data should be received or transmitted, performing a data length decoding step, and adding a further bit string to the data field including information for carrying out an action by the driving unit.

Abstract: A sensor circuit for determining an angular position of a rotating object configured for generating or modulating a magnetic field includes: a first sensor for providing a first sensor signal; a second sensor for providing a second sensor signal a signal correction block for receiving the first/second sensor signal or a signal derived therefrom as a first/second input signal, and for receiving a plurality of feedback signals; and configured for providing a first corrected signal and a second corrected signal; an angle calculation block configured for receiving the first and the second corrected signal, and for determining the angular position signal as a function of a ratio of the first and the second corrected signal; a feedback block configured for receiving the angular position signal, and for generating the plurality of feedback signals based on the angular position signal, with an improved linearity.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a magnetic position sensor system for a magnetic target, includes: (i) a first sensor for measuring in a first sensing region a first magnetic field component Bx,1 along a direction x and a second magnetic field component Bz,1 along a direction z, orthogonal to x; (ii) a second sensor for measuring in a second sensing region—aligned to the first sensing region along the x-direction—a first magnetic field component Bx,2 along the x-direction and a second magnetic field component Bz,2 along the z-direction; and (iii) an axially-magnetized ring magnet arranged under the first and second sensing region such that an axial direction of the ring magnet is substantially parallel to the z-direction and—in operation—a position of the ring magnet with respect to the first and second sensing regions is fixed.