Abstract: A device having a light emitting diode (LED) of a red-green-blue type, a pulse width modulation (PWM) control, a current supply, and a microcontroller. The RGB LED device arranged for setting a PWM duty cycle using the PWM control and for supplying to the LED either a current of a first value or a current of a second value higher than the first value from the current supply. A method for calibrating the LED of the RGB LED device by measuring sets of tristimulus values when the PWM duty cycle and currents are applied, and calculating from the measured tristimulus values parameters to express colour intensity as a function of PWM duty cycle under the applied current. A method for operating the RGB LED device where calibration parameters linked to the use of a current having a low value and calibration parameters linked to the use of a high current value are determined and used to account for a possible working point shift when switching between the two currents.

Abstract: A method for performing an initialization or a reset of a port of an integrated circuit includes: receiving in a device for supervising ports, from a central processing unit of the integrated circuit, a port initialization signal comprising port initialization data and one or more parity bits; inverting in the device for supervising ports the one or more parity bits in accordance with the port initialization signal; providing the port initialization signal comprising the port initialization data and the inverted one or more parity bits to the port of the integrated circuit; on receipt of the port initialization signal at the port, inverting again in the port the inverted one or more parity bits, thereby obtaining the original one or more parity bits and storing the port initialization data and the just obtained original one or more parity bits.

Abstract: A method of operating a plurality of driving units for powering electronic units comprises 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. A step of applying an 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, or allowing each addressed driving unit to decode which action is required by the master control unit, using an R/T command bit, performing a length decoding step, for including information in the ID field regarding the type of instructions included in the data frame, using an F function bit, and assigning data bits to different electronic units or indicating in the length of the bit string in the data field, using a second bit sub-string.

Abstract: An infrared sensor assembly for sensing infrared radiation comprises infrared sensing elements and the infrared sensing compensation elements that are different so that, for a same flux on the infrared sensing elements and the infrared sensing compensation elements, the radiation responsive element of the infrared sensing elements absorbs more radiation than the radiation responsive element of the infrared sensing compensation elements, as to receive substantially more radiation than the radiation responsive element of the infrared sensing compensation elements. An output of the sensor array is a subtractive function of a sum of the signals of the plurality of infrared sensing elements and a sum of the signals of the plurality of the infrared sensing compensation elements such that at least linear and/or non-linear parasitic thermal fluxes are at least partly compensated for.

Abstract: A method for providing offset compensation in a Hall sensor comprising at least one Hall element having a plate-shaped sensor element made of a doped semiconductor material, comprises using measurements on the Hall element itself. The method comprises obtaining a first readout signal (VH) from the at least one Hall element which is substantially dependent on the magnetic field, obtaining a second readout signal (VP) from the at least one Hall element which is substantially independent of the magnetic field, and using the second readout signal (VP) for obtaining a prediction ({circumflex over (V)}O) of the offset (VO) on the first readout signal (VH).

Abstract: A semiconductor device for measuring IR radiation comprising: at least one sensor pixel; at least one reference pixel shielded from said IR radiation comprising a heater; a controller adapted for: measuring a responsivity by applying power to the heater, while not heating the sensor pixel; measuring a first output signal of an unheated pixel and a first reference output signal of the heated pixel, obtaining the responsivity as a function of a measure of the applied power to the heater and of the difference between the first output signal and the first reference output signal; applying a period of cooling down until the temperature of the reference pixel and the sensor pixel are substantially the same; generating the output signal indicative of the IR radiation, based on the difference between the sensor and the reference output signal, by converting this difference using the responsivity.

Abstract: A circuit for receiving and processing a bit stream obtained from an electronic communication bus-system comprises a bit stream processor and bit sampling of the bit stream to provide a sampled output signal. The circuit comprises a frame decoder for decoding a data frame encoded in the sampled output signal, and a clock signal generator for generating a first clock signal for the bit stream processor. The circuit comprises a clock signal downsampler for generating a second clock signal having a lower frequency than the first clock signal, in which the second clock signal is based on a co-occurrence of a clock pulse in the first clock signal and the emission of a bit in the sampled output signal. The bit stream processor is adapted for synchronizing the first clock signal to an external protocol timing of the incoming bit stream.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor for measuring an external pressure exerted on the sensor, including: a membrane; a first resistor connected between a first bias node and a first output node; a second resistor connected between the first bias node and a second output node; a first and second current source connected to the first resp. second output node for generating a differential voltage signal indicative of the external pressure to be measured. The resistors including piezo-resistive strips arranged in particular crystallographic directions. The circuit may have a third and four resistor pair for compensating package stress. The Piezo-resistive strips may be formed as p-doped regions within an n-well, the biasing node being electrically connected to the n-well.

Abstract: An arrangement for measuring an angular position of a rotor with respect to a stator, comprises a multi-pole magnet mounted on the rotor, and a sensor mounted on the stator and a plurality of sensor elements organized in two groups or four groups for measuring a magnetic field component. A method for calculating the angular position comprises making a sum of signals of the elements of each group, a ratio of the two sums, and an arctan function. Alternatively the method may comprise making a sum of signals, the difference of sums, a ratio of the differences, and an arctan function. An integrated sensor, and the use of such arrangement or sensor in an automotive environment.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor assembly for measuring a pressure of an exhaust gas which contains corrosive components, comprising: a first cavity, a pressure sensor comprising first bondpads for electrical interconnection, a CMOS chip comprising second bondpads for electrical interconnection with the pressure sensor, an interconnection module having electrically conductive paths connected via bonding wires to the pressure sensor and to the CMOS chip; the interconnection module being a substrate with corrosion-resistant metal tracks, wherein the CMOS chip and part of the interconnection module are encapsulated by a plastic package.

Abstract: A packaged semiconductor device comprising a stack including a die comprising a functional circuit, and a cap which is wafer bonded to the die for protecting the functional circuit as well as a mold component for packaging the stack. At least the cap and/or the die comprises at least one groove at least partially in contact with the mold component, for increasing adhesion of the mold component to the stack. A corresponding method for manufacturing such a packaged device also is described.

Abstract: A method for making and a semiconductor device comprises a silicon die including a metal contact region and, at least one passivation layer covering the semiconductor die and patterned such as to form an opening to the metal contact region of the semiconductor die. A continuous part of a contact layer comprises a refractory metal, and overlaps and completely covers the opening in the at least one passivation layer to contact the metal contact region in the opening and adhere to the at least one passivation layer along the entire edge of the continuous part. The contact layer comprises at least an adhesion layer and at least a diffusion barrier layer. A noble metal layer is arranged over the contact layer and completely covers the continuous part to adhere to the at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part.

Abstract: A sample and hold system, for capturing and reading at least one input signal. The system comprises a readout device, a controller, an array of segments comprising a plurality of unit cells and a dummy unit cell, and segment switches between the segments and the readout device. The controller is adapted for controlling the system such that: during an acquisition phase a trace of samples is taken from the input signal and held in the unit cells; during a readout phase the samples in the unit cells or in the dummy unit cells of a segment are read out by readout device; after opening or closing the segment switches the dummy unit cell, is the first cell which is read out by the readout device.

Abstract: Method of encapsulating a semiconductor structure comprising providing a semiconductor structure comprising an opto-electric element located in a cavity formed between a substrate and a cap layer, the cap layer being made of a material transparent to light, and having a flat upper surface; forming at least one protrusion on the cap layer; bringing the at least one protrusion of the cap layer in contact with a tool having a flat surface region, and applying a opaque material to the semiconductor structure where it is not in contact with the tool; and removing the tool thereby providing an encapsulated optical semiconductor device having a transparent window integrally formed with the cap layer.

Abstract: A method for noise reduction in an imaging device comprises a 4T pixel in operation, whereby the 4T pixel comprises a pinned photodiode and a floating diffusion node. The method includes the steps of: detecting a signal impinging on the 4T pixel of the imaging device and integrating the charge of the detected signal simultaneously in the photodiode potential well and the potential well of the floating diffusion node; deriving a linear signal proportional to the detected signal from the charge in the photodiode potential well; deriving a compressed signal from the charge in the potential well of the floating diffusion node, while keeping the compressed signal separate from the linear signal, and the compressed signal being a non-linear function of the detected signal; and summing the linear signal and a linearized version of the compressed signal and performing a non-linear conversion on the summation signal to fit the imaging device's output range.

Abstract: A method for detecting stall of a multiphase motor operated in a sinusoidal micro-stepped mode. The method comprises: a) measuring at least one phase current and/or measuring the sum of all phase currents at regular time intervals synchronous with the micro-steps, b) calculating the difference between the measured phase current at a first moment and the measured phase current of the same phase at a previous moment and/or the difference between the measured sum of all phase currents at a first moment and the measured sum of all phase currents at a previous synchronous moment, c) analyzing the series of obtained current differences so as to generate a stall detection signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated-LED device having a housing, whereby the housing comprises a multi-LED device comprising a transparent substrate and a plurality of light emitting diodes, LEDs, arranged for emitting light and disposed on said transparent substrate, an integrated circuit in connection with said LEDs and arranged for controlling said LEDs, a base comprising one or more base extensions, on which at least said multi-LED device is mounted, with said one or more base extensions so arranged or so shaped that a first opening is created to let pass LED light emitted through said transparent substrate by said plurality of LEDs.

Abstract: A semiconductor pixel unit for sensing near-infrared light, and for optionally simultaneously sensing visible light. The pixel unit comprises a single substrate with a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region electrically separated by an insulating region, for example a buried oxide layer. The pixel unit is adapted for generating a lateral electrical field in the second region for facilitating transport of photoelectrons generated in the second region by near-infrared light passing through the first region and the insulating region.

Abstract: A chip for radiation measurements, the chip comprising a first substrate comprising a first sensor and a second sensor. The chip moreover comprises a second substrate comprising a first cavity and a second cavity both with oblique walls. An internal layer is present on the inside of the second cavity. The second substrate is sealed to the first substrate with the cavities on the inside such that the first cavity is above the first sensor and the second cavity is above the second sensor.

Abstract: A method for detecting rotor position for a single coil DC motor or 2-coil DC motor with non-parallel windings, with no need of Hall position sensor. The method comprises applying a first respectively second probe pulse for generating a first response pulse having a first direction or polarity and a second response pulse having a second direction or polarity. The probe pulses are adapted so they do not substantially move the rotor with respect to the stator, but affect the magnetic properties of the stator. By comparing the measured effects caused by the probe pulses, the initial position of the rotor with respect to the stator is determined. A method for start-up, a motor driver circuit, and a motor assembly comprising said motor and driver circuit are also provided.