Abstract: A position sensor for determining the position of a conductive target using a transmit coil and a plurality of receive coils. The receive coils may each include two strands and a strand may be obtained from a conversion of a substantially sinusoidal primitive function. The position sensor may realize a reduction of harmonics in signals from the receive coils.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing a position of a target, in particular for offset invariant sensing of the position of the target, is described as well as a corresponding method. The apparatus comprises at least three sensor elements. At least one sensor element of the at least three sensor elements generates a first magnetic field. At least two sensor elements of the at least three sensor elements receive a second magnetic field associated with the first magnetic field. The at least two sensor elements of the at least three sensor elements form at least one sensor element pair and provide a signal indicative of the position of the target.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for redundant measurements of a magnetic field originating from or influenced by a moveable object is described. The apparatus comprising at least one first magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one first magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a first area of a semiconductor substrate, at least one second magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one second magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a second area of said semiconductor substrate, and wherein the first and second areas are isolated from one another.

Abstract: A method for detecting a fault in a sensor arrangement is described. The method comprising modulating at least one physical parameter of the sensor arrangement by a configuration value, wherein the at least one physical parameter of the sensor arrangement is modulated during operation of the sensor arrangement, comparing an output of the sensor arrangement with a reference output related to the modulated at least one physical parameter and detecting a fault based on the comparison. Furthermore, also a corresponding processing circuit is described.

Abstract: A semiconductor amplifier circuit comprising an input block adapted for receiving a voltage signal to be amplified, an integrator circuit having an integrating capacitor providing a continuous-time signal representative for the integral of the voltage signal, a first feedback path comprising: a sample-and-hold block and a first feedback block, the first feedback path providing a proportional feedback signal upstream of the current integrator. The amplification factor is larger than 1 for a predefined frequency range. Charge stored on the integrating capacitor at the beginning of a sample period is linearly removed during one single sampling period in such a way that the absolute value of the charge is smaller at the end of the sampling period than at the beginning of the sample period when the voltage signal to be amplified is equal to zero.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided that includes an output stage circuit. The output stage circuit includes an input node for receiving a digital input signal, a supply voltage node for receiving a supply voltage signal, a digital to analog convertor for converting the digital signal, an amplifier for amplifying the converted signal, a first/second and optionally third voltage regulator generating a first/second and optionally third voltage signal, and a greatest-voltage selector circuit for providing power to the amplifier. Two different voltages are provided to the DAC. The output signal can be a SENT signal. The circuit is highly robust against power-interruptions and EMI.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor arrangement, comprising: a magnet assembly and a magnetic sensor; the magnet assembly forming a magnetic field having at least two magnetic field components with different angular periodicities at the location of the magnetic sensor and the magnetic sensor including means for sensing the different magnetic field components to produce at least a first and a second sensor element signal; and a computing element for receiving the at least first and second sensor element signals and combining them to produce a unique angular position of the magnet relative to the sensor. A method of determining a unique angular position is also provided.

Abstract: A method of reading out a Hall plate which comprises at least 4 contacts. The method comprises: reading out two of the contacts while biasing two other contacts of the at least 4 contacts thereby obtaining a readout signal; switching biasing and readout contacts according to a random or pseudo-random sequence of phases, each phase corresponding with a different permutation of biasing and readout contacts selected from the at least 4 contacts of the Hall plate wherein the biasing and readout contacts are selected such that the readout signal is a measure for the magnetic field; processing of the readout signal to obtain a readout of the Hall plate representative for the magnetic field.

Abstract: A multi-element sensor includes a substrate having a surface. A first sensing element for sensing an environmental attribute is disposed on or over the substrate surface. A second sensing element is disposed over the same substrate surface as the first sensing element, above the first sensing element in a direction orthogonal to the substrate surface. The second sensing element is arranged for sensing the same environmental attribute. In one configuration, the first and second sensing elements sense the same environmental attribute at a location between the first and second sensing elements.

Abstract: A method of biasing and reading-out a passive resistive sensor structure having two excitation nodes and two readout nodes, comprises the steps of: a) determining a first state of a first capacitor corresponding to a first amount of charge biasing the sensor structure such that a biasing current flows through said first capacitor during a first time interval determining a second state of the first capacitor corresponding to a second amount of charge integrating or averaging the readout signal during a second time interval related to the first time interval, thereby obtaining an integrated or averaged readout signal determining the sensor readout signal based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and a change in state of the first capacitor.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for redundant measurements of a magnetic field originating from or influenced by a moveable object is described. The apparatus comprising at least one first magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one first magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a first area of a semiconductor substrate, at least one second magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one second magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a second area of said semiconductor substrate, and wherein the first and second areas are isolated from one another.

Abstract: A rotary position sensor comprises a magnetic sensor for generating two independent signals indicative of at least two different order magnetic fields, and a magnetic assembly forming a first magnetic field component having a first order at the location of the magnetic sensor, in which the first magnetic field component is rotatable relative to the magnetic sensor by receiving a first angle. The magnetic assembly is also adapted for forming a second magnetic field component having a second order, different from the first order, at the location of the magnetic sensor, in which the second magnetic field component is rotatable relative to the magnetic sensor and the first magnetic assembly by receiving a second angle. The position sensor comprises a processor for combining the two independent signals to produce a unique system state representative of the first and second angle.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for error detection comprises an input for receiving two signals, in which a first signal is representative of a physical quantity in a first range and a second signal is representative of the physical quantity in a second range. The first range and second range are different ranges that overlap. The circuit comprises a processor configured to detect an inconsistency between the two signals by taking said first and second range into account, in which this inconsistency is indicative of an error.

Abstract: A sensor device comprising a substrate, the substrate comprising one or more magnetic sensor elements; a first elastomeric material on top of the one or more magnetic sensor elements; a magnetic layer comprising a soft magnetic metal alloy deposited by electroplating or by sputtering on top of the first elastomeric material; and optionally a second elastomeric material on top of the magnetic layer. The substrate may be a CMOS device with IMC encapsulated between two polyimide layers. The magnetic material may be annealed at 250° C. to 295° C. using a constant or rotating magnetic field having a strength in the range from 100 to 300 mTesla. The soft magnetic alloy is arranged as Integrated Magnetic Concentrator (IMC).

Abstract: A two-dimensional magnetic field sensor comprises a support, a single magnetic field concentrator which consists of at least three parts which are separated from each other by gaps, and at least two magnetic sensor elements. The magnetic sensor elements are arranged in the region of the edge of the magnetic field concentrator. No magnetic sensor element is present in the gaps.

Abstract: A rotation detection device includes a rotatable body having a tooth tip and a tooth bottom on planes normal to a rotation axis direction, a magnet forming a magnetic field toward the tooth surfaces of the tooth tip and bottom, a magnetic detection element disposed between the rotatable body and the magnet and other than on the rotation axis of the rotatable body, and detecting the magnetic flux densities in the rotation axis direction of the rotatable body at at least two positions, and a magnetic sensor having a signal processor for calculating the rotation angle of the rotatable body according to difference between the magnetic flux densities in the rotation axis direction detected at two positions and difference between the magnetic flux densities in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction and a radial direction of the rotatable body detected at two positions by the magnetic detection element.

Abstract: A two-dimensional magnetic field sensor comprises a support, a single magnetic field concentrator which consists of at least three parts which are separated from each other by gaps, and at least two magnetic sensor elements. The magnetic sensor elements are arranged in the region of the edge of the magnetic field concentrator. No magnetic sensor element is present in the gaps.

Abstract: A current sensor comprises a current conductor having a first portion, a measuring portion and a second portion, the first portion including one or more first electrical terminals and the second portion including one or more second electrical terminals. The current sensor further comprises third electrical terminals and a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip has one or more magnetic field sensors disposed in the active surface, is mounted on the current conductor with an active surface facing the current conductor. The active surface comprises first contacts. The semiconductor chip comprises electrical through silicon connections disposed over and electrically connected to the first contacts. A backside of the semiconductor chip comprises second contacts, each of the second contacts electrically connected to one of the electrical through silicon connections. Wire bonds electrically connect the second contacts with the third electrical terminals.

Abstract: A method for adapting an antenna circuit including at least one first capacitive element and an inductive element in series, and at least one second capacitive element having a first electrode connected between the first capacitive element and the inductive element, wherein data representative of the voltage of said first electrode are applied to the second electrode of the second capacitive element.

Abstract: A method of making a current sensor is described. The method includes providing a leadframe having a current conductor portion comprising two sections shaped such that a current to be measured flows in directions oriented obliquely or oppositely with respect to each other. Further, the method includes deforming the leadframe to lower the current conductor portion, and mounting an isolator on the current conductor portion. The method also includes mounting a semiconductor chip having a thickness of at least 0.2 mm and comprising two magnetic field sensors composed of four Hall sensors and magnetic field concentrators on the isolator, connecting the semiconductor chip and sensor terminal leads by wire bonds, packaging the semiconductor chip and parts of the leadframe in a plastic housing, and cutting a frame of the leadframe from current terminal leads and the sensor terminal leads.