Abstract: A method of digitally processing a plurality of pixels of an image captured using an array of sensing pixels of an optical sensor device. The method comprises identifying a measurement pixel of the plurality of pixels corresponding to a measurement point on a target to be measured. The method then comprises identifying a number of pixels of the plurality of pixels neighbouring the measurement pixel, the number of pixels having a number of intensity values, respectively. A curve is then fitted to the number of pixels and the number of respective intensity values. An estimated intensity value is then determined from the curve in respect of the measurement pixel, thereby simulating a predetermined field of view in respect of the measurement pixel narrower than an actual field of view of the measurement pixel.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a silicon substrate having an active surface; a first sensing area disposed near a first edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate such that the first sensing area has at least one first magnetic sensing element is made of a first compound semiconductor material and contact pads; and a second sensing area disposed near a second edge of the active surface of the silicon substrate, such that the second edge is substantially opposite to the first edge, such that the second sensing area has at least one second magnetic sensing element made of a second compound semiconductor material and contact pads. A processing circuit is disposed of in the silicon substrate and is electrically connected via wire bonds and/or a redistribution layer with the contact pads of the first and second sensing areas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inductive position sensor configured to determine a position of a target device. The inductive position sensor comprises at least two coils for determining the position. At least two of the at least two coils for determining the position at least partially overlap. At least one coil of the at least two at least partially overlapping coils is a transmitter coil and at least one of the at least two coils is a receiver coil. At least one of the at least two coils has N2+R portions substantially equally distributed over N substantially parallel planes, N being an integer larger than or equal to two and R an integer larger than or equal to zero. For each of the at least two coils the portions distributed over the N substantially parallel planes are substantially identical, so that mutual inductance between the at least two coils is substantially unaffected by misalignments between the N substantially parallel planes.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure adapted for generating a charge via mechanical stress caused by a magnetic field. The first transducer structure has a first terminal electrically connectable to the control terminal of an electrical switch, and having a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal of the electrical switch for providing a control signal for opening/closing the switch. The switch may be a FET. A passive magnetic switch using a magnetoelectric transducer structure. Use of a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure for opening or closing a switch without the need for an external power supply.

Abstract: A method of determining a set of calibration values for offset-compensation of an inductive angular sensor arrangement includes: a substrate with a transmitter coil and three receiver coils, and a rotatable target. The method involves the steps of: a) exciting the transmitter coil; b) positioning the target at or near predefined positions, c) measuring and processing the signals, including calculating sums of squares of difference signals. A sensor device, and an angular sensor system may be arranged or adapted in view of the method.

Abstract: A semiconductor stack for a Hall effect device, which comprises: a bottom barrier comprising AlxGa1-xAs, a channel comprising InyGa1-yAs, on the bottom barrier, a channel barrier with a thickness which is at least 2 nm and which is smaller than or equal to 15 nm, and which at least comprises a first layer comprising AlzGa1-zAs with 0.1?z?0.22, wherein the first layer has a thickness of at least 2 nm, wherein a conduction band edge of the bottom barrier and the first layer is higher than a conduction band edge of the channel, a doping layer comprising a composition of Al, Ga and As and doped with n-type material, a top barrier comprising a composition of Al, Ga and As.

Abstract: A pulsed-light detection and ranging apparatus comprises an optical detector arranged to generate, when in use, time-series data in response to an optical pulse incident thereupon. A processing resource is also provided and arranged to support a pulse analyser (132). The pulse analyser (132) is arranged to identify (134) an inflection point of a pulse described by the time-series data. The pulse analyser (132) is further arranged to calculate (138) a distance based upon determined inflection point relative to a time axis associated with the time-series data.

Abstract: A piezo-resistor sensor includes a diffusion of a first conductivity type in a well of an opposite second type, contacts with islands in the diffusion, interconnects with the contacts, and a shield covers the diffusion between the contacts and extends over side walls of the diffusion between the contacts. Each interconnect covers the diffusion at the corresponding contact and extends over edges of the diffusion, and each island is at a side covered by its interconnect. A guard ring of the second type is around the diffusion. The shield covers the well between the diffusion and the ring and the edge of the ring facing the diffusion. If a gap between the shield and the interconnect is present, the ring bridges this gap, and/or the edges of the diffusion are completely covered by the combination of the shield and the interconnects.

Abstract: A motor driver for driving a rotor of a single coil motor in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation direction concerning a stator of the single coil motor is adapted for generating a position signal which is representative for the angular position of the rotor regarding the stator and comprises a controller which comprises a direction input to define the rotation direction of the rotor, and which is adapted for generating a driving signal for rotating the rotor in the defined rotation direction, wherein the driving signal is based on the position signal and is based on a signal indicative for an electrical lead angle wherein the signal indicative for the electrical lead angle is set such that the total lead angle is positive in both rotation directions of the rotor.

Abstract: A method for communicating between a master and a plurality of slaves includes generating a communication frame including generating a slave data frame in each slave. The slave data frame has a data packet including one or more data bytes and at least one gap of variable time length comprising no information in the slave data frame. The gap may be at the beginning of said slave data frame before the beginning of the first data byte of said data packet and/or at the end of said data packet after the end of a last data byte of said data packet, where the gaps have a time length dependency based on parameters locally stored in each of said at least one slave. The slave data frame is transmitted sequentially where the gap increases for each subsequent slave.

Abstract: A circuit for sensing a current comprises a substrate having a first and a second major surface, the second major surface being opposite to the first major surface. At least one magnetic field sensing element is arranged on the first major surface of the substrate and is suitable for sensing a magnetic field caused by a current flow in a current conductor coupled to the second major surface. The substrate also comprises at least one insulation layer, substantially buried between the first major surface and the second major surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A target configured to be used with a position sensor for sensing a position of the target is described. The target includes at least one elongated conductive loop structure for allowing eddy currents to flow therein and configured to affect a magnetic field received from the position sensor in a preferred direction along the at least one elongated conductive loop structure.

Abstract: A sensor device comprises a sensor connected to a first signal and responsive to an external field to produce a sensor signal, a test device connected to a second signal and electrically connected in series with the sensor by an electrical test connection providing a test signal, and a monitor circuit electrically connected to the first, second and test signals. The monitor circuit comprises a processing circuit and a determination circuit. The processing circuit is responsive to the test signal and a predetermined processing value to form a processing output signal. The determination circuit is responsive to the processing output signal to determine a diagnostic signal. A sensor circuit responsive to the sensor signal provides a sensor device signal responsive to the external field.

Abstract: A method of generating a time domain echo waveform comprises: a triggered source of pulsed electromagnetic radiation (108) emitting (202) a plurality of electromagnetic radiation pulses (132). A plurality of reflected pulses (134) irradiates an electromagnetic radiation detector cell (116), the detector (116) generating a plurality of stored electrical measurements in response thereto. The method also comprises generating a time-varying mixing signal and respectively applying (204, 206) phase-shifted variations thereof to the detector (116) while generating the plurality of electrical measurements. A signal pre-processor (126) reads out (210) the plurality of electrical measurements from the detector (116). A signal reconstruction unit (128) and then generates (300, 302, 500, 502) a spectrum (404, 604) in respect of the electrical measurements and a spectrum (406, 606) of the mixing signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a current-sensor structure comprising a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction and optionally parallel to a conductor surface. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed. The current sensor can be located on a side of the conductor opposite or orthogonal to a surface of the substrate. The current sensor can be aligned with, near to or adjacent to an edge of the conductor. The current-sensor structure can comprise a shield, such as a U-shaped laminated shield that at least partially surrounds the conductor and the current sensor.

Abstract: A method for detecting an error in a bridge sensor which is adapted for measuring a physical parameter. The method comprises biasing a first contact pair of the bridge sensor at least two times in a first direction and at least one time in a second direction opposite to the first direction; while biasing the first contact pair, measuring an output signal on a different contact pair of the bridge sensor, thus obtaining at least three output measurements which are representative for the physical parameter and which are separated by time intervals; combining the output measurements to obtain an output value which is indicative for an error in the bridge sensor, wherein the output measurements which are combined are only those output measurements which are measured when biasing the first contact pair.

Abstract: A current-sensor structure comprises a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces and an edge. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction. The current sensor is aligned with the edge of the conductor or the conductor has a width W and the current sensor is within a distance of W/2.5, W/3, W/4, W/5 or W/6 of the conductor edge. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed.

Abstract: A sensor comprises a housing; and a lead frame comprising at least three elongated leads having an exterior portion extending from the housing; and a magnetic sensor circuit disposed in the housing, and connected to the lead frame. The housing comprises two recesses arranged on two opposite sides of the housing for allowing the sensor to be mounted to a support. The lead frame may further comprise a plurality of tabs disposed between the elongated leads, for use as test pins. A component assembly comprising said sensor mounted on a support between deformable protrusions. A method of making said component assembly, comprising the step of positioning said component on the support between said protrusions, and deforming said protrusions such that they are at least partially disposed within the recesses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a field-sensor device comprising a reference field sensor providing a reference sensor signal in response to a field, a calibrated field sensor providing a calibrated sensor signal in response to the field, a reference circuit connected to the reference field sensor and adapted to receive a reference signal, and an adjustable circuit connected to the calibrated field sensor and adapted to receive a calibrated signal. When the adjustable circuit is adjusted with the calibrated signal, said calibrated signal being different from the reference signal, the calibrated field sensor provides a calibrated sensor signal substantially equal to the reference sensor signal. The field sensor device is arranged to be exposed, when in a calibration mode, to a uniform calibration field and, when in operational mode, to an operational field being a field gradient.

Abstract: A position sensing device for measuring a position, comprises a position sensing device for measuring a position; a plurality of sensors arranged to produce sense signals each being a function of an input phase representative of a position to be measured; a combiner circuit arranged to generate an error signal by combining the sense signals according to an array of weight factors; a processing block including a loop filter to filter the error signal and arranged to output a phase value representative of the position; and a feedback loop comprising a feedback signal unit arranged for receiving the output phase value and for adjusting based on the received output phase value of the array of weight factors.