Abstract: An inductive position sensor is configured to determine a position of a target device. The inductive position sensor comprises at least two coils for determining said position. At least two of the at least two coils for determining the position at least partially overlap. The at least two coils each have a plurality of portions being equally distributed over N substantially parallel planes, with N being an integer larger than or equal to two. 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 position sensor for determining the position of an object, comprising at least one sensing element to transduce a time-varying external signal into an electrical signal; at least one comparator circuit adapted to perform a thresholding operation on the electrical signal being characterized by a hysteresis curve; the position sensor is adapted to provide information relating to the last crossed to store it at least while the position sensor is in an inactive mode and to restore the information to obtain a selected threshold when it is switched from inactive to active mode; and configured such that a transition in an output signal is generated by the thresholding operation if the selected threshold is crossed by the electrical signal and configured to change the selected threshold after it was crossed by the electrical signal.

Abstract: A gas sensor device (100) is configured to measure a predetermined gas of interest and comprises an enclosure (101) comprising a semiconductor substrate (102) and defining a first cavity (124), an optically transmissive second closed cavity (126) and a third cavity (128). The second cavity (126) is interposed between the first and third cavities (124, 128). The first cavity (124) comprises an inlet port (130) for receiving a gas under test, an outlet port (132) for venting the gas under test. The first cavity (124) also comprises an optical source (112) and a measurement sensor (114). The second cavity (126) is configured as a gaseous filter comprising a volume of the gas of interest sealingly disposed in the second cavity (126), and the third cavity (128) comprises a reference measurement sensor (116) disposed therein.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor for sensing amounts of a physical quantity, such as an environmental attribute, and providing sensor signals formed in response to the sensed physical quantity. A diagnostic test circuit provides multiple diagnostic test signals each representing a desired response to a particular amount of the physical quantity. A signal circuit selects the sensor signal or the diagnostic test signal and forms a signal circuit output. A reference circuit provides a calibrated reference signal corresponding to a threshold amount of the physical quantity. A comparator receives and compares the calibrated reference signal and the signal circuit output to form a comparison signal. A control circuit controls the signal circuit, reference circuit, and diagnostic test circuit and receives the comparison signal to output a sensor device sensor signal or sensor device diagnostic signal.

Abstract: A multi-channel light detection and ranging system includes a plurality of active channels, each comprising a photosensitive element arranged to be exposed to light and an analog front end circuit arranged for receiving a signal from the photosensitive element. A compensation channel comprises a compensation element and an analog front end circuit arranged for receiving signals from the compensation capacitor. A processing unit arranged for receiving signals from the active channels and the compensation channel, deriving at a compensation signal from the signal received from the compensation channel, and compensating for the crosstalk interference and/or the interference common to the analog front end circuits of the active channels, using the compensation signal.

Abstract: A method for detecting a failure in an electronic signal processing system having a signal processing path comprises a configurable functional unit for performing a given function and at least one redundant version of the signal processing path including a corresponding configurable functional unit for performing the given function and configuring a first operating point for the functional unit in the signal processing path for performing the given function and configuring a second operating point for the corresponding functional unit in the redundant version of the signal processing path. The second operating point is different from the first operating point. The method further comprises applying a same input signal to the functional unit and the corresponding functional unit, comparing a first output signal produced by the functional unit with a second output signal produced by the corresponding functional unit, and deriving a failure indication from the comparing.

Abstract: An edge crack monitoring system for an integrated circuit provided on a die, comprises a conductive trace comprising at least a first conductive path for allowing current in a first direction, and a second adjacent conductive path for allowing current in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Both adjacent conductive paths form at least one loop surrounding a semiconductor device on a die. The arrangement of the trace is adapted to provide compensation of EM interferences. The trace comprises two terminals being connectable to a detection circuit for detecting damages by generating a fault signal upon detection of disruption of the conductive trace due to a damage. The conductive trace comprises high resistance portions with a resistance of at least 1 k?, adapted for reducing self-resonance.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor driver for driving a brushless DC motor which comprises at least one coil wherein the control unit is adapted for applying a PWM driving signal to the at least one coil of the brushless DC motor such that a current through the at least one coil is always bigger than a pre-defined undercurrent limit.

Abstract: An indirect time of flight range calculation apparatus (100) comprises a light source, a photonic mixer cell (102) that generates a plurality of output signals respectively corresponding to a first plurality of predetermined phase values (p1, p2, . . . , pm). A signal processing circuit (110, 124, 128, 146) is also provided to process the first plurality of electrical output signals in order to calculate a first vector and a first angle from the first vector. The photonic mixer (102) generates a second plurality of electrical output signals corresponding to a second plurality of predetermined phase values ([p1, p2, . . . , pm]+?/m). Each phase value of the second plurality of predetermined phase values is respectively offset with respect to each phase value of the first plurality of predetermined phase values by a predetermined phase offset value.

Abstract: A piezo-resistor-based sensor, and a method to fabricate such sensor, comprise a sensor having at least a sensing element provided on a flexible structure, such as a membrane or cantilever or the like. The sensing element includes at least one piezo-resistor comprising at least a first region of the flexible structure doped with dopant atoms of a first type. The flexible structure furthermore comprises a second doped region within it, at least partially overlapping the first doped region, forming a shield for shielding the sensing element from external electrical field interference, wherein dopant atoms of the second doped region are of a second type opposite to the dopant atoms of the first doped region, for generating a charge depletion layer within the flexible structure at the overlapping region between the first doped region and the second doped region.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor device comprises a substrate, first and second magnetic sensors, and one or more inductors are disposed over the substrate and are controlled by a magnetic sensor controller having a control circuit. The control circuit controls the first magnetic sensor to measure a first magnetic field and the second magnetic sensor to measure a second magnetic field under presence of a fifth magnetic field generated by the inductors. The control circuit controls the first magnetic sensor to measure a third magnetic field and the second magnetic sensor to measure a fourth magnetic field under presence of a sixth magnetic field generated by the inductors, the fifth magnetic field and the sixth magnetic field being different. The control circuit calculates a relative sensitivity matching value converting magnetic field values measured by the second magnetic sensor to a comparable magnetic field value measured by the first magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A sensor system comprises a magnetic field generator and a sensor device arranged at a distance from said magnetic field generator and adapted for measuring or determining at least one magnetic field component and/or at least one magnetic field gradient component. The magnetic field generator comprises a multi-pole magnet having a number N of pole pairs that are axially magnetized to generate an N-pole magnetic field that is substantially rotationally symmetric around an axis. The magnet comprises a plurality of grooves and/or elongate protrusions that are arranged in a rotationally symmetric pattern around the axis to provide a substantially constant magnetic field gradient in a central region around said axis.

Abstract: Provided is a displacement detection device which can uniquely determine displacement of a detection target from output values based on detection as well as make a displacement range of the detection target wider than a displacement range detectable by a sensor. A displacement detection device includes a magnet which is displaced in a displacement direction Ds, is rod-shaped and has a form in which a longitudinal direction and the displacement direction Ds form a predetermined angle ?, and a sensor IC which detects a magnetic flux density of a magnetic field formed by the magnet in an x direction and a z direction orthogonal to the displacement direction Ds and outputs a signal proportional to the magnetic field detected.

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: A sensor system for providing a main signal and an error signal, comprising: a sensor unit providing a sensor signal; a first signal processor downstream of the sensor unit, adapted for receiving a second signal equal to or derived from a sensor signal, and for performing a first operations on the second signal so as to provide a first processed signal; a second signal processor for receiving the first processed signal and for performing second operations inverse of the first operations, so as to provide a second processed signal; and an evaluation unit for receiving the second signal and the second processed signal, and for evaluating whether the second signal matches the second processed signal within a predefined tolerance margin, and for providing the error signal.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor is described comprising at least three magnetic flux concentrator sections integrated on a planar substrate, each section being adjacent to at least one of the other sections and being separated by gaps. The sensor comprises at least a first sensing element positioned for sensing flux density in or near the gap between a first section and a second section and at least a second sensing element positioned for sensing flux density in or near the gap between the first section and at least a further section. The magnetic field sensor further comprises further sensing elements arranged to measure changes of the magnetic field in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

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 field-sensor device comprises a first field sensor with a first sensor response to a field. The first sensor response is measured in a first orientation to produce a first sensor signal, a second field sensor with a second sensor response to the field the second sensor response measured in a second orientation different from the first orientation to produce a second sensor signal, and a controller for controlling the first and second field sensors to produce respective first and second sensor signals. The controller comprises a control circuit that converts any combination of first and second sensor signals to equivalent first and second comparable sensor signals in a common orientation, calculates an error signal derived from differences between the first and second comparable sensor signals, and adjusts any combination of the first and second sensor responses to reduce the error signal.

Abstract: A method and a circuit for measuring an absolute voltage signal, such that the circuit comprises: an A/D convertor, and a controller adapted for: a) obtaining a first digital reference value for a first reference signal having a positive temperature coefficient; b) obtaining a second digital reference value for a second reference signal having a negative temperature coefficient; c) obtaining a raw digital signal value for the signal to be measured, while applying a same reference voltage for step a) to c); and d) calculating the absolute voltage value in the digital domain using a mathematical function of the first and second digital reference value, and the raw digital signal value.