Patents Assigned to Sensirion AG
  • Publication number: 20190353628
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor device (1) for detecting a gas (G), particularly a permanent gas such as H2, CO, CO2, CH4, comprising: an adsorption filter (30) comprising a body (2) consisting of a molecular sieve material, a sensing element (10) for detecting said gas (G), and a carrier (4) for carrying the sensing element (10), wherein the carrier (4) comprises an opening (50) via which said gas (G) to be detected can reach the sensing element (10), and wherein the adsorption filter (30) is connected, particularly glued, to the carrier (4) and closes said opening (50) so that said gas (G) to be detected can diffuse through said body (2) towards the sensing element (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Frank ROCK, Werner HUNZIKER
  • Patent number: 10466229
    Abstract: A sensor assembly comprises a substrate arrangement and a sensor chip mounted to the substrate arrangement. A sensing element is integrated on or in the sensor chip and is sensitive to at least one parameter of a fluid. An access opening is provided in the substrate arrangement enabling the fluid to access the sensing element. A metallization arranged on at least a portion of the substrate arrangement seals a chamber containing the sensor chip which portion comprises one or more of a wall defining the access opening or an area facing the sensor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Matthias Schibli, Daniel Lehmann
  • Patent number: 10444076
    Abstract: An infrared device comprises a substrate (1), and arranged on or in the substrate (1) a configuration (3) for one of selectively emitting and selectively absorbing infrared radiation of a band, the configuration (3) comprising a pattern made from an electrically conducting material on a first level (L1), an electrically conducting film (33) on a second level (L2), and a dielectric layer (24) between the pattern and the film (33). One or more of a heater (4) for heating the configuration (3), and a thermal sensor (5) arranged for sensing the selective infrared radiation of the band absorbed by the configuration (3) on or in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Martin Winger, Marc Von Waldkirch, Matthias Streiff, Alexander Lochbaum, Jürg Leuthold
  • Publication number: 20190293590
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sensor for detecting and/or analysing a gas. The sensor comprises a substrate, a recess or opening arranged in the substrate, a first bridge structure and a second bridge structure. The first bridge structure and the second bridge structure extend over said recess or opening and are anchored in the substrate. The first bridge structure forms a first hotplate and comprises a first patch of sensing material, in particular of a metal oxide material, arranged on the first hotplate, electrodes adapted to measure an electrical property of the first patch and a heater adapted to heat the first hotplate. The second bridge structure comprises a temperature sensor. The sensor comprises circuitry for driving the heater and for processing signals from the electrodes and the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Matthias MERZ, Mark HORNUNG, Felix HOEHNE
  • Patent number: 10416140
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a metal oxide sensing patch, a heater for heating the sensing patch, electrodes for measuring the conductivity of the sensing patch and an evaluation unit for generating a resulting parameter indicative of at least one analyte. Further, a temperature sensor is provided for measuring the temperature at the location of the sensing patch. The evaluation unit is adapted to derive a first parameter indicative of the conductivity of the sensing patch and a second parameter indicative of the heating power required to maintain a desired temperature of the sensing patch or indicative of the deviation of the temperature at the sensing patch from the desired temperature. The evaluation unit further combines the first and second parameters for evaluating the resulting parameter, thereby using the sensing patch not only as a chemiresistor but also as a pellistor-type measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventor: Marc Von Waldkirch
  • Publication number: 20190250135
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a support structure with a cavity (6), a sensing element (1) sensitive to a gas and arranged in the cavity (6), and a filter (3) spanning the cavity (6). The filter (3) is a size selective filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Pernilla ANDERSSON, Roman PAVELKO, Aline ROTZETTER
  • Publication number: 20190234896
    Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to a resistive metal oxide gas sensor. The sensor notably comprises a support structure and a patch of sensing material arranged on the support structure or partly housed therein. The patch comprises a metal oxide material. Electrodes are in electrical communication with the patch. The sensor further comprises a heater, in thermal communication with the patch, and a selective gas-permeable filter. The selective gas-permeable filter comprises a fluoropolymer. A first part of an external surface of the patch covers a part of the support structure, while a remaining part of said external surface is coated by the selective gas-permeable filter, so as to form a coated patch of sensing material. The present invention is further directed to related devices and methods of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Pernilla ANDERSSON, Aline ROTZETTER
  • Patent number: 10345829
    Abstract: A mass flow controller (10) comprises a fluid inlet (15) and at least one first flow meter (11) to measure a first flow rate (F1) and to output a first flow signal (FS1); at least one second flow meter (12) to measure a second flow (F2) rate and to output a second flow signal (FS2); a control device (13) connected to said first and second flow meters (11,12) and configured and arranged to generate a control signal (C); and at least one control valve (14) connected to said control device (13) to control a total flow rate (Fout) through the mass flow controller (10) in response to the control signal (C). The control signal (C) is generated as a function of both the first and second flow signals (FS1,FS2) such that the mass flow controller's (10) sensitivity to perturbations of said inlet pressure is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Thomas Huber, Philipp Reibisch, Andreas Rüegg
  • Patent number: 10281442
    Abstract: A sensor device comprises a sensitive element (1) and a support (2) for the sensitive element, the support having a surface (3) with an access opening (4) to the sensitive element (1). A layer of adhesive material (5) covers at least parts of the surface (3). A venting medium (6) extends over the entire surface (3) of the support (2) and the access opening (4) and is attached to the support (2) by the layer of adhesive material (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Werner Hunziker, Stephan Braun
  • Patent number: 10267757
    Abstract: A method for fabrication of a sensor device (1) for measuring a parameter of a test substance, comprising: i) providing a substrate; ii) arranging on its front side a structured first protection layer (2); iii) arranging on the substrate with the structured first protection layer (2) a stack including first and second electrodes (3,4), a sacrificial layer between the first and second electrodes (3,4); and iv) etching in an etching step from the back side through the substrate such as to remove material of the semiconductor substrate and the sacrificial layer. The present invention also relates to such a sensor device (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Silvio Graf, Ulrich Bartsch, Matthias Studer
  • Patent number: 10254142
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow sensor (1) and a method for determining the presence of a gas bubble (G) in a liquid (L) flowing through the flow sensor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kostner, Lukas Mahler, Niculin Saratz
  • Patent number: 10241107
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises a chemical sensor that is sensitive to a concentration of a chemical analyte and at least two auxiliary sensors that are sensitive to parameters that are different from the concentration of the chemical analyte. The portable electronic device comprises a control device that receives signals from the chemical sensor and from the auxiliary sensors at a plurality of points in time distributed over a measurement period and correlates the time dependencies of these signals to obtain a corrected reading of the first chemical sensor. The portable electronic device may be employed for breath analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Lukas Bürgi, Felix Mayer, Samuel Wehrli
  • Publication number: 20190003993
    Abstract: Method of operating a flow sensor device (10) with a first sensor arrangement (11) for measuring a flow (F) of a fluid (g) and a further first fluid property (p1), and with a second sensor arrangement (12) for measuring a further second fluid property (p2); said method comprising the steps of operating said flow sensor device (10) for determining said further first fluid property (p1) by means of said first sensor arrangement (11), operating said flow sensor device (10) for determining said further second fluid property (p2) by means of said second sensor arrangement (12), comparing said further first fluid property (p1) and further second fluid property (p2) and producing a comparison result (R), and monitoring said comparison result and producing a fault signal (FS) in case of a fault state. The present invention relates to such a sensor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventor: Mark HORNUNG
  • Patent number: 10151612
    Abstract: A flow sensor package comprises a chip comprising a sensitive structure for sensing the flow of a fluid and an encapsulation at least partly encapsulating the chip. A recess in the encapsulation contributes to a flow channel for guiding the fluid, which recess exposes at least the sensitive structure of the chip from the encapsulation, and which recess extends beyond an edge of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Werner Hunziker, Mark Hornung, Eric Monnin
  • Publication number: 20180306621
    Abstract: A membrane-based thermal flow sensor device with a substrate comprising a cavity, a membrane spanning said cavity and defining a first membrane side and a second membrane side, and a sensitive structure. The sensitive structure is arranged on the membrane and comprises a heater element and a temperature element. The heater element and the temperature element are spaced apart from one another across a first portion of said the membrane. The membrane is provided with one or more through-openings such as to establish a fluid communication between said first and second membrane sides. Furthermore, said one or more through-openings are arranged outside said first portion of said membrane. The present invention also relates to a method of fabrication and to a method of use of said sensor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventor: Mark HORNUNG
  • Patent number: 10094691
    Abstract: A flow sensor arrangement for determining the flow of a fluid comprises a substrate. A heater is arranged in or on the substrate as well as at least one first thermocouple for generating a first signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location downstream from the heater and a first reference location, and at least one second thermocouple for generating a second signal proportional to a temperature difference between a location upstream from the heater and a second reference location which second reference location is different from the first reference location. In addition, at least one third thermocouple is arranged in or on the substrate for generating a third signal proportional to a temperature difference between the first reference location and the second reference location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Harry Figi, Mark Hornung, Robert Wuest
  • Patent number: 10013817
    Abstract: The present invention is notably directed to computerized method for detecting parking-related events from a mobile device. The latter comprising a pressure sensor and a peak detection module. The method comprises: monitoring pressure sensor data from the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor data representative of a pressure variation over a period of time; and comparing the monitored pressure sensor data with reference pressure data corresponding to pressure variations over time as occurring inside a vehicle when, on the one hand, opening a door and, on the other hand, closing a door of this vehicle, to detect a corresponding pressure variation in the monitored pressure sensor data, in order to determine whether a vehicle has parked or has started, wherein the steps of monitoring and comparing are performed by the peak detection module, in the vehicle. The present invention is further directed to related devices and computer program products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: David Hasenfratz, Moritz Koehler, Michel Kinzer
  • Patent number: 9995700
    Abstract: The sensor device comprises a hotplate on a membrane. The hotplate is heated by a N-fold rotationally symmetric heater structure having N>1 heater elements of identical design. Each heater element comprises an inner section, an intermediate section and an outer section arranged in series, with the inner section having a larger electrical cross section than the outer section. This design allows to heat the hotplate to a homogeneous temperature at moderate supply voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Cyrill Kuemin, Lukas Buergi, Nicolas Moeller
  • Patent number: 9990172
    Abstract: A wearable electronic device (100) comprises a sensor (1) providing a sensor signal (s1), which sensor (1) is one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. A control unit (3) determines, subject to at least the sensor signal (s1), if the wearable electronic device (100) is worn by a user, and provides an output signal (t1) indicative of a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Heiko Komaromi, Marcel Koller
  • Publication number: 20180143129
    Abstract: A gas sensor module integrated onto a board comprising at least one radiation source configured for emitting radiation, at least one radiation detector unit configured to detect at least part of said radiation, and a radiation cell providing at least one radiation path from said radiation source to said radiation detector unit. Said board is provided with a recess and said radiation path is propagating within said recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Martin Winger, Christophe Salzmann, Fabian Weller