Abstract: A thermoelectric level detector employs an impedance element, at least a portion of which is meandering in configuration in which the resistive path repeatedly traverses the axis thereof, to detect the level of liquid in a tank. The impedance of the element depends on temperature and provides a measure of the liquid level. The pitch of the meander is relatively small in the reserve region of the tank to provide fine resolution in this region.

Abstract: An arrangement with several phototransistors wherein the phototransistors are interconnected in such a way that n (n-1) (n-2) phototransistors can be triggered with n leads, n being one whole number larger than or equal to 3, the three connections emitter, base and collector of each phototransistor being connected to three different leads, no two phototransistors being connected in the same way to the same leads, the leads being able to take on three states, i.e.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ignition system for gasoline internal combustion engines wherein a Hall sensor is used to generate the reference signal corresponding to the position of the crankshaft or the pistons in the cylinders. The ignition point is electronically controlled in dependence upon the speed and the load. In accordance with the invention, control information in the form of an information voltage is generated at at least one capacitor by the charging and discharging procedure controlled by the reference signal. To determine the ignition point, this information voltage is either compared with a d.c. voltage which is alterable in dependence upon load or it itself is altered in dependence upon load and compared with an unaltered d.c. voltage.

Abstract: A solar cell having a rear side contact and a conduction path system as front side contact. The gist of the invention is that a region of the second conductivity type is disposed on all sides of a semiconductor member of the first conductivity type, and that the rear side contact ohmically contacts the semiconductor member of the first conductivity type by penetrating the region of the second conductivity type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell for exposure to light rays on both sides. The solar cell contains only one pn junction on one surface side of the semiconductor body. The base of the solar cell is uniformly and less strongly doped than the thin surface zone of the conduction type opposite to that of the semiconductor base. Both zones of the solar cell are in contact with a structured conduction path system on opposite surface sides.

Abstract: A varactor or mixer diode comprises a mesa shaped semiconductor element having a p-n junction barrier layer or retifying junction on its upper face and a substrate contact on its opposite face, the substrate contact extending over the side faces of the semiconductor element and ending at a small spacing from the barrier layer or junction.

Abstract: The invention constitutes a supplement to patent application No. P 31 34 883 and to patent application No. P 32 08 088. It relates to the electronic switching-off of the correction circuitry in the event of a large dwell angle and simultaneously maximum correction value. This object is attained by comparing the speed-dependent output voltage of an induction sensor at a comparator to a reference voltage which is chosen so as to be exceeded by the output voltage of the induction sensor from a certain rotor speed on with an output pulse being released at the comparator. The capacitor at which the sawtooth-shaped signal is generated is discharged by means of this output pulse such that there will not be any further correction of the control signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wafer-shaped solar cell comprising a rear side contact and a conduction path system as front side contact, with at least one metallic connector member connected to this conduction path system for interconnection of the solar cells with further solar cells. The crux of the invention is that the connector member or members are so connected at several spaced locations to the conduction path or paths in an electrically conductive and mechanically fixed manner that when the solar cell is split up into several smaller solar cells, each individual solar cell is already provided with at least one connector member protruding beyond the wafer edge.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically controlled ignition system in which a correction signal is obtained from a control signal derived directly from an ignition pulse sensor. The invention consists of producing a saw-tooth signal with a rising flank and a falling flank within one cycle of the square wave control signal, using only one flank of the said control signal. The ratio or relationship between the gradients of the two flanks is a measure of the change in the corrected signal relative to the control signal. The electronically controlled ignition system is particularly suitable for compensating for the ignition advance, caused by an induction sensor, as compared to the mechanical position of the rotor at low engine speeds.

Abstract: A flasher unit is provided with a comparator whose output signal is fed to a pulse generator for producing the flash frequency signal, the comparator being supplied with a reference voltage at one input and a voltage dependent on the current passing through the flasher lamps at the other input and with a switch element which changes the reference voltage in accordance with the comparator output signal such that the comparator produces an output signal for the whole of the light up time of the lamps.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement comprising several or a plurality of light-sensitive components having as few contacts as possible. According to the invention there is provided an arrangement comprising several light-sensitive components, with one rectifying component connected in series to each light-sensitive component, further comprising a lead matrix with column leads and line leads, with the mth line lead connected directly to the mth column lead and to the remaining column leads through one series connection, respectively, consisting of a light-sensitive component and a rectifying component. External contacts are attached to the line leads or column leads.

Abstract: In a method for the manufacture of a field-effect transistor comprising a substrate and an epitaxial layer located thereon, a V-shaped trench extending from the surface of the epitaxial layer through the epitaxial layer into the substrate is made and a zone is created by implantation in an area located in front of the V-shaped trench.

Abstract: A signal input circuit comprising a control member for the controllable attenuation of the input signal and firmly set reactances for the selection of the input signal, wherein the reactances are connected and dimensioned in such a way that there exists a circuit point which has a large impedance compared to the impedance of the signal source, and the control member acts upon this circuit point.

Abstract: An opto-electronic switch component which comprises two regions of good conductivity separated by a gap on a normally non-conductive substrate. When the gap is irradiated, the conductivity of the substrate increases and a connection is formed between the two regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor member is attached to a base by placing a wafer of solder material on the base, placing a carrier member having a through capillary hole on the solder wafer, placing the semiconductor member on the carrier member and heating the arrangement whereby the solder material melts to solder the carrier member to the base, the solder material also travelling via the capillary hole to solder the semiconductor member to the carrier member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit for a computerized photoflash control which is supplied, preferably with the aid of a photographic element, with a current corresponding to the reflected light during the flash, from which an electrical quantity terminating the flash is derived. The invention consists in that the circuit contains a comparator, with a voltage derived from the current supplied at one of its inputs, while the other input of the comparator is supplied with an adjustable reference voltage. Connected to the output of the comparator is a switching path which is actuated by the comparator upon signal output, thereby terminating the flash.

Abstract: An electronically controlled ignition system is provided in which the point in time at which the primary current flowing through the primary winding of the ignition coil starts, is controlled as a function of speed so that the said primary current only reaches the value required for ignition just before the ignition time and in which immediately before the ignition time, it is ascertained whether the primary current has reached the value required for ignition, wherein if there is no primary current or insufficient primary current to prevent ignition during periodic fluctuations in speed, the electronic control arrangement is switched off for a fixed period and the time at which the primary current is used is derived directly from the control signal of the ignition pulse generator and in which, once the switch off period has come to an end, continuous and automatic electronic control is reinstituted.

Abstract: An ignition system has an electronic control unit which produces trigger pulses in response to received ignition control signals, the control unit also receiving test pulses indicating the period of time for which current supplied to the primary winding of the ignition coil is at its maximum value, the control unit extending the test pulses and supplying the extended pulses to a logic circuit which, when a trigger pulse occurs without an extended pulse simultaneously occurring, produces an output signal to indicate misfiring, and to temporarily switch off the control.

Abstract: A thermoelectric level measuring device for measuring the fill level of a container having a filling material therein and a free space above the filling material comprises a series connection of three sensing resistors, the first of which is always surrounded by the filling material, the second of which is intended to be surrounded by the filling material and by the free space and the third of which is always located in the free space and an evaluation circuit connected to each end of the series connection and to the connection points between the sensing resistors.

Abstract: A variable capacitance diode comprises a low resistance semi-conductor substrate on which is epitaxially deposited three layers, a first layer adjacent the substrate having an impurity concentration which decreases towards the substrate, a very thin intermediate region and a relatively thin surface region of lower doping than the intermediate region, a barrier being formed on or in the outer surface of the relativey thin surface region.The invention also includes a method of making such a diode.