Abstract: A method for operating a sensor system, having at least one capacitive sensor element, which is attachable to the surface of machines or machine parts, electrical field lines on the sensor element changing in the event of an approach and/or a contact of a body or object, and the at least one sensor element being connected to a control unit, which, based on the detected change of the field lines of the at least one sensor element, triggers a safety function on the machine or the machine part. The at least one sensor element has, in addition to fulfilling the safety function, an operating function, which is concluded from the location of the at least one sensor element and the time curve of the change of the field lines, and the safety function has priority over the operating function in a base state of the sensor system.

Abstract: A method for protecting an intermediate circuit capacitor in a power converter circuit is disclosed. The power converter circuit includes at least two submodules in a series circuit, which draws electrical power from a power source outputting a DC voltage via an inductance, wherein each submodule has, on the input side, a single-phase half bridge and, on the load side, a single-phase full bridge, and wherein the half bridge, the full bridge and an intermediate circuit capacitor are connected in parallel with one another on the DC voltage side. When a fault in one of the submodules is detected, transmission of electrical power from the load-side output of the full bridge of the submodule with the detected fault into the submodule with the detected fault is blocked.

Abstract: A method for operating a trigger device for an occupant protection unit includes: activating a first switch (high side) of the trigger device for occupant protection units; activating a second switch (low side) of the trigger device for occupant protection units; detecting an output voltage at the second switch (low side); and deactivating the second switch (low side) as a function of the output voltage.

Abstract: A current control device sets a target current value of a solenoid, and sets a duty ratio of a PWM signal outputted to a drive circuit of a solenoid based on the target current value. The target current value is a value that periodically varies in a dither period longer than a PWM period of the PWM signal. A setting period of the target current value and a setting period of the duty ratio are shorter than the dither period. As compared with a configuration where the duty ratio is set in the dither period, a time period from a time a basic current value is changed to a time the duty ratio is renewed is shortened. A operation responsiveness of a movable core of the solenoid improves.

Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a chucking circuit for a pixilated electrostatic chuck which enables both lateral and azimuthal tuning of the RF coupling between an electrostatic chuck and a substrate placed thereon. In one embodiment, a chucking circuit for an electrostatic chuck (ESC) has one or more chucking electrodes disposed in a dielectric body of the ESC, a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed in the dielectric body, and a chucking circuit having the one or more chucking electrodes and the plurality of pixel electrodes, the chucking circuit operable to electrostatically chuck a substrate to a workpiece support surface of the ESC, the chucking circuit having a plurality of secondary circuits, wherein each secondary circuit includes at least one capacitor of a plurality of capacitors, each secondary circuit is configured to independently control an impedance between one of the pixel electrodes and a ground.

Abstract: A lamp is provided. The lamp includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) and an electronic circuit configured to provide power to the at least one LED. The lamp includes at least one flat circuit board having mounted thereto the at least one LED and the electronic circuit. The at least one flat circuit board acts as a heatsink to dissipate heat from the at least one LED and acts as a plurality of circuit paths for the electronic circuit and the at least one LED.

Abstract: An electrical overstress (EOS) protection circuit that at least partially neutralizes or compensates for undershoot and overshoot in first and second signals that are communicated using differential signaling, such as with USB communications. For an undershoot, the EOS protection circuit injects charge into pads that receive the first and second signals. For an overshoot, the EOS protection circuit drains charge from the pad that receives the second signal and injects charge into the pad that receives the first signal.

Abstract: A protective device for transmitting electromagnetic signals includes an inner conductor that extends coaxially within an outer conductor. To compensate for dimensional tolerances without compromising performance, inner conductor is constructed to include a center pin with a conical end, a plunger pin slidably disposed within an axial bore in the center pin, the plunger pin including a conical end located outside the center pin, and a resilient, expandable, conductive band coaxially mounted onto the conical ends of the center and plunger pins. A gas discharge tube is conductively coupled between the inner and outer conductors to discharge transient voltages transmitted along the inner conductor. To minimize disturbance to the transmission line, the width of the gas discharge tube in the region of contact with the inner conductor is preferably equal to the diameter of the inner conductor. Additionally, the gas discharge tube is preferably greater in length than in width.

Abstract: A current sensing circuit comprises a first input terminal and a second input terminal for introducing a subject current from a device coupled between the first and second input terminals; a first amplifier having a first input node coupled to the first input terminal via a protection resistor, a second input node coupled to the second input terminal, and a first output node coupled to the first input node via a capacitor, wherein the first amplifier has a current sensing path for sensing the subject current and converting the subject current into an output voltage that changes with the subject current; and a protection circuit coupled between the first and second input nodes of the first amplifier, wherein the protection circuit is configured to draw a protection current from the first input terminal through the protection resistor to at least partially offset the subject current.

Abstract: An apparatus to support a substrate may include a base, a clamp portion to apply a clamping voltage to the substrate, and a displacement assembly configured to hold the clamp portion and base together in a first operating position, and to move the clamp portion with respect to the base from the first operating position to a second operating position, wherein the clamp portion and base are separate from one another in the second operating position.

Abstract: Described is a corona ignition device comprising an insulator, a housing that is closed at its front end by the insulator, a center electrode that protrudes out of a front end of the insulator and has at least one ignition tip, wherein the insulator protrudes out of the housing and widens outside of the housing. The insulator curves in a dome-shaped manner over the front end of the housing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an output overvoltage protection method for a switching power supply, can include: (i) charging a first capacitor by a first current during a first time interval of a switching period of the switching power supply; (ii) charging a second capacitor by a second current during a second time interval of the switching period of the switching power supply; and (iii) generating an overvoltage protection signal by comparing a first voltage across the first capacitor against a second voltage across the second capacitor at the end of the second time interval, where the overvoltage protection signal is active when the first voltage is at least as high as the second voltage.

Abstract: A device for protecting a user includes a first current path including a first and second conduit, and a monitoring device for detecting an imminent overload of the electric user. In an embodiment, the monitoring device includes a first temperature measurement unit, a support, an evaluation unit and a first transducer to produce an electrically conductive connection between the first and second conduits of the first current path. The first temperature measurement unit is, electrically insulated from the first transducer and includes a first temperature sensor. An additional electrically insulating material; is arranged on a first lateral surface of the support between the first transducer and the support and the first temperature sensor is arranged on the support to detect a temperature of the first transducer. The evaluating unit is configured to detect an imminent overload at the user on the basis of temperatures detected by the first temperature sensor.

Abstract: An ESD protection device for a touch panel is disclosed. The protection device includes an ESD protection circuit, and a protection switch connected in series with the ESD protection circuit. The protection switch is configured to turn on in response to an electrostatic potential of a sensing line or a driving line of the touch panel being equal to or greater than a preset potential, such that static electricity from the sensing line or the driving line is conducted to a peripheral common electrode busbar, or to an ESD discharge busbar, or to a ground busbar. In addition, the protection switch is configured to turn off in response to a panel of the touch panel being normally driven.

Abstract: A heat dissipation apparatus includes an insulating plate, a conductive plate located on the insulating plate and a power source with an anode connected with the insulating plate and a cathode connected with the conductive plate. A conductive element is received in the insulating plate and is connected to the anode of the power source. When the heat dissipation apparatus is activated, the conductive element ionizes air closing to the insulating plate to produce positive ions. The conductive plate attracts the positive ions to move fast towards the conductive plate, which cause the air to flow in a direction in which the positive ions move.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for ESD protection with adjustable trigger voltage decoupled from DC breakdown voltage for semiconductor devices including field effect transistors (FETs), and particularly to metal-oxide-semiconductors (MOSFETs) fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (“SOI”) and silicon-on-sapphire (“SOS”) substrates are described. The apparatus and method are configured to change reverse biased drain junctions which in turn can control the DC breakdown voltage and the trigger voltage.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method of automatically balancing ionized air stream created in bipolar corona discharge is provided. The method comprises: providing an air moving device with at least one ion emitter and reference electrode connected to a micro-pulsed AC power source, and a control system with at least one ion balance monitor and corona discharge adjustment control; generating variable polarity groups of short duration ionizing micro-pulses: wherein said micro-pulses are predominantly asymmetric in amplitude and duration of both polarity voltages and have a magnitude of at least one polarity ionizing pulses exceed the corona threshold.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection device including a PNP transistor, a protection circuit and an adjustment circuit is provided. An emitter of the PNP transistor is electrically connected to a pad, and a collector of the PNP transistor is electrically connected to a ground. The protection circuit is electrically connected between a base of the PNP transistor and the ground, and provides a discharge path. When an electrostatic signal occurs on the pad, the electrostatic signal is conducted to the ground through the discharge path and the PNP transistor. The adjustment circuit is electrically connected between the emitter and the base of the PNP transistor. When a power voltage is supplied to the pad, the adjustment circuit provides a control voltage to the base of the PNP transistor according to the power voltage, so as to prevent the emitter and the base of the PNP transistor from being forward biased.

Abstract: Snapback ESD protection device employing one or more non-planar metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors (MOSFETs) are described. The ESD protection devices may further include lightly-doped extended drain regions, the resistances of which may be capacitively controlled through control gates independent of a gate electrode held at a ground potential. Control gates may be floated or biased to modulate ESD protection device performance. In embodiments, a plurality of core circuits are protected with a plurality of non-planar MOSFET-based ESD protection devices with control gate potentials varying across the plurality.

Abstract: A device for controlling an electrically actuable valve having a valve coil, including a main switch, situated in the current circuit of the valve coil, for adjusting the current flowing through the valve coil, and a freewheeling path, which has a freewheeling diode and is switched in parallel with the valve coil. A freewheeling switch is provided, by which the freewheeling path is able to be interrupted or closed. This allows for optionally operating the valve in a PMW or in a switching operation.