Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for estimating a current in a Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS). The method comprises receiving a first sensor signal comprising a value of a measured voltage over a resistive element in the SMPS. The method also comprises receiving a second sensor signal comprising a value of a measured monitored temperature in the SMPS. The method also comprises calculating the current in the SMPS based on the measured voltage, the measured monitored temperature, and a predetermined temperature difference between a real temperature of the resistive element and the monitored temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric half-cell which utilises the metallization for obtaining both the electric and thermal contact required to form a functional thermoelectric cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for pre-processing semiconducting thermoelectric materials for metallization, interconnection and bonding to form a thermoelectric device, and thermoelectric devices utilising the pre-processed processing semiconducting thermoelectric materials made by the method, where a cost-effective, simple and resilient interconnection and bonding of semiconducting thermoelectric materials to the electrodes of thermoelectric devices is obtained by employing the solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding concept in combination with use of an adhesion layer/diffusion barrier layer/adhesion layer structure (interchangeably also termed as; the ADA-structure) in-between the solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding layers and the semiconducting thermoelectric material.

Abstract: A controller, and related method, configured to generate a duty cycle control signal for controlling an output voltage of a switched mode power supply as a function of a reference signal. In one embodiment, the controller is configured to sample a signal indicative of the output voltage to generate a first sampled signal, filter out a ripple component of the first sampled signal to generate a filtered signal, and generate a feedback control signal based on the filtered signal. The controller is also configured to sample a signal indicative of an input voltage of the switched mode power supply to generate a second sampled signal, generate a feed-forward control signal based on the second sampled signal and a feed-forward reference voltage, and generate the duty cycle control signal based on the feedback control signal and the feed-forward control signal.

Abstract: A controller includes a sampling module that samples a signal indicative of the output voltage, a filter module that filters out a ripple component of a sampled signal to generate a filtered signal, and a proportional-integral-derivative (PAID) controller that generates a duty cycle control signal. The PAID controller includes a first component that scales sample values of the filtered signal to generate a first component signal, a down-sampling module that generates a down-sampled signal, and a storage module that stores a value of the down-sampled signal. The PAID controller also includes a second component that generates a second component signal as a product of a factor and a difference signal between each sample value in the filtered signal and stored value, a third component that scales and accumulates the down-sampled signal to generate a third component signal, and a summing module that sums the first, second and third component signals.

Abstract: A controller for controlling an output voltage of a switched mode power supply (SMPS) comprising a sampling module arranged to sample a signal indicative of the output voltage of the SMPS at a frequency higher than a switching frequency of the SMPS, and a filter module arranged to filter out a ripple component of the sampled signal, comprising: a ripple component estimation module arranged to estimate the ripple component by calculating, for each sample of a plurality of the samples of the signal, an average sample value using the sample value and sample values obtained at corresponding points in preceding switching periods of the SMPS, the sample at each of said corresponding points being separated from said sample of the plurality of samples by a respective integer number of switching periods of the SMPS.

Abstract: Packaging container comprising a top part (110) comprising a pouring spout for pouring the contents of the container a tubular body part (120) comprising an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being joined together with the top part along a circumferential edge of the upper end of the body part, the body part further comprising a first group of crease lines (132) extending from a lower end of the body part towards its upper end. The top part comprises a recessed portion (117) and the recessed portion and the first group visually form one surface, wherein the one surface near the interface area between the first group of crease lines and the recessed portion of the top part provides gripping support for one or more fingers of a hand, when the packaging container is held by the hand and the remaining fingers during pouring the contents from the packaging container.

Abstract: A controller, and related method, to control switching elements of a plurality of voltage converters of a power system. The controller receives a signal representing an operating condition that indicates a contribution of each of the plurality of voltage converters to a ripple component of an input current or an input voltage of the power system. The controller ranks the plurality of voltage converters based on the contribution of each of the plurality of voltage converters to the ripple component. The controller calculates a switching phase offset for each switching element of the plurality of voltage converters by determining a switching order for each switching element of the plurality of voltage converters based on an alternating extremum contribution to the ripple component, and arranging control signals for each switching element of the plurality of voltage converters based on the switching order.

Abstract: There is provided a controller for controlling an output current of a switched mode power supply, SMPS. The controller comprises a sampling module arranged to sample a signal indicative of the output current of the SMPS at a frequency higher than a switching frequency of the SMPS, and a filter module arranged to filter out a ripple component of the sampled signal. The filter module comprises: a ripple component estimation module arranged to estimate the ripple component; a moving average calculation module arranged to calculate a moving average of the sampled signal; and a subtraction module arranged to generate a filtered signal by subtracting the estimated ripple component from the sampled signal and the calculated moving average. The controller also has a switching control module arranged to generate a control signal for controlling at least one of the switching frequency and a switching duty cycle of the SMPS based on the filtered signal.

Abstract: A tape feeder, including a tape feeder body and a feeder wagon/linear guide, is used to direct component tape in a linear movement towards a component pick position. The feeder wagon comprises a feeder wagon body slidably mounted to the tape feeder body for movement between a first, pickup position and a second, delivery position. The feeder wagon further comprises a feeder head mounted to the feeder wagon body for movement (1) with the feeder wagon body as it moves along the first path, and (2) along a second path transverse to the first path between a first, tape-engaged position and a second, tape-released position. The feeder head comprises a tape-engaging element engageable with component tape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sensing a fingerprint pattern of a finger using a fingerprint sensing device. The method comprising: controlling a group of sensing elements to change a potential of a group of sensing structures comprised in said group of sensing elements; acquiring, in response to said variation in potential, a response signal from a finger detecting circuitry indicative of the capacitive coupling between the group of sensing structures and the finger detecting structure; comparing a variation in the response signal with a predefined threshold value; and providing a signal indicating that a finger is present when the variation in response signal is greater than the threshold value. The invention also relates to a corresponding fingerprint sensing device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sensing a fingerprint pattern of a finger using a fingerprint sensing device. The method comprising: controlling a group of sensing elements to change a potential of a group of sensing structures comprised in said group of sensing elements; acquiring, in response to said variation in potential, a response signal from a finger detecting circuitry indicative of the capacitive coupling between the group of sensing structures and the finger detecting structure; comparing a variation in the response signal with a predefined threshold value; and providing a signal indicating that a finger is present when the variation in response signal is greater than the threshold value. The invention also relates to a corresponding fingerprint sensing device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a finger movement event on a fingerprint sensor. The method comprises to acquire signals indicative of the portion of finger detecting structures that may be touched by a finger. Based on the ratio between the signals and a total signal level, the position of the finger on the fingerprint sensing device can be determined at two different time instances. Based on the positions which may be the same, a finger movement event may be determined. The invention also relates to a corresponding fingerprint sensing device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a joint bonding together two solid objects and joints made by the method, where the joint is formed by a layer of a binary system which upon heat treatment forms a porous, coherent and continuous single solid-solution phase extending across a bonding layer of the joint.

Abstract: There is provided a controller for controlling an output current of a switched mode power supply, SMPS. The controller comprises a sampling module arranged to sample a signal indicative of the output current of the SMPS at a frequency higher than a switching frequency of the SMPS, and a filter module arranged to filter out a ripple component of the sampled signal. The filter module comprises: a ripple component estimation module arranged to estimate the ripple component; a moving average calculation module arranged to calculate a moving average of the sampled signal; and a subtraction module arranged to generate a filtered signal by subtracting the estimated ripple component from the sampled signal and the calculated moving average. The controller also has a switching control module arranged to generate a control signal for controlling at least one of the switching frequency and a switching duty cycle of the SMPS based on the filtered signal.

Abstract: A tape feeder, including a tape feeder body and a feeder wagon/linear guide, is used to direct component tape in a linear movement towards a component pick position. The feeder wagon comprises a feeder wagon body slidably mounted to the tape feeder body for movement between a first, pickup position and a second, delivery position. The feeder wagon further comprises a feeder head mounted to the feeder wagon body for movement (1) with the feeder wagon body as it moves along the first path, and (2) along a second path transverse to the first path between a first, tape-engaged position and a second, tape-released position. The feeder head comprises a tape-engaging element engageable with component tape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sensing a fingerprint pattern of a finger using a fingerprint sensing device comprising an array of sensing elements; an electrically conductive finger detecting structure; and finger detecting circuitry connected to the finger detecting structure for providing a finger detection signal indicative of a capacitive coupling between the finger detecting structure and the finger. The method comprises the steps of: comparing the finger detection signal with a first threshold value indicating a first capacitive coupling, and a second threshold value indicating a second capacitive coupling stronger than the first capacitive coupling; and activating at least a subset of the sensing elements when the finger detection signal changes from a first value indicating a capacitive coupling weaker than the first capacitive coupling to a second value indicating a capacitive coupling stronger than the second capacitive coupling.

Abstract: A controller (500) for determining a distribution of switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system The power supply system has a plurality of voltage converters, each comprising a switching element and being arranged to convert an input voltage supplied to the voltage converters to a respective output voltage by switching the switching element at a predetermined frequency. The controller (500) comprises a receiver (510) for receiving one or more signals indicative of a respective contribution from each of the voltage converters to a ripple current component of an input current of the voltage converters, and a rank determining module (520) configured to rank the voltage converters in order of decreasing contribution to the ripple current.

Abstract: A tape feeder, including a tape feeder body and a feeder wagon/linear guide, is used to direct component tape in a linear movement towards a component pick position. The feeder wagon comprises a feeder wagon body slidably mounted to the tape feeder body for movement between a first, pickup position and a second, delivery position. The feeder wagon further comprises a feeder head mounted to the feeder wagon body for movement (1) with the feeder wagon body as it moves along the first path, and (2) along a second path transverse to the first path between a first, tape-engaged position and a second, tape-released position. The feeder head comprises a tape-engaging element engageable with component tape.

Abstract: A controller for determining switching phases among switching elements of a power supply system having voltage converters, each comprising a switching element. The controller receives signals indicative of a contribution from each converter to a ripple voltage component of an input current of the converters, and ranks the converters. The controller calculates a switching phase offset that is to be applied for the switching element by: (i) calculating phase offsets of two highest ranked converters that would minimize an input voltage ripple caused by said two highest ranked converters, (ii) calculating a phase offset of a next-highest ranked converter that would minimize an input voltage ripple caused by said next-highest ranked converter and converters ranked higher than said next-highest converter; and (iii) repeating step (ii) for each converter in the ranking. The controller generates output signals defining the calculated switching phase offsets to be applied to the switching elements.