Patents by Inventor Armin Prohaska

Armin Prohaska has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10684733
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrator circuit, a compensation circuit, and a sense circuit. The compensation circuit applies a positive charge and a negative charge to the integrator circuit during a first time period and a second time period respectively. The integrator circuit integrates a signal and the positive charge to produce a first sense signal. The signal is based on a charge at an electrode of a touch sensor. The integrator circuit integrates the signal and the negative charge to produce a second sense signal. The sense circuit detects a touch based on the first sense signal and the second sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Trond Jarle Pedersen, Armin Prohaska, Torgeir Fenheim, Peter Kolb
  • Publication number: 20190034005
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrator circuit, a compensation circuit, and a sense circuit. The compensation circuit applies a positive charge and a negative charge to the integrator circuit during a first time period and a second time period respectively. The integrator circuit integrates a signal and the positive charge to produce a first sense signal. The signal is based on a charge at an electrode of a touch sensor. The integrator circuit integrates the signal and the negative charge to produce a second sense signal. The sense circuit detects a touch based on the first sense signal and the second sense signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Trond Jarle Pedersen, Armin Prohaska, Torgeir Fenheim, Peter Kolb
  • Patent number: 10120513
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrator circuit, a compensation circuit, and a sense circuit. The compensation circuit applies a positive charge and a negative charge to the integrator circuit during a first time period and a second time period respectively. The integrator circuit integrates a signal and the positive charge to produce a first sense signal. The signal is based on a charge at an electrode of a touch sensor. The integrator circuit integrates the signal and the negative charge to produce a second sense signal. The sense circuit detects a touch based on the first sense signal and the second sense signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Trond Jarle Pedersen, Armin Prohaska, Torgeir Fenheim, Peter Kolb
  • Publication number: 20170344144
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an integrator circuit, a compensation circuit, and a sense circuit. The compensation circuit applies a positive charge and a negative charge to the integrator circuit during a first time period and a second time period respectively. The integrator circuit integrates a signal and the positive charge to produce a first sense signal. The signal is based on a charge at an electrode of a touch sensor. The integrator circuit integrates the signal and the negative charge to produce a second sense signal. The sense circuit detects a touch based on the first sense signal and the second sense signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Trond Jarle Pedersen, Armin Prohaska, Torgeir Fenheim, Peter Kolb
  • Patent number: 8760227
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for correcting an offset is provided that includes a current amplifier and an adjusting circuit for correcting an offset of an output current of the current amplifier. Wherein the adjusting circuit has a controlled current source, an output of the controlled current source is connected to the current amplifier for impressing an output current of the controlled current source in the current amplifier, an input of the controlled current source to form a regulation element of a control loop is connected by a first switching device of the adjusting circuit to an output of the current amplifier and to form a holding element is disconnected from the output of the current amplifier by the first switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Terje Saether, Holger Vogelmann
  • Patent number: 8558581
    Abstract: According to a novel aspect, operating an analog rail-to-rail comparator circuit with common mode detection of differential input signals includes generating a hysteresis current for the comparator circuit based on a common mode voltage used for the common mode detection. The hysteresis current is added to a differential output of a comparator in the comparator circuit, such that a hysteresis voltage at an output of the comparator circuit is substantially independent of the common mode voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Holger Vogelmann
  • Publication number: 20130120046
    Abstract: According to a novel aspect, operating an analog rail-to-rail comparator circuit with common mode detection of differential input signals includes generating a hysteresis current for the comparator circuit based on a common mode voltage used for the common mode detection. The hysteresis current is added to a differential output of a comparator in the comparator circuit, such that a hysteresis voltage at an output of the comparator circuit is substantially independent of the common mode voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Holger Vogelmann
  • Publication number: 20130043952
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for correcting an offset is provided that includes a current amplifier and an adjusting circuit for correcting an offset of an output current of the current amplifier. Wherein the adjusting circuit has a controlled current source, an output of the controlled current source is connected to the current amplifier for impressing an output current of the controlled current source in the current amplifier, an input of the controlled current source to form a regulation element of a control loop is connected by a first switching device of the adjusting circuit to an output of the current amplifier and to form a holding element is disconnected from the output of the current amplifier by the first switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Terje Saether, Holger Vogelmann
  • Patent number: 8289082
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for correcting an offset is provided that includes a current amplifier and an adjusting circuit for correcting an offset of an output current of the current amplifier. Wherein the adjusting circuit has a controlled current source, an output of the controlled current source is connected to the current amplifier for impressing an output current of the controlled current source in the current amplifier, an input of the controlled current source to form a regulation element of a control loop is connected by a first switching device of the adjusting circuit to an output of the current amplifier and to form a holding element is disconnected from the output of the current amplifier by the first switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Terje Saether, Holger Vogelmann
  • Patent number: 8101900
    Abstract: A circuit and method for operating a circuit with a terminal for connecting a photodiode to output an output current dependent on the photocurrent of the photodiode, with a resistance device for generating a voltage drop dependent on a photocurrent of the photodiode, with a control loop connected to the resistance device for generating the output current dependent on the photocurrent, with a switching means connected to the terminal with first switch positions for a first operating mode for operating the photodiode in the reversed bias and with second switch positions for a second operating mode for operating the photodiode in the photovoltaic mode, wherein in the first operating mode in the first switch positions of the switching means, the resistance device and the control loop are bridged and/or are not connected, and in the second operating mode in the second switch positions of the switching means, the terminal is connected to the resistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Guenther Bergmann, Herbert Knotz, Peter Kolb, Armin Prohaska, Holger Vogelmann
  • Publication number: 20110148380
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for correcting an offset is provided that includes a current amplifier and an adjusting circuit for correcting an offset of an output current of the current amplifier. Wherein the adjusting circuit has a controlled current source, an output of the controlled current source is connected to the current amplifier for impressing an output current of the controlled current source in the current amplifier, an input of the controlled current source to form a regulation element of a control loop is connected by a first switching device of the adjusting circuit to an output of the current amplifier and to form a holding element is disconnected from the output of the current amplifier by the first switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Terje Saether, Holger Vogelmann
  • Publication number: 20100102208
    Abstract: A circuit and method for operating a circuit with a terminal for connecting a photodiode to output an output current dependent on the photocurrent of the photodiode, with a resistance device for generating a voltage drop dependent on a photocurrent of the photodiode, with a control loop connected to the resistance device for generating the output current dependent on the photocurrent, with a switching means connected to the terminal with first switch positions for a first operating mode for operating the photodiode in the reversed bias and with second switch positions for a second operating mode for operating the photodiode in the photovoltaic mode, wherein in the first operating mode in the first switch positions of the switching means, the resistance device and the control loop are bridged and/or are not connected, and in the second operating mode in the second switch positions of the switching means, the terminal is connected to the resistance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Guenther Bergmann, Herbert Knotz, Peter Kolb, Armin Prohaska, Holger Vogelmann
  • Patent number: 7345513
    Abstract: A driver circuit is provided, which includes a differential amplifier whose output signal controls the driving input signal, a reference signal generator that supplies a reference input of the differential amplifier, an external feedback that applies a signal, which is dependent on the output signal, to a feedback input of the differential amplifier, an adapter circuit, and an internal feedback activated in a compensation mode as an alternative to the external feedback, which internal feedback provides a signal to both the feedback input and the adapter circuit even for input signals that do not exceed the first threshold. The adaptor circuit generates and stores a compensation signal that compensates an offset signal acting alone at the reference input when the reference signal generator is switched off, and feeds the stored compensation signal, together with a reference signal, to the reference input or feedback input when the external feedback is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Josef Gropper, Herbert Knotz, Michael Offenwanger, Armin Prohaska
  • Publication number: 20060139237
    Abstract: A driver circuit that provides a driver pulse sequence with different adjustable driver pulse heights in different time segments is provided. The driver circuit includes n pulse generators that supply pulse height contributions to a summing node, wherein the supplying can be controlled by switching elements individual to the pulse generators, and further includes a control unit that controls at least some of the switching elements as a function of adjustable parameters. The driver circuit also includes a switching matrix with matrix elements, each one of which is associated with a pair having at least one of the time segments and at least one control parameter, and issues a control signal for exactly one switching element of one of the n pulse generators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Applicant: ATMEL GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Herbert Knotz, Armin Prohaska, Stefan Schabel
  • Publication number: 20060114036
    Abstract: A driver circuit is provided, which in an operating mode drives a component that only supplies output power when a driving input signal exceeds a first threshold value. The driver circuit includes a differential amplifier whose output signal controls the driving input signal, a reference signal generator that supplies a reference input of the differential amplifier, and an external feedback that applies a signal, which is dependent on the output signal, to a feedback input of the differential amplifier. The driver circuit also has an adapter circuit and an internal feedback that can be activated in a compensation mode as an alternative to the external feedback, which internal feedback provides a signal to both the feedback input and the adapter circuit even for input signals that do not exceed the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Applicant: ATMEL GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Karl-Josef Gropper, Herbert Knotz, Michael Offenwanger, Armin Prohaska
  • Patent number: 6420062
    Abstract: The invention relates to a double layer cathode for molten carbonate fuel cells, containing a first layer (2a) consisting of a first cathode material, preferably lithium-treated nickel oxide, and a second layer (2b) consisting of cerium-activated lithium cobaltite. The inventive double layer cathode is characterised in that the polarization resistance is less dependent on temperature and in that it has a longer life. The double layer cathode is especially suitable for operating a fuel cell at less than 650° C. The material for the second cathode layer (2b) is produced by activating cobalt oxide by co-precipitation with cerium and treating it with lithium carbonate to form a suspension. Said suspension is then applied to the first cathode layer (2a) as a second cathode (2b), dried and sintered at a high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Manfred Bischoff, Bernd Rohland, Vojtech Plzak