Patents by Inventor Dirk Hammerschmidt

Dirk Hammerschmidt 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).

  • Publication number: 20200264596
    Abstract: A crash sensor device may include multiple sensor components positioned along one or more data paths to a communication interface of the crash sensor device. The crash sensor device may include a test control unit. The test control unit may receive a test command from an electronic control unit during operation of a vehicle. The test control unit may perform a test of one or more sensor components, of the multiple sensor components, during operation of the vehicle based on the test command. The test control unit may output a test result to the electronic control unit based on performing the test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventor: Dirk HAMMERSCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 10739368
    Abstract: Magnetic sensor modules, systems and methods are provided, configured to detect a rotation speed of an object. A magnetic sensor module includes a plurality of sensor elements configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing a magnetic field, the plurality of sensor elements being grouped into three pairs; and a sensor circuit configured to generate a first shifted differential measurement signal based on the measurement values received from a first shifted pair of sensor elements, a central differential measurement signal based on the measurement values received from a central pair of sensor elements, and a second shifted differential measurement signal based on the measurement values received from a second shifted pair of sensor elements, and generate an output signal based on detecting the first shifted differential measurement signal, the central differential measurement signal, and the second shifted differential measurement signal crossing at least one threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20200252078
    Abstract: A receiver includes a receiver circuit to receive a first transition in a first direction, a second transition in a second, different direction after the first transition and a third transition in the first transition after the second transition of a signal. A first time period between the first and third transitions is indicative of a datum to be received. The receiver circuit is also configured to determine a second time period between the first transition and a second transition and to determine an additional datum to be received based at least on the determined second time period between the first and second transitions. Using the determined second time period allows for more information to be received in a reliable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10732007
    Abstract: A magnetic speed sensor may comprise a digital component configured to estimate a zero crossing event based on a plurality of sensor signal samples. The digital component may output, to a control unit, a speed signal that is based on the estimated zero crossing event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Muhammad Adnan
  • Patent number: 10718827
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magnetic field sensor elements, each configured to generate a sensor signal in response to the magnetic field impinging thereon. The plurality of sensor elements are grouped into a first group from which a first measurement signal is derived and a second group from which a second measurement signal is derived, and the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal having phase difference of 90°. The magnetic sensor further includes a sensor circuit configured to receive the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal, and apply a signal conversion algorithm thereto to generate a converted measurement signal having an increased frequency with respect to the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Helmut Koeck, Simon Hainz, Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20200217690
    Abstract: An angle sensor may comprise a sensing element including a first half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the first half bridge are along a first reference axis. The sensing element may include a second half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the second half bridge are along a second reference axis. The sensing element may include a third half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the third half bridge are along a third reference axis. At least two of the first reference axis, the second reference axis, or the third reference axis may be non-orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20200220656
    Abstract: A sensor system is configured to communicate at least partially protected sensor data over a communication interface. The sensor system includes a sensor element and a communication interface communicatively coupled to the sensor element. The sensor element is configured to provide sensor data in the digital domain. The communication interface is configured to generate a data package for transmission over the communication interface from the sensor data. The data package includes a data grouping comprising one or more nibbles related to the sensor data. The data package further includes a nibble indicia based on at least a portion of selected nibbles within the data grouping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Wolfgang Scherr
  • Patent number: 10705132
    Abstract: A method including feeding a test signal into a first end of a conductor track of a semiconductor chip, wherein the conductor track crosses an indentation of a substrate of the semiconductor chip; and detecting the test signal at a second ends of the conductor track, which wherein the detected test signal is indicative of fracture of the substrate of the semiconductor chip at the indentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Zettler, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Friedrich Rasbornig, Wolfgang Scheibenzuber, Hans-Joerg Wagner
  • Patent number: 10704988
    Abstract: A measurement system includes a signal bus, an electronic control unit, and an emulated sensor. The electronic control unit is coupled to the signal bus. The sensor with emulated line adaptation is also coupled to the signal bus. The emulated sensor is configured to adapt current consumption according to a selected impedance and a selected frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10699041
    Abstract: An age monitoring arrangement includes a sensor, a calculation component, and a timer. The sensor is configured to generate one or more measurements of an environmental property. The calculation component is configured to generate a virtual age and identify an occurrence of an event based on the one or more measurements and a clock using an aging module. The timer is configured to generate the clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20200201702
    Abstract: Fault detection devices, systems, and methods are provided which implement identical processors. A first processor is configured to receive a first measurement, execute a first firmware based on the first measurement, and output a first result of the executed first firmware. A second processor is configured to receive a second measurement, execute a second firmware based on the second measurement, and output a second result of the executed second firmware. The first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas ZETTLER, Dirk HAMMERSCHMIDT, Friedrich RASBORNIG, Michael Strasser, Akos Hegedus, Wolfgang GRANIG
  • Patent number: 10671062
    Abstract: A crash sensor device may include multiple sensor components positioned along one or more data paths to a communication interface of the crash sensor device. The crash sensor device may include a test control unit. The test control unit may receive a test command from an electronic control unit during operation of a vehicle. The test control unit may perform a test of one or more sensor components, of the multiple sensor components, during operation of the vehicle based on the test command. The test control unit may output a test result to the electronic control unit based on performing the test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10656260
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to machines including a movable part. A transmitter circuit is configured to generate a radio signal and to transmit the radio signal towards the movable part via a transmit waveguide. A reflection of the radio signal from the movable part is received by a receive waveguide and guided through the receive waveguide to a receiver circuit, which is configured to determine a position and/or a speed of the movable part based on at least the received radio signal. The transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit may be comprised by a radar sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Farhan Bin Khalid, Frank Heinrichs, Erich Kolmhofer, Christof Michenthaler, Andreas Miller
  • Publication number: 20200149928
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensor devices, corresponding systems and corresponding methods are discussed where a plurality of magnetic field sensors senses a magnetic field. An evaluation circuit generates a first signal component associated with a periodicity of a magnetic field, and a second signal component at least for periods of the magnetic field exceeding a threshold period length, the second signal component having a resolution smaller than the first signal component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Tobias WERTH, Dirk HAMMERSCHMIDT, Helmut KOECK, Andrea MONTERASTELLI
  • Patent number: 10649835
    Abstract: A method for determining information on an integrity of signal processing components within a signal path includes adding an alive signal to a signal at a first position within the signal path and detecting an added alive signal corresponding to the alive signal at a second position within the signal path. Further, the method includes determining the information on the integrity based on the detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Granig, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Friedrich Rasbornig, Michael Strasser, Daniel Valtiner
  • Patent number: 10641809
    Abstract: Various devices, systems and methods are disclosed where a noise signal component of a sensor signal is used to obtain information about a sensor device. A device may include an evaluation circuit that is configured to receive a sensor signal having a noise signal component, and the evaluation circuit is further configured to evaluate the noise signal component to obtain information about a sensor device generating the sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Zettler, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Friedrich Rasbornig, Wolfgang Scheibenzuber, Wolfgang Scherr
  • Patent number: 10637497
    Abstract: A receiver includes a receiver circuit to receive a first transition in a first direction, a second transition in a second, different direction after the first transition and a third transition in the first transition after the second transition of a signal. A first time period between the first and third transitions is indicative of a datum to be received. The receiver circuit is also configured to determine a second time period between the first transition and a second transition and to determine an additional datum to be received based at least on the determined second time period between the first and second transitions. Using the determined second time period allows for more information to be received in a reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10612944
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including a magneto-resistive stack of ferromagnetic and non-magnetic layers formed on a common substrate. The integrated circuit includes at least a first magneto-resistive sensor element provided by a first section of the magneto-resistive stack, at least a second magneto-resistive sensor element provided by a separate second section of the magneto-resistive stack, and a shield element provided by a separate third section of the magneto-resistive stack between the first and the second section. The shield element is configured to operate as an electric shield between the at least one first and the at least one second magneto-resistive sensor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10605626
    Abstract: An angle sensor may comprise a sensing element including a first half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the first half bridge are along a first reference axis. The sensing element may include a second half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the second half bridge are along a second reference axis. The sensing element may include a third half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the third half bridge are along a third reference axis. At least two of the first reference axis, the second reference axis, or the third reference axis may be non-orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10606686
    Abstract: Fault detection devices, systems and methods are provided which implement identical processors. A first processor is configured to receive a first set of variables, execute a first firmware based on the first set of variables, and output a first result of the executed first firmware. A second processor, identical to the first processor, is configured to receive a second set of variables, execute a second firmware based on the second set of variables, and output a second result of the executed second firmware. The first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin. Thus, a fault can be detected by comparing the first and the second results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Zettler, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Friedrich Rasbornig, Michael Strasser, Akos Hegedus, Wolfgang Granig