Patents by Inventor Felix Mayer

Felix Mayer 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: 6750522
    Abstract: A sensor is described for measuring the parameters of a fluid, in particular for detecting substances in a gas. It comprises a measuring section (4) on a semiconductor chip (1), which is protected by a housing (3). A partition wall (12) of the housing (3) divides the semiconductor chip (1) into two parts (1a, 1b). The first part (1a) is connected to the outside by means of openings in the housing and carries the measuring section. The second part (1b) is covered by a hardened sealing material (11). The sealing material (11) protects the semiconductor chip (1) from undesired environmental influences. The dividing wall (12) forms a capillary between the chip and the housing, the capillary action of which draws in the sealing material and the end of which stops the sealing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark Hornung
  • Publication number: 20040099057
    Abstract: For measuring the flow and the thermal conductivity of a fluid, a sensor is used, which has a first temperature detector for measuring a first temperature and a second temperature detector for measuring a second temperature. A heating is arranged between the temperature detectors. Two measured quantities are determined by means of the temperature detectors, a first of which is e.g. a difference between the temperatures and a second one of which is one of the temperatures. By comparing the two measured quantities, the flow and the thermal conductivity of the fluid can be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Jens Kubasch, Moritz Lechner, Felix Mayer
  • Patent number: 6729181
    Abstract: The flow sensor has a first and a second housing section and a semiconductor chip with an integrated sensor element between the housing sections. The semiconductor chip is arranged at a measuring conduit formed by a groove in a first one of the housing sections. A sealing ring is arranged between the housing sections. A flexible support foil carrying strip conductors is connected to the semiconductor chip and extends between the sealing ring and the second housing section out of the housing. This simple arrangement is able to withstand high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sensiron AG
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark R. Hornung
  • Patent number: 6690569
    Abstract: A sensor, in particular a humidity sensor, comprises a measuring layer (4), the dielectric properties of which depend on a parameter to be measured, e.g. of the humidity of the environmental air. Electrodes (2, 3) are arranged on a substrate (1) side by side for capacitively measuring the measuring layer (1). A protective layer (8) of a non-oxidizing material, in particular a layer of silicon oxide or gold, is arranged between the electrodes (2, 3) and the measuring layer (4). This layer prevents an oxidation of the electrodes (2, 3) and increases the live time and reliability of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Sensirion A/G
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Moritz Lechner
  • Publication number: 20040000196
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow sensor comprising a substrate with integrated heat source and temperature sensors. Solder bumps are arranged on the heat source and the temperature sensors and the substrate is attached to the outside of a tube using flip chip technology. Preferably, the outside of the tube is structured for being wetted at appropriate positions by the solder. This allows to assemble the sensor easily and accurately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Christoph Kleinlogel, Ralph Steiner-Vanha, Felix Mayer
  • Publication number: 20030115952
    Abstract: To measure the flow in a liquid, the liquid (1) is led in a duct (2) along a flow sensor (3). The flow sensor (3) is integrated together with a processing and control circuit on a semiconductor substrate. It comprises a heating and, symmetrically thereto, two temperature sensors. The flow is determined from the temperature difference between the temperature sensors and/or from the power dissipation of the heating. For calibrating the sensor, a valve (4) is provided by means of which the duct (2) can be interrupted. This arrangement allows a flow measurement of high accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Andreas Martin Haeberli
  • Patent number: 6550324
    Abstract: A heating element (4) is arranged between two temperature sensors (5, 6) in order to measure the mass flow of a liquid or a gas. The mass flow is determined from the temperature difference of the temperature sensors (5, 6). The heating element (4) is operated by pulses in order to reduce power consumption of the device. A further reduction of the power consumption is reached by means of a monitoring circuit (12), which switches the actual measuring section (11) on only if the signals from the temperature sensors (5, 6) fulfil a threshold condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Moriz Lechner
  • Publication number: 20030049877
    Abstract: The flow sensor comprises a semiconductor device (1) on which a heat source and, symmetrically thereto, two temperature sensors are arranged. The semiconductor device (1) is arranged on an exterior side of a tube section (2), and a liquid, the flow velocity of which has to be measured, is led through the tube section (2). The temperature sensors and the heat source are in thermal contact with the exterior side of the tube section (2). It has been found that such an assembly allows to carry out flow measurements with high accuracy and sensitivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark Rainer Hornung, Ralph Steiner Vanna
  • Publication number: 20020043710
    Abstract: The flow sensor has a first and a second housing section and a semiconductor chip with an integrated sensor element between the housing sections. The semiconductor chip is arranged at a measuring conduit formed by a groove in a first one of the housing sections. A sealing ring is arranged between the housing sections. A flexible support foil carrying strip conductors is connected to the semiconductor chip and extends between the sealing ring and the second housing section out of the housing. This simple arrangement is able to withstand high pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark R. Hornung
  • Patent number: 6356068
    Abstract: A fully packaged current monitor system for galvanically isolated current measurement is manufactured in line with commercial IC fabrication and LOC packaging technology. A current path is part of the lead frame on which a die with sensor means is mounted with the aid of an electrically insulating correspondingly pre-patterned glue tape, the structured surface of the die facing the lead frame. The system manufactured in this way achieves for currents up to +/−10 A, a system accuracy of better than 50 mA and is applicable for currents up to the order of 50 A. The system performance can be further improved by ferromagnetic field concentrators and on-chip compensation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: AMS International AG
    Inventors: Ralph Steiner, Michael Schneider, Felix Mayer
  • Patent number: 6351390
    Abstract: A process is given for permitting the application to a substrate (2) of a microsystem or transducer (1) having a first partial surface (13), whose interaction with the environment is to be possible, and a second partial surface (14), which is to be protected against external influences. The substrate (2) is prepared, a passage point (20) being produced in said substrate (2). The microsystem (1) and substrate (2) are so mutually positioned that the first partial surface (13) faces the substrate (2) and that the passage point (20) in the substrate (2) and the first partial surface (13) come to rest opposite one another. Contacts (50, 51.1, 51.2) are produced by flip-chip technology. A sealing contact (51.1, 51.2) seals the second partial surface (14) against external influences. A gap (3) between the microsystem (1) and substrate (2) is filled with a filling material (30). A selective cover (24) over the passage point (20) keeps undesired external influences away from the first partial surface (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Laboratorium fur Physikalische Elektronik Institut fur Quantenelektronik
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Oliver Paul
  • Patent number: 5943958
    Abstract: A rail vehicle, has at least two vehicle sections joined pivotably to one another so as to provide an intermediate space dimension to suit relative motions while traveling around curbs as well as over dips and humps, at least one line provided for each of the vehicle sections for electrical current, air or hydraulic fluid, the at least one line having a line segment that compensates a relative motion of the vehicle sections, a sleeve which spans the intermediate space between the vehicle sections, the sleeve enveloping the line and being connected to the line in a shear-resistant manner, the line segment that compensates for the relative motions of the vehicle sections outside the sleeve extending in a horizontal disposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Duewag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lothar Hofmann, Reinhold Ippers, Dietmar Thauer, Oswald Schmidt, Felix Mayer