Patents by Inventor Franz Jost

Franz Jost 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: 10753858
    Abstract: Shown is a wafer arrangement for a gas sensor including a first substrate and a sescond substrate. The first substrate includes a MEMS membrane associated with a sensor element and an emitter element configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The second substrate is arranged on top of the first substrate and defines at least a portion of a chamber disposed adjacent to the MEMS membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Alfons Dehe, Jochen Huber, Franz Jost, Horst Theuss, Wilhelm Wiedmeier, Juergen Woellenstein
  • Patent number: 10748732
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical light emitter component comprises an emitter layer structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component and an inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component. The inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component is configured to generate current in the emitter layer structure by electromagnetic induction, such that the emitter layer structure emits light. The emitter layer structure is electrically insulated from the inductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias Eberl, Franz Jost, Stefan Kolb
  • Publication number: 20200103376
    Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor is provided. The apparatus includes a light emitter to emit light along a transmission path to a gas and an acoustic sensor element configured to detect an acoustic signal emitted from the gas based on the received light. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a sensing unit configured to detect the light transmitted along the transmission path and to provide an output signal, and a calibration unit to receive the output signal from the sensing unit and to provide a calibration information based on the output signal received from the sensing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stefan KOLB, Alfons DEHE, Jochen HUBER, Franz JOST, Horst THEUSS, Juergen WOELLENSTEIN
  • Patent number: 10527589
    Abstract: An apparatus for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor is provided. The apparatus includes a light emitter to emit light along a transmission path to a gas and an acoustic sensor element configured to detect an acoustic signal emitted from the gas based on the received light. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a sensing unit configured to detect the light transmitted along the transmission path and to provide an output signal, and a calibration unit to receive the output signal from the sensing unit and to provide a calibration information based on the output signal received from the sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Alfons Dehe, Jochen Huber, Franz Jost, Horst Theuss, Juergen Woellenstein
  • Publication number: 20190339193
    Abstract: A photoacoustic gas sensor is provided. The photoacoustic gas sensor includes a hermetically sealed housing filled with a reference gas. Further, the photoacoustic gas sensor includes a microphone system arranged inside the housing. The microphone system is configured to generate a first microphone signal comprising a first signal component related to a photoacoustic excitation of the reference gas and a second microphone signal comprising a second signal component related to the photoacoustic excitation. The photoacoustic gas sensor additionally includes a circuit configured to generate an output signal based on the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal by destructively superimposing a third signal component of the first microphone signal related to mechanical vibrations of the photoacoustic gas sensor and a fourth signal component of the second microphone signal related to the mechanical vibrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias EBERL, Franz JOST, Ilie POENARU
  • Publication number: 20190323947
    Abstract: Shown is a wafer arrangement for a gas sensor including a first substrate and a sescond substrate. The first substrate includes a MEMS membrane associated with a sensor element and an emitter element configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The second substrate is arranged on top of the first substrate and defines at least a portion of a chamber disposed adjacent to the MEMS membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Alfons Dehe, Jochen Huber, Franz Jost, Horst Theuss, Wilhelm Wiedmeier, Juergen Woellenstein
  • Publication number: 20190316935
    Abstract: A sensor circuit includes a plurality of half-bridge sensor circuits. The sensor circuit includes a sensor output value determination circuit configured to determine a sensor output value. The sensor circuit further includes an error determination circuit configured to generate an error signal based on a first half-bridge sensor signal and a second half-bridge sensor signal. The sensor circuit further includes a control circuit configured to control a selection of one of the first half-bridge sensor circuit and the second half-bridge sensor circuit for providing one of the first half-bridge sensor signal and the second half-bridge sensor signal to the sensor output value determination circuit to determine the sensor output value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Franz Jost, Harald Witschnig, Juergen Zimmer
  • Patent number: 10380868
    Abstract: Sensor devices and corresponding methods are provided where a quantity is measured and monitored over time. The quantity may be related to a lifetime of the sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Johannes Baur, Franz Jost
  • Patent number: 10365208
    Abstract: Shown is a gas sensor including a sensor element, a measurement chamber and an emitter element. The sensor element has a MEMS membrane which is arranged in a first substrate region. Furthermore, the measurement chamber is embodied to receive a measurement gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Alfons Dehe, Jochen Huber, Franz Jost, Horst Theuss, Wilhelm Wiedmeier, Juergen Woellenstein
  • Patent number: 10337888
    Abstract: A sensor circuit includes a plurality of half-bridge sensor circuits. The sensor circuit includes a sensor output value determination circuit configured to determine a sensor output value. The sensor circuit further includes an error determination circuit configured to generate an error signal based on a first half-bridge sensor signal and a second half-bridge sensor signal. The sensor circuit further includes a control circuit configured to control a selection of one of the first half-bridge sensor circuit and the second half-bridge sensor circuit for providing one of the first half-bridge sensor signal and the second half-bridge sensor signal to the sensor output value determination circuit to determine the sensor output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Jost, Harald Witschnig, Juergen Zimmer
  • Publication number: 20190195834
    Abstract: An apparatus containing an optical emitter configured to emit optical radiation is provided. Further, the apparatus includes a first hermetically sealed measurement cell filled with a first gas. The first gas is configured to absorb the optical radiation at least partially at one or more predetermined wavelengths. Additionally, the apparatus includes a first microphone arranged in the measurement cell and configured to generate a first microphone signal on a basis of a photoacoustic excitation of the first gas by the optical radiation. The apparatus moreover includes an evaluation circuit configured to take the first microphone signal as a basis for generating a first measurement signal indicating an emission intensity of the optical emitter at the one or more predetermined wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Matthias EBERL, Franz JOST
  • Publication number: 20190170702
    Abstract: An example of a system comprises a volume filled with a gas, a gas excitation device configured to excite the gas inside the volume, a microphone configured to output a microphone signal on the basis of the gas excited by the gas excitation device, and a testing unit configured to take the microphone signal as a basis for testing a gas-tightness of the volume. An example of a photoacoustic sensor comprises a hermetically sealed sensor cell, a gas excitation device and a testing unit configured to take the microphone signal dependent on the thermally excited gas as a basis for testing a gas-tightness of the sensor cell. One example comprises a method for testing a gas-tightness of a volume filled with a gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias Eberl, Franz Jost, Stefan Kolb
  • Publication number: 20190148101
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical light emitter component comprises an emitter layer structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component and an inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component. The inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component is configured to generate current in the emitter layer structure by electromagnetic induction, such that the emitter layer structure emits light. The emitter layer structure is electrically insulated from the inductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias EBERL, Franz Jost, Stefan Kolb
  • Publication number: 20190123745
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to integrated magnetic field sensor-controlled switch devices, such as transistors, current sources, and power switches, among others. In an embodiment, a magnetic switch and a load switch are integrated in a single integrated circuit device. In embodiments, the magnetic switch is configured to sense a dynamic change in magnetic field caused by movement of a magnet in at least one of a linear, three-dimensional, and rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Sebastian Maerz, Franz Jost, Udo Ausserlechner, Jean-Marie Le Gall
  • Patent number: 10241088
    Abstract: A photo-acoustic gas sensor includes a light emitter unit having a light emitter configured to emit a beam of light pulses with a predetermined repetition frequency and a wavelength corresponding to an absorption band of a gas to be sensed, and a detector unit having a microphone. The light emitter unit is arranged so that the beam of light pulses traverses an area configured to accommodate the gas. The detector unit is arranged so that the microphone can receive a signal oscillating with the repetition frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Horst Theuss, Gottfried Beer, Sebastian Beer, Alfons Dehe, Franz Jost, Stefan Kolb, Guenther Ruhl, Rainer Markus Schaller
  • Publication number: 20190041237
    Abstract: A magnetic angle sensor including a first Wheatstone bridge circuit having a plurality of first magnetoresistive elements; and a second Wheatstone bridge circuit having a plurality of second magnetoresistive elements, wherein the plurality of second magnetoresistive elements have diversity with respect to the plurality of first magnetoresistive elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Juergen Zimmer, Hansjoerg Kuemmel, Harald Witschnig, Franz Jost, Akos Hegedus, Konrad Kapser, Llorenç Vallmajó I Ribas
  • Patent number: 10168391
    Abstract: An interconnect module includes a metal clip having a first end section, a second end section and a middle section extending between the first and the second end sections. The first end section is configured for external attachment to a bare semiconductor die or packaged semiconductor die attached to a carrier or to a metal region of the carrier. The second end section is configured for external attachment to a different metal region of the carrier or to a different semiconductor die or packaged semiconductor die attached to the carrier. The module further includes a magnetic field sensor secured to the metal clip. The magnetic field sensor is operable to sense a magnetic field produced by current flowing through the metal clip. The interconnect module can be used to form a direct electrical connection between components and/or metal regions of a carrier to which the module is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giuliano Angelo Babulano, Jens Oetjen, Liu Chen, Toni Salminen, Stefan Mieslinger, Markus Dinkel, Martin Gruber, Franz Jost, Thorsten Meyer, Rainer Schaller
  • Patent number: 10168193
    Abstract: A sensor comprises a matrix switch that includes a number of switching elements configured in a matrix configuration. The sensor comprises one or more sensor elements configured in a sensor matrix configuration. A controller operates to dynamically select one or more signal routes via the switching elements to communicate data from one or more sensor elements of the sensor matrix. The matrix switch can operate to dynamically route multiple signal routes between sensor elements of the sensor to another component based on a set of criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Franz Jost
  • Patent number: 10158359
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to integrated magnetic field sensor-controlled switch devices, such as transistors, current sources, and power switches, among others. In an embodiment, a magnetic switch and a load switch are integrated in a single integrated circuit device. In embodiments, the magnetic switch is configured to sense a dynamic change in magnetic field caused by movement of a magnet in at least one of a linear, three-dimensional, and rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Maerz, Franz Jost, Udo Ausserlechner, Jean-Marie Le Gall
  • Patent number: 10113884
    Abstract: A magnetic angle sensor including a first Wheatstone bridge circuit having a plurality of first magnetoresistive elements; and a second Wheatstone bridge circuit having a plurality of second magnetoresistive elements, wherein the plurality of second magnetoresistive elements have diversity with respect to the plurality of first magnetoresistive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Juergen Zimmer, Hansjoerg Kuemmel, Harald Witschnig, Franz Jost, Hegedus Akos, Konrad Kapser, Llorenç Vallmajó I Ribas