Patents by Inventor Hans-Joerg Fink

Hans-Joerg Fink 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: 10684158
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a state, for example a filling state of a container, with a first sensor which in operation produces a measured value, and a second sensor which in operation produces a second, discrete measured value. The first measured value and the second measured value are forwarded to an evaluation unit via a common line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TDK-Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Philip Herbst, Hans-Joerg Fink
  • Patent number: 10340911
    Abstract: A method for programming a two-wire sensor having at least two sensor units. The method comprises the following steps of: switching on the at least two sensor units, activating one of the at least two sensor units, capturing operating states of the at least two sensor units; detecting an operating state in which one individual sensor unit is active; and sending a programming command to the detected active sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: TDK - Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Fink, Tomas Kauter
  • Publication number: 20190068184
    Abstract: A method for programming a two-wire sensor having at least two sensor units. The method comprises the following steps of: Switching on the at least two sensor units, activating one of the at least two sensor units, capturing operating states of the at least two sensor units; detecting an operating state in which one individual sensor unit is active; and sending a programming command to the detected active sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Fink, Tomas Kauter
  • Publication number: 20170314985
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a state, for example a filling state of a container, with a first sensor which in operation produces a measured value, and a second sensor which in operation produces a second, discrete measured value. The first measured value and the second measured value are forwarded to an evaluation unit via a common line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Philip Herbst, Hans-Joerg Fink
  • Patent number: 9291685
    Abstract: A device for evaluating a magnetic field with an integrated circuit with a magnetic field sensor is provided, which has a first connection, a second connection, and a third connection led out from the housing. A signal conditioning circuit is connected to the magnetic field sensor. A control circuit generates a control signal for controlling the signal conditioning circuit based on a detected transmission signal with a detection circuit for detecting the transmission signal. The signal conditioning circuit generates an analog signal based on a sensor signal and based on the control signal. An evaluation circuit evaluates the analog signal and compares the analog signal to a default value to adjust the signal conditioning circuit via the digital transmission signal such that the analog signal corresponds to the default value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Joerg Fink, Martin Bayer
  • Publication number: 20140002073
    Abstract: A device for evaluating a magnetic field with an integrated circuit with a magnetic field sensor is provided, which has a first connection, a second connection, and a third connection led out from the housing. A signal conditioning circuit is connected to the magnetic field sensor. A control circuit generates a control signal for controlling the signal conditioning circuit based on a detected transmission signal with a detection circuit for detecting the transmission signal. The signal conditioning circuit generates an analog signal based on a sensor signal and based on the control signal. An evaluation circuit evaluates the analog signal and compares the analog signal to a default value to adjust the signal conditioning circuit via the digital transmission signal such that the analog signal corresponds to the default value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Hans Joerg FINK, Martin BAYER
  • Patent number: 8558537
    Abstract: In a process for testing the measurement accuracy of at least one magnetic field sensor, in particular during manufacturing, a semiconductor wafer that has at least two semiconductor chips is provided. A measurement coil is integrated into at least one first semiconductor chip, and a magnetic field-sensitive electric circuit is integrated into at least one second semiconductor chip that forms the magnetic field sensor. The first semiconductor chip, of which at least one is present, is positioned at an exciter coil that is supplied with current in order to generate a reference magnetic field. With the aid of the measurement coil a first measured value that is dependent on the magnetic flux density is acquired and the current in the exciter coil is adjusted depending on the first measured value. The second semiconductor chip, of which at least one is present, is positioned at the exciter coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Bayer, Hans-Jörg Fink
  • Patent number: 8258795
    Abstract: A procedure for checking the operational capability of an electric circuit, which has a sensor module and a diagnosis mechanism with the sensor module including an integrated switching circuit, wherein the sensor module has at least one output terminal connected to the diagnosis mechanism and power supply terminals, and wherein an operating voltage is applied via cables to the power supply terminals. The sensor module is switched to a test mode, in which a communication test signal is emitted from the output terminal. This signal is read in by the diagnostic mechanism and compared with a tolerance band range, in order to verify that the communication with the sensor module is operational. In the event of operational communication, the operational capability of the switching circuit is tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Fink, Andreas Ring
  • Patent number: 8249095
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for transmitting data between at least two transmitters and a receiver which are connected to a bus. A synchronization signal is applied to the bus and a number of data volume counters corresponding to the number of transmitters reduced by one is set to a predefined initial value. A first transmitter transmits in the form of data elements a predefined data volume allocated to the transmitter over the bus to the receiver. The data volume values of the other transmitters are selected so that only one transmitter at any given time simultaneously transmits on the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Bidenbach, Martin Bayer, Hans-Jörg Fink
  • Patent number: 7975191
    Abstract: A method and circuitry for checking the programming (P) and deletion (L) operations of memory cells (5) in a nonvolatile memory device (1). Parallel to the programming (P) or deletion (L) operations of the actual memory cells (5) the respective programming or deletion process is carried out on at least one similar checking cell (4.1, 4.2, 4.3), with the programming (P) or deletion (L) operations being less favorable by a defined extent than the programming (P) or deletion (L) operations of the actual memory cells (5). From the content of the checking cell (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) an evaluation device (6) determines whether the programming (P) or deletion (L) operation was successful or not, and a corresponding output signal (ak) indicative thereof is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Ullrich, Martin Bayer, Hans-Jörg Fink, Reiner Bidenbach, Thilo Rubehn
  • Publication number: 20100188098
    Abstract: In a procedure for checking the operational capability of an electric circuit, which has a sensor module (2) comprising an integrated switching circuit and a diagnosis mechanism (3) allocated thereto, wherein the sensor module (2) has at least one output terminal (11) connected to the diagnosis mechanism (3) and power supply terminals (12a, 12b), an operating voltage is applied via cables (13a, 13b) to the power supply terminals (12a, 12b). The sensor module (2) is switched to a test mode, in which a communication test signal (18) is emitted from the output terminal (11). This signal is read in by the diagnostic mechanism (3) and compared with a tolerance band range, in order to verify that the communication with the sensor module (2) is operational. In the event of operational communication, the operational capability of the switching circuit is tested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: MICRONAS GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Fink, Andreas Ring
  • Patent number: 7319418
    Abstract: A method of transmitting data from a sensor (1) to a receiver (4) in which each original data word is split in positional fashion into at least two separate short data words (MSN, LSN). The separate short data words (MSN, LSN) are each converted by digital-to-analog conversion (15) into an analog pseudosignal and transmitted in a multiplex mode via an output of the sensor and a transmission path (3) to the receiver (4). In the receiver, the analog pseudosignals are converted back into short data words (MSN, LSM) and joined together in correct bit sequence by means of an analog-to-digital converter (15), so that the resulting data word corresponds to the original word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Joerg Fink
  • Publication number: 20050243184
    Abstract: A method of transmitting data from a sensor (1) to a receiver (4) in which each original data word is split in positional fashion into at least two separate short data words (MSN, LSN). The separate short data words (MSN, LSN) are each converted by digital-to-analog conversion (15) into an analog pseudosignal and transmitted in a multiplex mode via an output of the sensor and a transmission path (3) to the receiver (4). In the receiver, the analog pseudosignals are converted back into short data words (MSN, LSM) and joined together in correct bit sequence by means of an analog-to-digital converter (15), so that the resulting data word corresponds to the original word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventor: Hans-Joerg Fink
  • Patent number: 6288567
    Abstract: A device for setting operating parameters in a plurality of programmable integrated circuits in which each integrated circuit has a ground terminal, at which ground potential is present, an input, via which digital control commands are fed, and an output, via which control information items concerning the state of the integrated circuit are output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Joerg Fink