Patents by Inventor Marc von Waldkirch

Marc von Waldkirch 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: 10444076
    Abstract: An infrared device comprises a substrate (1), and arranged on or in the substrate (1) a configuration (3) for one of selectively emitting and selectively absorbing infrared radiation of a band, the configuration (3) comprising a pattern made from an electrically conducting material on a first level (L1), an electrically conducting film (33) on a second level (L2), and a dielectric layer (24) between the pattern and the film (33). One or more of a heater (4) for heating the configuration (3), and a thermal sensor (5) arranged for sensing the selective infrared radiation of the band absorbed by the configuration (3) on or in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Martin Winger, Marc Von Waldkirch, Matthias Streiff, Alexander Lochbaum, Jürg Leuthold
  • Patent number: 10416140
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a metal oxide sensing patch, a heater for heating the sensing patch, electrodes for measuring the conductivity of the sensing patch and an evaluation unit for generating a resulting parameter indicative of at least one analyte. Further, a temperature sensor is provided for measuring the temperature at the location of the sensing patch. The evaluation unit is adapted to derive a first parameter indicative of the conductivity of the sensing patch and a second parameter indicative of the heating power required to maintain a desired temperature of the sensing patch or indicative of the deviation of the temperature at the sensing patch from the desired temperature. The evaluation unit further combines the first and second parameters for evaluating the resulting parameter, thereby using the sensing patch not only as a chemiresistor but also as a pellistor-type measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventor: Marc Von Waldkirch
  • Patent number: 10161817
    Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises a first substrate containing a processing circuit integrated thereon and a cap attached to the first substrate. The cap includes a container, a holder, and one or more suspension elements for suspending the container from the holder. The container includes a cavity and a deformable membrane separating the cavity and a port open to an outside of the pressure sensor. The container is suspended from the holder such that the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and such that a gap is provided between the deformable membrane and the first substrate which gap contributes to the port. Sensing means are provided for converting a response of the deformable membrane to pressure at the port into a signal capable of being processed by the processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Marc Von Waldkirch, Johannes Buhler, Rene Hummel, Stephan Braun, Marion Hermersdorf, Chung-Hsien Lin
  • Publication number: 20180356290
    Abstract: An infrared device comprises a substrate (1), and arranged on or in the substrate (1) a configuration (3) for one of selectively emitting and selectively absorbing infrared radiation of a band, the configuration (3) comprising a pattern made from an electrically conducting material on a first level (L1), an electrically conducting film (33) on a second level (L2), and a dielectric layer (24) between the pattern and the film (33). One or more of a heater (4) for heating the configuration (3), and a thermal sensor (5) arranged for sensing the selective infrared radiation of the band absorbed by the configuration (3) on or in the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Martin WINGER, Marc VON WALDKIRCH, Matthias STREIFF, Alexander LOCHBAUM, Jürg LEUTHOLD
  • Patent number: 9772319
    Abstract: A chemical sensor (10) is described with at least one layer of a metal oxide (11) arranged between two current injecting electrodes (16,16?) with the length (L) of the layer of a metal oxide between the current injecting electrodes being less than 50 microns and one or a pair of voltage sensing electrodes (17) connected to the layer of a metal oxide (11) with the electrodes (16,16?,17) forming a 3- or 4-terminal arrangement for determining the resistance changes of layer material (11) excluding series resistances such as contact resistances close to or at at least one of the current injecting electrodes (16) from the resistance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Lukas Burgi, Marc Von Waldkirch, Felix Mayer
  • Publication number: 20150122038
    Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises a first substrate containing a processing circuit integrated thereon and a cap attached to the first substrate. The cap includes a container, a holder, and one or more suspension elements for suspending the container from the holder. The container includes a cavity and a deformable membrane separating the cavity and a port open to an outside of the pressure sensor. The container is suspended from the holder such that the deformable membrane faces the first substrate and such that a gap is provided between the deformable membrane and the first substrate which gap contributes to the port. Sensing means are provided for converting a response of the deformable membrane to pressure at the port into a signal capable of being processed by the processing circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Felix MAYER, Marc VON WALDKIRCH, Johannes BUHLER, Rene HUMMEL, Stephan BRAUN, Marion HERMERSDORF, Chung-Hsien LIN
  • Publication number: 20150033827
    Abstract: A chemical sensor (10) is described with at least one layer of a metal oxide (11) arranged between two current injecting electrodes (16,16) with the length (L) of the layer of a metal oxide between the current injecting electrodes being less than 50 microns and one or a pair of voltage sensing electrodes (17) connected to the layer of a metal oxide (11) with the electrodes (16,16?,17) forming a 3- or 4-terminal arrangement for determining the resistance changes of layer material (11) excluding series resistances such as contact resistances close to or at at least one of the current injecting electrodes (16) from the resistance measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Lukas BURGI, Marc Von Waldkirch, Felix Mayer
  • Publication number: 20140208828
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a metal oxide sensing patch, a heater for heating the sensing patch, electrodes for measuring the conductivity of the sensing patch and an evaluation unit for generating a resulting parameter indicative of at least one analyte. Further, a temperature sensor is provided for measuring the temperature at the location of the sensing patch. The evaluation unit is adapted to derive a first parameter indicative of the conductivity of the sensing patch and a second parameter indicative of the heating power required to maintain a desired temperature of the sensing patch or indicative of the deviation of the temperature at the sensing patch from the desired temperature. The evaluation unit further combines the first and second parameters for evaluating the resulting parameter, thereby using the sensing patch not only as a chemiresistor but also as a pellistor-type measurement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Marc VON WALDKIRCH
  • Patent number: 8011240
    Abstract: The flow sensor comprises a heater arranged between two sensing thermopiles. In addition, at least one monitoring thermocouple is provided for measuring the temperature of the heater. The signal from the monitoring thermocouple can be used to improve the accuracy of the device in several ways. In particular, the signal from the monitoring thermocouple depends on changes of the Seeback constant and other inherent properties of the thermopiles in the same way as the signal from the sensing thermopiles, which allows a compensation of such effects. The signal from the monitoring thermocouple can also be used as a reference voltage to an A/D converter for converting the signals from the sensing thermopiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Marc von Waldkirch, Mark Hornung, Felix Mayer, Moritz Lechner
  • Patent number: 7644613
    Abstract: A thermal flow sensor is equipped with a self-test unit that monitors the device and generates a fault signal in the presence of a malfunction. The self-test unit can e.g. monitor the integrity of a membrane carrying the heater and temperature sensors, or it can monitor various operational parameters of the device, thereby increasing the safety of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark Hornung, Marc von Waldkirch, Marcel Plüss
  • Patent number: 7490511
    Abstract: The flow sensor comprises a heater arranged between two sensing thermopiles. In addition, at least one monitoring thermocouple is provided for measuring the temperature of the heater. The signal from the monitoring thermocouple is used as a reference voltage for an A/D converter, which converts the signals from the sensing thermopiles. This allows to increase the resolution of the converter at higher flows, which results in more accurate measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Moritz Lechner, Mark Hornung, Marc von Waldkirch
  • Publication number: 20080245145
    Abstract: A thermal flow sensor is equipped with a self-test unit that monitors the device and generates a fault signal in the presence of a malfunction. The self-test unit can e.g. monitor the integrity of a membrane carrying the heater and temperature sensors, or it can monitor various operational parameters of the device, thereby increasing the safety of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Felix Mayer, Mark Hornung, Marc von Waldkirch, Marcel Pluss
  • Publication number: 20070241093
    Abstract: The flow sensor comprises a heater arranged between two sensing thermopiles. In addition, at least one monitoring thermocouple is provided for measuring the temperature of the heater. The signal from the monitoring thermocouple can be used to improve the accuracy of the device in several ways. In particular, the signal from the monitoring thermocouple depends on changes of the Seeback constant and other inherent properties of the thermopiles in the same way as the signal from the sensing thermopiles, which allows a compensation of such effects. The signal from the monitoring thermocouple can also be used as a reference voltage to an A/D converter for converting the signals from the sensing thermopiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Marc von Waldkirch, Mark Hornung, Felix Mayer, Moritz Lechner