Patents by Inventor Marcel Gantner

Marcel Gantner 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).

  • Combination pressure sensor with capacitive and thermal elements
    Patent number: 6619131
    Abstract: A pressure sensor has a baseplate and a support plate with a membrane. Layers on the membrane and the support plate are connected to a circuit for capacitively measuring pressure to generate a first pressure signal. A thermal conductivity measuring element that generates a second pressure signal has a heating element connected to the baseplate adjacent the support plate at a location opposite from the membrane for protecting the membrane from thermal effects. The method uses the sensor apparatus to generate an output signal representing a measured result when the measured result is above a transition value, on the basis of the first pressure signal and, when the pressure falls below a threshold value, any offset of the first pressure signal is compensated in such a way that determination of the output signal on the basis of the first pressure signal leads to the same result as determination of the output signal on the basis of the second pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG
    Inventors: Urs Wälchli, Per Björkman, Rudolf Stocker, Marcel Gantner
  • Combination pressure sensor with capactive and thermal elements
    Publication number: 20020129657
    Abstract: A pressure sensor has a baseplate and a support plate with a membrane. Layers on the membrane and the support plate are connected to a circuit for capacitively measuring pressure to generate a first pressure signal. A thermal conductivity measuring element that generates a second pressure signal has a heating element connected to the baseplate adjacent the support plate at a location opposite from the membrane for protecting the membrane from thermal effects. The method uses the sensor apparatus to generate an output signal representing a measured result when the measured result is above a transition value, on the basis of the first pressure signal and, when the pressure falls below a threshold value, any offset of the first pressure signal is compensated in such a way that determination of the output signal on the basis of the first pressure signal leads to the same result as determination of the output signal on the basis of the second pressure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Urs Walchli, Per Bjorkman, Rudolf Stocker, Marcel Gantner