Abstract: An electrical device includes a power supply circuit configured to provide a first voltage and a second voltage, and a first verification circuit configured to derive a first and a second internal voltage from the first voltage, to compare the first and second internal voltages, and to generate a first output signal based on the comparison. The electrical device includes a second verification circuit including a first input terminal for the first voltage and a second input terminal for the second voltage, and configured to compare the first and second voltages and to generate a second output signal based on the comparison. Furthermore, the electrical device includes a combination circuit configured to generate a third output signal if the first output signal or the second output signal is indicative of the first voltage or the second voltage being outside a tolerance range.

Abstract: A stress compensated oscillator circuitry comprises a sensor arrangement for providing a sensor output signal SSensor, wherein the sensor output signal SSensor is based on an instantaneous stress or strain component ? in the semiconductor substrate, a processing arrangement for processing the sensor output signal SSensor and providing a control signal SControl depending on the instantaneous stress or strain component ? in the semiconductor substrate, and an oscillator arrangement for providing an oscillator output signal Sosc having an oscillator frequency fosc based on the control signal SControl, wherein the control signal SControl controls the oscillator output signal Sosc, and wherein the control signal SControl reduces the influence of the instantaneous stress or strain component ? in the semiconductor substrate onto the oscillator output signal Sosc, so that the oscillator circuitry provides a stress compensated oscillator output signal.

Abstract: A system may include a digital sensor system including a sensor element and a digital interface. The digital interface may provide a wake-up signal based on a sensing action being performed by the sensor element after a predefined event is detected by the digital sensor system. The system may include a microcontroller to receive the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface, and wake from a sleep mode based on receiving the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface.

Abstract: The current disclosure relates to an angular sensor. The angular sensor includes a sensing module, a digital processor and an incremental interface. The sensing module is configured to generate a sensing signal containing measurements of rotation activities of a rotating physical entity. The digital processor is configured to process and store the sensing signal. The incremental interface is coupled to the digital processor and includes an incremental pulse generator and a status data encoder. The incremental pulse generator is configured to convert and transmit the sensing signal as incremental square pulses through a unidirectional signal line, which are processed to generate rotary angle and direction of the physical entity. The status data encoder is configured to convert and transmit the sensing signal as a reference pulse and a status signal through a bidirectional signal line, which can be to request an absolute angle position or other sensor data.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for self-diagnostics and/or error detection using multiple signal paths in sensor and other systems. In an embodiment, a sensor system comprises at least two sensors, such as magnetic field sensors, and separate signal paths associated with each of the sensors. A first signal path can be coupled to a first sensor and a first digital signal processor (DSP), and a second signal path can be coupled to a second sensor and a second DSP. A signal from the first DSP can be compared with a signal from the second DSP, either on-chip or off, to detect faults, errors, or other information related to the operation of the sensor system. Embodiments of these systems and/or methods can be configured to meet or exceed relevant safety or other industry standards, such as safety integrity level (SIL) standards.

Abstract: A vertical Hall sensor circuit comprises an arrangement comprising a vertical Hall effect region of a first doping type, formed within a semiconductor substrate and having a stress dependency with respect to a Hall effect-related electrical characteristic. The vertical Hall sensor circuit further comprises a stress compensation circuit which comprises at least one of a lateral resistor arrangement and a vertical resistor arrangement. The lateral resistor arrangement has a first resistive element and a second resistive element, which are parallel to a surface of the semiconductor substrate and orthogonal to each other, for generating a stress-dependent lateral resistor arrangement signal on the basis of a reference signal inputted to the stress compensation circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to current sensors and methods. In an embodiment, a current sensor comprises a leadframe; a semiconductor die coupled to the leadframe; a conductor comprising a metal layer on the semiconductor die, the conductor comprising at least one bridge portion and at least two slots, a first slot having a first tip and a second slot having a second tip, a distance between the first and second tips defining a width of one of the at least one bridge portion, wherein the conductor is separated from the leadframe by at least a thickness of the semiconductor die, and the thickness is about 0.2 millimeters (mm) to about 0.7 mm; and at least one magnetic sensor element arranged on the die relative to and spaced apart from the one of the at least one bridge portion and more proximate the conductor than the leadframe.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit may include a multivibrator for generating an oscillator signal, a supply circuit having a first, second and third current path, and a current mirror for mirroring a current through the second current path into the first current path, the third current path and a current path of the multivibrator. A first transistor in the first current path is operated in weak inversion and saturation on the basis of a first gate voltage. A second transistor in the second current path may be operated in weak inversion and saturation on the basis of the first gate voltage. A third transistor in the second current path may be operated in strong inversion and in the linear region on the basis of a second gate voltage. A fourth transistor in the third current path may be operated in strong inversion and in saturation on the basis of the second gate voltage.

Abstract: A stress compensated oscillator circuitry comprises a sensor arrangement for providing a sensor output signal SSensor, wherein the sensor output signal SSensor is based on an instantaneous stress or strain component a in the semiconductor substrate, a processing arrangement for processing the sensor output signal SSensor and providing a control signal SControl depending on the instantaneous stress or strain component ? in the semiconductor substrate, and an oscillator arrangement for providing an oscillator output signal Sosc having an oscillator frequency fosc based on the control signal SControl, wherein the control signal SControl controls the oscillator output signal Sosc, and wherein the control signal SControl reduces the influence of the instantaneous stress or strain component ? in the semiconductor substrate onto the oscillator output signal Sosc, so that the oscillator circuitry provides a stress compensated oscillator output signal.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a high voltage circuit, a sensor and a charge storage. The sensor utilizes a low voltage supply. The high voltage circuit includes a blocking device and a regulating device. The blocking device is configured to block negative voltages of the high voltage supply. The regulated device is configured to receive a high voltage supply and generate the low voltage supply from the high voltage supply. The high voltage supply is DC. The charge storage has a vertical capacitor and is configured to maintain the low voltage supply during a power break and to store and maintain charge during non-break periods.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a high voltage component, a sensor component and a charge storage component. The sensor component utilizes a low voltage supply. The high voltage component is configured to generate the low voltage supply from a high voltage supply. The charge storage component is configured to provide charge for the low voltage supply during a power break. The charge storage component has a vertical capacitor.

Abstract: A sensor system for detecting a characteristic of a target object is described. The sensor system can include a sensor, such as a magnetic sensor, configured to sense magnet field components and to generate corresponding magnet field component signals based on the sensed magnet field components. The sensor system can include a processor that is configured to calculate a magnetic field angle based third magnetic field components. For example, the magnetic field angle can be calculated by determining a quadratic sum of a plurality of the magnetic field components. The characteristic of the target object can be determined based on the calculated magnetic field angle.

Abstract: A vertical Hall sensor circuit comprises an arrangement comprising a vertical Hall effect region of a first doping type, formed within a semiconductor substrate and having a stress dependency with respect to a Hall effect-related electrical characteristic. The vertical Hall sensor circuit further comprises a stress compensation circuit which comprises at least one of a lateral resistor arrangement and a vertical resistor arrangement. The lateral resistor arrangement has a first resistive element and a second resistive element, which are parallel to a surface of the semiconductor substrate and orthogonal to each other, for generating a stress-dependent lateral resistor arrangement signal on the basis of a reference signal inputted to the stress compensation circuit.

Abstract: A system may include a digital sensor system including a sensor element and a digital interface. The digital interface may provide a wake-up signal based on a sensing action being performed by the sensor element after a predefined event is detected by the digital sensor system. The system may include a microcontroller to receive the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface, and wake from a sleep mode based on receiving the wake-up signal provided by the digital interface.

Abstract: Embodiments related to magnetic current sensors, systems and methods. In an embodiment, a magnetic current sensor integrated in an integrated circuit (IC) and housed in an IC package comprises an IC die formed to present at least three magnetic sense elements on a first surface, a conductor, and at least one slot formed in the conductor, wherein a first end of the at least one slot and at least one of the magnetic sense elements are relatively positioned such that the at least one of the magnetic sense elements is configured to sense an increased magnetic field induced in the conductor proximate the first end of the at least one slot.

Abstract: A ?? ADC includes a forward path, a feedback path, and offset compensation circuitry. The forward path is configured to convert an analog input signal to a digital output signal and includes analog chopper circuitry configured to shift the analog input signal to a chopper frequency to generate a chopped analog signal. The feedback path includes a ?? DAC configured to convert a digital offset compensation signal configured to compensate for offset error in the analog input signal to an analog feedback signal that is subtracted from a forward path signal. The offset compensation circuitry is configured to accumulate a chopped digital signal from the forward path to generate a digital offset error signal; add the digital offset error signal to the digital output signal to generate the digital offset compensation signal; and provide the digital offset compensation signal to the ?? DAC.

Abstract: A sensor including a sensing device and a processor. The sensing device can be configured to sense one or more environmental conditions, such as one or more magnetic fields, and generate a sensor signal based on the sensed environmental condition(s). The processor can be configured to determine a gain mode and/or a zero-point mode of the sensor. Based on the determined gain and/or zero-point modes and the sensor signal, the processor can generate an output signal. The processor can include a voltage generator configured to generate a ratiometric voltage and/or a regulated voltage based on a supply voltage of the sensor. The processor can receive an external voltage. The gain mode and/or the zero-point mode can be independently determined based on the ratiometric, regulated, or external voltages. The ratiometric or regulated voltage can be output as a second output to form a differential output.

Abstract: In an oscillator circuit, provision is made of a multivibrator for generating an oscillator signal. Furthermore, provision is made of a supply circuit (100) having a first current path (101), a second current path (102) and a third current path (103). A current mirror (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) serves for mirroring a current (Iptat) through the second current path (102) into the first current path (101), the third current path (103) and at least one current path (104; 105; 106) of the multivibrator (10). A first field effect transistor (121) in the first current path (101) is operated in weak inversion and saturation on the basis of a first gate voltage (Vngate). A second field effect transistor (122) in the second current path (102) is dimensioned in a manner deviating from the first field effect transistor (121) and is operated in weak inversion and saturation on the basis of the first gate voltage (Vngate).

Abstract: Provided are apparatuses and methods, in which a disturbed measurement variable is converted to a digital signal. The digital signal is then averaged over a number of sampling values which corresponds to a period of the disturbances.

Abstract: A device includes an analog main signal path and a digital control circuit. The digital control circuit determines and provides a digital control signal to the analog main signal path to reduce a gain error of the analog main signal path.