Patents by Inventor Markus Sand

Markus Sand 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: 11662400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Hall effect sensor which is integrated in a semiconductor substrate and enables measurement of a magnetic field component. perpendicularly to the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The Hall effect sensor comprises several Hall elements having an electrically conductive semiconductor region which has a straight-line row of electrical measuring and control contacts on an end face on the substrate surface. The Hall elements are designed or can be operated in such manner that they have a sensitivity both to a magnetic field component parallel to and the magnetic field component perpendicular to the substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate (1). Several of the Hall elements are arranged such that their sensitivity to a magnetic field component parallel to the substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate can be compensated mutually by circuitry or in a signal evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
    Inventors: Philip Beran, Markus Sand, Markus Stahl-Offergeld
  • Publication number: 20220043079
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Hall effect sensor which is integrated in a semiconductor substrate and enables measurement of a magnetic field component. perpendicularly to the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The Hall effect sensor comprises several Hall elements having an electrically conductive semiconductor region which has a straight-line row of electrical measuring and control contacts on an end face on the substrate surface. The Hall elements are designed or can be operated in such manner that they have a sensitivity both to a magnetic field component parallel to and the magnetic field component perpendicular to the substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate (1). Several of the Hall elements are arranged such that their sensitivity to a magnetic field component parallel to the substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate can be compensated mutually by circuitry or in a signal evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Philip BERAN, Markus SAND, Markus STAHL-OFFERGELD
  • Patent number: 10809313
    Abstract: A central idea of techniques herein is that by means of modulation or variation of the supply signal of a Hall sensor, the useful signal portion in the resulting sensor output signal can be separated from the offset portion during operation of the Hall sensor, with no previous calibration or previous serial tests. That course of the sensor output signal resulting from the modulation or variation of the supply signal can then be evaluated or decomposed relative to the components which can be attributed to the offset portion and the useful signal portion. Thus, the offset portion in the sensor output signal can be determined with no (or a negligibly small) external magnetic field applied or with an external magnetic field applied, in case the external magnetic field is constant within a tolerance range while determining the offset portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Markus Stahl-Offergeld, Markus Sand, Hans-Peter Hohe
  • Publication number: 20180172779
    Abstract: A central idea of techniques herein is that by means of modulation or variation of the supply signal of a Hall sensor, the useful signal portion in the resulting sensor output signal can be separated from the offset portion during operation of the Hall sensor, with no previous calibration or previous serial tests. That course of the sensor output signal resulting from the modulation or variation of the supply signal can then be evaluated or decomposed relative to the components which can be attributed to the offset portion and the useful signal portion. Thus, the offset portion in the sensor output signal can be determined with no (or a negligibly small) external magnetic field applied or with an external magnetic field applied, in case the external magnetic field is constant within a tolerance range while determining the offset portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Markus STAHL-OFFERGELD, Markus SAND, Hans-Peter HOHE
  • Patent number: 9983235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for measuring currents or magnetic fields using at least one Hall sensor, which is operated with spinning current technology. In addition to first sample values for calculating a spinning current measurement value (6), second sample values are formed from the digitally converted sensor signals (1) of the Hall sensor in the method. The second sample values are formed over shorter periods of time (9) and are corrected with an offset, which is calculated from the spinning current measurement value (6) and the first sample values. In addition to the precise spinning current measurement value (6), fast offset-corrected measurement values (10) of the magnetic field or current are obtained using the method and the associated device, without elaborate calibration or additional analog circuitry expenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV.
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Hans-Peter Hohe, Markus Sand
  • Patent number: 9742427
    Abstract: An electrical circuit includes a signal processing chain and a controller. The signal processing chain includes an integrator configured to integrate an input signal over an integration time. The controller is connected to a signal output of the signal processing chain to receive and evaluate an output signal of the signal processing chain. The controller is further configured to adapt the integration time based on the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Hans-Peter Hohe, Markus Sand
  • Publication number: 20160254823
    Abstract: An electrical circuit includes a signal processing chain and a controller. The signal processing chain includes an integrator configured to integrate an input signal over an integration time. The controller is connected to a signal output of the signal processing chain to receive and evaluate an output signal of the signal processing chain. The controller is further configured to adapt the integration time based on the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Hans-Peter Hohe, Markus Sand
  • Publication number: 20150042326
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for measuring currents or magnetic fields using at least one Hall sensor, which is operated with spinning current technology. In addition to first sample values for calculating a spinning current measurement value (6), second sample values are formed from the digitally converted sensor signals (1) of the Hall sensor in the method. The second sample values are formed over shorter periods of time (9) and are corrected with an offset, which is calculated from the spinning current measurement value (6) and the first sample values. In addition to the precise spinning current measurement value (6), fast offset-corrected measurement values (10) of the magnetic field or current are obtained using the method and the associated device, without elaborate calibration or additional analogue circuitry expenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Hackner, Hans-Peter Hohe, Markus Sand