Abstract: A portable electronic device and related methods are described using an integrated chemical sensor linked to a chemical sensor processing unit and being sensitive to the concentration of a component in a sample of air and further including an operating system providing instructions for the control of the portable device, wherein the chemical processing unit uses under operating conditions a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions stored within the portable device, wherein the first set of instructions is part of the operating system level of instructions and the second set of instructions is part of a user of instructions with the second set of instructions being linked to the operating system via a plugin interface and wherein the second set of instructions is communicated to the portable device from a remote computing system based on access to measurements and/or operating conditions of the chemical sensor.

Abstract: An integrated chemical sensor chip comprises on or integrated in a common substrate a chemically sensitive layer and a heater heating the sensitive layer. In addition, a memory is provided for the storage of a measurement routine, the measurement routine comprising instructions defining a heating process over time and instructions defining one or more measurement points in time. An I/O interface is provided for receiving a trigger for the measurement routine and for supplying a result of the measurement routine. An engine controls the heater and measures a resistance of the sensitive layer according the instructions of the measurement routine.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described with telecommunication capabilities to allow for data and/or voice communication via private or public networks, having an integrated chemical sensor sensitive to ketones within a breath sample of a user wherein the sensor comprises at least one metal oxide gas sensor and a control circuit for the sensor integrated onto a common substrate or package.

Abstract: A chemical alert system for generating an alarm is described including a portable electronic device, preferably with telecommunication capabilities to allow for data and/or voice communication via private or public networks, and at least one chemical sensor integrated with the housing of the portable device and controlled by a chemical sensor processing unit, further comprising an alert discriminator receiving input based on measurements of the chemical sensor, performing a test on the input and based on an outcome of the test initiating the transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility.

Abstract: In a method for operating a portable electronic device a recharge process for recharging a rechargeable energy storage of the portable electronic device is detected. A heater is activated for heating a sensitive layer of a chemical sensor contained in the portable electronic device subject to the detection of the recharge process.

Abstract: An integrated chemical sensor chip comprises on or integrated in a common substrate a chemically sensitive layer and a heater heating the sensitive layer. In addition, a memory is provided for the storage of a measurement routine, the measurement routine comprising instructions defining a heating process over time and instructions defining one or more measurement points in time. An I/O interface is provided for receiving a trigger for the measurement routine and for supplying a result of the measurement routine. An engine controls the heater and measures a resistance of the sensitive layer according the instructions of the measurement routine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a chemical sensor (1) comprising a substrate layer (2) having a front surface (2.1) and a back surface (2.2) and a sensing layer (3) arranged on the front surface (2.1) of the substrate layer (2), the sensing layer (3) comprising a sensing element (4) and the substrate layer (2) being provided with a well (5) in the back surface (2.2) to a form a membrane (6) that incorporates the sensing element (4), wherein the substrate layer (2) is provided with contact pads (10) on the back surface (2.2) and with vias (11) extending from the front surface (2.1) to the back surface (2.2) for electrically connecting the sensing element (4) with the contact pads (10), wherein a handling layer (17) is provided on top of the sensing layer (3), the handling layer (17) surrounding the sensing element (4), and wherein the thickness (d1) of the handling layer (17) is larger than the thickness (d2) of the substrate layer (2).

Abstract: A chemical alert system for generating an alarm is described including a portable electronic device, preferably with telecommunication capabilities to allow for data and/or voice communication via private or public networks, and at least one chemical sensor integrated with the housing of the portable device and controlled by a chemical sensor processing unit, further comprising an alert discriminator receiving input based on measurements of the chemical sensor, performing a test on the input and based on an outcome of the test initiating the transfer of measurements of the chemical sensor to a remote processing facility.

Abstract: A portable electronic device is described with telecommunication capabilities to allow for data and/or voice communication via private or public networks, having an integrated chemical sensor sensitive to ketones within a breath sample of a user wherein the sensor comprises at least one metal oxide gas sensor and a control circuit for the sensor integrated onto a common substrate or package.

Abstract: A portable electronic device and related methods are described using an integrated chemical sensor linked to a chemical sensor processing unit and being sensitive to the concentration of a component in a sample of air and further including an operating system providing instructions for the control of the portable device, wherein the chemical processing unit uses under operating conditions a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions stored within the portable device, wherein the first set of instructions is part of the operating system level of instructions and the second set of instructions is part of a user of instructions with the second set of instructions being linked to the operating system via a plugin interface and wherein the second set of instructions is communicated to the portable device from a remote computing system based on access to measurements and/or operating conditions of the chemical sensor.

Abstract: In a method for operating a portable electronic device a recharge process for recharging a rechargeable energy storage of the portable electronic device is detected. A heater is activated for heating a sensitive layer of a chemical sensor contained in the portable electronic device subject to the detection of the recharge process.

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.

Abstract: The humidity detector comprises a housing adapted to hold a humidity sensor towards the windscreen of a vehicle or any other type of window. A flexible printed circuit board is arranged between the humidity sensor and the windscreen and provides a connection between the humidity sensor and further circuitry of the detector. The humidity sensor is located under a cap, which is engaged by a glider member. A spring pushes the glider member towards the windscreen.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises an assembly of switched capacitors operated under control of a system clock signal. It further comprises a signal driver for generating a binary output signal at an output pad. The system clock signal is suppressed for a certain time period after each transition of the output signal, thereby preventing voltage droop generated by the transition to introduce noise in the signals of the assembly of switched capacitors.

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.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises an assembly of switched capacitors operated under control of a system clock signal. It further comprises a signal driver for generating a binary output signal at an output pad. The system clock signal is suppressed for a certain time period after each transition of the output signal, thereby preventing voltage droop generated by the transition to introduce noise in the signals of the assembly of switched capacitors.

Abstract: The humidity detector comprises a housing adapted to hold a humidity sensor towards the windscreen of a vehicle or any other type of window. A flexible printed circuit board is arranged between the humidity sensor and the windscreen and provides a connection between the humidity sensor and further circuitry of the detector. The humidity sensor is located under a cap, which is engaged by a glider member. A spring pushes the glider member towards the windscreen.

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.

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.

Abstract: For measuring the flow and the thermal conductivity of a fluid, a sensor is used, which has a first temperature detector for measuring a first temperature and a second temperature detector for measuring a second temperature. A heating is arranged between the temperature detectors. Two measured quantities are determined by means of the temperature detectors, a first of which is e.g. a difference between the temperatures and a second one of which is one of the temperatures. By comparing the two measured quantities, the flow and the thermal conductivity of the fluid can be determined.