Abstract: The sensor system comprises an implantable sensor and a user device associated with it. A sensitive liquid is enclosed in the sensor, into which glucose can penetrate. The viscosity of the mixture of sensitive liquid and glucose is measured. The user device, which controls the measurement and its evaluation, is a portable device worn externally on the skin. The viscosity is measured based on the rotation of a measuring element driven by a driving magnet, both disposed in the sensor. The rotation of the measuring element is analyzed based on its decay behavior following switch-off of the driving magnet. In a second embodiment, the viscosity is measured based on the oscillatory behavior of an oscillating element excited to oscillate by a magnet, both disposed in the sensor. The oscillatory behavior is analyzed based on the decay behavior of the oscillating element following switch-off of the magnet.

Abstract: A gas viscosity sensor comprises a signal processing circuit and a sensor element, including a gas pressure generating system and a differential pressure measuring system in fluid communication therewith, the differential pressure measuring system comprising a measuring chamber (14) bounded by a thin membrane (28), an inlet-outlet channel or orifice interconnecting the measuring chamber to a source of gas for which the viscosity is to be determined, the inlet-outlet channel or orifice having dimensions adapted to provide resistance to the outflow and inflow of gas in the measuring chamber, and a membrane displacement sensor (32) adapted to measure a time dependent displacement of the membrane due to pressure variations in the measuring cavity.

Abstract: A pump system having a pump module (10) comprising a stator housing (28) with a chamber (30), a rotor (32) rotatably and axially slidably received in the chamber and comprising a first axial extension (46) with a liquid supply channel (50) and a second axial extension with a liquid supply channel (52), the first and second axial extensions having different diameters, and first and second sealing rings (54, 56), mounted around the first and second axial extensions.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a microcontroller are described. The microcontroller includes a microprocessor having storage and bussing for accessing the storage. A portion of the bussing is coupled to hardwired operation codes, and a portion of the storage is for storing code. The hardwired operation codes are in part for placing the microprocessor into an exception handling mode. The exception handling mode includes reactivating the storage for execution of the code without having to reload the code therein.

Abstract: A gas viscosity sensor comprises a signal processing circuit and a sensor element, including a gas pressure generating system and a differential pressure measuring system in fluid communication therewith, the differential pressure measuring system comprising a measuring chamber (14) bounded by a thin membrane (28), an inlet-outlet channel or orifice interconnecting the measuring chamber to a source of gas for which the viscosity is to be determined, the inlet-outlet channel or orifice having dimensions adapted to provide resistance to the outflow and inflow of gas in the measuring chamber, and a membrane displacement sensor (32) adapted to measure a time dependent displacement of the membrane due to pressure variations in the measuring cavity.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling a processor in a data processing system is described. In an example, the processor is maintained in a halt condition in response to reset information received from the data processing system (e.g., initialization of an integrated circuit having a processor embedded therein). At least one memory resource in communication with the processor is configured. The processor is then released from the halt condition.

Abstract: An integrated circuit such as an FPGA containing an embedded processor having test circuitry capable of controlling the processor's resources using JTAG commands includes a formatting circuit that formats soft data received from an external storage device into a JTAG-compatible bitstream that can be used by the processor's test circuitry to access and/or control the processor's resources at any time, thereby allowing the embedded processor's resources to be accessed and controlled during FPGA configuration operations before the processor has been initialized to an operational state without using an external configuration tool. For some embodiments, the formatting circuit is a state machine that formats soft data such as firmware code, software programs, processor commands, and the like received from the external storage device into a JTAG-compatible bitstream that can be loaded into and/or used to access the resources of the embedded processor via the processors' test circuitry.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling a processor in a data processing system is described. In an example, the processor is maintained in a halt condition in response to reset information received from the data processing system (e.g., initialization of an integrated circuit having a processor embedded therein). At least one memory resource in communication with the processor is configured. The processor is then released from the halt condition.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling a processor in a data processing system is described. In an example, the processor is maintained in a halt condition in response to reset information received from the data processing system (200) (e.g., initialization of an integrated circuit having a processor embedded therein). At least one memory resource in communication with the processor is configured. The processor is then released from the halt condition.

Abstract: A pump system for the subcutaneous delivery of a liquid medicament, having a pump module (10) comprising a stator housing (28) with a chamber (30), a rotor (32) rotatably and axially slidably received in the chamber and comprising a first axial extension (46) with a liquid supply channel (50) and a second axial extension with a liquid supply channel (52), the first and second axial extensions having different diameters, and first and second sealing rings (54, 56), mounted around the first and second axial extensions.

Abstract: The proposed sensor system comprises an implantable sensor (1?) and a user device associated with the latter. A sensitive liquid is enclosed in the sensor (1?), into which glucose can penetrate. The viscosity of the mixture consisting of the sensitive liquid and the glucose is measured. The user device, which controls the measurement and its evaluation, consists of a portable device worn externally on the skin. The viscosity is measured on the basis of the rotation of a measuring element (35) which is disposed in the sensor (1?) and which can be driven by a driving magnet (24) likewise disposed in the sensor (1?). The rotation of the measuring element (35) is analysed on the basis of its decay behaviour following switch-off of the driving magnet (24). In the case of a second exemplary embodiment, the viscosity is measured on the basis of the oscillatory behaviour of an oscillating element which is disposed in the sensor and which can be excited to oscillate by a magnet likewise disposed in the sensor.

Abstract: In a technique for detecting organic vapors and aerosols, e.g. of amines, hydrazines and nitrogen-containing compounds produced in combustion, molecules condense at a surface of a conductive device. By heating the conductive device in pulsed fashion, e.g. by resistance heating, condensed molecules are thermally ionized and emitted from the conductive device. Emitted ions are collected by a collector electrode, and the resulting ionic current pulse is amplified by a transimpedance circuit. The heat pulse lasts until the ionic current pulse has subsided, by which time the conductive device has become free of residual substances. As a result, the conductive device remains uncontaminated and has a long service life. The time-averaged power consumption of the technique is less than 2 mW. For resistance heating, a meander heater element can be disposed on a silicon nitride membrane across an etched opening in a silicon chip.

Abstract: The detector contains a structure-borne sound microphone connected to an electronic evaluation unit with a piezoelectric sensor (18) for structure-borne sound vibrations. This sensor has a vibrating bar (28), which is attached by means of hybrid technology to a carrier (27). The vibrating bar (28) is formed by a bimorph element and the carrier by an electrically conductive ceramic wafer.

Abstract: Optical smoke detectors such as extinction smoke detectors and scattered-light smoke detectors include a radiation source, a radiation detector or receiver, and a measurement volume which is in communication with ambient atmosphere and which is traversed by a light path from the radiation source to the radiation receiver. For compactness and simplicity, such an optical smoke detector is provided with a planar-optical element in the optical path. Suitable as planar-optical elements are diffractive elements, e.g., holographic-optical elements (HOE), and micro-Fresnel elements (MFE), e.g., micro-Fresnel reflectors (MFR).

Abstract: In fire detector apparatus for monitoring an extended area from an elevated location, and especially for detecting forest fires, a scanning assembly (1) has azimuthal freedom of movement. A row of adjoining infrared detector element pairs (S, S') is disposed on a common support (7) in the focal plane of a reflector (6). Detector extent or area increases from the optical axis upward, and the detectors are connected with decreasingly sensitive circuitry. As a result, detection areas having different elevations have nearly equal distance range, and detection sensitivity is essentially independent of distance so that a remote forest fire is detected with the same degree of certainty as one close by. For the elimination of false alarms due to diffuse thermal radiation, detector elements are arranged in pairs, side-by-side on the same support (7), and connected in differential circuitry.

Abstract: To improve probability of detection in the early stages of fires, a fire alarm (1) with a temperature sensor (3) is proposed, having a structural member (12) that causes the sensor (3) to react only to temperature changes in the ambient air, and which change with a frequency of from 0.1 to 20 Hz. The fire alarm (1) becomes particularly insensitive to errors when there is a second fire sensor (7) that reacts to fire aerosol, there being a threshold value circuit (9) that lowers the threshold value for the fire aerosol sensor (7) when the temperature sensor (3) exceeds a preset threshold value.