Abstract: A method of biasing and reading-out a passive resistive sensor structure having two excitation nodes and two readout nodes, comprises the steps of: a) determining a first state of a first capacitor corresponding to a first amount of charge biasing the sensor structure such that a biasing current flows through said first capacitor during a first time interval determining a second state of the first capacitor corresponding to a second amount of charge integrating or averaging the readout signal during a second time interval related to the first time interval, thereby obtaining an integrated or averaged readout signal determining the sensor readout signal based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and a change in state of the first capacitor.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit having a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further has switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes (A, B) via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A method determines isotropic stress by means of a Hall element which includes a plate-shaped area made of a doped semiconductor material and comprises four contacts contacting the plate-shaped area and forming corners of a quadrangle, two neighboring corners of the quadrangle defining an edge thereof. At least one van der Pauw transresistance value in at least one van der Pauw measurement set-up of the Hall element is determined, wherein the four contacts of the Hall element form contact pairs, a contact pair comprising two contacts defining neighboring corners of the quadrangle. One contact pair supplies a current and the other contact pair measures a voltage. A relationship between the supplied current and the measured voltage defines the Van der Pauw transresistance value. The method comprises determining a stress signal which depends on the at least one Van der Pauw transresistance value and determining isotropic stress.

Abstract: A method for reading out a sensor unit having a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes and a symmetry which allows different configurations of excitation and sensing lead to a same readout. The method includes changing the readout configuration of the sensor unit by exchanging excitation and sensing between the first set of nodes and the second set of nodes, evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different readout configurations of the sensor unit, raising an error if the measurement signals differ more from one another than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit having a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further has switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes (A, B) via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit including a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further includes switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. A corresponding method is described. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A semiconductor circuit comprising an input block having a first chopper providing a chopped voltage signal, a first transconductance converting said chopped voltage signal into a chopped current signal, a second chopper providing a demodulated current signal, a current integrator having an integrating capacitor providing a continuous-time signal, a first feedback path comprising: a sample-and-hold block and a first feedback block, the first feedback path providing a proportional feedback signal upstream of the current integrator. The amplification factor is at least 2. Charge stored on the integrating capacitor at the beginning of a sample period is linearly removed during one single sampling period. Each chopper operates at a chopping frequency. The sample-and-hold-block operates at a sampling frequency equal to an integer times the chopping frequency.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit including a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further includes switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. A corresponding method is described. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit including a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further includes switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. A corresponding method is described. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A method for providing offset compensation in a Hall sensor comprising at least one Hall element having a plate-shaped sensor element made of a doped semiconductor material, comprises using measurements on the Hall element itself. The method comprises obtaining a first readout signal (VH) from the at least one Hall element which is substantially dependent on the magnetic field, obtaining a second readout signal (VP) from the at least one Hall element which is substantially independent of the magnetic field, and using the second readout signal (VP) for obtaining a prediction ({circumflex over (V)}O) of the offset (VO) on the first readout signal (VH).

Abstract: Circuit and method for biasing a plate-shaped sensor element (2) made of doped semiconductor material and having a first resp. second excitation contact (C, A) connected to a first resp. second excitation node (Cn, An), and a first resp. second sense contact (B, D) connected to a first resp. second sense node (Bn, Dn). The plate-shaped sensor element is electrically isolated from a substrate or well (5) by means of a first PN-junction.

Abstract: A method determines isotropic stress by means of a Hall element which includes a plate-shaped area made of a doped semiconductor material and comprises four contacts contacting the plate-shaped area and forming corners of a quadrangle, two neighboring corners of the quadrangle defining an edge thereof. At least one van der Pauw transresistance value in at least one van der Pauw measurement set-up of the Hall element is determined, wherein the four contacts of the Hall element form contact pairs, a contact pair comprising two contacts defining neighbouring corners of the quadrangle. One contact pair supplies a current and the other contact pair measures a voltage. A relationship between the supplied current and the measured voltage defines the Van der Pauw transresistance value. The method comprises determining a stress signal which depends on the at least one Van der Pauw transresistance value and determining isotropic stress.

Abstract: Circuit and method for biasing a plate-shaped sensor element (2) made of doped semiconductor material and having a first resp. second excitation contact (C, A) connected to a first resp. second excitation node (Cn, An), and a first resp. second sense contact (B, D) connected to a first resp. second sense node (Bn, Dn). The plate-shaped sensor element is electrically isolated from a substrate or well (5) by means of a first PN-junction.

Abstract: A MEMS structure for a combined gyroscope and accelerometer unit (100) based on in-plane vibratory movements comprises a proof mass (101) and comb-drives (102) operable to cause the proof mass (101) to resonate in the x-direction, commonly referred to as the primary mode. Under the influence of a rotation ?z around the z-axis, a Coriolis force acting in the y-direction results. This excites the secondary (or sense) mode. A set of parallel-plate capacitors 103 are provided to enable position readout along the secondary axis. In addition to the above, the comb-drive capacitors (102) of the primary mode can also be used for readout of position along the primary axis, and the parallel-plate capacitors (103) for actuation along the secondary axis. This can be achieved either by time-multiplexing these capacitors (102, 103) or by providing separate sets of capacitors (102, 103) for sensing and actuation along each axis. The unit can operate in separate ?? force-feedback loops with respect to both axes.

Abstract: A difference measurement circuit including a first port and a second port for connection to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes of a sensor unit. The circuit further includes switching units for switching excitation signals emanating from excitation nodes from being applied to the first set of nodes via the first port to being applied to the second set of nodes via the second port and for switching differential measurement signals measured at sensing nodes from being obtained from the second set of nodes via the second port to being obtained from the first set of nodes via the first port. A corresponding method is described. The circuit further includes redundancy testing circuitry for evaluating the similarity or deviation between measurement signals obtained in different states of the switching units.

Abstract: A MEMS structure for a combined gyroscope and accelerometer unit (100) based on in-plane vibratory movements comprises a proof mass (101) and comb-drives (102) operable to cause the proof mass (101) to resonate in the x-direction, commonly referred to as the primary mode. Under the influence of a rotation ?z around the z-axis, a Coriolis force acting in the y-direction results. This excites the secondary (or sense) mode. A set of parallel-plate capacitors 103 are provided to enable position readout along the secondary axis. In addition to the above, the comb-drive capacitors (102) of the primary mode can also be used for readout of position along the primary axis, and the parallel-plate capacitors (103) for actuation along the secondary axis. This can be achieved either by time-multiplexing these capacitors (102, 103) or by providing separate sets of capacitors (102, 103) for sensing and actuation along each axis. The unit can operate in separate ?? force-feedback loops with respect to both axes.