Abstract: A sensor device includes a pressure sensor configured to measure an internal air pressure and generate a sensor signal representative of the measured internal air pressure; a serial peripheral interface (SPI) configured to receive SPI commands; a wake-up terminal configured to output fault signals; and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configurable between a normal running mode and a low power monitoring (LPM) mode. In LPM mode, the processing circuit is configured to alternate between a sampling phase during which the processing circuit evaluates the sensor signal and a powered-down phase during which the processing circuit is in a low power state. The processing circuit is configured to monitor for at least one SPI communication fault corresponding to information received on the SPI, generate a communication fault signal in response to detecting the at least one SPI communication fault, and output the communication fault signal from the wake-up terminal.

Abstract: A pressure sensor module includes a pressure sensor configured to periodically measure an internal air pressure within an enclosure and generate a sensor signal having plurality of sensor values; a signal processing chain for conditioning the sensor signal to generate a plurality of conditioned sensor values; a memory configured to store each of the plurality of conditioned sensor values; and a processing circuit coupled to the pressure sensor via the signal processing chain for receiving a current conditioned sensor value and coupled to the memory for receiving a previous conditioned sensor value. The processing circuit is configured monitor for a fault, including calculating a delta pressure value between the current and previous conditioned sensor values, comparing the delta pressure value to a pressure threshold value, and triggering a diagnostic of the signal processing chain if the delta pressure value is greater than the pressure threshold value.

Abstract: A sensor device includes a pressure sensor configured to measure an internal air pressure and generate a sensor signal representative of the measured internal air pressure; a serial peripheral interface (SPI) configured to receive SPI commands; a wake-up terminal configured to output fault signals; and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configurable between a normal running mode and a low power monitoring (LPM) mode. In LPM mode, the processing circuit is configured to alternate between a sampling phase during which the processing circuit evaluates the sensor signal and a powered-down phase during which the processing circuit is in a low power state. The processing circuit is configured to monitor for at least one SPI communication fault corresponding to information received on the SPI, generate a communication fault signal in response to detecting the at least one SPI communication fault, and output the communication fault signal from the wake-up terminal.

Abstract: An information storage circuit having a first memory portion configured to store a first validity bit and first data; a second memory portion configured to store a second validity bit and second data; and a subcircuit configured to: write the first data to the first memory portion and the second data to the second memory portion sequentially; and set the first and second validity bits to indicate which of the first data and second data is valid.

Abstract: An information storage circuit having a first memory portion configured to store a first validity bit and first data; a second memory portion configured to store a second validity bit and second data; and a subcircuit configured to: write the first data to the first memory portion and the second data to the second memory portion sequentially; and set the first and second validity bits to indicate which of the first data and second data is valid.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to multi-contact sensor devices and operating methods thereof that can reduce or eliminate offset error. In embodiments, sensor devices can comprise three or more contacts, and multiple such sensor devices can be combined. The sensor devices can comprise Hall sensor devices, such as vertical Hall devices, or other sensor types in embodiments. Operating modes can be implemented for the multi-contact sensor devices which offer significant modifications of and improvements over conventional spinning current principles, including reduced residual offset.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to reliably storing information in a sensor or other device. In an embodiment, information storage circuitry comprises independent, redundant memory portions and error detection circuitry. The circuit can operate in cooperation with a memory writing procedure that utilizes a validity bit and sequentially writes to one or the other of the redundant memory portions such that at least one of the memory portions has data that is valid and can be recognized as such.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to multi-contact sensor devices and operating methods thereof that can reduce or eliminate offset error. In embodiments, sensor devices can comprise three or more contacts, and multiple such sensor devices can be combined. The sensor devices can comprise Hall sensor devices, such as vertical Hall devices, or other sensor types in embodiments. Operating modes can be implemented for the multi-contact sensor devices which offer significant modifications of and improvements over conventional spinning current principles, including reduced residual offset.