Patents by Inventor Simon Hainz

Simon Hainz 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: 8886471
    Abstract: A sensing system and method. A coded wheel is configured to generate a signal that varies with rotation of the coded wheel. A sensor is configured to sense the varying signal and output a corresponding signal. A correction module is configured to receive the signal output by the sensor and compare the received signal to a stored signal and detect a defect in the coded wheel in response to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Ernst Katzmaier
  • Patent number: 8466700
    Abstract: A system including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes analog components configured to receive an input signal and provide an output signal based on the input signal. The second circuit is configured to measure characteristics of the output signal to test the first circuit. At least one of the output signal and another output signal is fed back to provide the input signal and generate an oscillation in the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Motz, Simon Hainz, Christof Bodner
  • Patent number: 8355239
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a first signal detector having a first input terminal configured to receive a varying first input signal, a second input terminal configured to receive a feedback signal that corresponds to the center of the input frequency, and an output terminal configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a phase difference between the first input and feedback signals. A delay estimator has an input terminal configured to receive the output signal from the first phase detector and in response thereto, output a phase difference estimation signal. A variable delay circuit has an input terminal configured to receive the phase difference estimation signal and in response thereto, phase shift the second input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Simon Hainz, Tobias Werth, Mario Motz
  • Patent number: 8183856
    Abstract: A system includes a first circuit configured to convert a first analog signal to a first digital signal. The system includes a second circuit configured to determine an area of the first digital signal above a set value and an area of the first digital signal below the set value to provide a second digital signal indicating an offset of the first analog signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Christof Bodner, Mario Motz, Tobias Werth, Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 8085179
    Abstract: Various implementations relating to analog-to-digital converters are provided. A comparator of such a circuit is used for converting different analog input signals, while analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for these conversions is implemented at least partially separately. In other implementations, a comparator is used both for analog-to-digital conversion and for comparing an input signal to a constant or non-constant value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Simon Hainz
  • Publication number: 20110210880
    Abstract: Various implementations relating to analog-to-digital converters are provided. A comparator of such a circuit is used for converting different analog input signals, while analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for these conversions is implemented at least partially separately. In other implementations, a comparator is used both for analog-to-digital conversion and for comparing an input signal to a constant or non-constant value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Simon HAINZ
  • Publication number: 20100237890
    Abstract: A system including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes analog components configured to receive an input signal and provide an output signal based on the input signal. The second circuit is configured to measure characteristics of the output signal to test the first circuit. At least one of the output signal and another output signal is fed back to provide the input signal and generate an oscillation in the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Motz, Simon Hainz, Christof Bodner
  • Publication number: 20090326860
    Abstract: A sensing system and method. A coded wheel is configured to generate a signal that varies with rotation of the coded wheel. A sensor is configured to sense the varying signal and output a corresponding signal. A correction module is configured to receive the signal output by the sensor and compare the received signal to a stored signal and detect a defect in the coded wheel in response to the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Ernst Katzmaier
  • Publication number: 20090273341
    Abstract: A system includes a first circuit configured to convert a first analog signal to a first digital signal. The system includes a second circuit configured to determine an area of the first digital signal above a set value and an area of the first digital signal below the set value to provide a second digital signal indicating an offset of the first analog signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Christof Bodner, Mario Motz, Tobias Werth, Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20090190283
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a first signal detector having a first input terminal configured to receive a varying first input signal, a second input terminal configured to receive a feedback signal that corresponds to the center of the input frequency, and an output terminal configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a phase difference between the first input and feedback signals. A delay estimator has an input terminal configured to receive the output signal from the first phase detector and in response thereto, output a phase difference estimation signal. A variable delay circuit has an input terminal configured to receive the phase difference estimation signal and in response thereto, phase shift the second input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Simon Hainz, Tobias Werth, Mario Motz
  • Patent number: 7541802
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a sensor signal provided by a magnetic field sensor which is arranged at a distance from an object which is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The method includes defining an encoding pattern with a sequence of symbols, the sensor signal being dependent on the encoding pattern and at least one transmission parameter; regenerating the symbols of the encoding pattern from a corrected sensor signal using a threshold value detector to obtain an output signal; generating a filtered signal from the output signal using a filter having a plurality of filter coefficients; superposing the sensor signal and the filtered signal to obtain the corrected sensor signal; and wherein the corrected sensor signal and the output signal are used to estimate the at least one transmission parameter, and the filter coefficients are derived from the estimated transmission parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20080136406
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a sensor signal provided by a magnetic field sensor which is arranged at a distance from an object which is rotatable about an axis of rotation is disclosed. The method includes defining an encoding pattern with a sequence of symbols, the sensor signal being dependent on the encoding pattern and at least one transmission parameter; regenerating the symbols of the encoding pattern from a corrected sensor signal using a threshold value detector to obtain an output signal; generating a filtered signal from the output signal using a filter having a plurality of filter coefficients; superposing the sensor signal and the filtered signal to obtain the corrected sensor signal; and wherein the corrected sensor signal and the output signal are used to estimate the at least one transmission parameter, and the filter coefficients are derived from the estimated transmission parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Simon Hainz, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Tobias Werth
  • Patent number: 7208944
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular position of a rotating object and rotary encoder is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes a method for determining the angular position of an object rotating about a rotation axis in a rotation direction and having a coding pattern, using a sensor that senses the coding pattern, including ascertaining the coarse angular position of the rotating object with respect to the sensor whilst taking account of the coding pattern at a first instant. The exact angular position of the rotating object is ascertained with respect to the sensor whilst taking account of the coarsely ascertained angular position and also whilst taking account of at least one section of the coding pattern which extends counter to the rotation direction proceeding from that location of the coding pattern which is assigned to the coarse angular position. An output signal is provided containing items of information about the exact angular position of the rotating object with respect to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Tatschl, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Tobias Werth, Simon Hainz
  • Publication number: 20060071659
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular position of a rotating object and rotary encoder is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes a method for determining the angular position of an object rotating about a rotation axis in a rotation direction and having a coding pattern, using a sensor that senses the coding pattern, including ascertaining the coarse angular position of the rotating object with respect to the sensor whilst taking account of the coding pattern at a first instant. The exact angular position of the rotating object is ascertained with respect to the sensor whilst taking account of the coarsely ascertained angular position and also whilst taking account of at least one section of the coding pattern which extends counter to the rotation direction proceeding from that location of the coding pattern which is assigned to the coarse angular position. An output signal is provided containing items of information about the exact angular position of the rotating object with respect to the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: David Tatschl, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Tobias Werth, Simon Hainz