Patents by Inventor Simone Fontanesi

Simone Fontanesi 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: 11971279
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a sensor and a processing circuit. The sensor is designed to generate on the basis of a varying magnetic field an oscillation signal that fluctuates around a mean value. The processing circuit is designed to generate an output signal on the basis of the oscillation signal. The processing circuit is designed, in a high-resolution mode different than a low-resolution mode, in each case to generate a mean value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains the mean value, and to generate in each case a limit value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains at least one limit value different than the mean value. A pulse width of at least either the mean value crossing pulse or the limit value crossing pulse is set to indicate that the magnetic field sensor is operating in the high-resolution mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Patricia Lorber, Simone Fontanesi, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20240019464
    Abstract: A current sensor is provided. The current sensor includes an electromagnetic coil configured to output a voltage induced by a current to be measured. The current sensor further includes a transistor coupled to the electromagnetic coil. The transistor is configured to control an output voltage of the transistor based on the voltage. The output voltage is indicative of the current to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Simone FONTANESI, Jernej POGACNIK
  • Patent number: 11796557
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of pairs of sensor elements, with each pair of sensor elements including two sensor elements that are oppositely disposed on a circumference of a circle arranged in a sensor plane of the magnetic sensor; and a sensor circuit configured to generate a first pulsed output signal based on a selected differential measurement signal that is indicative of a rotational speed of an object. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a plurality of differential measurement signals, one for each of the plurality of pairs of sensor elements, where each of the plurality of differential measurement signals is derived from sensor signals generated by a corresponding pair of sensor elements. The sensor circuit is further configured to select a differential measurement signal having a greatest magnitude from among the plurality of differential measurement signals as the selected differential measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Simone Fontanesi
  • Publication number: 20230213547
    Abstract: A control circuit for a wheel speed sensor is provide. The control circuit includes an input interface configured to receive high-resolution wheel speed data and low-resolution wheel speed data; and circuitry configured to determine information on a functional state of the wheel speed sensor using the high-resolution data and the low-resolution data. The circuitry is configured to detect a failure state of the wheel speed sensor if a number of signal events which are signaled by the high-resolution wheel speed data between a first signal event and a second signal event deviates from an expected number. The first signal event and the second signal event are signaled by the low-resolution wheel speed data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Simone FONTANESI, Filippo GRILLOTTI, Alessandro PETRI, Massimiliano ZILLI
  • Patent number: 11614458
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for a sensor that determines a sensed property. The control circuit includes an input interface configured to receive high-resolution data and low-resolution data for the sensed property. The control circuit further includes circuitry configured to determine information on a functional state of the sensor using the high-resolution data and the low-resolution data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Filippo Grillotti, Alessandro Petri, Massimiliano Zilli
  • Publication number: 20230054830
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a sensor and a processing circuit. The sensor is designed to generate on the basis of a varying magnetic field an oscillation signal that fluctuates around a mean value. The processing circuit is designed to generate an output signal on the basis of the oscillation signal. The processing circuit is designed, in a high-resolution mode different than a low-resolution mode, in each case to generate a mean value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains the mean value, and to generate in each case a limit value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains at least one limit value different than the mean value. A pulse width of at least either the mean value crossing pulse or the limit value crossing pulse is set to indicate that the magnetic field sensor is operating in the high-resolution mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Patricia Lorber, Simone Fontanesi, Tobias Werth
  • Patent number: 11578993
    Abstract: An apparatus, for determining a relative direction of a movement of an encoder object depending on a magnetic field which is generated or influenced by the encoder object. A magnetic field sensor generates two sensor signals based on the magnetic field, that indicate a profile of the magnetic field in the event of a relative movement between the encoder object and the magnetic field sensor, that fluctuate around a mean value and are phase-shifted 90° to one another. The processing circuit calculates an angle based on the two sensor signals, and determines the relative direction of the movement of the encoder object based on a gradient of the angle between a switch-on time of the apparatus and a threshold value angle which is reached thereafter or based on a gradient of the angle between the situation of two successive threshold value angles being reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20230041154
    Abstract: A wheel sensor arrangement can include a first wheel speed sensor and a second wheel speed sensor. The first wheel speed sensor can include or be implemented with a first semiconductor die and can provide data regarding a speed of a rotating wheel. The second wheel speed sensor can also include or be implemented with a second semiconductor die and can provide data regarding the speed of the rotating wheel. The second semiconductor die can be galvanically isolated from the first semiconductor die. The wheel sensor arrangement can include a mold housing that forms around the first wheel speed sensor and the second wheel speed sensor. The mold housing can include a separation feature between the first sensor and the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang SCHWEIKER, Simone FONTANESI, Simon HAINZ, Manfred SCHINDLER, Michael WEBER
  • Patent number: 11499846
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a sensor and a processing circuit. The sensor is designed to generate on the basis of a varying magnetic field an oscillation signal that fluctuates around a mean value. The processing circuit is designed to generate an output signal on the basis of the oscillation signal. The processing circuit is designed, in a high-resolution mode different than a low-resolution mode, in each case to generate a mean value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains the mean value, and to generate in each case a limit value crossing pulse in the output signal when the oscillation signal attains at least one limit value different than the mean value. A pulse width of at least either the mean value crossing pulse or the limit value crossing pulse is set to indicate that the magnetic field sensor is operating in the high-resolution mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Patricia Lorber, Simone Fontanesi, Tobias Werth
  • Patent number: 11442121
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor module is configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor module includes a magnetic sensor configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the magnetic field, and a sensor circuit. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a measurement signal based on the measurement values, adjust an offset of the measurement signal according to an offset update algorithm and a first characteristic of the measurement signal, generate a pulsed output signal having pulses that are generated based on the adjusted measurement signal crossing the switching threshold, and selectively enable and disable the offset update algorithm based on a second characteristic of the measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Klaus Grambichler, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20220268803
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of pairs of sensor elements, with each pair of sensor elements including two sensor elements that are oppositely disposed on a circumference of a circle arranged in a sensor plane of the magnetic sensor; and a sensor circuit configured to generate a first pulsed output signal based on a selected differential measurement signal that is indicative of a rotational speed of an object. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a plurality of differential measurement signals, one for each of the plurality of pairs of sensor elements, where each of the plurality of differential measurement signals is derived from sensor signals generated by a corresponding pair of sensor elements. The sensor circuit is further configured to select a differential measurement signal having a greatest magnitude from among the plurality of differential measurement signals as the selected differential measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Simone FONTANESI
  • Patent number: 11391602
    Abstract: A periodic sensor signal representing a varying rotation angle detected by a rotation angle sensor is compared to a number of thresholds to detect threshold crossings of the periodic sensor signal. An output signal including a pulse pattern at the time of a threshold crossing may be generated only if the direction of rotation has not changed since an immediately preceding threshold crossing. A number of consecutive threshold crossings which take place without a change in the direction of rotation may be counted and an update of the offset register is performed only if the number of consecutive threshold crossings which take place without a change in the direction of rotation is equal to or higher less than the number of thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Alessandro Petri, Simone Fontanesi, Filippo Grillotti, Andrea Possemato, Massimiliano Zilli
  • Publication number: 20220113164
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a first group of sensor elements sensitive to a magnetic field in a predetermined direction, wherein the first group of sensor elements supplies a first signal indicative of the magnetic field in the predetermined direction. Further, the sensor system includes a second group of sensor elements sensitive to the magnetic field in the predetermined direction, wherein the second group of sensor elements supplies a second signal having a relative phase shift relative to the first signal. A combination of the first signal and the second signal indicates a rotational angle of an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Simone FONTANESI
  • Patent number: 11262418
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for sending and receiving rotation speed information and corresponding computer programs and electronically readable data carriers are provided. A current interface is configured to transmit pulse sequences coding a number of bits. In a first bit group of the number of bits, it is flagged whether the pulse sequence has been sent for a zero crossing in a magnetic field. Information modulated onto a second bit group of the number of bits is selected on the basis of the first bit group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Patricia Lorber, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20210356489
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for a sensor that determines a sensed property. The control circuit includes an input interface configured to receive high-resolution data and low-resolution data for the sensed property. The control circuit further includes circuitry configured to determine information on a functional state of the sensor using the high-resolution data and the low-resolution data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone FONTANESI, Filippo GRILLOTTI, Alessandro PETRI, Massimiliano ZILLI
  • Publication number: 20210096002
    Abstract: A periodic sensor signal representing a varying rotation angle detected by a rotation angle sensor is compared to a number of thresholds to detect threshold crossings of the periodic sensor signal. An output signal including a pulse pattern at the time of a threshold crossing may be generated only if the direction of rotation has not changed since an immediately preceding threshold crossing. A number of consecutive threshold crossings which take place without a change in the direction of rotation may be counted and an update of the offset register is performed only if the number of consecutive threshold crossings which take place without a change in the direction of rotation is equal to or higher less than the number of thresholds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alessandro PETRI, Simone FONTANESI, Filippo GRILLOTTI, Andrea POSSEMATO, Massimiliano ZILLI
  • Publication number: 20210018577
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor module is configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor module includes a magnetic sensor configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the magnetic field, and a sensor circuit. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a measurement signal based on the measurement values, adjust an offset of the measurement signal according to an offset update algorithm and a first characteristic of the measurement signal, generate a pulsed output signal having pulses that are generated based on the adjusted measurement signal crossing the switching threshold, and selectively enable and disable the offset update algorithm based on a second characteristic of the measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone FONTANESI, Klaus GRAMBICHLER, Tobias WERTH
  • Patent number: 10830839
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor module is configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor module includes a magnetic sensor configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the magnetic field, and a sensor circuit. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a measurement signal based on the measurement values, compare the measurement signal to a switching threshold, generate a pulsed output signal having pulses that are generated based on the measurement signal crossing the switching threshold, measure a first characteristic of the measurement signal, update an offset of the switching threshold according to an offset update algorithm based on the measured first characteristic of the measurement signal, and selectively enable and disable the offset update algorithm based on at least a second characteristic of the measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Klaus Grambichler, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20200158535
    Abstract: An apparatus, for determining a relative direction of a movement of an encoder object depending on a magnetic field which is generated or influenced by the encoder object, comprises a magnetic field sensor and a processing circuit. The magnetic field sensor generates two sensor signals based on the magnetic field, which two sensor signals indicate a profile of the magnetic field in the event of a relative movement between the encoder object and the magnetic field sensor, fluctuate around a mean value and are phase-shifted through 90° in relation to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Tobias Werth
  • Publication number: 20200096577
    Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor module is configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor module includes a magnetic sensor configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the magnetic field, and a sensor circuit. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a measurement signal based on the measurement values, compare the measurement signal to a switching threshold, generate a pulsed output signal having pulses that are generated based on the measurement signal crossing the switching threshold, measure a first characteristic of the measurement signal, update an offset of the switching threshold according to an offset update algorithm based on the measured first characteristic of the measurement signal, and selectively enable and disable the offset update algorithm based on at least a second characteristic of the measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone FONTANESI, Klaus GRAMBICHLER, Tobias WERTH