Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Ohe

Thomas D. Ohe 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: 7855562
    Abstract: A sensor system (20) includes transducers (32, 34) each yielding an analog signal (37, 39) representing a parameter independently sensed by each of the transducers (32, 34). The signals (37, 39) are summed and the resulting transducer signal (46) is converted to a digital transducer signal (26) by a high resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (48). Concurrently, one of the signals (37, 39) is subtracted from the other. The resulting difference signal (56) is converted to a digital difference signal (60) by a low resolution ADC (58). When the digital difference signal (60) is within a threshold window (78), a fault signal (28) indicates a normal condition (80) of the transducers (32, 34). When the signal (60) falls outside of the threshold window (78), a fault signal (28) indicates a fault condition (82) of the transducers. The transducer and fault signals (26, 28) are concurrently output from the sensor system (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Liviu Chiaburu, Marco Fuhrman, Thomas D. Ohe
  • Patent number: 7673519
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a first set of electrodes, a second set of electrodes, and a common electrode. The first and second sets of electrodes overlie an insulative surface, wherein the first set of electrodes represent sense capacitor bottom electrodes and the second set of electrodes represent reference capacitor bottom electrodes. The second set of electrodes is configured in an interleaved arrangement with the first set of electrodes, wherein the geometry of individual electrodes of the first set of electrodes substantially matches the geometry of individual electrodes of the second set of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Fuhrmann, Dubravka Bilic, Thomas D. Ohe
  • Publication number: 20100050776
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a first set of electrodes, a second set of electrodes, and a common electrode. The first and second sets of electrodes overlie an insulative surface, wherein the first set of electrodes represent sense capacitor bottom electrodes and the second set of electrodes represent reference capacitor bottom electrodes. The second set of electrodes is configured in an interleaved arrangement with the first set of electrodes, wherein the geometry of individual electrodes of the first set of electrodes substantially matches the geometry of individual electrodes of the second set of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Marco Fuhrmann, Dubravka Bilic, Thomas D. Ohe