Melexis Technologies Sa

Melexis Technologies Nv

X-Fab Semiconductor Foundries Gmbh

Bruno Boury

Robert Racz

Stephane Rauw

Jian Chen

Simon Houis

Asparuh Ivanov Grigorov

Guido Dupont

Antonio Cacciato

Lionel Tombez

Javier Bilbao De Mendizabal

Andreas Ott

Mathieu Ackermann

Laurent Coulot

Antonino Cacciato

Stefan Eisenbrandt

Hartmut Liebing

Adrian Hill

Klaus Heinrich

Andreas Roth

Amalia Spataru

The present invention relates to a current sensor device comprising: current sensing means for sensing a current, a circuit arranged to convert a signal received from the current sensing means into a signal indicative of the sensed current, storage means for storing a plurality of values of the signal indicative of the sensed current, a processing circuit arranged for receiving a subset of the plurality of values stored in the storage means, for detecting or predicting an event based on a function of the subset, said function being stored in the storage means, and for generating a corresponding event signal, said current supervisory device further comprising an interface circuit arranged to output the corresponding event signal.

Device for supervising a sensed current

A current supervisory device includes current sensing means for sensing a current; a circuit arranged to convert a signal received from the current sensing means into a signal indicative of the sensed current; a processing circuit arranged to receive the signal indicative of the sensed current, to detect an event based on the received signal such that the detecting yields an outcome corresponding to one of at least two different states, and to generate an event signal in accordance with the outcome, such that the processing circuit has modulation means for performing modulation based on the event signal; and an output terminal arranged to output a reporting signal received from said processing circuit, whereby at least one of at least two different states gives rise to the reporting signal being a modulated signal.

Current supervisory device with reliable event reporting

A current sensor device for measuring a current in a conductor comprising: current sensing means comprising a magnetic sensing element for contactlessly measuring the current; amplification means arranged to act in a first and second state, said amplification means in said first and second state being arranged for amplifying a first and second signal, respectively, from said current sensing means with an adjustable first gain and a second gain and a first and second bandwidth to yield a first and second amplified signal, respectively, wherein said first gain is higher than the second gain, wherein the first gain and the second gain are larger than 1; processing means for controlling at least said first gain, for detecting an event based on at least said second amplified signal and for producing a signal indicative of said event; an output terminal arranged for outputting a signal indicative of said current based on said first amplified signal; and an output terminal arranged for outputting said signal indicative of the event.

Current sensor device

A circuit for sensing a current comprises a substrate having a first and a second major surface, the second major surface being opposite to the first major surface. At least one magnetic field sensing element is arranged on the first major surface of the substrate and is suitable for sensing a magnetic field caused by a current flow in a current conductor coupled to the second major surface. The substrate also comprises at least one insulation layer, substantially buried between the first major surface and the second major surface of the substrate.

Insulated current sensor

A contactor includes: a first and second power terminal; a sub-circuit connected between this first and second power terminal and comprising the following three elements connected in series: an electrical conductor portion, a primary switch, and a fuse. The primary switch has a movable part driven by an actuator. The contactor further has a magnetic sensor for measuring a primary current flowing through the electrical conductor portion, and a controller connected to the magnetic sensor and to the actuator. The controller has a communication port for receiving commands. The contactor can detect whether the primary switch is actually open. The controller is configured for: (i) receiving a command to open the switch; (ii) operating the actuator, (iii) detecting if the primary switch is actually open; and (iv) blowing the fuse if the switch is not open.

Contactor, an integrated circuit, a method of interrupting a current flow

The present invention relates to a current-sensor structure comprising a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction and optionally parallel to a conductor surface. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed. The current sensor can be located on a side of the conductor opposite or orthogonal to a surface of the substrate. The current sensor can be aligned with, near to or adjacent to an edge of the conductor. The current-sensor structure can comprise a shield, such as a U-shaped laminated shield that at least partially surrounds the conductor and the current sensor.

Offset current sensor structure

A high-voltage sensing device providing full galvanic isolation between a high-voltage domain and a low-voltage domain, wherein the circuit topology of the device resembles that of a Wheatstone bridge, the Wheatstone bridge employing at least one voltage-controlled semiconductor resistor, wherein the circuit also comprises a reference source connected directly to the Wheatstone bridge and the device comprises a number of shielding structures to electrically isolate the high-voltage domain from the low-voltage domain.

Semiconductor circuits, devices and methods

A sensor circuit for sensing a circuit change, e.g. circuit break, is described. It comprises a permanent or electro magnet for generating a magnetic field, a sensing system comprising one or more magnetic sensors configured for sensing an at least one dimensional magnetic field from the permanent magnet and for providing an output signal representative of said at least one dimensional magnetic field. The circuit also comprises a controller for detecting an event by comparing said output signal with reference data, said reference data comprising for at least one direction of said magnetic field a reference range having an upper boundary and a lower boundary wherein the upper boundary and lower boundary are magnetically unipolar.

Magnetic sensor circuit for security sensing

A current sensor comprises a current conductor having a first portion, a measuring portion and a second portion, the first portion including one or more first electrical terminals and the second portion including one or more second electrical terminals. The current sensor further comprises third electrical terminals and a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip has one or more magnetic field sensors disposed in the active surface, is mounted on the current conductor with an active surface facing the current conductor. The active surface comprises first contacts. The semiconductor chip comprises electrical through silicon connections disposed over and electrically connected to the first contacts. A backside of the semiconductor chip comprises second contacts, each of the second contacts electrically connected to one of the electrical through silicon connections. Wire bonds electrically connect the second contacts with the third electrical terminals.

Current sensor and method of making a current sensor

A method of making a current sensor is described. The method includes providing a leadframe having a current conductor portion comprising two sections shaped such that a current to be measured flows in directions oriented obliquely or oppositely with respect to each other. Further, the method includes deforming the leadframe to lower the current conductor portion, and mounting an isolator on the current conductor portion. The method also includes mounting a semiconductor chip having a thickness of at least 0.2 mm and comprising two magnetic field sensors composed of four Hall sensors and magnetic field concentrators on the isolator, connecting the semiconductor chip and sensor terminal leads by wire bonds, packaging the semiconductor chip and parts of the leadframe in a plastic housing, and cutting a frame of the leadframe from current terminal leads and the sensor terminal leads.

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Kontich, Belgium

Bruno Boury