Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics (crolles 2) Sas

Giuseppe Bruno

Michele Vaiana

Angelo Recchia

Pasquale Biancolillo

Daniele Casella

Maria Eloisa Castagna

Antonio Cicero

Pasquale Franco

Stefano Rossi

Enrico Rosario Alessi

Sebastiano Conti

Fabio Passaniti

Calogero Marco Ippolito

Mario Chiricosta

Mario Maiore

Giuseppe Spinella

Marco Vito Sapienza

Rosario Cariola

Benoit Gautheron

Domenico Lo Verde

Antonella La Malfa

A thermographic sensor is proposed. The thermographic sensor includes one or more thermo-couples, each for providing a sensing voltage depending on a difference between a temperature of a hot joint and a temperature of a cold joint of the thermo-couple; the thermographic sensor further comprises one or more sensing transistors, each driven according to the sensing voltages of one or more corresponding thermo-couples for providing a sensing electrical signal depending on its temperature and on the corresponding sensing voltages. A thermographic device including the thermographic sensor and a corresponding signal processing circuit, and a system including one or more thermographic devices are also proposed.

Thermographic sensor with thermal transistors driven by thermo-couples

A device including a sensor is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a thermal infrared sensor or a sensor based on CMOS-SOI-MEMS technology (also referred to as 'TMOS'). The sensor is capable of performing at least two functions at the same time. The first is remote temperature measurement and the second is presence detection. The sensor passively collects infrared information and a microprocessor coupled to the sensor determines the temperature as well as presence.

Enhanced cooker hood with sensors for remote temperature measurement and presence detection

A thermographic sensor is proposed. The thermographic sensor includes a plurality of sensing elements each comprising at least one thermo-couple. The thermographic sensor is integrated on a semiconductor on insulator body that is patterned to define a grid suspended from a substrate; for each sensing element, the grid has a frame with the cold joint of the thermo-couple, a plate with the hot joint of the thermo-couple and one or more arms sustaining the plate from the frame. The frames include one or more conductive layers of thermally conductive material for thermally equalizing the cold joints with the substrate. Moreover, each sensing element may also include a processing circuit for the thermo-couple that is integrated on the corresponding frame. A thermographic device including the thermographic sensor and a corresponding signal processing circuit, and a system including one or more thermographic devices are also proposed.

Thermographic sensor with thermo-couples on a suspended grid and processing circuits in frames thereof

A method of sensing a temperature includes providing a voltage to reverse bias a PN junction of a junction diode. The PN junction has a junction capacitance. The method includes providing a reverse bias voltage change across the PN junction and detecting a value of the junction capacitance in response to the reverse bias voltage change. The value of the junction capacitance is a function of a temperature of the PN junction. An output signal is generated based on the detected junction capacitance, where the output signal indicates a temperature of an environment containing the junction diode.

Integrated electronic device comprising a temperature sensor and sensing method

A device for measuring an electrical impedance of biologic tissue may include electrodes configured to contact the biologic tissue and generate a differential voltage thereon. The device may include a first circuit coupled to the electrodes and configured to force an oscillating input signal therethrough, and a differential amplitude modulation (AM) demodulator coupled to the plurality of electrodes. The differential AM demodulator may be configured to demodulate the differential voltage, and generate a base-band signal representative of the demodulated differential voltage. The device may further include an output circuit downstream from the differential AM demodulator and may be configured to generate an output signal representative of the electrical impedance as a function of the base-band signal.

Method and device for measuring electrical impedance of biological tissues

A gas measurement device measures gas using a gas sensor including a sense resistance exposed to the gas and a reference resistance not exposed to the gas. The gas measurement device applies a first current value and a second current value to the sensor. A detector functions to detect a first resistance variation and a second resistance variation of the sense resistance exposed to the gas with respect to the reference resistance as a function of the first current value and the second current value, respectively. The resistance variation dependent on relative humidity is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a first constant. The resistance variation dependent on gas content is then determined as a function of the first and second resistance variations and a second (different) constant.

Gas measurement device and measurement method thereof

A sensing element integrated in a semiconductor material chip has a sensing diode of a junction type configured to be reverse biased so that its junction capacitance is sensitive to the local temperature. A reading stage is coupled to the sensing element for detecting variations of the junction capacitance of the sensing diode and outputting a reading acquisition signal proportional to the local temperature of the sensing diode. The sensing diode has a cathode terminal coupled to a biasing node and an anode terminal coupled to a first input of the reading stage. The biasing node receives a voltage positive with respect to the first input of the reading stage for keeping the sensing diode reverse biased.

A semiconductor gas sensor device includes a first cavity that is enclosed by opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one conducting filament is provided to extend over the first cavity, and a passageway is provided to permit gas to enter the first cavity. The sensor device may further including a second cavity that is hermetically enclosed by the opposing first and second semiconductor substrate slices. At least one another conducting filament is provided to extend over the second cavity.

Semiconductor gas sensor device and manufacturing method thereof

Method and device for measuring electrical impedance of biologic tissues

An integrated device for detection of the UV-index is provided with: a photodetector, which generates a detection quantity as a function of a detected UV radiation; and a processing stage, which is coupled to the photodetector and supplies at output a detected value of the UV-index, on the basis of the detection quantity. The processing stage processes the detection quantity on the basis of an adjustment factor, to supply at output the detected value of the UV-index and is further provided with an adjustment stage, coupled to the processing stage for adjusting the value of the adjustment factor.

Semiconductor integrated device for UV-index detection and related calibration system and method

A packaged sensor assembly includes: a packaging structure, having at least one opening; a humidity sensor and a pressure sensor, which are housed inside the packaging structure and communicate fluidically with the outside through the opening, and a control circuit, operatively coupled to the humidity sensor and to the pressure sensor; wherein the humidity sensor and the control circuit are integrated in a first chip, and the pressure sensor is integrated in a second chip distinct from the first chip and bonded to the first chip.

Packaged sensor assembly

An integrated capacitive-type humidity sensor formed in a semiconductor chip integrating a sensing capacitor and a reference capacitor. Each of the sensing and reference capacitors have at least a first electrode and at least a second electrode, the first and second electrodes of each of the sensing and reference capacitors being arranged at distance and mutually insulated. A hygroscopic layer extends on the sensing and reference capacitors and a conductive shielding region extends on the reference capacitor but not on the sensing capacitor.

Growing community of inventors

Paterno, Italy

Giuseppe Bruno