Ams Ag

Austriamicrosystems Ag

Peter Trattler

Manfred Pauritsch

Karl Georg Waser

Herbert Lenhard

Mario Manninger

Stefan Wiegele

Josef Kriebernegg

Thomas Jessenig

Manfred Lueger

Jan Enenkel

Dan Jacobs

Christian Mautner

Sébastien Poirier

Mario Teufel

Michael Böhm

Martin Münzer

Franz Stelzl

Bernhard Greimel-Rechling

Curd Trattler

Martin Muenzer

A mobile communications device that does not have a physical opening on the screen for audio is operable to transmit a signal to which a photoacoustic effect can be employed by interaction with water vapor in an ear of a user so as to generate audio in the ear or the immediate vicinity of the user's ear. Related methods, apparatuses, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Mobile communications device without physical screen-opening for audio

The semiconductor device comprises an emitter of electromagnetic radiation, a photodetector enabling a detection of electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength, a filter having a passband including the specific wavelength, the filter being arranged on the photodetector, the emitter and/or the filter being electrically tunable to the specific wavelength, and a circuit configured to determine a time elapsed between emission and reception of a signal that is emitted by the emitter and then received by the photodetector.

Semiconductor devices with an electrically tunable emitter and methods for time-of-flight measurements using an electrically tunable emitter

A circuit arrangement for an optical monitoring system comprises a driver circuit which is configured to generate at least one driving signal for driving the light source. A detector terminal is arranged for receiving a detector current from an optical detector. A gain stage is connected at its input side to the driver circuit for receiving the driving signal and generates a noise signal depending on the driving signal. A processing unit is configured to generate an output signal depending on the detector current and the noise signal.

Circuit arrangement for an optical monitoring system and method for optical monitoring

A circuit arrangement for an optical monitoring system comprises a driver circuit configured to generate at least one driving signal for driving a light source and a detector terminal for receiving a detector current. The circuit arrangement further comprises a current source configured and arranged to generate at the detector terminal a reduction current. The reduction current has an amplitude which is given by a base value whenever none of the least one driving signal assumes a value suitable for activating the light source and by a sum of the base value and a reduction value otherwise. The circuit arrangement also comprises a processing unit configured to generate an output signal depending on a combination of the detector current and the reduction current.

A module circuit () comprises a sensor terminal () for feeding a sensor signal (SP) and a clock terminal () for feeding a pulse width-modulated clock signal (ST) having a first and a second clock phase (A, B). A signal processing circuit () of the module circuit () is coupled on the input side to the sensor terminal () and the clock terminal () and is designed to provide an output signal (SAL) dependent on the sensor signal (SP) that can be tapped in the first clock phase (A) and independent of the sensor signal (SP) that can be tapped in the second clock phase (B).

Module circuit, display module and method for providing an output signal

A control system for a gesture sensing arrangement with at least one sensor operates the sensor in a proximity mode. The control system receives data sets generated by the sensor and based on these data sets determines whether an object is present in a vicinity of the sensor. When an object is detected in the vicinity the control system operates the sensor in a gesture mode. Based on further data generated by the sensor the control system determines an end of a gesture, and operates the sensor in the proximity mode.

Control system for a gesture sensing arrangement and method for controlling a gesture sensing arrangement

A method for gesture detection comprises pre-processing and main-processing steps, wherein the pre-processing comprises emitting light using a light emitting device and generating of directional sensor signals as a function of time by detecting a fraction of the emitted light reflected by means of a movable object using a directional light sensor array). The main-processing comprises calculating coordinates as a function of time by using the directional sensor signals, being indicative of a position of the object with reference to a plane parallel to a principal plane of the light sensor array, and detecting a movement of the object depending on the timing of the coordinates.

Method for gesture detection, optical sensor circuit, in particular an optical sensor circuit for gesture detection, and optical sensor arrangement for gesture detection

An optical sensor circuit comprises an optical sensor (DET) designed to provide a sensor signal indicative of light incident on the optical sensor (DET). A clock terminal (CLK) is used to receive a clocked control signal comprising high and low states. A controller unit (CU) is connected to the optical sensor (DET) and to the clock terminal (CLK). The controller unit (CU) is designed to process the sensor signal as a color signal (CTS) in a first mode if the clocked control signal is in high state, and process the sensor signal as an ambient light signal (ALS) in a second mode if the clocked control signal is in low state, and further designed to generate a driving signal (PWM) to drive a light emitting device (LED) to be connected at a control terminal (OUT). The driving signal (PWM) depends on the color and ambient light signal (CTS, ALS).

Optical sensor circuit, luminous panel and method for operating an optical sensor circuit

A sensor arrangement, in particular for a non-contacting measurement, comprises a signal generator (SRC) which is connected to a first electrode (EL). A first detector (Det) is connected to the first electrode (EL), and is designed for a capacitive measurement by means of the first electrode (EL). A second detector (Det) is connected to a second electrode (EL) and is designed to use the first and the second electrodes (EL, EL) to carry out a capacitive measurement. A method for operation of the sensor arrangement is likewise specified.

Sensor arrangement and method for operation of a sensor arrangement

A driver circuit () for a current regulator (), which can be coupled in series to an electrical load (), comprises a control circuit () for controlling the current regulator (). The control circuit () is designed to determine at least two target current values (SW) for the current regulator current (IS) of the current regulator () for at least two points in time in an operation phase on the basis of a signal (VS, STR) that can be tapped at the current regulator ().

Driver circuit and method for driving an electrical load

In one embodiment, a charging circuit for a charge accumulator comprises a first terminal (A) for supplying a charging voltage (UC) and for connecting the charge accumulator (SC) connected to a reference potential terminal (), a second terminal (A) for providing a load voltage (UD) and for connecting an electrical load (D), a control assembly (ST) which is coupled to the first and the second terminals (A, A) and has a signal output (A) for providing a first charge state signal (S) and a test output (TA) for providing at test signal (on), and a current source (I) that is coupled to the second terminal (A), wherein the first charge state signal (S) is provided depending on a value of an additional voltage (U) between the first and the second terminals (A, A) and depending on the test signal (on), and wherein the charging voltage (UC) is supplied depending on the first charge state signal (S). The invention also relates to a method for charging a charge accumulator.

Charging circuit for a charge accumulator and method for charging the same

The invention relates to a method for the current limitation of a load current, in particular the load current of a flash means. In one step, first a supply voltage (VBAT) is provided. Then a load current (I) is set depending on the supply voltage (VBAT) for supplying the flash means (LED) with power by incrementally reducing the load current (I) until the supply voltage (VBAT) is greater than a threshold value (Vlow). The load current intensity (Imin) of the set load current (I) can be stored in a register (RAM) for the subsequent triggering of the flash means (LED) in a main flash phase () with the load current intensity (Imin) stored in the register (RAM). In addition, the invention relates to a circuit having current limitation of a load current of a flash means.

Method for current limitation of a load current and circuit having current limitation of a load current for a flash means

In one embodiment a current source comprises an input (In) for receiving a brightness signal (Sb), and an output (Out) for providing a driving current (Id) for at least one light-emitting diode, LED, wherein the current source (CS) is configured to extract a first and a second current value (idac_high, idac_low) from the brightness signal (Sb), to derive a duty cycle value (Smod) from the brightness signal (Sb) and to modulate the driving current (Id) as a function of the duty cycle value (Smod) in a pulse-width modulation comprising the first and the second current values (idac_high, idac_low). Furthermore, a method for providing a current is described.

Current source and method for providing a driving current

A flash driver to limit a load current for a flash comprises a dc/dc converter (DCDC) having a first input (IN) to receive an input voltage (Vin) and an output (OUT) to supply an output voltage (Vout). The dc/dc converter is designed to convert the input voltage (Vin) to the output voltage (Vout). Furthermore the flash driver has an adjustable current source (Iadj) connected between the output (OUT) and a load terminal (LT). A first control unit (CTRL) is connected to the first input (IN) and coupled to the adjustable current source (Iadj), and is designed to compare the input voltage (Vin) to a threshold (Vth) and, if the comparison indicates the input voltage (Vin) being smaller than the threshold value (Vth), adjust the adjustable current source (Iadj) such that the input voltage (Vin) is equal or greater than the threshold value (Vth). A second control unit (CTRL) is coupled to the adjustable current source (Iadj) and the dc/dc converter (DCDC) and is designed to detect a voltage drop over the adjustable current source (Iadj) and to set the dc/dc converter (DCDC) to control the conversion of input voltage (Vin) to the output voltage (Vout) depending on the detected voltage drop.

Flash driver to limit a load current of a flash and method to limit a load current of a flash driver

A voltage-converter arrangement comprises an arrangement input () for the supply of an input voltage (VIN), an arrangement output () for the provision of an output voltage (VOUT), a voltage converter () that is coupled on the input side to the arrangement input () and on the output side to the arrangement output (), and a control device () with a control output (). The control output () is coupled to the voltage converter (). A control signal (SW) can be picked up at the control output (). The control device () is designed to switch the frequency (f) of the control signal (SW) between values from a number N of predetermined, discrete frequency values. The voltage converter () is designed to convert the input voltage (VIN) into the output voltage (VOUT) as a function of the control signal (SW).

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Graz, Austria

Peter Trattler