Ams International Ag

Ams Ag

Sciosense B.v.

Ams-osram Ag

Pax Water Technologies Inc.

Ravi Kumar Adusumalli

Rohit Ranganathan

Rahul Thottathil

Krishna Kanth Avalur

Sudhakar Singamala

Gowri Krishna Kanth Avalur

Dinesh Kuruganti

Chandra Nyshadham

Vijay Ele

Rajesh Gupta

Sanjeev Praphulla Chandra Nyshadham

Parvathy Sasikala Jayachandran Pillai

Robert Van Zeeland

Veeresh Babu Vulligaddala

Prasad Ponnada

Parvathy S J

A circuit for sensing radiation with high sensitivity is disclosed. The circuit comprises a first transistor configurable to reset a voltage-level at a circuit node to a voltage reference. The circuit also comprises measurement circuitry configured to measure the voltage-level at the circuit node, and at least one photodiode configured to vary the voltage-level at the circuit node in response to radiation incident upon the photodiode during an integration period. The circuit also comprises processing circuitry configured to control the first transistor to reset the voltage-level at the circuit node and to subsequently configure the measurement circuitry to measure the voltage-level at a start and at an end of the integration period.

Circuit for high-sensitivity radiation sensing

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a light-to-frequency sensor conversion. In some implementations, a first output waveform is generated from a light signal, a frequency of the first output waveform being based on an intensity of the light signal, including integrating the light signal across multiple clock cycles. In response to receiving a notification, a hold operation is performed to stop integrating the light signal for a period of time. In response to an end of the hold operation, a second output waveform is generated that includes integrating the intensity of the light signal starting from the end of the hold operation over a count of the multiple clock cycles that start after the end of the hold operation by a delay amount. The first output waveform and the second output waveform are summed to determine the intensity of the light signal.

Hold operations for light-to-frequency sensors

A temperature sensor arrangement includes a current integrating modulator that provides a count value dependent on the current supplied to its input terminal. A temperature-sensitive element includes a resistor to generate a current dependent on temperature. First and second switches alternately connect the temperature-sensitive element and another resistor to the input terminal of the current integrating modulator. The temperature sensor arrangement can be combined with an ambient light sensor sharing the current integrating modulator.

Temperature sensor arrangement, light sensor arrangement, mobile computing device including the same and methods using the same

An apparatus includes a differential current-to-voltage conversion circuit that includes an input sampling stage circuit, a differential integration and DC signal cancellation stage circuit, and an amplification and accumulator stage circuit. An input common mode voltage of the differential current-to-voltage conversion circuit is independent of an output common mode voltage of the differential current-to-voltage conversion circuit.

Differential current-to-voltage conversion

An ambient light sensor is provided that includes a sensor input having a delta-sigma analogue to digital converter. The delta-sigma analogue to digital converter includes a switched capacitor, a common mode voltage source, a reference voltage source, and a switch network. In a first clock phase, the switch network connects the switched capacitor to charge it to either a sum or difference voltage. In a second clock phase, the switch network connects the switched capacitor to transfer charge into a summing junction. A controller controls the switch network in response to a comparator output to connect the switched capacitor to either the common mode voltage or the reference voltage while in the first clock phase.

Ambient light sensor circuits with a delta-sigma analog to digital converter with a switch network

An optical light sensing device includes a detector operable to detect a light wave. The optical light sensing device also includes an integration circuit that includes an operational amplifier that is operable to reduce or cancel dark currents generated at the detector.

Reducing dark current in an optical device

A switch circuit for use in a single-ended switched-capacitor circuit for front-end circuitry of a sensor device is disclosed. The switch circuit comprises a first transistor and a second transistor having a same channel-type as the first transistor. A first node is connected to a source of the first transistor and a drain of the second transistor and a second node is connected to a drain of the first transistor and a source of the second transistor. Also disclosed is a sampling circuit comprising the switch circuit and a sampling capacitor, wherein the switch circuit is configurable to electrically couple the sampling capacitor to an integrator circuit or to a voltage reference. An integrated circuit device and a light to frequency converter or light sensor comprising the switch circuit is also disclosed.

Circuit for reduced charge-injection errors

A sensor arrangement includes a switchable voltage source having a source output for alternatively providing a first and a second excitation voltage, an integrator having an integrator input and an integrator output, a sensor resistor having a first terminal coupled to the source output, a reference resistor having a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the sensor resistor and a second terminal coupled to the integrator input, and a comparator having a first comparator input coupled to the integrator output.

Sensor arrangement and method for sensor measurement

In an embodiment a method for operating a gas sensor arrangement includes generating a sensor current by a gas sensor, converting the sensor current into a digital comparator output signal in a charge balancing operation depending on a first clock signal, determining from the digital comparator output signal an asynchronous count comprising an integer number of counts depending on the first clock signal, determining from the digital comparator output signal a fractional time count depending on a second clock signal and calculating from the asynchronous count and from the fractional time count a digital output signal which is indicative of the sensor current generated by the gas sensor.

Method for operating a gas sensor arrangement and gas sensor arrangement

A method for light-to-digital conversion includes setting a time integrator circuit into a reference condition and starting to integrate charge from a sensor device for the duration of an integration time. An integration signal is generated and is indicative of the integrated charge. The integration signal is compared with an adjustable reference signal. A first count is generated when the comparison indicates that the integration signal has reached an integration range, wherein the integration range is defined by a low and a high voltage. A second count is generated when the comparison indicates that the integration signal has reached the adjustable reference signal. The adjustable reference signal is incremented in discrete steps when a second count has been generated. Then, the time integrator circuit is reset into the reference condition, when the comparison indicates that the integration signal has reached the integration range. The generated first counts is collected as first count signal and the generated second counts are collected as second count signal. Finally, a digital output signal is generated depending on the first count signal and the second count signal.

Light-to-digital converter arrangement and method for light-to-digital conversion

A sensor arrangement for light sensing for light-to-frequency conversion. The sensor arrangement includes a photodiode, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) operable to perform a chopping technique in response to a first clock signal (CLK), and convert a photocurrent (IPD) into a digital comparator output signal (LOUT). The ADC includes a sensor input coupled to the photodiode, an output for providing the digital comparator output signal (LOUT), an integrator including an integrator input coupled to the sensor input and operable to receive an integrator input signal, a first set of chopping switches coupled to a first amplifier, a second set of chopping switches electrically coupled to an output of the first amplifier and electrically coupled to input terminals of a second amplifier, and an integrator output providing an integrator output signal (OPOUT).

Sensor arrangement and method for dark count cancellation

A method for light-to-frequency conversion comprises the steps of illuminating a photodiode by a light source, generating a photocurrent by means of the photodiode, converting the photocurrent into a digital comparator output signal depending on a first clock signal, generating a first count comprising an integer number of counts, where the generation of the first count depends on the first clock signal, generating a second count which relates to the time interval between at least two counts of the first count, and determining the frequency of a repeating pattern in the intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the light source and detected by the photodiode from the first count and the second count. Furthermore, a light-to-frequency converter arrangement is provided.

Method for light-to-frequency conversion and light-to-frequency converter arrangement

A measurement circuitry (MC) for evaluating a resistance of a resistive gas sensor (GS) comprises a first current path (P), wherein a first logarithmic compression circuit (LC) is arranged in the first current path (P). A reference resistor (Rreference) and a second logarithmic compression circuit (LC) is arranged in a second current path (P) of the measurement circuitry (MC). A voltage generator (VG) provides a fixed voltage excitation for the resistive gas sensor (GS) and the reference resistor (Rreference). A first current (I) received from the resistive gas sensor (GS) flows from the gas sensor (GS) via the first current path (P) into the first logarithmic compression circuit (LC). An evaluation circuit (EC) determines the resistance (Rs) of the resistive gas sensor (GS) in dependence on a first and second output signal (Ve, Ve) of the first and the second logarithmic compression circuit (LC, LC).

Measurement circuitry for evaluating a resistance of a resistive gas sensor

A method for light-to-frequency conversion comprises generating a photocurrent by means of a photodiode and converting the photocurrent into a digital comparator output signal in a charge balancing operation depending on a first clock signal. From the digital comparator output signal an asynchronous count is determined and comprises an integer number of counts depending on the first clock signal. From the digital comparator output signal a fractional time count is determined and depends on a second clock signal. Finally, from the asynchronous count and from the fractional time count a digital output signal is calculated which is indicative of the photocurrent generated by the photodiode. The method may be carried out by an exemplary light-to-frequency converter equipped with a photodiode.

Light-to-frequency converter arrangement and method for light-to-frequency conversion

An analog-to-digital converter () comprises a first and a second sampling capacitor (), a first integrator (), a first and a second input switch () coupling a first input terminal () and a common mode terminal () to a first electrode of the first sampling capacitor (), a third and a fourth input switch () coupling a second input terminal () and the common mode terminal () to a first electrode of the second sampling capacitor (), a fifth and a sixth input switch () coupling a second electrode of the first sampling capacitor () to an amplifier common mode terminal () and the first integrator input (), and a seventh and an eighth input switch () coupling a second electrode of the second sampling capacitor () to the amplifier common mode terminal () and the second integrator input ().

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Ravi Kumar Adusumalli