Melexis Bulgaria Ltd

Melexis Technologies Nv

Melexis Nv

Melexis Bulgaria Eood

Rumen Marinov Peev

Stoyan Georgiev Gaydov

Tsvetan Miroslavov Marinov

Hristo Hristov

Dirk Leman

Klaus Wilczek

Petko Nedelev

Dieter Verstreken

Kostadin Dimitrov Bobchev

Radostin Tsankov

Kalin Petrov

Tsvetan Marinov

Kostadin Ivanov

Filip Tsvetkov Filipov

Stoyan Gaydov

A monolithic integrated proximity sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate with an active surface with at least one active or passive component or bond pad; an interconnection stack having a plurality of at least two metal layers; at least a first transmitter coil having a first spiral course with at least three turns formed in at least one or at least two metal layers and defining the first region having a first inner and outer periphery; at least a first receiver coil having a second spiral course with at least three turns formed in at least one or at least two metal layers and defining a second region having a second inner and outer periphery. At least one component or bond pad is located inside the first or second inner periphery.

Proximity sensor device and system

A sensor and a sensing system includes a chain of sensors, wherein each sensor comprises an input control port, an output control port, a power interface and an output interface, and is configured such that, when the sensor is powered over the power interface, an enable signal at the input control port triggers the sensor for executing a sequence which comprises measuring a physical property, and subsequently transmitting an enable signal over the output control port. The output control port of an earlier sensor is connected with the input control port of a next sensor. A first sensor is configured for repeating the sequence with a predefined period.

Sensing system comprising a chain of sensors

A sensor device comprises a sensor connected to a first signal and responsive to an external field to produce a sensor signal, a test device connected to a second signal and electrically connected in series with the sensor by an electrical test connection providing a test signal, and a monitor circuit electrically connected to the first, second and test signals. The monitor circuit comprises a processing circuit and a determination circuit. The processing circuit is responsive to the test signal and a predetermined processing value to form a processing output signal. The determination circuit is responsive to the processing output signal to determine a diagnostic signal. A sensor circuit responsive to the sensor signal provides a sensor device signal responsive to the external field.

Sensor defect diagnostic circuit

A sensor device comprises a sensor arranged to sense and convert the physical quantity into an electrical quantity and to output an electrical signal representative of the electrical quantity. A voltage limiter receives an input signal related to a supply voltage providing power to the sensor device and to output a voltage signal. The voltage signal has a limited value if the input voltage exceeds a voltage saturation threshold value. A voltage-to-current converter converts the voltage signal output by the voltage limiter to a supply current of a first value, thereby forming a first supply current state. A switch switches between the first supply current state and at least a second supply current state wherein the supply current is substantially independent of the supply voltage. Current generation means provides the supply current of the predetermined second value to form the second supply current state.

Sensor device

A method for diagnosing errors in the correct operation of a sensor system. A positive signal amplifier saturation threshold value and a negative signal amplifier saturation threshold value less than the positive signal amplifier saturation threshold value are provided, and at least one signal comparator threshold value. A current value of a first amplified input signal at a first time is provided and a current value of a second amplified input signal obtained at a second time later than the first time, but in the same measurement cycle. The measured values of the first and second amplified input signal are compared to the current signal comparator threshold value. A new output state is determined via the measured first and second amplified input signals. From a previous comparison of the first and second amplified input signal a current output state is provided, from which an expected new output state is determined.

Sensor saturation fault detection

A solid state circuit includes a main and a floating circuit including: a first driver for generating a differential driver signal derived from a driver signal; a modulator configured for modulating a modulator signal with another signal to obtain a differential control signal; the floating circuit comprising: a floating power supply comprising at least one rectifier configured for generating a floating supply voltage (VDDF) and a floating ground voltage (VSSF) from the differential driver signal; a demodulator configured for demodulating the differential control signal and for passing the demodulated signal to an output switch; the output switch comprising a first output node and a second output node and at least one transistor configured for opening or closing an electrical path under control of the demodulated signal.

Floating switch for signal commutation

A sensor circuit comprises a sensor adapted to sense a physical quantity and to produce a sensor output signal. A sensor-offset correction block is arranged to receive a signal indicative of a supply voltage applied to the sensor circuit and to generate a compensation signal based on the signal indicative of the supply voltage and on a quantity indicative of a state of the sensor circuit. A combiner is adapted to combine the sensor output signal with the compensation signal, thereby obtaining a compensated signal.

Sensor circuit with offset compensation

A sensor device includes a sensor for sensing amounts of a physical quantity, such as an environmental attribute, and providing sensor signals formed in response to the sensed physical quantity. A diagnostic test circuit provides multiple diagnostic test signals each representing a desired response to a particular amount of the physical quantity. A signal circuit selects the sensor signal or the diagnostic test signal and forms a signal circuit output. A reference circuit provides a calibrated reference signal corresponding to a threshold amount of the physical quantity. A comparator receives and compares the calibrated reference signal and the signal circuit output to form a comparison signal. A control circuit controls the signal circuit, reference circuit, and diagnostic test circuit and receives the comparison signal to output a sensor device sensor signal or sensor device diagnostic signal.

Sensor diagnostic device and method

Method of driving a single-coil motor having a stator and a rotor and a coil, comprising the steps of: monitoring a position signal and determining when said signal passes a first threshold; b) providing control signals for energizing the coil; c) a predefined period later, providing control signals for stopping or reducing the energization of the coil; d) monitoring a second signal indicative of the coil current, and determining a third time when said signal passes a second threshold level; and monitoring the first signal, and determining a fourth time when said signal passes a third threshold level; e) updating the prediction period; f) repeating steps b) to e). A driver circuit adapted for performing such method. A system comprising such driver circuit.

Method and circuit for driving single coil BLDC motor

A sensor integrated circuit comprising a controller and a diagnostic module in communication with the controller. The controller is configured for providing a diagnostic reporting signal being a periodic superposition signal on a sensing output of the sensor integrated circuit and/or on a supply current of the sensor integrated circuit. The periodic superposition signal has periodic pulses with a predetermined fixed pulse duration and a predetermined periodicity. The controller furthermore is configured for altering the predetermined periodicity or predetermined fixed pulse duration of the periodic superposition signal upon a fault detection in the diagnostic module communicated to the controller.

Diagnostic reporting for sensor integrated circuits

A Hall sensor array has two Hall sensors arranged in opposed quadrants of a two by two array. Each Hall sensor has four contacts, arranged as two pairs of opposite contacts, the axes of each pair being substantially perpendicular.

Hall sensor array

A 2-phase BLDC motor is driven by a trapezoidal waveform. For one-half of the motor rotation period T, the phase is driven by the trapezoidal waveform and for the other half-period, the coil remains undriven. An up down counter is operable to increment at a first frequency fand to decrement at a second frequency f. Incrementing operation is initiated at the start of the driven period of the waveform and stopped at the start of the down slope of the waveform. Decrementing operation is initiated at the start of the down slope of the waveform and stopped at the end of the down slope. The ratio of frequencies f:fis used to measure the relative duration of the slope to the driven period and is selected to mirror the desired ratio of slope duration:driven period duration.

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Sofia, Bulgaria

Rumen Marinov Peev