A semiconductor device includes first and second electrode pads for externally connecting two electrodes of a sensor capacitor that has a capacitance that changes according to an environmental change. The semiconductor device further includes a capacitor having a pair of electrodes, one of the pair of electrodes being connected to the first electrode pad, a capacitance circuit having a reference capacitance, and a determination circuit that includes first and second relay terminals. The determination circuit is configured to send a charging current from the first relay terminal to the other electrode of the capacitor and send a charging current from the second relay terminal to the capacitance circuit, and determine whether or not the size of a potential of the first relay terminal is greater than the size of a potential of the second relay terminal, thereby determining whether a capacitance of the sensor capacitor has changed or not.

An apparatus for determining thermograms of blood plasma or serum includes two or more reaction vessels that each comprise a temperature sensing coil and a heating coil that is coaxial with and exterior to, or interleaved with, the temperature sensing coil. The apparatus also includes a heat conductive body having two or more cavities formed therein for receiving the reaction vessels. A corresponding method includes activating the heating coils of the reaction vessels and collecting temperature data for the reaction vessels with the temperature sensing coils.

The present invention includes a body case having a biological sample sensor mounting portion on one end side, a temperature sensor (A) provided on the one end side inside the body case, a measurement portion connected to the biological sample sensor mounting portion, and a control portion connected to the measurement portion. A temperature sensor (B) is provided on one other end side inside the body case, and when measurement is performed by the measurement portion, temperature change amounts in the two end portions are compared using the temperature sensors (A) and (B). Furthermore, a measurement value obtained by the measurement portion is corrected using temperature information from either one of the temperature sensors (A) or (B) that is provided in the end portion on the side where the temperature change is smaller.

A system and related method includes receiving an ambient temperature adjacent to a system, an electric current value of electricity that is conducted into or out of a battery coupled with the system, and a voltage of a battery circuit that includes the battery. An internal temperature of the battery is determined based at least in part on the ambient temperature, the current value, and the voltage. One or more conditions for charging or discharging the battery are determined based at least in part on the internal temperature of the battery, the current value, and the voltage. The battery is charged or discharged based on least on the one or more conditions.

An engine system includes a delta pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure difference across an engine exhaust handling component and an electronic control system configured to determine a cold sensor condition permitting icing of the delta pressure sensor, determine a sensed pressure deviation condition indicative of deviation of the pressure difference sensed by the delta pressure sensor from a deviation limit, dynamically model a sensor heat transfer condition indicative of heating or cooling of the delta pressure sensor, determine that the sensor heat transfer condition is indicative of insufficient heating of the delta pressure sensor to mitigate icing of the delta pressure sensor, and determine an icing condition of the delta pressure sensor.

A window can be used for object detection and/or identification. The window can have a first side and a second side. An optical grating can be operatively positioned with respect to the first side of the window. A light source can be configured to emit light toward the optical grating. A detector can be operatively positioned to acquire spectroscopic data of the light emitted from the light source after the light has interacted with the optical grating. Using the optical grating, a temperature at or near the first side can be determined. Based on the temperature, it can be determined whether an object is located on the first side of the window.

An overheat detection system and insulation muff comprising an overheat detection system. The overheat detection system comprises a thermometer, a thermal harvesting module comprising at least one passive radiator, the thermal harvesting module being able to generate electrical energy from the thermal difference between two elements, and a digital module, comprising a power management system, a data treatment system and a wireless transmission system, wherein the electrical energy generated by the thermal harvesting module powers the thermometer and the digital module.

Described herein are apparatuses and methods for selectively controlling the application of a fluid to a sensor enclosure such as a camera housing to protect the housing from overheating. An apparatus that includes a protective shield and a conduit such as tubing for supplying a fluid is described. The protective shield is provided so as to protect an exterior surface of the camera housing from heat caused by sun exposure. The tubing includes an inlet for supplying a fluid such as water or air, can extend through or around an exterior of the camera housing, and includes an outlet with one or more nozzles for ejecting the fluid into a space between the protective shield and the camera housing. Sensor data is received from various vehicle sensors to assess the temperature of the housing, the velocity of the vehicle, and so forth to determine when the fluid should be supplied.

A device (1) for drying and sanitising organic waste materials, comprising a container body (10) for housing the waste materials to be dried and provided with an inlet (16) for the materials to be dried and an outlet (17) for the dried materials, mixing elements (20) located in the container body (10) and provided with at least a blade (21) able to mix the materials to be dried and sanitised, projectingly supported by a rotating shaft (23), a ventilation circuit (30) able to generate a forced ventilation of air internally of the container body (10), and comprising generator means (33) of an air flow located externally of the container body (10) communicating with at least a dispenser nozzle (34) located internally of the container body (10), in which the at least a dispenser nozzle (34) is associated to the at least a blade (21) able to mix the waste materials located in the container body (10) wherein it comprises at least a temperature sensor (42) configured such as to measure a temperature internally of the container body (10) and in that it comprises a control system which receives a signal from the at least a temperature sensor (42) and is able to control the air flow injected into the container body (10) by the ventilation circuit (30) as a function of the signal received from the temperature sensor (42).

There is provided a DC-DC converter which is safe and secure, but yet with low power consumption. The DC-DC converter is configured to monitor the output voltage of an error amplifier, and detect that the output voltage of the error amplifier becomes a fixed value or smaller to drive an overheat protection circuit and a supply voltage monitoring circuit intermittently.