A method and an integrated circuit for limiting a switchable load current. The integrated circuit includes a main transistor, through which in the conductive state a load current flows for supplying a load and a mirror transistor, a gate terminal of the mirror transistor being electrically connected to a gate terminal of the main transistor and a source terminal of the mirror transistor being electrically connected to a source terminal of the main transistor. The integrated circuit further includes a coupling circuit, which is configured to track a source drain voltage of the mirror transistor as a function of the source drain voltage of the main transistor. A gate control circuit is further provided, which limits the load current through the main transistor on the basis of a drain current through the mirror transistor.

The present invention discloses an AC impedance measurement circuit with a calibration function, which is characterized in that only one calibration impedance is needed, associated with a switch circuit. Based on the measurement results of the two calibration modes, an equivalent impedance of the switch circuit, circuit gain and phase offset can be calculated. Based on the above results, the equivalent impedance of the internal circuit is deducted from the measurement result of the measurement mode to accurately calculate an AC conductance and a phase of the AC conductance for impedance to be measured. In addition, by adjusting a phase difference between an input sine wave signal and a sampling clock signal, impedance of the same phase and impedance of the quadrature phase can be obtained, respectively, and the AC impedance and phase angle of the impedance to be measured can be calculated.

A cantilever-type probe with multiple metallic coatings is disclosed. The cantilever-type probe includes at least one probe pin. A first metallic coating is disposed upon a tip of the probe pin, and a second metallic coating is disposed upon a root of the probe pin. The second metallic coating is in contact with the first metallic coating and comprises a softer (more flexible) metal than the first metallic coating.

A process for estimating the residual life of an electromagnet of a vibrating feeder of articles is described, controlled through a control circuit to make at least one element of the feeder vibrate in frequency, the process comprising the following phases: constantly monitoring the waveform of the absorbed current (I) and the operating voltage (V) to calculate an ohmic resistance value to be compared with a reference value; comparing the measurement of the density of a magnetic flux (Bm) with respect to a reference saturation limit value (Bsat), using an inductance value (L) based on the acquisition of the absorbed current (I) value; verifying an efficient operating situation of the vibrating feeder through the condition (ε1=B.sub.m−B.sub.sat<0).

A process for estimating the residual life of an electromagnet of a vibrating feeder of articles is described, controlled through a control circuit to make at least one element of the feeder vibrate in frequency, the process comprising the following phases: constantly monitoring the waveform of the absorbed current (I) and the operating voltage (V) to calculate an ohmic resistance value to be compared with a reference value; comparing the measurement of the density of a magnetic flux (Bm) with respect to a reference saturation limit value (Bsat), using an inductance value (L) based on the acquisition of the absorbed current (I) value; verifying an efficient operating situation of the vibrating feeder through the condition (ε1=B.sub.m−B.sub.sat<0).

Various embodiments are described herein for measuring the impedance properties of a load using load analysis signals. In one example embodiment, a transformer is provided which includes at least one primary winding, and at least one secondary winding. The at least one primary winding is coupled in series between a direct-current (DC) power supply and the load. A variable alternating-current (AC) voltage generator is coupled in-series to the at least one secondary winding, and is configured generate at least one load analysis signal for injection into the load. The impedance properties of the load may be determined for different frequencies in the load analysis signals.

A sensor apparatus includes: a sensor that includes a resistor bridge circuit; a temperature detection circuit that provides a first path and a second path; a voltage measurement portion that measures a voltage of each of the differential output terminals; a controller that causes the voltage measurement portion to measure the voltage of each of the two differential output terminals; and a calculator that calculates a difference between the voltages of the two differential output terminals to acquire temperature information of the sensor.

A sensor apparatus includes: a sensor that includes a resistor bridge circuit; a temperature detection circuit that provides a first path and a second path; a voltage measurement portion that measures a voltage of each of the differential output terminals; a controller that causes the voltage measurement portion to measure the voltage of each of the two differential output terminals; and a calculator that calculates a difference between the voltages of the two differential output terminals to acquire temperature information of the sensor.

A cantilever-type probe with multiple metallic coatings is disclosed. The cantilever-type probe includes at least one probe pin. A first metallic coating is disposed upon a tip of the probe pin, and a second metallic coating is disposed upon a root of the probe pin. The second metallic coating is in contact with the first metallic coating and comprises a softer (more flexible) metal than the first metallic coating.

A system for determining electrical characteristics of an electric load can comprise a signal modulation circuit that can include a first integral controller configured to control AC reference voltage based on a requested maximum AC current and an estimated maximum AC current, a second integral controller configured to control DC reference voltage based on a requested DC current and an estimated DC current, a signal demodulation circuit including an AC current estimation circuit configured to generate the estimated maximum AC current for the signal modulation circuit, a DC current estimation circuit configured to generate the estimated DC current for the signal modulation circuit, and a resistance and inductance (RL) estimation circuit configured to determine inductance of the electric load based on the estimated maximum AC current and phase shift, wherein the estimated maximum AC current is a value lower than a DC offset current value.