Improved magnetic sensor excitation circuitry is presented for providing a periodic bidirectional excitation waveform to a fluxgate magnetic sensor excitation coil using a bridge circuit connected to the excitation coil and having lower transistors for switched selective connection to a current mirror input transistor to mirror a current provided by pulsed current source, and with integrated filtering to control pulse rise times and slew rate.

A method of normalizing FPA system gain for varying temperature includes determining an FPA temperature and calculating an FPA system gain as a function of the FPA temperature, system gain for the FPA at a reference temperature, and empirically derived coefficients. The method also includes applying the FPA system gain at the FPA temperature to condition output of the FPA to produce temperature independent image data. An imaging system includes a focal plane array (FPA). A temperature sensor is operatively connected to measure temperature of the FPA. A module is operatively connected to the FPA and temperature sensor to calculate FPA system gain for the FPA as described above, and to apply the FPA system gain to condition output of the FPA to produce temperature independent image data. There need be no temperature control device, such as a thermoelectric cooling device, connected for temperature control of the FPA.

A method of normalizing FPA system gain for varying temperature includes determining an FPA temperature and calculating an FPA system gain as a function of the FPA temperature, system gain for the FPA at a reference temperature, and empirically derived coefficients. The method also includes applying the FPA system gain at the FPA temperature to condition output of the FPA to produce temperature independent image data. An imaging system includes a focal plane array (FPA). A temperature sensor is operatively connected to measure temperature of the FPA. A module is operatively connected to the FPA and temperature sensor to calculate FPA system gain for the FPA as described above, and to apply the FPA system gain to condition output of the FPA to produce temperature independent image data. There need be no temperature control device, such as a thermoelectric cooling device, connected for temperature control of the FPA.

A level shift circuit includes: an electrothermal converter converting a first electric signal with a first reference potential as a reference to heat; a thermoelectric converter converting the heat from the electrothermal converter to a second electric signal with a second reference potential which is different from the first reference potential as a reference; and an insulating region electrically insulating the electrothermal converter from the thermoelectric converter.

A level shift circuit includes: an electrothermal converter converting a first electric signal with a first reference potential as a reference to heat; a thermoelectric converter converting the heat from the electrothermal converter to a second electric signal with a second reference potential which is different from the first reference potential as a reference; and an insulating region electrically insulating the electrothermal converter from the thermoelectric converter.

Devices and corresponding methods can be provided to monitor or measure temperature of a target or to control a process. Targets can have low, unknown, or variable emissivity. Devices and corresponding methods can be used to measure temperatures of thin film, partially transparent, or opaque targets, as well as targets not filling a sensor's field of view. Temperature measurements can be made independent of emissivity of a target surface by, for example, inserting a target between a thermopile sensor and a background surface maintained at substantially the same temperature as the thermopile sensor. In embodiment devices and methods, a sensor temperature can be controlled to match a target temperature by minimizing or zeroing a net heat flux at the sensor, as derived from a sensor output signal. Alternatively, a target temperature can be controlled to minimize the heat flux.

Devices and corresponding methods can be provided to monitor or measure temperature of a target or to control a process. Targets can have low, unknown, or variable emissivity. Devices and corresponding methods can be used to measure temperatures of thin film, partially transparent, or opaque targets, as well as targets not filling a sensor's field of view. Temperature measurements can be made independent of emissivity of a target surface by, for example, inserting a target between a thermopile sensor and a background surface maintained at substantially the same temperature as the thermopile sensor. In embodiment devices and methods, a sensor temperature can be controlled to match a target temperature by minimizing or zeroing a net heat flux at the sensor, as derived from a sensor output signal. Alternatively, a target temperature can be controlled to minimize the heat flux.

The present invention discloses a thermal pile sensing structure integrated with one or more capacitors, which includes: a substrate, an infrared sensing unit and a partition structure. The infrared sensing unit includes a first and a second sensing structure. A hot junction is formed between the first and the second sensing structures at a location where the first and the second sensing structures are close to each other. A cold junction is formed between the partition structure and the first sensing structure at a location where these two structures are close to each other. Another cold junction is formed between the partition structure and the second sensing structure at a location where these two structures are close to each other. A temperature difference between the hot junction and the cold junction generates a voltage difference signal. Apart of the partition structure forms at least one capacitor.

The present invention discloses a thermal pile sensing structure integrated with one or more capacitors, which includes: a substrate, an infrared sensing unit and a partition structure. The infrared sensing unit includes a first and a second sensing structure. A hot junction is formed between the first and the second sensing structures at a location where the first and the second sensing structures are close to each other. A cold junction is formed between the partition structure and the first sensing structure at a location where these two structures are close to each other. Another cold junction is formed between the partition structure and the second sensing structure at a location where these two structures are close to each other. A temperature difference between the hot junction and the cold junction generates a voltage difference signal. Apart of the partition structure forms at least one capacitor.

A circuit device including: a detection circuit (10) that performs A/D conversion of a first detection voltage (VD1) that is detected by using a thermopile (2), and outputs a first detection value (DT1) that is a digital value, and performs A/D conversion of a second detection voltage (VD2) that is detected by using a thermistor (4), and outputs a second detection value (DT2) that is a digital value; and a control unit (50) that obtains a self-temperature by using the second detection value (DT2), obtains a second electromotive voltage that corresponds to the self-temperature by using the self-temperature, obtains a first electromotive voltage that corresponds to an object's temperature by using the first detection value (DT1) and the second electromotive voltage, and obtains the object's temperature by using the first electromotive voltage.