The present invention concerns an environmental sensor circuit for a portable connected wireless device, the circuit including a capacitive proximity sensor configured to determine whether a user is in proximity with its body to the portable connected wireless device, by sensing variation in the capacitance of an electrode in electric connection with the environmental integrated circuit, a magnetic field probe, providing a signal proportional to a magnetic field strength, wherein the integrated circuit has an analogue/digital converter configured to produce proximity digital values representative of the capacitance of the electrode and magnetic field digital values representative of the magnetic field strength, the integrated circuit further comprising a digital processor configured for suppressing unwanted noise and drift components from the proximity digital values and from the magnetic field digital values.

A method for operating a magnetic field sensor and an associated magnetic field sensor system. The method includes: detecting an output signal of the magnetic field sensor that describes a magnetic field detected by the magnetic field sensor; establishing an adaptive filter function of an adaptive filter based on a model that describes an influence of specific objects on the output signal; filtering the output signal with the aid of the adaptive filter; ascertaining a deviation between the output signal and the output signal filtered with the aid of the adaptive filter; and detecting a presence of an object to be detected, based on the ascertained deviation.

A system for sensing a position of a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch includes an inductive circuit, a converter, and a master controller. The inductive circuit includes an inductive coil and a capacitor electrically connected in parallel. The inductive coil is positioned to receive a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch when the locking bolt is transitioned to a lock position. The converter is configured to convert a frequency of a current signal on the inductive circuit to a digital frequency value. The master controller is configured to generate a bolt detection signal in response to determining that the digital frequency value changes by an amount equal to or substantially equal to a defined frequency shift corresponding to a frequency shift induced by the inductive coil in response to presence of the locking bolt within the inductive coil's magnetic field.

A sensor for detecting an object is provided that has a detection unit for detecting a sensor signal and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to determine an object property by evaluating the sensor signal, to determine a correction value for interference of the sensor environment from the sensor signal using a method of machine learning, and to take the correction value into account in the determination of the object property.

A method for operating a magnetic field sensor and an associated magnetic field sensor system. The method includes: detecting an output signal of the magnetic field sensor that describes a magnetic field detected by the magnetic field sensor; establishing an adaptive filter function of an adaptive filter based on a model that describes an influence of specific objects on the output signal; filtering the output signal with the aid of the adaptive filter; ascertaining a deviation between the output signal and the output signal filtered with the aid of the adaptive filter; and detecting a presence of an object to be detected, based on the ascertained deviation.

A system for sensing a position of a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch includes an inductive circuit, a converter, and a master controller. The inductive circuit includes an inductive coil and a capacitor electrically connected in parallel. The inductive coil is positioned to receive a locking bolt of an industrial locking switch when the locking bolt is transitioned to a lock position. The converter is configured to convert a frequency of a current signal on the inductive circuit to a digital frequency value. The master controller is configured to generate a bolt detection signal in response to determining that the digital frequency value changes by an amount equal to or substantially equal to a defined frequency shift corresponding to a frequency shift induced by the inductive coil in response to presence of the locking bolt within the inductive coil's magnetic field.

An industrial locking switch includes an inductive sensing circuit that uses a non-contact technique to detect when the switch's locking bolt has transitioned to the lock position. The inductive sensing circuit can comprise an inductive coil, a capacitor, and a converter that converts a frequency of a current signal through the inductive coil to a digital frequency value. A controller detects when the locking bolt has advanced to the lock position by monitoring the digital frequency value for frequency shifts indicative of a disturbance of the induction coil's magnetic field by the locking bolt. To validate operation of the inductive sensing system without requiring actuation of the locking bolt, a diagnostic switch connects a diagnostic capacitor to the inductive circuit to simulate the frequency shift caused by the locking bolt, and the inductive sensing system is validated if the expected frequency shift is detected.

A safety switch (1) having a reading head (2) and an actuator (3) having a transponder (4) and being movable relative to the reading head (2). Encoded signals of the transponder (4) are detectable by means of the reading head (2). As a means for detecting encoded signals, the reading head (2) has a resonant circuit (6) controlled by a processor unit, with the distance between the actuator (3) and reading head (2) being determined by means of an amplitude evaluation of the signals of the transponder (4) detected with the resonant circuit (6). Control signals are generated as a function of the distance signals thus determined.

The invention relates to an oscillator comprising a resonant circuit having at least one inductor and one capacitor and having a feedback amplifier, wherein there is at least one trimming resistor in a feedback circuit of the amplifier. The oscillator is characterized in that there is an electronic switching device for alternately connecting and disconnecting the trimming resistor, in that a trimming circuit is formed by the trimming resistor and the electronic switching device, in that there is a drive device for driving the electronic switching device, in that the electronic switching device, together with the drive device, is designed to alternately connect and disconnect the trimming resistor in a switching sequence, and in that an average time value of the electrical resistor of the trimming circuit, which is active in an oscillator mode, is defined by the switching sequence.

Apparatus and techniques for an integrated circuit (IC) package to automatically detect, through an input/out pin, external component parameters and parasitics. An example IC package generally includes a pin for coupling to a component external to the IC package, and at least one of a resistance detector, an inductance detector, or a capacitance detector coupled to the pin, and configured to detect at least one of a resistance, an inductance, or a capacitance, respectively, of a lumped parameter model for the component external to the IC package. The resistance detector, inductance detector, or capacitance detector may also be configured to detect parasitics associated with at least one of the component, the pin, or a connection between the component and the pin.