IP Library Granted Patent US 9,941,686
Granted Patent B2
US 9,941,686 · App. 15/029,639 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Sensor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,941,686
App. No.
15/029,639
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a sensor device that suppresses a malfunction caused by a negative surge or a voltage drop. A sensor device includes a sensor element having an electrical characteristic varying according to a physical amount, a signal processing circuit configured to process an output signal of the sensor element, a transistor element interposed between a power source terminal and the signal processing circuit, a resistive element configured to connect a drain and a gate of the transistor element, or a collector and a base of the transistor element, and an element having threshold voltage for connecting the gate or the base of the transistor element to a GND. The element regulates current flowing from the resistive element in a direction of the GND, in a case in which supply voltage to the signal processing circuit falls below the threshold voltage.

Claims (59)

1. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor element having an electrical characteristic varying according to a physical amount;

a signal processing circuit configured to process an output signal of the sensor element;

a transistor element interposed between a power source terminal and the signal processing circuit;

a resistive element configured to connect a gate of the transistor element or a base of the transistor element to a wire connecting the transistor element and the signal processing circuit; and

an element having threshold voltage for connecting the gate or the base of the transistor element to a GND,

wherein the element maintains electrical charge accumulated in the signal processing circuit by limiting current flowing from the resistive element in a direction of the GND and switching the transistor element off, in a case in which supply voltage to the signal processing circuit falls below the threshold voltage.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transistor element is a first field-effect transistor, and

wherein a source of the first field-effect transistor and the power source terminal are connected, a drain of the first field-effect transistor and the signal processing circuit are connected, and a gate of the first field-effect transistor is connected to the GND via the element.

3. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor element having an electrical characteristic varying according to a physical amount;

a signal processing circuit configured to process an output signal of the sensor element;

a transistor element interposed between a power source terminal and the signal processing circuit;

a resistive element configured to connect a gate of the transistor element, or a collector and a base of the transistor element; and

an element having threshold voltage for connecting the gate or the base of the transistor element to a GND,

wherein the element regulates current flowing from the resistive element in a direction of the GND, in a case in which supply voltage to the signal processing circuit falls below the threshold voltage,

wherein the transistor element is a first field-effect transistor,

wherein a source of the first field-effect transistor and the power source terminal are connected, a drain of the first field-effect transistor and the signal processing circuit are connected, and a gate of the first field-effect transistor is connected to the GND via the element,

wherein the element is a second field-effect transistor, and

wherein a source of the second field-effect transistor and the gate of the first field-effect transistor are connected, and a drain and a gate of the second field-effect transistor and the GND are connected.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3 ,

wherein a well of the first field-effect transistor is connected to a drain of the first field-effect transistor, and a well of the second field-effect transistor is connected to the source of the second field-effect transistor.

5. The sensor device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the element is a transistor circuit including a plurality of series-connected field-effect transistors, and

wherein a source of the transistor circuit and the gate of the first transistor are connected, and a drain and a gate of the transistor circuit and the GND are connected.

6. The sensor device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the element is a PN junction diode, and

wherein an anode of the diode and the gate of the first field-effect transistor are connected, and a cathode of the diode and the GND are connected.

7. The sensor device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the element is a diode circuit including a plurality of series-connected PN junction diodes, and

wherein an anode of the diode circuit and the gate of the first field-effect transistor are connected, and a cathode of the diode circuit and the GND are connected.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transistor element is a first PNP transistor, and

wherein an emitter of the first PNP transistor and the power source terminal are connected, a collector of the first PNP transistor and the signal processing circuit are connected, and a base of the first PNP transistor is connected to the GND via the element.

9. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor element having an electrical characteristic varying according to a physical amount;

a signal processing circuit configured to process an output signal of the sensor element;

a transistor element interposed between a power source terminal and the signal processing circuit;

a resistive element configured to connect a drain and a gate of the transistor element, or a collector and a base of the transistor element; and

an element having threshold voltage for connecting the gate or the base of the transistor element to a GND,

wherein the element regulates current flowing from the resistive element in a direction of the GND, in a case in which supply voltage to the signal processing circuit falls below the threshold voltage,

wherein the transistor element is a first PNP transistor,

wherein an emitter of the first PNP transistor and the power source terminal are connected, a collector of the first PNP transistor and the signal processing circuit are connected, and a base of the first PNP transistor is connected to the GND via the element,

wherein the element is a second PNP transistor, and

wherein an emitter of the second PNP transistor and the base of the first PNP transistor are connected, and a collector and a base of the second PNP transistor are connected to the GND.

10. The sensor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the element is a transistor circuit including a plurality of series-connected PNP transistors, and

wherein an emitter of the transistor circuit and the base of the first PNP transistor are connected, and a collector and a base of the transistor circuit and the GND are connected.

11. The sensor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the element is a PN junction diode, and

wherein an anode of the diode and the base of the first PNP transistor are connected, and a cathode of the diode and the GND are connected.

12. The sensor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the element is a diode circuit including a plurality of series-connected PN junction diodes, and

wherein an anode of the diode circuit and the base of the first PNP transistor are connected, and a cathode of the diode circuit and the GND are connected.

13. The sensor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the sensor device includes a capacitor series-connected to the signal processing circuit.

14. The sensor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein threshold voltage of the element is a voltage value equal to or larger than information stored in a memory of the processing circuit.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056299/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2016
From: ASANO, SATOSHI; MATSUMOTO, MASAHIRO; NAKANO, HIROSHI; TASHIRO, SHINOBU
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 038348/0872 →