Apparatus, Sensor Circuit, and Method for Operating an Apparatus or a Sensor Circuit

Abstract

A sensor system comprises a sensor element adapted to sense at least one physical quantity, wherein the sensor element is adapted to generate a sensor signal in response to the at least one physical quantity, an evaluation circuit adapted to detect a manipulation of the sensor system based on the sensor signal and stored reference values and to output an indication signal in response to a detected manipulation and a package, the package housing at least the sensor element and the evaluation circuit.

1 . A sensor system, comprising:
 a sensor element adapted to sense at least one physical quantity, wherein the sensor element is adapted to generate a sensor signal in response to the at least one physical quantity;   an evaluation circuit adapted to detect a manipulation of the sensor system based on the sensor signal and stored reference values and to output an indication signal in response to a detected manipulation; and   a package, the package housing at least the sensor element and the evaluation circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor element is adapted to sense at least a first magnetic field component in a first direction and a second magnetic field component in a second direction, the first and second direction being orthogonal. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor element is a first sensor element adapted to sense a first physical quantity and to generate a second sensor signal in response to the first physical quantity, the sensor system further comprising a second sensor element adapted to sense a second physical quantity, wherein the second sensor element is adapted to generate a second sensor signal in response to the second physical quantity; and
 wherein the evaluation circuit is adapted to detect a manipulation of the sensor system based on the first and second sensor signal.   
     
     
         4 . The sensor system according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second sensor elements are integrated in a same package. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor system according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second sensor elements are integrated on a same chip. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor system according to  claim 3 , wherein the first sensor element is a sensor element adapted to measure a primary physical quantity and the second sensor element is a sensor element adapted to measure a secondary physical quantity. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor system according to  claim 6 , wherein the secondary physical quantity is a temperature 
     
     
         8 . The sensor system according to  claim 6 , wherein the secondary physical quantity is a mechanical stress. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor system according to  claim 8 , wherein the sensor system is adapted to compensate a drift caused by a variation of the primary physical quantity. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a magnetic field sensor, the magnetic field sensor having a first sensing element to measure a first magnetic field component, the first magnetic field component being a primary physical quantity and a second sensing element to measure a second magnetic field component, the second magnetic field component being a secondary physical quantity, the first magnetic field component being orthogonal to the second magnetic field component;   an evaluation circuit capable to indicate a manipulation of the system based on an evaluation of an output signal of the magnetic field sensor; and.   a package housing at least the magnetic field sensor and the evaluation circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to detect a difference between a characteristic corresponding to a normal operation and a characteristic not corresponding to a normal operation. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to detect a difference between a characteristic corresponding to a normal operation and a characteristic not corresponding to a normal operation based on the sensor signal and stored reference values. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine a manipulation based on the detection of a temporal characteristic of a manipulation magnetic field. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is capable to measure an electric current as a primary physical quantity. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is an electricity meter apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . A sensor device comprising:
 a first sensing element to provide a first sensor signal based on a sensed first physical quantity;   a second sensing element to provide a second sensor signal based on a sensed second physical quantity;   a circuit capable to evaluate the first sensor signal with regard to an expected normal operation signal characteristic of the first sensor signal and capable to evaluate the second sensor signal with regard to an expected normal operation signal characteristic of the second sensing element, the circuit being capable to output a signal indicating a sensing manipulation based on the evaluating of the first and second sensor signals;   a semiconductor package comprising encapsulating material, the encapsulating material encapsulating at least the first and second sensing element.   
     
     
         17 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the first sensing element is a sensing element to sense a primary physical quantity and the second sensing element is a sensing element to sense a secondary physical quantity. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the circuit is configured to start an evaluation of the second sensor signal based on an evaluation that the first sensor signal is not within an expected normal operation signal characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the first and second physical quantity is selected from a group consisting of:
 a magnetic field, a temperature and a mechanical stress.   
     
     
         20 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the circuit is capable of evaluating the first and second sensor signals based on an expected static characteristic or based on an expected dynamic characteristic of the normal operation of the first and second sensor signals. 
     
     
         21 . The sensor device according to  claim 16  wherein the circuit is capable of evaluating the first and second sensor signals based on a spatial characteristic. 
     
     
         22 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the circuit is capable of evaluating the first and second sensor signals based on a temporal characteristic. 
     
     
         23 . The sensor device according to  claim 16  further comprising:
 a third sensing element to provide a third sensor signal based on a sensed third physical quantity, wherein the circuit is further capable of evaluating the third sensor signal with regard to an expected normal operation signal characteristic of the third sensor signal, wherein the circuit is capable to output a signal indicating a sensing manipulation based on the evaluating of the first, second and third sensor signals; and 
 wherein the encapsulating material encapsulates at least the first, second and third sensing elements. 
 
     
     
         24 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the first sensing element is provided on a first semiconductor chip and the second sensing element is provided on a second semiconductor chip. 
     
     
         25 . The sensor device according to  claim 16 , wherein the sensor device is a current sensor provided in an electricity meter. 
     
     
         26 . The sensor device according to  claim 25 , wherein the circuit is capable to indicate an attempt of manipulation based on an evaluation of a background magnetic field.