公开(公告)号：EP3623805A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-18

申请号：EP19195724.0

申请日：2019-09-05

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： PASSANITI, Fabio ,  ALESSI, Enrico Rosario

IPC: G01N27/12

Abstract: The description relates to a method that comprises:
- driving (1002) a sensor by supplying to the sensor a first power value,
- receiving from the sensor a sensing signal indicative of a sensed entity,
- detecting (1004), as a function of the sensing signal from the sensor, possible onset of a sensor contamination condition,
- if such detecting fails to indicate onset of a sensor contamination condition (1004, N; 1056, N), continuing supplying (1002) to the sensor the first power value (P1),
- if such detecting indicates onset of a sensor contamination condition (1004, Y; 1056, Y), activating (1006) a protection mode.
The protection mode comprises supplying to the sensor a second power value for a protection interval, the second power value lower than the first power value and, possibly, refraining from supplying power to the sensor for a further protection interval, the further protection interval being longer than the first protection interval.