Modules and methods including magnetic sensing structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10429456-B2
Application number	US-201816189854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A magnetic device may include a magnetic structure, a device structure, and an associated circuit. The magnetic structure may include a patterned layer of material having a predetermined magnetic property. The patterned layer may be configured to, e.g., provide a magnetic field, sense a magnetic field, channel or concentrate magnetic flux, shield a component from a magnetic field, or provide magnetically actuated motion, etc. The device structure may be another structure of the device that is physically connected to or arranged relative to the magnetic structure to, e.g., structurally support, enable operation of, or otherwise incorporate the magnetic structure into the magnetic device, etc. The associated circuit may be electrically connected to the magnetic structure to receive, provide, condition or process of signals of the magnetic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic module comprising:
a patterned magnetic sensing structure;
circuitry arranged to process signals associated with the patterned magnetic sensing structure; and
an aperture in the magnetic module, the aperture opening to an environment that is external to the magnetic module, the aperture being physically aligned with the patterned magnetic sensing structure, and the patterned magnetic sensing structure being arranged to sense magnetic stimuli in the environment that is external to the magnetic module.

2. The magnetic module of claim 1 , wherein the aperture exposes at least a portion the patterned magnetic sensing structure to the environment that is external to the magnetic module.

3. The magnetic module of claim 1 , wherein the aperture extends through a plurality of substrates.

4. The magnetic module of claim 3 , wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is connected to at least one of the plurality of substrates at sides of the aperture.

5. The magnetic module of claim 1 , wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is positioned at an interior end of the aperture.

6. The magnetic module of claim 1 , wherein the aperture extends from one side to another side of the magnetic module.

7. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising two substrates, wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is located between the two substrates.

8. The magnetic module of claim 7 , wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is located within a recess in at least one of the two substrates.

9. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising a second aperture that intersects with the aperture.

10. The magnetic module of claim 1 , wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure and the circuitry are on a common substrate.

11. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising an antenna.

12. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising a micromechanical structure.

13. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising a cap, wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is on the cap.

14. The magnetic module of claim 1 , further comprising a cap, wherein the patterned magnetic sensing structure is partly enclosed by the cap.

15. A method of magnetic sensing, the method comprising:
sensing, with a patterned magnetic structure of a magnetic module, a magnetic field external to the magnetic module, wherein the patterned magnetic structure is physically aligned with an aperture in the magnetic module, and wherein the aperture opens to an environment that is external to the module;
processing, with circuitry of the magnetic module, an output of the patterned magnetic sensing structure; and
outputting a signal representing the magnetic field sensed by the patterned magnetic structure and processed by the circuitry.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the processing comprises digitizing, with the circuitry of the magnetic module, an analog signal representative of the magnetic field.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the outputting comprises transmitting the signal representing the magnetic field using an antenna.

18. A magnetic module comprising:
means for magnetic sensing;
circuitry arranged to process signals associated with the means for magnetic sensing; and
an aperture in the magnetic module, the aperture opening to an environment that is external to the magnetic module, the aperture being physically aligned with the means for magnetic sensing, and the means for magnetic sensing being arranged to sense magnetic stimuli in the environment that is external to the magnetic module.

19. The magnetic module of claim 18 , wherein the aperture extends through a plurality of substrates.

20. The magnetic module of claim 18 , wherein the means for magnetic sensing and the circuitry are on a common substrate.

Assignees

• Analog Devices Global

Inventors

• O'Donnell Alan J
• GUYOL Robert
• Martinez Maria Jose
• Kubik Jan
• Fitzgerald Padraig L
• Calpe Maravilla Javier
• Lynch Michael P
• English Eoin E

Classifications

• H10W74/00

  Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings · CPC title

• H10W74/10

  characterised by their shape or disposition · CPC title

• G01R33/09 Primary

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title

• H01F17/0033

  with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core · CPC title

• B81B3/0091

  Magnetic properties, e.g. guiding magnetic flux · CPC title