Position sensor and method for generating a sensor output signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10971981-B2
Application number	US-201716092513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 13, 2016
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A position sensor ( 10 ) comprise at least a magneto sensitive element ( 11 - 14 ), a signal evaluation unit ( 16 ) that is coupled to the at least one magneto sensitive element ( 11 - 14 ) and is configured to generate an measurement signal (SM), an output stimulation unit ( 17 ) configured to generate a set signal (ST) and an interface unit ( 18 ) that is coupled at its input side to the signal evaluation unit ( 16 ) and the output stimulation unit ( 17 ). The interface unit ( 18 ) is configured to provide a sensor output signal (SOUT) depending on the measurement signal (SM) in a measurement mode of operation and depending on the set signal (ST) in a calibration mode of operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A position sensor, comprising:
at least one magneto sensitive element,
a signal evaluation circuit that is coupled to the at least one magneto sensitive element and is configured to generate a measurement signal,
an output stimulation circuit configured to generate a set signal, and
an interface circuit that is coupled at its input side to the signal evaluation circuit and to the output stimulation circuit, and is configured to provide a sensor output signal depending on the measurement signal in a measurement mode of operation and depending on the set signal in a calibration mode of operation, and wherein the interface circuit comprises a multiplexer having:
a first input coupled to the signal evaluation circuit,
a second input coupled to the output stimulation circuit,
an output coupled to an interface of the interface circuit, and
a control terminal configured to receive a multiplex control signal.

2. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position sensor comprises a semiconductor body and the at least one magneto sensitive element, the signal evaluation circuit, the output stimulation circuit and the interface circuit are realized on a first main surface of the semiconductor body.

3. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the interface is realized as an element of a group comprising an incremental interface, an absolute interface and a pulse-width modulator decoder.

4. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position sensor comprises a bus terminal and a serial peripheral interface that is connected to the bus terminal and to the output stimulation circuit, and
wherein the output stimulation circuit is configured to provide the set signal depending on set data received from the bus terminal via the serial peripheral interface.

5. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position sensor comprises a memory that comprises a set data block and is coupled to the output stimulation circuit, and
wherein the output stimulation circuit is configured to provide the set signal depending on set data stored in the set data block.

6. The position sensor according to claim 5 ,
wherein the memory is implemented as a one-time programmable memory or as an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

7. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the signal evaluation circuit comprises a linearization circuit that is coupled on its output side to the interface circuit, and
wherein the position sensor comprises a memory with a calibration data block that is coupled to the linearization circuit for providing calibration data stored in the linearization data block to the linearization circuit in the measurement mode of operation.

8. The position sensor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the position sensor is configured to store the calibration data in the calibration data block of the memory in the calibration mode of operation.

9. The position sensor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the calibration data is determined in the calibration mode of operation such that the measurement signal represents a zero position in the measurement mode of operation at a single alignment between the position sensor and a device, the position of which is to be measured in the measurement mode of operation.

10. The position-sensor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the linearization circuit is configured to provide the measurement signal by linearization of an input signal of the linearization circuit using the calibration data.

11. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position sensor is implemented as an angle position sensor and the measurement signal represents an angle information.

12. The position sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one magneto sensitive element is realized as a Hall element.

13. A motor arrangement, comprising:
a motor with a rotor and a stator,
an encoder magnet mechanically coupled to the rotor for generating a magnetic field,
a motor controller electrically coupled to the stator, and
a position sensor that is arranged in the magnetic field of the encoder magnet and is electrically coupled to the motor controller for providing the sensor output signal to the motor controller,
wherein the position sensor comprises:
at least one magneto sensitive element,
a signal evaluation circuit that is coupled to the at least one magneto sensitive element and is configured to generate a measurement signal,
an output stimulation circuit configured to generate a set signal, and
an interface circuit configured to provide the sensor output signal depending on the measurement signal in a measurement mode of operation and depending on the set signal in a calibration mode of operation, wherein the interface circuit comprises a multiplexer having:
a first input coupled to the signal evaluation circuit,
a second input coupled to the output stimulation circuit,
an output coupled to an interface of the interface circuit, and
a control terminal configured to receive a multiplex control signal.

14. A method for generating a sensor output signal, comprising:
generating at least a magnetic signal by at least one magneto sensitive element,
generating a measurement signal by a signal evaluation circuit as a function of the at least one magnetic signal,
providing a set signal by an output stimulation circuit, and
providing the sensor output signal by an interface circuit depending on the measurement signal in a measurement mode of operation and depending on the set signal in a calibration mode of operation, wherein the interface circuit comprises a multiplexer having:
a first input coupled to the signal evaluation circuit,
a second input coupled to the output stimulation circuit,
an output coupled to an interface of the interface circuit, and
a control terminal configured to receive a multiplex control signal.

15. The method-according to claim 14 ,
wherein the at least one magneto sensitive element, the signal evaluation circuit, the output stimulation circuit and the interface circuit are realized on a first main surface of a semiconductor body.

Assignees

• Ams Ag

Inventors

• Pichler Michael
• Wiednig Gerald

Classifications

• G01D5/145 Primary

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title

• G01D18/001

  Calibrating encoders · CPC title

• G01D18/008

  with calibration coefficients stored in memory · CPC title

• H02P6/10

  Arrangements for controlling torque ripple, e.g. providing reduced torque ripple · CPC title

• H02P6/16

  Circuit arrangements for detecting position · CPC title