Isolated data transfer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11115084-B2
Application number	US-201816200799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Nov 27, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing data transfer with a drive coil to transmit information, a receive coil magnetically coupled to the drive coil, and a first magnetoresistive sensor proximate the receive coil to detect information from the receive coil. In embodiments, the drive and receive coils are separated by an isolation material. In embodiments, a signal isolator IC packages includes transmit and receive coils and a magnetic field sensing element coupled to the receive coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a drive coil to transmit information;
a receive coil magnetically coupled to the drive coil for receiving the information from the drive coil; and
a first magnetic field sensing element proximate the receive coil to detect the information from the receive coil, wherein the receive coil includes a first narrowed portion for concentrating magnetic field generated by the current through the receive coil on the first magnetic field sensing element.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further including a second magnetic field sensing element, wherein the receive coil includes a second narrowed portion, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element is proximate the second narrowed portion.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second narrowed regions are located for coupling to the first and second magnetic field sensing elements differentially, which has a bridge configuration.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first narrowed portion is located outside of an area of the drive coil.

5. The system according to claim 1 , further including a die to support the first magnetic field sensing element.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the die supports the drive and receive coils.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the die incudes circuitry to process information from the first magnetic field sensing element.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the receive coil has one turn.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the receive coil has less than five turns.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive coil includes first and second coils coupled in series.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the receive coil is connected to ground.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field sensing element comprises a GMR element.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field sensing element comprises a TMR element.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive coil is isolated from the receive coil and the magnetic field sensing element.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the isolation comprises electrical and/or galvanic isolation.

16. A signal isolator IC package, comprising:
a drive coil to transmit information;
a receive coil magnetically coupled to the drive coil for receiving the information from the drive coil; and
a first magnetic field sensing element proximate the receive coil to detect the information from the receive coil,
wherein the receive coil includes a first narrowed portion for concentrating magnetic field generated by the current through the receive coil on the first magnetic field sensing element.

17. The IC package according to claim 16 , further including isolation between the drive coil and receive coil.

18. The IC package according to claim 16 , further including a second magnetic field sensing element, wherein the receive coil includes a second narrowed portion, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element is proximate the second narrowed portion.

19. The IC package according to claim 18 , wherein the first and second narrowed portions are located for coupling to the first magnetic field sensing element, which has a bridge configuration.

20. The IC package according to claim 16 , wherein the first narrowed portion is located outside of an area of the drive coil.

21. The IC package according to claim 16 , further including a die to support the first magnetic field sensing element.

22. The IC package according to claim 16 , further including a transistor bridge coupled to the drive coil.

23. The IC package according to claim 16 , further including first and second die separated by a barrier region.

24. The IC package according to claim 23 , wherein the transistor bridge is disposed on the first die and the drive and receive coils are disposed on the second die.

25. The IC package according to claim 24 , wherein the first magnetic field sensing element sensor is disposed on the second die.

26. The IC package according to claim 22 , wherein the transistor bridge is coupled to a first input pin and the first magnetic field sensing element is coupled to a first output pin.

27. A method, comprising:
employing a drive coil to transmit information;
employing a receive coil magnetically coupled to the drive coil for receiving the information from the drive coil; and
employing a first magnetic field sensing element proximate the receive coil to detect the information from the receive coil,
wherein the receive coil includes a first narrowed portion for concentrating magnetic field generated by the current through the receive coil on the first magnetic field sensing element.

28. The method according to claim 27 , further including employing a second magnetic field sensing element, wherein the receive coil includes a second narrowed portion, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element is proximate the second narrowed portion.

29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the first and second narrowed portions are located for coupling to the first and second magnetic field sensing elements differentially, which has a bridge configuration.

Assignees

• Allegro Microsystems Llc
• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Latham Alexander
• Fermon Claude
• Pannetier-Lecoeur Myriam

Classifications

• H04B5/22

  Capacitive coupling · CPC title

• H04B5/72

  for local intradevice communication · CPC title

• H04B5/266 Primary

  One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils · CPC title

• H04L25/0272

  Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission · CPC title

• H04L25/0268

  with modulation and subsequent demodulation · CPC title