Position detection apparatus, method, and system utilizing an array of magnetic sensors each comprising a sensor signal conditioning circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933641-B2
Application number	US-202016743873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2020
Priority date	Jan 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and associated systems are provided. A plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are arranged in an array, each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor comprising a magnetic field transducer and a sensor signal conditioning circuit. A central processor in electrical communication with each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor is provided. The central processor is configured to compare processed signals received from at least two of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors to determine a position of the magnet.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A position detection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors arranged in an array, wherein each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor comprises:
a magnetic field transducer comprising magnetoresistive material, the magnetic field transducer configured to provide an output signal based on an interaction between the magnetic field transducer and a magnet; and
a sensor signal conditioning circuit comprising a converter and a processor, the sensor signal conditioning unit configured to receive the output signal and generate processed digital position data; and

a central processor in electrical communication with each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors and the central processor are configured to be electrically powered at different operating voltages, wherein the central processor is configured to:
periodically scan the output of each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor to obtain the processed digital position data;
receive and compare the processed digital position data from at least two of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors to determine a position of the magnet, and
power down one or more anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors, wherein the one or more anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are in an inactive region of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors determined to be farther from the magnet than one or more other anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors.

2. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each sensor signal conditioning circuit comprises the processor configured to process the digital position data to generate the processed digital position data.

3. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital position data comprises errors associated with at least one of an offset error, a sensitivity error, a thermal effect on offset error, or a thermal effect on sensitivity error.

4. The position detection apparatus of claim 3 , wherein processing the digital position data comprises compensation of one or more of the errors.

5. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array is configured on a printed circuit board (PCB).

6. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are configured to be electrically powered at a lower operating voltage than the operating voltage of the central processor.

7. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein no multiplexer is present between the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors and the central processor, and wherein the central processor is configured to address the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors in parallel or near parallel.

8. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field transducer comprises a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

9. The position detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the converter is configured to convert the received output signal into digital position data before generating the processed digital position data, and the processor is configured to process the digital position data to generate the processed digital position data.

10. A method of position detection, comprising:
arranging a plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors in an array, wherein each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor comprises:
a magnetic field transducer comprising magnetoresistive material, the magnetic field transducer configured to provide an output signal based on an interaction between the magnetic field transducer and a magnet; and
a sensor signal conditioning circuit comprising a converter and a processor, the sensor signal conditioning unit configured to receive the output signal and generate processed digital position data;

providing a central processor in electrical communication with each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are configured to be electrically powered at a lower operating voltage than the operating voltage of the central processor, and wherein the central processor is configured to:
periodically scan the output of each anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor to obtain the processed digital position data;
receive and compare the processed digital position data from at least two of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors to determine a position of the magnet, and
power down one or more anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors, wherein the one or more anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are in an inactive region of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors determined to be farther from the magnet than one or more other anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors of the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each sensor signal conditioning circuit comprises the converter configured to convert the received output signal into digital position data before generating the processed digital position data.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each sensor signal conditioning circuit comprises the processor configured to process the digital position data to generate the processed digital position data.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the digital position data comprises errors associated with at least one of an offset error, a sensitivity error, a thermal effect on offset error, or a thermal effect on sensitivity error.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein processing the digital position data comprises compensation of one or more of the errors.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors and the central processor are configured to be electrically powered at different operating voltages.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein no multiplexer is present between the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors and the central processor, and wherein the central processor is configured to address the plurality of anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors in parallel or near parallel.

17. The method apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic field transducer comprises a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the converter is configured to convert the received output signal into digital position data before generating the processed digital position data, and the processor is configured to process the digital position data to generate the processed digital position data.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Ricks Lamar Floyd

Classifications

• G01D5/16 Primary

  by varying resistance · CPC title

• G01D5/145 Primary

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

• G01D3/02

  with provision for altering or correcting the law of variation · CPC title

• G01D5/244

  influencing characteristics of pulses or pulse trains; generating pulses or pulse trains · CPC title

• G01D5/245

  using a variable number of pulses in a train · CPC title