Dynamic resolution sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449279-B2
Application number	US-202418435241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2024
Priority date	Feb 7, 2024
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

According to aspects of the disclosure, a method is provided for use in a sensor, the method comprising: detecting that a frequency of a first signal is in a first range, the first signal being generated, at least in part, by one or more first magnetic field sensing elements, the first signal being generated in response to a magnetic field that is associated with a rotating target, the rotating target including a plurality of pole pairs; identifying a first resolution that corresponds to the first range and causing the first resolution to become a current resolution of the sensor; and transmitting a data stream in accordance with the current resolution of the sensor, wherein transmitting the data stream includes: (i) transmitting a plurality of speed pulses that encode a speed of the rotating target, and (ii) transmitting a plurality of data pulse sets.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for use in a sensor, the method comprising:
detecting that a frequency of a first signal is in a first range, the first signal being generated, at least in part, by one or more first magnetic field sensing elements, the first signal being generated in response to a magnetic field that is associated with a rotating target, the rotating target including a plurality of pole pairs;
identifying a first resolution that corresponds to the first range and causing the first resolution to become a current resolution of the sensor; and
transmitting a data stream in accordance with the current resolution of the sensor,
wherein transmitting the data stream includes: (i) transmitting a plurality of speed pulses that encode a speed of the rotating target, and (ii) transmitting a plurality of data pulse sets, each of the data pulse sets being transmitted between a different pair of consecutive ones of the plurality of speed pulses, at least some of the data pulse sets being arranged to encode an indication of the current resolution of the sensor, and
wherein the current resolution of the sensor specifies a count of speed pulses that are transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the frequency of the first signal has increased and is now in a second range; and
identifying a second resolution that corresponds to the second range and causing the second resolution to become the current resolution of the sensor,
wherein the second resolution is characterized by a lower count of speed pulses being transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target than the first resolution.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the frequency of the first signal has decreased and is now in a second range; and
identifying a second resolution that corresponds to the second range and causing the second resolution to become the current resolution of the sensor,
wherein the second resolution is characterized by a greater count of speed pulses being transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target than the first resolution.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first magnetic field sensing elements include at least one of a Hall element, a Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element, or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time a phase of the first signal changes by a phase gap value, the phase gap value corresponding to the current resolution of the sensor.

6. The method claim 5 , further comprising identifying the phase gap value based on the current resolution of the sensor.

7. The method claim 1 , wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time the first signal crosses each of a set of one or more thresholds.

8. The method claim 1 , wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time a second signal crosses each of a set of one or more thresholds, the second signal being generated, at least in part, by one or more second magnetic field sensing elements, the second signal being generated in response to the magnetic field associated with the rotating target.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time each of a main signal and one or more additional signals crosses each of a set of one or more thresholds,
the main signal being either the first signal or a second signal that is generated, at least in part, by one or more second magnetic field sensing elements in response to the magnetic field associated with the rotating target, and
each of the additional signals has a same frequency as the main signal and a phase that is offset from the main signal by a different amount.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the first signal is proportional to the speed of the rotating target.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first resolution specifies a count of speed pulses that are transmitted for each period of the first signal.

12. A sensor, comprising:
one or more first magnetic field sensing elements configured to generate, at least in part, a first signal in response to a magnetic field that is associated with a rotating target, the rotating target including a plurality of pole pairs; and
a processing circuitry configured to: detect that a frequency of the first signal is in a first range; identify a first resolution that corresponds to the first range and cause the first resolution to become a current resolution of the sensor; and transmit a data stream in accordance with the current resolution of the sensor,
wherein transmitting the data stream includes: (i) transmitting a plurality of speed pulses that encode a speed of the rotating target, and (ii) transmitting a plurality of data pulse sets, each of the data pulse sets being transmitted between a different pair of consecutive ones of the plurality of speed pulses, at least some of the data pulse sets being arranged to encode an indication of the current resolution of the sensor, and
wherein the current resolution of the sensor specifies a count of speed pulses that are transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target.

13. The sensor of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: detect that the frequency of the first signal has increased and is now in a second range, identify a second resolution that corresponds to the second range, and cause the second resolution to become the current resolution of the sensor, the second resolution being characterized by a lower count of speed pulses being transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target than the first resolution.

14. The sensor of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: detect that the frequency of the first signal has decreased and is now in a second range; identify a second resolution that corresponds to the second range and cause the second resolution to become the current resolution of the sensor, the second resolution being characterized by a greater count of speed pulses being transmitted for each pole pair of the rotating target than the first resolution.

15. The sensor of claim 12 , wherein the one or more first magnetic field sensing elements include at least one of a Hall element, a Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) element, or a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element.

16. The sensor of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time a phase of the first signal changes by a phase gap value, the phase gap value corresponding to the current resolution of the sensor.

17. The sensor of claim 16 , the processing circuitry is further configured to identify the phase gap value based on the current resolution of the sensor.

18. The sensor of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes transmitting a respective speed pulse every time the first signal crosses each of a set of one or more thresholds.

19. The sensor of claim 12 , further comprising one or more second magnetic field sensing elements that are configured to generate, at least in part, a second signal in response to the magnetic field associated with the rotating target, wherein transmitting the plurality of speed pulses includes trans

Assignees

• Allegro Microsystems Llc

Inventors

• Rivas Manuel
• Fuentes Leandro
• Cuneo Javier
• Rigoni Nicolás

Classifications

• G01R33/06

  using galvano-magnetic devices · CPC title

• G01P3/487

  delivered by rotating magnets · CPC title

• G01P3/489 Primary

  Digital circuits therefor · CPC title

• G01D5/145

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

• G01D5/14 Primary

  influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage · CPC title