Magnetic field sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016011279-A1
Application number	US-201514789751-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems are disclosed using a first magnetic field sensor of a first type and a second magnetic field sensor of a second type different from the first type. A signal from the first sensor may be used in a first magnetic field, range, and a signal from the second sensor may be used in a second magnetic field range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A magnetic field sensor device, comprising:
a first magnetic field sensor of a first type, a second magnetic field sensor of a second type different from the first type, and signal processing circuitry, the signal processing circuitry being adapted to determine a magnetic field strength based on an output signal of the first magnetic field sensor in a first magnetic field strength range and based on an output signal of the second magnetic field sensor in a second magnetic field strength range different from the first magnetic field strength range.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field sensor comprises an XMR sensor.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the second magnetic field sensor comprises a Hall sensor.

4 . The device of claims 1 , wherein the second range comprises magnetic field strength values greater than magnetic field strength values of the first range.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal processing circuitry is adapted to obtain information regarding a distance between the sensor device and a magnetic element based on the magnetic field strength.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal processing circuitry is adapted to check the output signals from the first and second magnetic field sensors for consistency.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal processing circuitry is adapted to obtain at least one of a speed Information or a direction information from the output signal of the first magnetic field sensor.

8 . The device of claim 7 , further comprising a third magnetic field sensor, wherein the sensor signal processing circuitry is adapted to obtain at least the other one of speed direction and direction information from an output signal of the third magnetic field sensor.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the third magnetic field sensor is of the first type.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a sensitivity direction of the first magnetic field sensor essentially is the same as a sensitivity direction of the second magnetic field sensor.

11 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a first analog-to-digital converter coupled to an output of the first magnetic field sensor, and a second analog-to-digital converter coupled to an output of the second magnetic field sensor.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the second analog-to-digital converter has a resolution different from a resolution of the first analog-to-digital converter.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the resolution of the second analog-to-digital converter is smaller than a resolution of the first analog-to-digital converter and/or wherein the resolution of the second analog-to-digital converter is 4 bits or less.

14 . An apparatus, comprising:
a movable magnetic element, and a magnetic field sensor device arranged adjacent to the movable magnetic element, wherein the magnetic field sensor device comprises:
a first magnetic field sensor of a first type,
a second magnetic field sensor of a second type different from the first type, and
signal processing circuitry, the signal processing circuitry being adapted, to determine a magnetic field strength based on an output signal of the first magnetic field sensor in a first magnetic field strength range and based on an output signal of the second magnetic field sensor in a second magnetic field strength range different from the first magnetic field strength range.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the movable magnetic element comprises at least one of a pole wheel, a tooth wheel or a linear magnetic element.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a controller coupled to an output of the magnetic field sensor device, the controller being adapted to control at least one controlled device based on an output of the magnetic field sensor device.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the controlled device comprises at least one of an antilock breaking system device or a steering device.

18 . A method, comprising:
using a signal from a first magnetic field sensor of a first type in a first magnetic field range, and using a signal from a second magnetic field sensor of a second type different from the first type in a second magnetic field range different from the first magnetic field range.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising checking signals from the first and second magnetic field sensors for consistency.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising obtaining at least one of speed information or direction information from the first magnetic field sensor.

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Rasbornig Friedrich
• Satz Armin
• Schroers Christoph

Classifications

• G01R33/0094 Primary

  Sensor arrays · CPC title

• G01R33/07

  Hall effect devices · CPC title

• G01R33/09

  Magnetoresistive devices · CPC title

• G01R33/0029

  Treating the measured signals, e.g. removing offset or noise · CPC title