Axial and perpendicular angle sensor in single package

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625276-B2
Application number	US-201615211267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments relate to magnetic field angle sensors that utilize axial and perpendicular sensors collectively to infer a rotational angle. In embodiments, a sensor system comprises at least one axial sensor unit and at least one perpendicular sensor unit arranged in a single sensor package or on a single substrate. The axial and perpendicular sensor data both representative of the rotational position can be used to improve output angle accuracy by, e.g., calibrating the sensor system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a sensor system comprising a first sensor and a second sensor coupled to a support structure;
sensing magnetic field components along a first direction by the first sensor to derive a first rotation angle unambiguously in a range of at least 90 degrees;
sensing magnetic field components along a second direction different from the first direction by the second sensor to derive a second rotation angle unambiguously in a range of at least 70 degrees;
determining a difference between the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle; and
calibrating the sensor system using the determined difference.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the difference in a memory of the sensor system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising eliminating a contribution of a sensed magnetic field component of at least one sensor element of the first sensor or the second sensor based on the difference.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a signal that is unique over 360 degrees of rotation and is at least one of: an angle related to the axial magnetic field components, an angle related to the perpendicular magnetic field components, or a difference between the axial magnetic field components and the perpendicular magnetic field components.

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Ausserlechner Udo

Classifications

• G01D5/145 Primary

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

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• G01D5/12 Primary

  using electric or magnetic means (G01D5/06 takes precedence) · CPC title