Allegro Microsystems, LLC

Bruno Luis Uberti

Alejandro Gabriel Milesi

Gerardo A Monreal

Ryan J Metivier

Manuel Rivas

Joseph James Judkins, Iii

Hernán D Romero

Juan Manuel Cesaretti

Octavio H Alpago

Franco Noel Martin Pirchio

Leandro Fuentes

Juan Guido Salaya Velazquez

Patricio Hernan Perez Preiti

Joseph D Hollins

Ryan Jon Metivier

Joseph James Iii Judkins

Methods and apparatus for a signal isolator that mitigates the effects of CMTI strikes. In embodiments, a first die comprises a transmit module and the first die has a first voltage domain; and a second die comprises a receive module including a receive amplifier configured to receive from the transmit module a transmit signal that includes a differential signal and a common mode current. The second die may have a second voltage domain with the first and second die being separated by an isolation barrier. In embodiment, the receive amplifier includes a differential amplifier to receive the differential input signal from the transmit module; and a common mode module configured to sense the common mode current and sink or source the common mode current and minimize changes to an input impedance of the receive amplifier.

Common mode transient suppression

A magnetic field sensor can be are based upon three element vertical Hall element building blocks, e.g., three element or six element vertical Hall element arrangements, all arranged in a circle. In some embodiments, the circle of vertical Hall elements can be arranged as a CVH sensing element.

Circuit for reducing an offset component of a plurality of vertical hall elements arranged in one or more circles

A tracking ADC with adaptive slew rate boosting can dynamically adjust one or more of its operational parameters in response to detecting a slew rate limit condition. In some embodiments, slew rate boosting can include increasing the value of a digital error signal in response to detection of a slew rate limit condition. In other embodiments, slew rate boosting can include increasing a clock frequency of the tracking ADC in response to detection of a slew rate limit condition.

Tracking analog-to-digital converter with adaptive slew rate boosting

A circuit for detecting motion of an object includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing surfaces. The circuit also includes a magnetic field sensor disposed on the first surface of the substrate and configured to generate a respective plurality of magnetic field sensor output signals in response to a magnetic field associated with the object. At least one of the magnetic field sensor output signals is indicative of an angular position of the magnetic field with respect to the sensor. Additionally, at least one of the magnetic field sensor output signals is indicative of an amplitude of the magnetic field.

Circuit for detecting motion of an object

Systems and methods are provided herein for performing a self-test of a magnetic field sensor using internal diagnostic components for fault detection. The magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic sensing element coupled to a sensor biasing current source and a switching network coupled to the magnetic sensing element. The switching network includes one or more diagnostics switches and one or more signal switches, and the one or more diagnostic switches are coupled to a diagnostic input current source. The switching network is configured to generate a time-multiplexed signal having a magnetic signal responsive to an external magnetic field in a magnetic signal time period and a diagnostic signal in a diagnostic signal time period. The diagnostic signal may be operable to produce an intermediate signal to have a predetermined sequence between a first state and a second state.

Circuits and techniques for performing self-test diagnostics in a magnetic field sensor

In one aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes first and second magnetic field sensing elements having respective first and second maximum response axes. The first and second maximum response axes point along respective first and second different coordinate axes. In response to a magnetic field, the first and second magnetic field sensing elements are operable to generate first and second magnetic field signals. The magnetic field sensor includes an electronic circuit coupled to receive the first and the second magnetic field signals. The electronic circuit is configured to determine a magnitude of a vector sum of the first and the second magnetic field signals and provide one or more signals in response to the magnitude of the vector sum determined.

Magnetic field sensor to detect a magnitude of a magnetic field in any direction

A magnetic field sensor includes first, second, and third magnetic field sensing elements having respective first, second and third maximum response axes, the first second and third maximum response axes pointing along respective first, second, and third different coordinate axes. In response to a magnetic field, the first, second, and third magnetic field sensing elements are operable to generate first second, and third magnetic field signals. Signals representative of the first, second, and third magnetic field signals are compared with thresholds to determine if the magnetic field is greater than the thresholds. A corresponding method is also provided.

Magnetic field sensor for detecting a magnetic field in any direction above thresholds

A magnetic field sensor has a reference magnetic field channel and an external magnetic field channel. The magnetic field sensor uses phase discrimination to isolate a reference-magnetic-field signal component from an external magnetic field signal component in the two channels.

Circuits and methods for self-calibrating or self-testing a magnetic field sensor using phase discrimination

A magnetic field sensor has an error correction signal generator circuit to inject an error correction signal into a primary signal channel to cancel an error signal component in the primary signal channel.

Magnetic field sensor and related techniques that inject an error correction signal into a signal channel to result in reduced error

A motor control circuit that features a smart, two-phase braking operation is presented. The motor control circuit includes a motor drive circuit to apply a brake current to a coil of an external motor for active braking of the motor. The motor control circuit further includes a braking control circuit, coupled to the motor drive circuit and responsive to an externally generated control signal, to control the active braking by the motor drive circuit so that the active braking occurs in two phases. The two phases include a first phase that includes a first portion of the active braking and a second phase that includes back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage sensing and a second portion of the active braking.

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Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bruno Luis Uberti