Allegro Microsystems, LLC

Dominik Weiland

Nathan Shewmon

Syed Bilal Ali

Devon Fernandez

Eric G Shoemaker

Dominik Geisler

Michael Morris

Marcus Hagn

An apparatus and a method provide an output signal indicative of a speed of rotation and/or a direction of movement of a ferromagnetic object. The sensor includes at least one magnetic field sensing element configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with an object. The sensor includes a detector configured to generate a detector signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of the magnetic field signal and the threshold signal. The sensor includes an output circuit configured to generate an output signal having a first format when a characteristic of the magnetic field signal is within a first range and having a second format different than the first format when the characteristic of the magnetic field signal is within a second range, different than the first range.

Magnetic field sensors and output signal formats for magnetic field sensors

A magnetic field sensor for sensing an absolute position of a target object can include a first one or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed proximate to a first portion of the target object, the first one or more magnetic field sensing elements operable to generate a first magnetic field signal responsive to the movement of the first portion; a second one or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed proximate to a second portion of the target object, the second one or more magnetic field sensing elements operable to generate a second magnetic field signal responsive to the movement of the second portion; a position detection module coupled to use the first and second magnetic field signals to generate a position value indicative of the absolute position; and an output format module coupled to receive the position value and to generate a position signal from the magnetic field sensor indicative of the absolute position.

Magnetic field sensor for detecting an absolute position of a target object

A magnetic field sensor includes one or more magnetic field sensing elements configured to generate a magnetic field signal responsive to a magnetic field and a detector coupled to receive an interpolated threshold and a signal representative of the magnetic field signal, wherein the detector is configured to compare the interpolated threshold with the signal representative of the magnetic field signal to generate a detector output signal. A memory is configured to store a first threshold value indicative of a threshold value at a first temperature and a second threshold value indicative of a threshold value at a second temperature lower than the first temperature and a threshold module coupled to the memory and configured to generate the interpolated threshold based on the stored first and second threshold values.

Magnetic field sensor having a temperature compensated threshold on power up

A magnetic field sensor for sensing an absolute position of a target object can include one or more magnetic field sensing elements disposed proximate to a mechanical intersection of first and second portions of a target object, wherein the one or more magnetic field sensing elements are operable to generate a first magnetic field signal responsive to the movement of both the first and second portions. The magnetic field sensor can also include a position detection module operable to use the first magnetic field signal to generate a position value indicative of the absolute position. The magnetic field sensor can also include an output format module coupled to receive the position value and to generate an output signal from the magnetic field sensor indicative of the absolute position.

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Sandhausen, Germany

Dominik Weiland