Allegro Microsystems, LLC

Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Glenn A Forrest

Ravi Vig

P Karl Scheller

Alberto Bilotti

Jason Stauth

Devon Fernandez

Jay M Towne

Richard Dickinson

Wei Zhang

Washington Lamar

James M Bailey

Takashi Hara

Thomas J Kovalcik

Jeff Eagen

Naota Nakayama

Eric G Shoemaker

Kazuhiro Kamiya

Aaron Cook

Takayoshi Tsuzuki

Eric Burdette

Mathew Drouin

Kenichi Taguchi

Karl Scheller

Christine M Graham

Daniel S Dwyer

Toshiyuki Matsuo

Hidenobu Muramatsu

Hitoshi Yabusaki

Dana Briere

A sensor integrated circuit including a regulator for generating a regulated voltage includes a digital load configured to draw a load current from the regulator in response to a clock signal during in situ operation and a comparator configured to determine the absence or presence of a fault during in situ operation. The load current is less than or equal to a predetermined level in the absence of a fault and is greater than the predetermined level in the presence of a fault. The comparator is responsive to the load current and to a threshold level and is configured to generate a comparator output signal having a level indicative of whether the load current is less than or greater than the threshold level in order to thereby determine the absence or presence of a fault during in situ operation, respectively.

Sensor integrated circuit load current monitoring circuitry and associated methods

An integrated circuit includes an output circuit having a first terminal adapted to couple to an external power supply, a second terminal adapted to couple to a reference potential, and a third, control terminal. The first and second terminals of the output circuit provide output terminals of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes an impedance measurement circuit responsive to the external power supply to generate a control signal for coupling to the control terminal of the output circuit. The control signal controls a current level associated with the output circuit. A corresponding method is also described.

Integrated circuit and associated methods for measurement of an external impedance

An integrated circuit sensor includes circuitry and methods for generating a high speed delay fault test clock signal. A trimmable oscillator generates a master clock signal for use by an output protocol processor to provide the sensor output signal. A fault test clock signal generator is responsive to the master clock signal and to a test trigger signal for generating the test clock signal having a launch pulse and a capture pulse, each having edges substantially coincident with like edges of pulses of the master clock signal and a spacing between launch and capture pulses established by the trimmable master clock signal.

Circuits and methods for fault testing

A circuit to detect a movement of an object includes a magnetic field sensing element for generating a magnetic field signal proportional to a magnetic field associated with the object and a motion detector to generate a motion signal indicative of the movement of the object. The motion detector includes a peak identifying circuit to provide a peak signal and a peak sample selection module that selects a sample associated with one or more prior cycles of a magnetic field signal to generate a selected peak signal. The motion detector further includes a threshold generator to generate a threshold signal as a function of the selected peak signal and a comparator to compare the threshold signal with the magnetic field signal to generate the motion signal. Peak samples from prior magnetic field signal cycles may be averaged for use to establish the threshold signal. A method associated with the circuit is also described.

Circuits and methods for generating a threshold signal used in a magnetic field sensor based on a peak signal associated with a prior cycle of a magnetic field signal

A circuit to detect a movement of an object has a calibration time period that ends when peak detectors in the circuit stop updating for a predetermined amount of time. A method associated with the circuit is also described.

Circuits and methods for calibration of a motion detector

A rotation sensor includes a detecting portion, a rotational state determining portion and a pulse generating portion. The detecting portion detects a rotation of a rotational member and outputs a detection signal. The rotational state determining portion determines a rotational state of the rotational member on the basis of the detection signal in a predetermined period. The pulse generating portion generates and outputs a first pulse and a second pulse, of which waveforms differ from each other, in response to a rotational direction of the rotational member after the predetermined period. The pulse generating portion further generates and outputs a third pulse regardless of the rotational state of the rotational member in the predetermined period.

Rotation sensor

A proximity detector employs a first peak detector circuit and a second peak detector circuit, both responsive to a magnetic field signal. The second peak detector circuit includes a positive peak detector circuit and a negative peak detector circuit, each of which have a predetermined excursion limit in an outward direction away from a center voltage of the magnetic field signal so as to be less affected by a large signature region in the magnetic field signal. The proximity detector also includes an output control circuit. The output control circuit is configured to provide an output signal, which, during a determined time period, changes state in response to the first peak detector circuit, and which, after the determined time period, changes state in response to the second peak detector circuit.

Calibration circuits and methods for a proximity detector using a first rotation detector for a determined time period and a second rotation detector after the determined time period

An electronic circuit includes a substrate having a surface and a device supported by the surface of the substrate. The electronic circuit also includes a magnetic field transducer disposed over the surface of the substrate and an insulating layer disposed between the substrate and the magnetic field transducer. The electronic circuit also includes a conductor disposed over the magnetic field transducer. The conductor is configured to carry an electrical current to generate a first magnetic field. The electronic circuit is responsive to the first magnetic field.

Integrated sensor

An integrated circuit and a method of built-in self test in the integrated circuit employ an offset control node and offset capabilities with the integrated circuit in order to communicate and distribute a built-in self-test signal. The built-in self-test signal can emulate signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation, and/or the built-in self-test signal can have other signal characteristics representative of signals other than those signals internal to the integrated circuit during normal operation.

Integrated circuit having built-in self-test features

An electronic circuit includes a first substrate having a first substrate surface and a device supported by the first substrate surface. The device is selected from among a passive electronic component and an active electronic component. The electronic circuit also includes a second substrate having a second substrate surface and a conductor proximate to the second substrate. The electronic circuit also includes a magnetic field transducer disposed over the conductor and coupled to the device and an insulating layer disposed between the conductor and the second substrate. The conductor is adapted to carry an electrical current to generate a first magnetic field. The electronic circuit is responsive to the first magnetic field. In some embodiments, the conductor is a secondary conductor and the circuit further includes a primary conductor disposed proximate to the magnetic field transducer and an insulating layer disposed between the primary conductor and the second substrate.

Multi-substrate integrated sensor

A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.

Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit

An integrated sensor includes a magnetoresistance element electrically coupled to a device disposed on or integrated in a silicon substrate. A conductor is provided proximate to the magnetoresistance element. The integrated sensor can be used to provide various devices, such as a current sensor, a magnetic field sensor, or an isolator. Further, the integrated sensor can be used in an open loop configuration or in a closed loop configuration in which an additional conductor is provided. The magntoresistance element may be formed over the silicon substrate or on a separate, non-silicon substrate. Also described is an integrated sensor comprising a substrate, a magnetic field transducer disposed over a surface of the substrate, and a conductor disposed over the surface of the substrate proximate to the magnetic field transducer. The magnetic field transducer can be a Hall effect transducer or a magnetoresistance element.

A proximity detector has a sequential flow state machine to identify states associated with a magnetic field signal provided by a magnetic field sensing element. The proximity detector can include a vibration processor to identify a vibration in response to the states.

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Bow, NH, United States of America

Glenn A Forrest