Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Hughes Aircraft Company

Hiro Yamasaki

Thaddeus Schroeder

Thomas Arthur Perry

Thomas Hubert Van Steenkiste

John Robert Bradley

Jeffrey A Sell

Bruno P Lequesne

Martin Stephen Meyer

Frank J Bohac, Jr

Richard Earl Teets

Everett K Shelton

Manfred W Reissmueller

Dozier: James R

Jerry S Roach

An apparatus for detecting precise angular positions of a rotating object. Two magnetoresistors (MRs) are positioned adjacent a target wheel attached to the rotating object, the target wheel having at least one element of finite length. Each MR is responsive to the passage of at least one of the elements as the target wheel is rotated, generating an analog signal with signal transitions between two voltage levels at the passage of the element's leading and trailing edges. The MRs are positioned relative to the elements such that their signals are phase shifted with respect to one another, resulting in time overlapping signals which intersect at a precise angular positions of the target wheel.

Magnetoresistive encoder for tracking the angular position of a rotating

This invention relates to an apparatus for sensing a vehicle steering wheel position. A permanent magnet target wheel having a global axial magnetic field normal to a first surface is attached to a steering shaft which is rotated by the steering wheel. Multiple regions equally spaced along a common radius on the first surface are magnetically altered and sensed by magnetically responsive sensors positioned adjacent the first radius. A single region positioned within a finite radius along a second radius on the first surface is magnetically altered and sensed by a magnetically responsive sensor positioned adjacent the second radius. The magnetic sensors are responsive to passage of the multiple regions and single region as the target wheel is rotated. Detection of each of the multiple regions corresponds to rotation of the target wheel by an incremental number of degrees. Detection of the single region corresponds to a target wheel position within a predetermined angular range, referred to as the center position. A turn counter is utilized to determine which of the center positions corresponds to the steering wheel neutral position.

Vehicle steering wheel position sensing apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Palos Verdes Estate, CA, United States of America

Hiro Yamasaki