Melexis Technologies Sa

Melexis Technologies Nv

Melexis Bulgaria Ltd

Maglab Ag

Javier Bilbao De Mendizabal

Samuel Huber Lindenberger

Jan-Willem Burssens

Simon Houis

Mathieu Poezart

Wolfram Kluge

Jorg Rudiger

Lionel Tombez

Gael Close

Christian Schott

Robert Racz

Bruno Boury

Lucian Barbut

Markus Roos

Kevin Fahrni

Amalia Spataru

Vincenzo Sacco

Jörg RÜDIGER

A magnetic field sensor arrangement for determining a signal magnetic flux in a manner which is substantially strayfield immune, comprises: a signal magnetic field source; a first and second magnetic flux concentrator forming an air gap between exterior faces of the magnetic flux concentrators; the flux concentrators being configured for guiding a signal magnetic flux to and across the air gap in a gap direction; a magnetic field sensor arranged inside the air gap, and configured for measuring a first and second signal in the gap direction and perpendicular to the gap direction; and for reducing or eliminating an magnetic disturbance field based on the first and second signal. An angle sensor arrangement. A torque sensor. A method of measuring a signal flux, an angle, a torque in a substantially strayfield immune manner.

Stray-field-immune magnetic field sensor arrangement, magnetic torque sensor arrangement and method for determining a magnetic flux

A magnetic sensor device comprises a substrate. A first magnetic sensor, a second magnetic sensor, and one or more inductors are disposed over the substrate and are controlled by a magnetic sensor controller having a control circuit. The control circuit is adapted for controlling the first magnetic sensor to measure magnetic fields under presence of a first set of magnetic fields, and for controlling the second magnetic sensor to measure magnetic fields under presence of a second set of magnetic fields generated by the inductors. The control circuit calculates a relative sensitivity matching value that converts magnetic field values measured by the second magnetic sensor to a comparable magnetic field value measured by the first magnetic sensor or vice versa. The control circuit is further adapted for correcting a measurement by the second magnetic sensor using the relative sensitivity matching value to produce a corrected measurement, and for calculating a magnetic field gradient by combining a measurement by the first magnetic sensor with the corrected measurement.

Magnetic sensor sensitivity matching calibration

A position sensor system comprising: a magnetic field generator movable relative to two sensor devices or vice versa. The system has at least one processor adapted with a special algorithm for determining a position of the magnetic field generator in a manner which is highly robust against a disturbance field. A method for determining the position of the magnetic field generator based on a set of equations, in particular a set of linear equations which allows to completely eliminate the external disturbance field.

Position sensor system and method, robust against disturbance field

A sensor structure for measuring a torque applied to a first shaft and a second shaft interconnected by a torsion bar, includes: a multi-pole ring magnet mechanically connected to the first shaft; two pairs of magnetic yokes mechanically connected to the second shaft, each yoke being connected to one or more pads by fingers; the fingers of the first pair of yokes projecting mainly in a radial direction, the fingers of the second pair of yokes projecting mainly in an axial direction; a first and a second pair of flux collectors with extensions forming a first and a second gap; a first sensor in the first gap, a second sensor in the second gap; a circuit for combining signals from the first and second sensor to reduce or eliminates the influence of an external disturbance field, and for determining the torque value.

Sensor structure for measuring torque

A semiconductor device comprising a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure adapted for generating a charge via mechanical stress caused by a magnetic field. The first transducer structure has a first terminal electrically connectable to the control terminal of an electrical switch, and having a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal of the electrical switch for providing a control signal for opening/closing the switch. The switch may be a FET. A passive magnetic switch using a magnetoelectric transducer structure. Use of a passive magnetoelectric transducer structure for opening or closing a switch without the need for an external power supply.

Semiconductor device comprising passive magnetoelectric transducer structure

A target configured to be used with a position sensor for sensing a position of the target is described. The target includes at least one elongated conductive loop structure for allowing eddy currents to flow therein and configured to affect a magnetic field received from the position sensor in a preferred direction along the at least one elongated conductive loop structure.

Flux coupling target

A method for detecting an error in a bridge sensor which is adapted for measuring a physical parameter. The method comprises biasing a first contact pair of the bridge sensor at least two times in a first direction and at least one time in a second direction opposite to the first direction; while biasing the first contact pair, measuring an output signal on a different contact pair of the bridge sensor, thus obtaining at least three output measurements which are representative for the physical parameter and which are separated by time intervals; combining the output measurements to obtain an output value which is indicative for an error in the bridge sensor, wherein the output measurements which are combined are only those output measurements which are measured when biasing the first contact pair.

Bridge sensor error check

A current-sensor structure comprises a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces and an edge. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction. The current sensor is aligned with the edge of the conductor or the conductor has a width W and the current sensor is within a distance of W/2.5, W/3, W/4, W/5 or W/6 of the conductor edge. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed.

Offset current sensor structure

The present invention relates to a current-sensor structure comprising a conductor for conducting electrical current in a current direction. The conductor has one or more conductor surfaces. At least one current sensor is disposed on, over, adjacent to or in contact with the conductor and is offset from a centre of the conductor in an offset direction orthogonal to the current direction and optionally parallel to a conductor surface. The current-sensor structure can comprise a substrate on which the conductor is disposed. The current sensor can be located on a side of the conductor opposite or orthogonal to a surface of the substrate. The current sensor can be aligned with, near to or adjacent to an edge of the conductor. The current-sensor structure can comprise a shield, such as a U-shaped laminated shield that at least partially surrounds the conductor and the current sensor.

A current sensor is disclosed. The current sensor is substantially immune to stray fields due to the position and orientation of at least two magnetic field sensors and their respective axes of maximum sensitivity, as well as a total current sensor output that is a based on a difference of the individual magnetic field sensor outputs. The specific position and orientation of the magnetic field sensors allows for the current sensor to be smaller than known sensors of similar sensitivity.

Current sensor

A position sensor arrangement, comprising: a magnetic source and a position sensor device movably arranged relative to each other; the latter comprising at least three magnetic sensors for measuring said magnetic field; a processing unit for determining a position based on a ratio of a first pairwise difference and a second pairwise difference, the first pairwise difference being a difference of a first pair of two signals, the second pairwise difference signal being a difference of a second pair of two signals. A method of determining a position, by performing said measurements, and by calculating said differences and said ratio. A method of calibrating said position sensor, including the step of storing at least one parameter or a look-up table in a non-volatile memory. A method of auto-calibration.

Magnetic position sensor arrangement

An apparatus is arranged for sensing a position of a target, in particular for offset invariant sensing of the position of the target is described, as well as the respective target and the method. The apparatus comprises at least two sensor elements. At least one sensor element of the at least two sensor elements generates a magnetic field. At least one other sensor element of the at least two sensor elements receives the magnetic field and outputs at least one signal associated with the received magnetic field. The target affects a coupling of a magnetic flux of the magnetic field between the at least one sensor element generating the magnetic field and the at least one other sensor element receiving the magnetic field and wherein the target is non-rotational invariant.

Flux coupling sensor and target

A field-sensor device comprises first and second field sensors disposed in corresponding different first and second orientations, each responsive to an external field to produce corresponding first and second sensor signals. One of or both the first and second sensor signals are converted to equivalent comparable sensor signals in a common orientation and compared to determine a faulty field sensor. If a faulty field sensor is determined, a faulty sensor signal is produced or, if a faulty sensor is not determined, an output sensor signal responsive to the first, second or comparable sensor signals is produced. Evaluation of the direction of differences between the comparable sensor signals can determine which of the first and second field sensors is faulty.

Redundant sensor fault detection

A current sensor is disclosed. The current sensor is substantially immune to stray fields due to the orientation of at least two magnetic field sensors and their respective axes of maximum sensitivity, as well as a total current sensor output that is a weighted difference of the individual magnetic field sensor outputs. The specific orientation of the magnetic field sensors allows for the current sensor to be smaller than known sensors of similar sensitivity.

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Zurich, Switzerland

Javier Bilbao De Mendizabal