The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1995
Franciscus P Widdershoven, Eindhoven, NL;
Gerjan FA. Van De Walle, Eindhoven, NL;
U.S. Philips Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A device for measuring magnetic fields comprises an assembly of at least two magnetic field sensors each of which comprises a number of magnetoresistive sensor elements situated in one plane and which have the same privileged directions of magnetization, said sensor elements being connected to a power supply circuit and to a signal processing circuit. The privileged directions of magnetization of the sensor elements of different magnetic field sensors are different. The assembly of magnetic field sensors is arranged within a magnetization coil made of a number of turns of an electric conductor extending around a central axis so as to generate an auxiliary magnetic field extending parallel to the central axis. The magnetic field sensors are arranged within the magnetization coil so that the angle enclosed by the central axis relative to the normal to the plane of the sensor elements is the same for each of the magnetic field sensors and the auxiliary magnetic field at the area of each of the magnetic field sensors contains a component which is parallel to the privileged direction of magnetization of the sensor elements of the relevant magnetic field sensor. The sensor part formed by the magnetic field sensors and the magnetization coil is small and light because the direction of the auxiliary magnetic field encloses the same angle .alpha. relative to the privileged direction of magnetization of the sensor elements of each of the magnetic field sensors, where 0.degree.<.alpha.<90.degree..