Patent classifications
G01R33/00
ARRAY OF MAGNETOMETERS OPERATING IN ZERO FIELD AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR CALIBRATING INTER-MAGNETOMETER COUPLINGS
The invention relates to a method for determining a coupling between magnetometers of an array of N magnetometers, for example with optical pumping, where each magnetometer comprises a field cancellation system capable of being activated to operate the magnetometer in zero field. This method comprises a first phase (P1) during which the N magnetometers are separated into N−1 magnetometers whose field cancellation system is deactivated and a measuring magnetometer whose field cancellation system is activated. This first phase comprises: the generation (GENj), by the magnetometers, of a plurality of reference magnetic fields of known amplitudes and distinct directions, the measurement (MESi), by the measuring magnetometer, of the ambient magnetic field on a plurality of measurement axes determination (CALCij) of coupling coefficients between the measuring magnetometer and each of the N magnetometers from said measurement and said known amplitudes.
INDUCTIVE POSITION SENSORS
Methods and apparatuses to obtain increased performance and differentiation for an inductive position sensor through improvements to the sense element and target design are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a sense element includes a transmit coil, a first receive coil that includes a first plurality of arrayed loops, wherein two or more of the first plurality of arrayed loops are at least one of phase blended and amplitude arrayed, and a second receive coil that includes a second plurality of arrayed loops, wherein two or more of the second plurality of arrayed loops are at least one of phase blended and amplitude arrayed, and wherein the first receive coil and the second receive coil are phase shifted. The sense element coils are arrayed in several geometries and layouts, and the coil and target geometry are manipulated to compensate for inherent errors in the fundamental design of an inductive position sensor.
Magnetic sensor offset detection
A digital compass with two or more multi-axis magnetometers and a processing element to determine a heading and detect any offset error in the heading is described. One electronic device includes first and second magnetometers. The second magnetometer can be disposed at least a specified distance or co-located and offset at least a specified angle from the first magnetometer. A processing device determines a magnetic field at the electronic device using a first output from the first magnetometer, detects an offset error in the magnetic field using a second output from the second magnetometer, and reports the offset error in the magnetic field.
Detection device
A magnetic detection module is provided so as to be selectively mountable in any of housings having a plurality of specifications having different shapes or sizes of mounting portions, and detects magnetic flux generated in the housing. The magnetic detection module includes one or more magnetic sensors that detect magnetic flux, a case in which the magnetic sensors are housed, and a cap that can be attached to an end of the case and is provided with a sealing member. The magnetic detection module can be attached to the housing of the first specification with the cap not attached to the case, and can be attached to the housing of the second specification through a sealing member with the cap attached to the case.
Three-axis magnetic sensor
A three-axis magnetic sensor apparatus is described that is processed together into a single chip, with high performance, low cost, as well as small size. The three-axis magnetic sensor apparatus include a substrate, a two-axis magnetic sensing structure and a single-axis sensing structure. The two-axis sensing magnetic structure consisting of two shielded Wheatstone bridge configurations in conjunction with an annular or semi annular magnetic flux-guiding structure, and the single-axis sensing structure consisting of a push-pull Wheatstone bridge in conjunction with a flux guide that is capable of generating a fringe field whose horizontal component is proportional to the vertical component of an external magnetic field. The two-axis magnetic sensing structure and the single-axis structure are processed together into a single chip, and can be used to measure respectively X, Y and Z components of external magnetic fields.
Cable condition monitoring sensor device method
A cable condition monitoring sensor device includes a TMR magnetic field sensor module, a high-pass filtering module, and a signal-amplifying module which are sequentially connected. The TMR magnetic field sensor module measures a magnetic field change signal of a cable, converts the same into a voltage signal, and outputs the voltage signal to the high-pass filtering module. The high-pass filtering module filters out DC bias of the voltage signal, and transmits the filtered voltage signal to the signal-amplifying module. The signal-amplifying module amplifies the filtered voltage signal to obtain an output voltage signal and outputs the output voltage signal. In the present invention, a common mode current to be measured in the cable is extracted by placing the magnetic shielding ring made of ferromagnetic material outside the cable to filter out a differential mode load current in the cable, and the magnitude of the common mode current is determined.
Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a magnetic switch provided to a semiconductor substrate. The magnetic switch includes: a horizontal Hall element including first electrodes and second electrodes arranged at positions perpendicular to the first electrodes; a switch circuit configured to select a drive current direction of the Hall element from four directions; an SH comparator configured to alternately perform a first operation for sampling a signal transmitted from the Hall element and a second operation for sending a signal which is based on a result of comparing a value of the sampled signal and a reference value; a latch circuit configured to hold this sent signal and send the held signal as a latch output signal; and a control circuit configured to select the drive current direction in each of a period for the first operation and a period for the second operation based on the latch output signal.
Measurement apparatus, measurement method, and computer-readable recording medium storing measurement program
A measurement apparatus includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: acquire, for each of two samples which are objects made of a same material, have different sizes, and have similar shapes, magnetization curve data measured for the sample and a shape parameter including a dimension of the sample; calculate magnetization of an inner part of each of the samples based on the acquired magnetization curve data and shape parameter of the sample by using a model representing magnetization of the object by separating the magnetization of the object into a magnetization component of a surface part and a magnetization component of an inner part of the object in accordance with a volume ratio between the surface part and the inner part of the object; and output the calculated result.
Magnetic field sensor using different magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structures
The present disclosure relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a highly sensitive tunnel magnetoresistance sensor (TMR) with a Wheatstone bridge for field/position detection in integrated circuits and methods of manufacture and operation. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a structure including: a first magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure on a first device level; and a second magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) structure on a different device level than the first MTJ structure. The second MTJ structure includes properties different than the first MTJ structure.
Methods and systems for diagnosing magnetic sensors
A magnetic sensor circuit includes a plurality of magnetic sensors having bias input and bias output terminals and first and second measurement terminals. The circuit includes a diagnostic sensor having bias input and bias output terminals and first and second measurement terminals. The circuit includes a first multiplexer configured to selectively couple a current source to the bias input terminals of the magnetic sensors or to the bias input terminal of the diagnostic sensor and includes a second multiplexer configured to selectively couple the bias output terminals of the magnetic sensors or the bias output terminal of the diagnostic sensor to a first terminal of a switch. The circuit includes a third multiplexer configured to selectively couple the measurement terminals of the magnetic sensors or the measurement terminals of the diagnostic sensor to differential input terminals of an amplifier.