The magnetic sensor of the invention has an element portion that is elongate, that exhibits magnetoresistive effect and that has a magnetically sensitive axis in a direction of a short axis thereof. The element portion is non-oval and can be arranged in an imaginary ellipse, wherein the imaginary ellipse has a major axis that connects both ends of the element portion with regard to a direction of a long axis thereof to each other and a minor axis that connects both ends of the element portion with regard to a direction of the short axis thereof to each other, as viewed in a direction that is perpendicular both to the short axis and to the long axis of the element portion.

Magnetic field generating unit is fixed to object that moves relative to magnetic field detecting means. Magnetic field generating unit has magnetic field generator, first support structure that is fixed to object and second support structure that is independent of first support structure. Second support structure is supported by first support structure and supports magnetic field generator. For example, second support structure is formed of a nonmagnetic material, and magnetic field generator is arranged away from first support structure.

A measurement apparatus is provided, which includes a magnetic sensor array formed by three-dimensionally arranging a plurality of magnetic sensor cells each including a magnetic sensor, and capable of detecting an input magnetic field in three axial directions; a measurement data acquiring section that acquires a plurality of measurement values based on the input magnetic field detected by the magnetic sensor array; a magnetic field calculating section that calculates the input magnetic field based on the measurement values; an error calculating section that calculates a detection error of the input magnetic field, based on the plurality of measurement values and a calculation result obtained by calculating the input magnetic field; and a measurement data selecting section that selects a plurality of measurement values to be used for calculating the input magnetic field by the magnetic field calculating section, from among the plurality of measurement values, based on the detection error.

A method for steering torque sensor stray magnetic field cancellation includes receiving, from at least one magnetic sensor disposed within a torque sensing region, a detected magnetic field corresponding to an angular displacement between an upper steering shaft and a lower steering shaft of an electronic power steering system. The method also includes generating a first torque signal based on the detected magnetic field and receiving, from at least one stray region sensor disposed outside of the torque sensing region, a detected stray magnetic field. The method also includes determining a torque signal error based on the detected stray magnetic field and generating a second torque signal based on the first torque signal and the torque signal error. The method also includes selectively controlling at least a portion of the electronic power steering system using the second torque signal.

A magnetic sensor comprises a magnetoresistive effect element including a first side surface and a second side surface facing in opposite directions along a first axis and a first end surface and a second end surface facing in opposite directions along a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The sensor has a sensitivity axis extending in a direction of the first axis, a first yoke unit provided adjacent to the first side surface of the magnetoresistive effect element, and a first bias magnetic field generation unit provided adjacent to the first end surface of the magnetoresistive effect element. The first bias magnetic field generation unit is provided to be capable of applying a bias magnetic field on the magnetoresistive effect element and the first yoke unit.

A magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism generated from a conductor in which a current flows in a first direction includes a magnetic detection unit capable of detecting the magnetism, a magnetization core, and a magnetic shield. The magnetization core includes a first core section, which is substantially parallel to the first direction, and a second core section and third core section, which are each continuous from both end portions of the first core section in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The second core section and the third core section each extend from an end portion of the first core section to follow a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The magnetic detection unit has a sensitivity direction in the second direction and is positioned in a core gap sandwiched between the vicinity of the end portion of the second core section and the vicinity of the end portion of the third core section in the third direction. The magnetic shield includes a plate-shaped shield portion positioned to overlap the core gap when viewed along the third direction.

An example of a sensor for determining a direction of a magnetic field comprises at least one magnetoresistive sensor element for determining the direction of the magnetic field, and at least one further sensor element of another type which is suitable for determining the direction of the magnetic field.

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.

The present invention relates to a hall electromotive force signal detection circuit and a current sensor thereof each of which is able to achieve excellent wide-band characteristics and fast response as well as high accuracy. A difference calculation circuit samples a component synchronous with a chopper clock generated by a chopper clock generation circuit, out of an output voltage signal of a signal amplifier circuit, at a timing obtained from the chopper clock, so as to detect the component. An integrating circuit integrates an output from the difference calculation circuit in the time domain. An output voltage signal from the integrating circuit is fed back to a signal amplifier circuit via a third transconductance element.

A method for calibrating a device is described. The device accesses magnetometer data of a magnetometer sensor in the device, and accelerometer data of an accelerometer sensor in the device. The device determines a first position and a second position of the device based on the magnetometer data and the accelerometer data. The device determines a first magnetic vector based on the magnetometer data at the first position of the device, and a second magnetic vector based on the magnetometer data at the second position of the device. The device then assigns the first magnetic vector to the first position of the device, and the second magnetic vector to the second position of the device.