Apparatuses, systems, and methods that provide a delayed output signal with reduced sampling error are described. Embodiments include a clock circuit that generates a sample clock signal having a predetermined sample clock period. A sampling circuit may generate samples of a received signal during each sample clock period. An interpolation circuit may estimate a value of the received signal at times between the samples of the received signal based on at least a first sample and a second sample of the received signal. The interpolation circuit may estimate a time that the received signal crosses a threshold, and determine a time delta between the first sample and the estimated time that the received signal crosses the threshold. A delay circuit to generate a time delay substantially equal to the time delta is also included. An output signal changes state after the generated time delay.

A magnetic sensor comprises a magnetic detection unit that outputs a signal by applying a magnetic field, and a signal correction unit that corrects the signal output from the magnetic detection unit. The magnetic detection unit includes a magnetoresistive effect element having a predetermined sensitivity axis. The signal correction unit generates a corrected signal by correcting the signal using a correction value capable of reducing the distortion error included in the signal output from the magnetic detection unit when the magnetic field having an intersecting direction that obliquely intersects the sensitivity axis is applied to the magnetoresistive effect element.

A circuit for biasing and reading out a bridge sensor structure comprises at least two pairs of connection terminals. The circuit comprises an excitation signal generator for generating an excitation signal for biasing and/or exciting the bridge, in which the excitation signal is provided as a non-constant periodic continuous function of time, and a detection circuit for obtaining the sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure by electrically connecting the detection circuit to any pair of connection terminals while applying the excitation signal to another pair. The circuit comprises a switch unit for switching the electrical excitation signal and for switching the detection circuit. A controller controls the switch unit to switch the first pair from being connected to the excitation signal generator at a time when the generated excitation signal is in a predetermined signal range where the excitation signal value is substantially equal to zero.

A power control integrated circuit (IC) chip can include a direct current (DC)-DC converter that outputs a switching voltage in response to a switching output enable signal. The power control IC chip can also include an inductor detect circuit that detects whether an inductor is conductively coupled to the DC-DC converter and a powered circuit component in response to an inductor detect signal. The power control IC chip can further include control logic that (i) controls the inductor detect signal based on an enable DC-DC signal and (ii) controls the switching output enable signal provided to the DC-DC converter and a linear output disable signal provided to a linear regulator based on a signal from the inductor detect circuit indicating whether the inductor is conductively coupled to the DC-DC converter and the powered circuit component.

A fault detection system includes a sensor configured to measure a physical quantity and generate a measurement of the physical quantity; a first processor configured to receive the measurement, execute a first firmware based on the measurement, and output a first result of the executed first firmware; a second processor configured to receive the measurement from the sensor, execute a second firmware based on the measurement, and output a second result of the executed second firmware, wherein the first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin; and a fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault when the first result and the second result are not within the predetermined margin.

A magnetic field detection sensor includes a magneto-impedance element configured to make use of the magneto-impedance effect, and a negative-feedback bias coil configured to apply a bias magnetic field to the magneto-impedance element. The magnetic field detection sensor is configured to detect an external magnetic field based on an output obtained by applying an alternating-current to the magneto-impedance element. The magneto-impedance element includes a non-magnetic substrate, and a magnetic thin-film that is provided on a surface of the non-magnetic substrate. The magnetic field detecting direction matches the longitudinal direction of the magneto-impedance element, and the magnetic thin-film is configured to have a magnetic anisotropy such that a direction of an axis of easy magnetization thereof matches the magnetic field detecting direction.

A method for verifying an operation of a Hall-effect sensor without an applied magnetic field. The method can include providing a bias signal to a first pair of terminals of a Hall-effect element, applying a Hall current signal to a second pair of terminals of the Hall-effect element, measuring a Hall output voltage across the second pair of terminals and comparing the measured Hall output voltage to an expected Hall output voltage that would be provided by a corresponding applied magnetic field.

An array of resistive sensor circuits may be used to gather sensor data. Each resistive sensor circuit may have a resistive sensor and an associated switch. Row decoder circuitry may supply rows of the sensor circuits with control signals on row lines. Capacitors associated with respective columns of the array may be provided with an initialization voltage. The control signals on the row lines may be used to turn on the switches in a selected row of the resistive sensor circuits and thereby discharge the capacitors through the resistive sensors of that row. Comparators may have first inputs coupled to the capacitors and second inputs that receive a reference voltage. A column readout circuit may have memory and processing circuitry that receives count values from a counter and that stores the count values in response to toggling output signals from the comparators.

Electronic circuits used in magnetic field sensors use transistors for passing a current through the transistors and also through a magnetoresistance element.

A sensor device includes a high voltage component, a sensor component and a charge storage component. The sensor component utilizes a low voltage supply. The high voltage component is configured to generate the low voltage supply from a high voltage supply. The charge storage component is configured to provide charge for the low voltage supply during a power break. The charge storage component has a vertical capacitor.