A rotating device sensing apparatus includes: a rotating device comprising a detection target unit; a pattern portion formed in the detection target unit in a direction of rotation of the rotating device; a first sensor disposed to face one region of the detection target unit; and a second sensor, spaced apart from the first sensor, and disposed to face another region of the detection target unit, wherein the pattern portion comprises a first pattern portion and a second pattern portion having different widths.

A magnetic field generator (50) having at least one magnet (51) extending along a longitudinal axis (101), wherein the magnetic material of the at least one magnet is arranged such that the at least one magnet produces a magnetic field with a magnetic flux density that changes substantially continuously in magnitude in the axial direction substantially along the length of the at least one magnet in the axial direction such as to enable the axial position of the magnetic field generator to be determined by a position sensing assembly comprising the magnetic field generator (50) and at least one magnetic sensor (105).

A sensor device for ascertaining at least one rotation characteristic of a rotating element is provided. The sensor device includes at least one trigger wheel which is able to be connected to the rotating element. The rotating element and the trigger wheel have an axis of rotation. The sensor device includes at least one coil array. The coil array encompasses at least one excitation coil and at least one receiver coil. The coil array is situated on at least one circuit carrier. The trigger wheel as a trigger wheel profile. The sensor device is designed to ascertain a change in an inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiver coil as a function of a position of the trigger wheel. The circuit carrier is situated coaxially with the axis of rotation of the trigger wheel. The circuit carrier surrounds the trigger wheel at least partially in a circular manner.

A rotation angle sensing device is provided with a magnet that has a component with a magnetization vector in a direction orthogonal to a rotary shaft, a magnetic sensor part that outputs a sensor signal, and a rotation angle sensing part that detects a rotation angle of a rotating body based upon the sensor signal; the magnet has first and second surfaces substantially orthogonal to the rotary shaft, and a concave side surface that is continuous throughout all circumferences in the circumferential direction; the magnetic sensor part is placed within the space surrounded by the concave side surface, and at a position where an amplitude of a magnetic field intensity H.sub.r and an amplitude of a magnetic field intensity H.sub.θon the virtual plane are substantially identical to each other, and outputs either the magnetic field intensity H.sub.r or the magnetic field intensity H.sub.θ as the sensor signal.

A rotational angle detection apparatus is provoded with a magnet disposed so as to be rotatable integrally with an axis of rotation, having a substantially circular shape when viewed along the axis of rotation, and including a magnetization vector component in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation; a magnetic sensor that outputs a sensor signal on the basis of change in a magnetic field accompanying rotation of the magnet; and a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the rotating body on the basis of the sensor signal output by the magnetic sensor; wherein the magnet has a curved inclined surface with a concave shape along the axis of rotation from a prescribed position on the outer side in a radial direction toward the axis of rotation, and when a circular virtual plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation and centered at the axis of rotation is established at a position opposed to the curved inclined surface, the magnetic sensor is disposed at a position at which the amplitudes of a magnetic field intensity H.sub.r in a radial direction and a magnetic field intensity H.sub.θ in a circumferential direction on the virtual plane are substantially the same, and the magnetic field intensities H.sub.r and H.sub.θ in the radial direction and/or the circumferential direction is output as the sensor signal.

An apparatus for sensing a rotating body includes a unit to be detected, including a first pattern portion having at least one first pattern and a second pattern portion having at least one second pattern, and configured to rotate around a rotating shaft, a sensor module comprising a first sensor disposed opposite to the first pattern portion and a second sensor disposed opposite to the second pattern portion, and a rotation information calculator configured to calculate a difference value by differentiating output signals of the first sensor and the second sensor, and to compare comparison values, determined according to a target sensing angle and a size of the first pattern and the second pattern, with the difference value.

Systems and methods for determining angular position in rotating machines. A repeating sequence of segments are arranged in a track disposed at a diameter around a shaft of a rotor that rotates about an axis. A sensor is positioned to face the track and is fixed relative to the stator. The track and the sensor face to each other, which may be in directions that are parallel to the axis. The sensor generates an output that is decoupled from the diameter of the track and is related to the repeating sequence of segments.

A rotational angle detection apparatus is provided with a magnet disposed so as to be rotatable integrally with an axis of rotation, having a substantially circular shape when viewed along the axis of rotation, and including a magnetization vector component in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation; a magnetic sensor that outputs a sensor signal on the basis of change in a magnetic field accompanying rotation of the magnet; and a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the rotating body on the basis of the sensor signal output by the magnetic sensor; wherein the magnet has a curved inclined surface with a concave shape along the axis of rotation from a prescribed position on the outer side in a radial direction toward the axis of rotation, and when a circular virtual plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation and centered at the axis of rotation is established at a position opposed to the curved inclined surface, the magnetic sensor is disposed at a position at which the amplitudes of a magnetic field intensity H.sub.r in a radial direction and a magnetic field intensity H.sub.θ in a circumferential direction on the virtual plane are substantially the same, and the magnetic field intensities H.sub.r and H.sub.θ in the radial direction and/or the circumferential direction is output as the sensor signal.

Methods and apparatus for determining a mechanical angle of a target from sine and cosine signals generated by inductive sensing elements by applying harmonic compensation on the sine and cosine signals using possible mechanical angles and analyzing results of the applied harmonic compensation. One of the mechanical angles can be selected based on the results of the applied harmonic compensation. In embodiments, a cost function can be used to select the mechanical angle.

A scanning element includes a circuit board having a first detector unit provided with a first receiver conductor trace arranged circumferentially about an axis in the circumferential direction. The course of the first receiver conductor trace has: a periodic configuration along a first line; a first gap along its extension in the circumferential direction; a first amplitude in the first quadrant or in the second quadrant of a Cartesian coordinate system; and a second amplitude in the third quadrant or in the fourth quadrant of the coordinate system. The origin of the coordinate system is located on the axis, and the ordinate extends centrically through the first gap in relation to the circumferential direction. The second amplitude is smaller than the first amplitude.