An eddy current sensor for a rotary shaft and a rotary shaft apparatus. The eddy current sensor includes: a housing; one or more position detecting probes provided on the housing; and a rotating speed detecting probe provided on the housing. The eddy current sensor integrates the position detecting probe and the rotary speed detecting probe, such that while the eddy current sensor is detecting position displacement of the rotary shaft, the eddy current sensor may also simultaneously detect the rotating speed of the rotary shaft, which facilitates detecting and monitoring the rotary shaft more comprehensively. The detected position data and rotating speed data of the rotary shaft correspond to each other at any time, such that the working state of the rotary shaft may be analyzed more intensively.

Position sensors, including linear position sensors, that utilize magnetic field(s) are disclosed. Disclosed sensors include flux emitters and sensor assemblies. The sensor assemblies include flux collectors that interact with magnetic fields from flux emitters and with a magnetism sensing device. Flux emitters have arrangements of magnets that when combined with the sensor assembly can provide a constantly increasing or a constantly decreasing signal across a range of relative movement.

A back-biased magnetic field sensor uses one or more magnetic field sensing elements upon a substrate, each outside of a substrate region in which magnetic field lines are near perpendicular to the substrate and outside of which magnetic field lines are not to the substrate. The back-biased magnetic field sensor can sense an approaching and/or a retreating ferromagnetic object.

A back-biased magnetic field sensor can have one or more vertical Hall effect elements arranged within a substrate region of a substrate, wherein magnetic fields are oriented substantially vertical to the substrate within the substrate region when a ferromagnetic object is not proximate. When the ferromagnetic object becomes proximate, the magnetic field sensor can sense at least the proximity, and, in some embodiments, can also localize a position of the ferromagnetic object relative to the magnetic field sensor.

Magnetic field sensors can sense speed of movement and direction of movement of a ferromagnetic object. The magnetic field sensors employ both planar Hall effect elements and vertical Hall effect elements to generate two-state signals in two different signal paths with relative phases that are ninety degrees apart, the ninety degrees having sufficient margin to aid in detection of the direction of motion. Other magnetic field sensors use at least four vertical Hall effect elements to identify a speed of rotation and a direction of rotation of a moving ferromagnetic object.

Magnetic field sensors can sense speed of movement and direction of movement of a ferromagnetic object. Particular arrangements of magnetic field sensing elements within the magnetic field sensor can automatically cancel offset variations in the magnetic field sensing elements.

Embodiments provide systems and methods for determining a position of a gear shift lever of a vehicle. A ferromagnetic target object having selected characteristics influences a magnetic field generated by a back bias magnet. A magnetic field sensor includes magnetic field sensing elements disposed proximate to the target object. Each magnetic field sensing element generates an electronic signal in response to sensed magnetic fields. The gear shift lever moves among a plurality of gears of the vehicle. The magnetic field sensor selects a set of the magnetic field sensing elements to determine a magnetic field difference based on a difference of amplitudes between the electronic signals that is related to a current position of the gear shift lever. Characteristics of the target object enable the magnetic field sensor to detect the position of the gear shift lever. The characteristics include edges proximate to a perimeter of the target object.

Methods and systems for implementing a rotation sensing device are provided. The rotation sensing device may include a magnet, a magnetic field sensor located in a fixed position relative to the magnet, the magnetic field sensor configured to sense a magnetic field of the magnet, and a flux conductor configured to alter the magnetic field of the magnet, wherein the flux conductor is mounted to a rotatable element. The magnet may be mounted in a fixed position relative to the flux conductor, and the magnetic field sensor may be configured to generate a signal based on a sensed strength of the magnetic field in accordance with rotation of the flux conductor.

A sensor assembly includes a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field; a lever or stick, which can be manually tilted about a reference orientation; a magnetic sensor device for measuring the magnetic field. The magnetic source forms a central opening. The stick includes a ferromagnetic object mounted such that a potential energy of the magnetic field is minimal when the stick is oriented in the reference orientation.

A sensor includes a lead frame having a first surface, a second opposing surface, and a plurality of leads and a semiconductor die having a first surface attached to the first surface of the lead frame and a second, opposing surface. The sensor further includes a non-conductive mold material enclosing the die and at least a portion of the lead frame, a conductive coil secured to the non-conductive mold material, a mold material secured to the non-conductive mold material and enclosing the conductive coil, wherein the mold material has a central region and an element disposed in the central region of the mold material.