A transmitting element for generating a magnetic field for tracking of an object includes a first spiral trace that extends from a first outer origin inward to a central origin in a first direction. A second spiral trace can extend from the central origin outward to a second outer origin in the first direction. The second spiral trace can extend from the central origin to the second outer origin in the first direction. The first spiral trace and the second spiral trace can be physically connected at the central origin to form the fluorolucent magnetic transmitting element and at least a portion of the first spiral trace overlaps at least a portion of the second spiral trace.

A parking assistance system is provided which includes: a parking assistance apparatus that is installed along with a wireless power-supplying device and has a plurality of exciting coils installed around a power-supplying coil provided for the wireless power-supplying device and a plurality of resonators connected to the respective exciting coils and set to resonate due to leakage magnetic flux of the power-supplying coil; and a movable vehicle that detects magnetic flux generated by the exciting coils provided for the parking assistance apparatus, determines a position of the movable vehicle based on a result of the detection and displays the position on a display device.

A magnetic angular position sensor system is described herein, which includes a shaft rotatable around a rotation axis, the shaft having a soft magnetic shaft end portion. The system further includes a sensor chip spaced apart from the shaft end portion in an axial direction and defining a sensor plane, which is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis. At least four magnetic field sensor elements are integrated in the sensor chip, with two of the magnetic field sensor elements being spaced apart from each other and are sensitive to magnetic field components in a first direction and wherein two of the magnetic field sensor elements are spaced apart from each other and are only sensitive to magnetic field components in a second direction, whereby the first and the second direction are mutually non-parallel and the first and the second direction being perpendicular to the rotation axis.

A position sensor device includes a sensor head with a sensor coil, and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for digitizing output from the sensor coil, and sending the digital input to electronics of the device for further processing. The A/D converter is located closer to the coil than it is to the electronics, which may be in an electronics box mounted remotely from the sensor head. The A/D converter may be a part of the sensor head, may be adjacent to the sensor head, and/or may be connected to the sensor coil by an analog output cable. The analog output cable between the sensor coil and the A/D converter may be of negligible length (and of negligible capacitance), and in any event may be shorter than a digital output cable between the A/D converter and the electronics.

An apparatus for sensing a rotating body includes a cylindrical supporting member being connected to a rotating shaft, a unit to be detected including a first pattern portion provided in a first height region of the supporting member, and the first pattern portion including first patterns extended in a rotation direction of the rotating shaft and a second pattern portion provided in a second height region of the supporting member, extended in a rotation direction of the rotating shaft, and the second pattern portion including second patterns having an angle difference with the first patterns, and a sensor module including a first sensor disposed opposite to the first pattern portion and a second sensor disposed opposite to the second pattern portion, the first patterns and the second patterns are formed of a metallic material, and each of the first sensor and the second sensor includes a sensing coil.

An apparatus for detecting a position of a rotor of a DC motor with N phases having a plurality of windings. The apparatus includes circuitry to couple at least two of the windings between a supply voltage and a reference voltage according to a first current path and allow the current stored in the two windings to be discharged through a second current path. The circuitry is configured to force the at least two windings at a short circuit condition in the second current path. The apparatus also includes a measurement circuit configured to measure the time period of discharging the current stored in the two windings and a rotor position detector for detecting the rotor position based on the measured time period.

A device rotates at least one static magnetic field about an axis, producing a rotating magnetic dipole field, and is movable in relation to the surface of the ground. The field is periodically sensed using a receiver to produce a receiver output responsive to the field. A positional relationship between the receiver and the device is monitored using the output. In one aspect, changing the positional relationship, by moving the device nearer to a boring tool which supports the receiver, causes an increase in accuracy of depth determination. In another aspect, determination of an actual overhead position of the boring tool, and its application, are described. Use of a plurality of measurements over at least one-half revolution of each magnet is disclosed. Establishing a surface radial direction toward a boring tool and resolution of multi-valued parameters is described. Calibration techniques, as well as a three transmitter configuration are also described.

A method for calibrating an eddy current sensor for temperature. Both frequency and one of voltage and current of an oscillator driving the eddy current sensor are measured at a plurality of temperatures and a plurality of target surface distances. Temperature equations are regressed to fit the measured frequency and one of the voltage and the current for each temperature, where the temperature equations have a common number of equivalent factors, and factor equations are regressed for each of the equivalent factors. A gain adjustment and an offset adjustment pair for each of the plurality of temperatures is determined for an oscillator associated with the eddy current sensor, that compensates an output of the eddy current sensor to a standard temperature. A gain equation is regressed to fit the determined gain adjustments, and an offset equation is regressed to fit the determined offset adjustments. The temperature equations, factor equations, gain equation, and offset equation are provided with the eddy current sensor.

A method for determining an injection process of an injection appliance includes injecting a fluid with the injection appliance and applying an electrical signal to at least one helical spring of the injection appliance coupled to a dosing wheel of the injection appliance. The method also comprises detecting an inductance value of the at least one helical spring. A number of windings of the at least one helical spring is dependent on a set rotation angle of the dosing wheel. The set rotation angle corresponds to a dose quantity of the fluid that is preselected for the injection process. The method moreover includes making available a determination signal representing the determined injection process, using the detected inductance value.

The invention relates to a method for measuring the armature position of a solenoid having a coil with a movable armature, constructed as a bistable linear magnet and activated in a switched mode by means of pulse width modulation, wherein the depth of the current peaks at the solenoid is measured as a measure of the inductance and the position of the movable armature.