Methods and apparatus for combining redundant signals to generate outputs signals with enhanced accuracy and/or risk level. In embodiments, first signals are generated by a first transducer and second signals are generated by a second transducer. In other embodiments, first signals are generated by a first die and second signals are generated by a second die. An amount of overlap between error distributions of the first and second signals can be used to detect failure and/or indicate risk of failure.

A rotation angle detection device includes a driving gear rotated integrally with a rotary body, a first driven gear and a second driven gear coupled to the driving gear and rotated in cooperation with the driving gear, a first sensor that detects rotation of the first driven gear and generates a first sensor output, and a second sensor that detects rotation of the second driven gear and generates a second sensor output. An initialization method includes adjusting zero points of the first and second sensor output obtained at positions of rotation references of the first and second driven gears, measuring a deviation amount occurring in a calculation of rotation information of at least one of the first and second driven gears, and correcting the zero point of at least one of the first and second sensor outputs based on the measured deviation amount.

In some embodiments, a method can include receiving, by an angle sensor, a first periodic angle signal indicative of an angle of a first magnetic field associated with a first track of a target; receiving, by the angle sensor, a second periodic angle signal indicative of an angle of a second magnetic field associated with a second track of the target; generating an uncorrected absolute angle signal indicative of an absolute angle of the target based on the first and second periodic angle signals; determining an estimated error associated with the uncorrected absolute angle signal based on the first periodic angle signal and the second periodic signal; subtracting the estimated error from the uncorrected absolute angle to generate a corrected absolute angle signal; and providing the corrected absolute angle signal as output of the angle sensor.

A sensing circuit in a device having a moving body in which a unit to be detected including first and second pattern units spaced apart from each other is formed includes an oscillation circuit unit including first and second oscillation circuits fixedly mounted on a substrate spaced apart from the unit to be detected, including, respectively, first and second sensing coils having first and second inductance values depending on areas of overlap between the first and second sensing coils and the first and second pattern units and outputting, respectively, first and second sensed oscillation signals based on the first and second inductance values; and a sensing circuit outputting an output signal having movement information of the moving body based on each period count value for each of the first and second sensed oscillation signals using a reference oscillation signal.

An apparatus for sensing a rotating body includes a unit to be detected including a first pattern portion having first patterns and a second pattern portion having second patterns, and configured to rotate around a shaft, a sensor module including a first sensor and a third sensor disposed opposite to the first pattern portion with the rotating shaft interposed therebetween, a second sensor and a fourth sensor disposed opposite to the second pattern portion with the rotating shaft interposed therebetween, and a rotation information calculator configured to calculate a first compensation sensing value based on a sum of a sensing value of the first sensor and a sensing value of the third sensor, and to calculate a second compensation sensing value based on a sum of a sensing value of the second sensor and a sensing value of the fourth sensor.

A magnetic sensor includes a magneto-resistive element configured to output a signal and a detection circuit configured to receive the signal. The detection circuit includes a regulator configured to supply a potential to the magneto-resistive element, a first current path configured to electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator, a second current path, a switch, and a diagnostic circuit connected to the second current path. The second current path includes, and is configured to electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator via the resistor. The switch is configured to select one of the first current path and the second current path, and electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator via the selected one of the first current path and the second current path.

A rotation angle sensor includes a stator element and a rotor element, which is mounted in a rotatable manner about an axis of rotation with respect to the stator element. A rotation angle is captured via inductive coupling between the rotor element and the stator element. A compensation element is arranged on the stator element. The compensation element has a compensation transmitting coil configured to emit an alternating electromagnetic compensation field and at least one compensation receiving coil configured to receive alternating electromagnetic fields. The rotor element has a first electrically conductive section. The first electrically conductive section is arranged on the rotor element and is inductively coupled to the compensation transmitting coil and to the at least one compensation receiving coil of the compensation element.

A position-measuring device includes a graduation carrier having a measuring graduation disposed thereon. At least one position sensor is configured to generate position-dependent measurement signals by scanning the measuring graduation. A processor is configured to process the position-dependent measurement signals into position signals. An interface is configured to transmit the position signals to subsequent electronics via at least one data channel. At least one motion sensor is configured to generate time-varying measurement signals. A signal analyzer is configured to analyze the measurement signals in the frequency domain dependent on parameters that are transmittable from the subsequent electronics to the interface unit, and to produce result data that is transmittable from the interface unit to the subsequent electronics.

A multi-turn absolute encoder, an encoding method and a robot are disclosed. The multi-turn absolute encoder includes a rotary shaft, a control circuit board, a magnet, a Hall sensor, a controller, a primary controller, a single-turn absolute encoder and a non-volatile memory. One side of the control circuit board is vertically provided with the rotary shaft. The magnet is connected to the rotary shaft and configured to synchronously rotate about the rotary shaft. The Hall sensor is configured to acquire turn count information of the rotary shaft upon power interruption. The primary controller is configured to calculate an absolute position information of the rotary shaft based on the turn count information of the rotary shaft, a relative position information of the rotary shaft and the absolute position information of the rotary shaft stored in previous power interruption.

An encoder includes a disc and a sensor. The disc has a circular surface with a central axis and is rotatable around the central axis. The disc has a slit row provided on the circular surface. The slit row includes slits arranged in a circumferential direction of the circular surface around the central axis and in a radial direction of the circular surface. The sensor is provided opposite to the slit row on circular surface. The sensor has a first light receiver and a second light receiver. The first light receiver is configured to output a first light receiving signal as the slit row rotates along the circumferential direction when the disc rotates around the central axis. The second light receiver is configured to output a second light receiving signal as the slit row moves along the radial direction when the disc rotates around the central axis.