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. in a circumferential direction on the virtual plane are substantially the same, and the magnetic field intensities H.sub.r and H.sub. in the radial direction and/or the circumferential direction is output as the sensor signal.

An actuator including a detection target disposed on a surface of a lens barrel, and a position detecting unit including two or more sensing coils and configured to detect a displacement of the detection target in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis, wherein when the detection target moves in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis, an area of overlap between each of the two or more sensing coils and the detection target is maintained constant.

A position detection apparatus includes a magnetic unit and a sensor. The magnetic unit includes a magnetic member and a retainer. The magnetic member includes a magnet and a first magnetic yoke. The magnet extends in an axial direction and has a cross-section orthogonal to the axial direction, and a first maximum outer diameter in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction. The cross-section has a substantially constant area in the axial direction. The first magnetic yoke is disposed adjacent to the magnet in the axial direction and has a second maximum outer diameter in the radial direction. The second maximum outer diameter is greater than the first maximum outer diameter. The retainer extends in the axial direction and retains the magnetic member. The sensor detects a magnetic field that changes in association with a movement of the magnetic unit along the axial direction.

A magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic sense element and a shield structure formed on a substrate. The shield structure fully encircles the magnetic sense element for suppressing stray magnetic fields along a first axis and a second axis, both of which are parallel to a surface of the substrate and perpendicular to one another. A magnetic field is oriented along a third axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and the magnetic sense element is configured to sense a magnetic field along the first axis. A magnetic field deflection element, formed on the substrate proximate the magnetic sense element, redirects the magnetic field from the third axis into the first axis to be sensed as a measurement magnetic field by the magnetic sense element. At least two magnetic field sensors, each fully encircled by a shield structure, form a gradient unit for determining a magnetic field gradient.

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. in a circumferential direction on the virtual plane are substantially the same, and the magnetic field intensities H.sub.r and H.sub. in the radial direction and/or the circumferential direction is output as the sensor signal.

A vehicle shift control device comprises: a shift position deciding portion deciding a shift position of a shift operating device based on a sensor signal output according to an operation of the shift operating device; and a drive power output command portion selecting a shift range based on a shift position determination signal output from the shift position deciding portion to cause a vehicle to run, when a communication abnormality has occurred so that the shift position determination signal is not transmitted from the shift position deciding portion to the drive power output command portion, the vehicle shift control device selecting a shift range maintained at the time of occurrence of the communication abnormality of the shift position determination signal if a vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and selecting a neutral range if the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined value.

Described is a method comprising: forming a magnet on a substrate or a template, the magnet having an interface; and forming a first layer of non-magnet conductive material on the interface of the magnet such that the magnet and the layer of non-magnet conductive material are formed in-situ. Described is an apparatus comprising: a magnet formed on a substrate or a template, the magnet being formed under crystallographic, electromagnetic, or thermodynamic conditions, the magnet having an interface; and a first layer of non-magnet conductive material formed on the interface of the magnet such that the magnet and the layer of non-magnet conductive material are formed in-situ.

The invention relates to a method for determining the position that a magnet has at a time of measurement relative to a row of sensors, wherein a first sensor signal is generated by the first sensor, the value of which depends on the position of the magnet relative to the first sensor, and a second sensor signal is generated by the second sensor, the value of which, depends on the position of the magnet relative to the second sensor. First, the value that the first sensor signal has generated is compared with a first reference value. Second, the value that the second sensor signal has generated is compared with a second reference value. A relative value is formed from the value that the first sensor signal and the value that the second sensor signal. Third, this relative value is compared with a third reference value. From these three steps, the leading signal is chosen to determine the position of the magnet relative to the row of sensors.

A haptic engine in which a moving coil structure is powered by a suspended flexible printed circuit having multiple traces.

A rotary encoder may include a magnetic encoder disc having a plurality of magnetic features added to the disc by additive manufacturing distributed over a surface of the encoder disc, wherein the disc is configured for attachment to the end of a rotatable shaft, or a cylindrical metallic encoding feature having a plurality of magnetic features added to the cylindrical encoder by additive manufacturing distributed over the surface of the cylindrical encoding feature, wherein the encoding feature is capable of attachment to an outer diameter of the rotatable shaft. The encoder additionally includes a magnetic sensor positioned adjacent to the end of the rotatable shaft to detect magnetic signals from the magnetic features on the disc and/or positioned over the surface of the rotatable shaft to detect magnetic signals from the magnetic features on the encoding feature.