An encoder comprises first and second sensors which reads first and second tracks, the first and second sensors being arranged in a radial direction to face each other, and a processor which generates a first position signal based on first and second periodic signals based on a signal obtained by reading the first and second tracks by the first sensor, and generates a second position signal based on third and fourth periodic signals based on a signal obtained by reading the first and second tracks by the second sensor, wherein the processor generates an absolute position signal indicating an absolute position of at least one of the scale, the first sensor, or the second sensor based on the first and second position signals and the first and third periodic signals.

An accurate position sensor is presented. The sensor operates over 360-degree motion angular motion and includes a coil structure formed on a substrate and a target mounted to be angularly moved over the coil structure, the target being formed of a conducting material in a shape of a spiral of Archimedes. The coil structure includes coils with an arc sufficient to operate over a 360 degree motion of the target, for example between 120 degrees and 360 degrees. Some embodiments include coils with a 180 degree arc. A method of operating the position sensor includes rotating a target formed of a conducting material in a shape of a spiral of Archimedes over a coil structure and providing a linearized and calibrated response indicating the angular position of the target relative to the coil structure.

An electronic position encoder includes a scale and a detector. The detector includes a field generating coil (FGC) having elongated portions bounding a generated field area, and a sensing area, both aligned along the scale. Sensing elements in the sensing area provide position signals responsive to the scale interacting with the generated field. Sensing elements and elongated portions are fabricated in “front” layers of the detector portion. A crosswise shielded end section (SES) fabricated in a “rear” layer connects the elongated portions via feedthroughs. The sensing element area is longer than the elongated portions of the FGC. A projection of the SES normal to the layers overlaps sensing elements in the sensing element area. A conductive shield region CSR is configured in a CSR layer interposed between the front and rear layers to intercept at least a majority of the projection of the SES toward the overlapped sensing elements.

A vehicle pedal assembly comprising a pedal housing, a rotatable pedal, and an inductive position sensor. The inductive position sensor includes an inductive sensor target rotatable in response to the rotation of the pedal and a substrate positioned opposite the inductive sensor target. First and second redundant inductive transmit and receiver coil circuits are defined and located on different sections of the substrate in a relationship with the respective receiver coil circuits of the first and second transmit and receiver coil circuits at least partially surrounded by the respective transmit coil circuits of the first and second transmit and receiver coil circuits for reducing the coupling factor between the first and second transmit and receiver coil circuits.

Provided is an electronically controlled throttle device for an engine driving to open and close a throttle valve (8) of a valve body (3) to which rotation of a motor (15) is transmitted from a driven gear (14) via a throttle shaft (6), and disposing a substrate (22) on which an excitation conductor (23) and a signal detection conductor (24) are arranged to face an exciting conductor (21) rotating together with the throttle shaft (6). The driven gear (14) comprises an embedded core metal (25), and has one side surface to which an exciting conductor (21) is exposed, the core metal (25) and the exciting conductor (21) being insert-Molded of a synthetic resin material and prepared, and a caulked portion (6a) of the throttle shaft (6) is inserted and fixed into a shaft hole (25a) extending through the core metal (25).

An electronic position encoder includes a scale and detector. The detector includes a field generating coil (FGC) having elongated portions (EPs) bounding a generated field area (GFA) aligned with sensing windings, to provide position signals responsive to the scale interacting with the generated field. Sensing elements and EPs are fabricated in “front” layers of the detector. A transverse conductor portion (TCP) fabricated in a “rear” layer connects the EP of the FGC via feedthroughs. A shield region in a layer between the front and rear layers intercepts at least a majority of a projection of the TCP toward the front layers to eliminate undesirable signal effects. The FGC feedthroughs generate GFC feedthrough stray fields. Feedthrough pairs that connect sensing winding signals to rear layers of the detector are specially configured to mitigate undesirable signal effects that may otherwise result from their coupling to the GFC feedthrough stray fields.

An electronic position encoder includes a scale and detector. The detector includes a field generating coil (FGC) having elongated portion configurations (EPCs) bounding a generated field area (GFA) aligned with sensing elements in a sensing area, to provide position signals responsive to the scale interacting with the generated field. Sensing elements and EPCs are fabricated in “front” layers of the detector portion. The EPCs include end gradient arrangements (EGAs) configured to reduce field strength in the generated field area as a function of position along the x-axis direction for positions approaching the end of the GFA. A shielded transverse conductor portion (TCP) fabricated in a “rear” layer connects the EPCs and/or EGAs of the FGC via feedthroughs. A conductive shield region (CSR) configuration in a CSR layer between the front and rear layers intercepts at least a majority of a projection of the TCP toward the front layers.

An angle detecting apparatus is obtained. The angle detecting apparatus is capable of correcting an electrical angle frequency component of an angle signal contained angle signal. An angle detecting apparatus computes an angle signal of a rotary machine from a sine signal and a cosine signal obtained from the angle signal. Offset correction values for the sine signal and the cosine signal are computed from the angle signal. The computed offset correction value for the sine signal is added to the sine signal to correct the sine signal, and the computed offset correction value for the cosine signal is added to the cosine signal to correct the cosine signal.

A method of correcting a position reading from a position sensing arrangement. The position sensing arrangement is suitable for sensing the position of a revolute joint of an articulated structure, and comprises a disc having a magnetic ring with magnetic pole pairs and a magnetic sensor assembly comprising a magnetic sensor array for detecting the magnetic pole pairs of the magnetic ring. The method comprises: for each pole pair of the magnetic ring, taking a calibration pole pair position reading with the magnetic sensor array, and generating a pole pair correcting function by comparing the calibration pole pair position reading with a model pole pair position reading; averaging the pole pair correcting functions of the pole pairs of the magnetic ring to generate an average pole pair correcting function for the magnetic ring; taking a position reading with the magnetic sensor array, the position reading comprising a plurality of pole pair position readings; and generating a corrected position reading by deducting the average pole pair correcting function from each pole pair position reading.

A position sensor according to some embodiments includes a first position sensor board having first sensor coils and a first transmit coil; a second position sensor board having second sensor coils stacked with, and separated from by a distance Z, the first position sensor; and at least one target positioned relative to the stacked first position sensor and second position sensor. A redundant position sensor according to some embodiments includes a plurality of stacked sensor boards, each of the plurality of sensor boards including sensor coils, wherein one of the plurality of stacked sensor boards includes an active transmit coil; and a target positioned over the plurality of stacked sensor boards.