A sensing apparatus comprising a displacement sensor element arranged to sense a separation between a first element (2) and a second element (3) movably mounted with respect to the first element; an acceleration sensor element configured to sense an acceleration associated with the first element; displacement measurement circuitry (4A) configured to make a measurement indicative of separation on the basis of the sensed separation; acceleration measurement circuitry (4C) configured to make a measurement of acceleration on the basis of the sensed acceleration; and a processing element (4D) configured to output a signal to indicate there is determined to be a change in the separation of the second element relative to the first element on the basis of the measurement indicative of separation and the measurement of acceleration.

A method of determining a gradient of a magnetic field, includes the steps of: biasing a first/second magnetic sensor with a first/second biasing signal; measuring and amplifying a first/second magnetic sensor signal; measuring a temperature and/or a stress difference; adjusting at least one of: the second biasing signal, the second amplifier gain, the amplified and digitized second sensor value using a predefined function f(T) or f(T, ΔΣ) or f(ΔΣ) of the measured temperature and/or the measured differential stress before determining a difference between the first/second signal/value derived from the first/second sensor signal. A magnetic sensor device is configured for performing this method, as well as a current sensor device, and a position sensor device.

Operation of a hubodometer includes orbiting detection and cancelation. In particular, in a hubodometer having a housing that rotates relative to a pendulous assembly, such operation includes detecting, by at least one orbiting sensor operatively connected to the pendulous assembly, an orbiting condition of the pendulous assembly, the orbiting condition being at least partly defined by an orbiting direction. Thereafter, and responsive to the detection of the orbiting condition, operation of the hubodometer further comprises applying, by an electric actuator operatively connected to the pendulous assembly, a countervailing force to the pendulous assembly in a direction opposite the orbiting direction. Through application of the countervailing force, the orbiting condition may be canceled.

A proximity sensor is provided with multiple channels and a proximity sensor chip (IC) connected to the multiple channels through a sensing line. The proximity sensor chip (IC) includes an internal temperature sensor, senses a first sensing value through the multiple channels, senses a second sensing value through the internal temperature sensor, and compensates the first sensing value through addition or subtraction of the second sensing value with respect to the first sensing value. The internal temperature sensor includes: a clock signal generator including a first oscillator and generating first clock signals variable according to temperature characteristics; and a temperature compensator generating second clock signals according to a setting condition corresponding to the first clock signals generated from the clock signal generator and outputting the second sensing value by counting the second clock signals through a second oscillator generating reference clock signals independent of temperature change.

A sensor device includes at least one sensor, a digital signal processor and an amplifier. The at least one sensor is configured to measure a variable physical quantity and provide a raw sensor signal at an output of the at least one sensor. The digital signal processor is configured to preprocess the raw sensor signal output by the at least one sensor into a sensor signal and to further process the sensor signal into a pulse-width-modulated output signal having a duty cycle that is dependent on the measured quantity using a plurality of device-specific correction parameters stored in a memory to convert the sensor signal into the pulse-width modulated output signal. The amplifier is configured to convert the pulse-width modulated output signal into an analog voltage or current signal.

An optical path shifting device includes: a holding frame holding a rectangular glass plate; a support part supporting the holding frame in a swingable state; an actuator causing the holding frame to swing; a magnetic sensor detecting a position of the holding frame; and a thermistor detecting a temperature of the magnetic sensor. A drive signal processing circuit includes: an amplifier amplifying a reference signal to generate a drive signal and supplying the drive signal to the actuator; and a signal processing unit inputting the reference signal and an amplifier gain to the amplifier. The signal processing unit performs gain adjustment processing to correct an amplitude value found from an output from the magnetic sensor, based on an output from the thermistor, and to adjust the amplifier gain, based on a corrected value.

A sensor includes a sensing element configured to generate a sensing element output signal indicative of a sensed parameter and a signal path responsive to the sensing element output signal and having at least one of an adjustable gain or an adjustable offset, wherein the signal path is configured to generate a sensor output signal indicative of the sensed parameter. A supply voltage detector is configured to generate a supply voltage signal indicative of which of a plurality of voltage ranges a supply voltage of the sensor falls within and at least one of the adjustable gain or the adjustable offset is adjustable in response to the supply voltage signal.

A motor control device is a device for controlling a drive of a DC motor which is interlocked with an output shaft portion of an actuator. The motor control device includes: a relative position obtainer detecting current fluctuations when switching a connection between a commutator and a brush in the DC motor or when rotating the DC motor and obtaining relative position information of the output shaft portion; and an absolute position obtainer obtaining absolute position information of the output shaft portion using a potentiometer. The motor control device further includes: an actual position setter setting actual position information of the output shaft portion based on at least one of the absolute position information and the relative position information.

A method for compensating for a temperature drift of an accelerometer for measuring the lateral tilt of a motorbike. When the vehicle is in the “bike upright” condition, and the temperature of the accelerometer is at least 30° C. above its reference temperature, a reading is taken of the acceleration values. These values are then processed in order to identify the coefficient of the slope of the straight line for correcting the offset of each axis of the accelerometer. A processing operation involves verifying the strict monotony of the coefficients in at least two successive readings and ensuring that the mean value thereof is included between determined limits. The mean coefficient that is finally obtained then can be used to correct the temperature of accelerations read over the entire operating range of the accelerometer. Thus, the computation of the tilt angle of the motorbike is more precise.

A magnetic sensor system includes an integrated circuit comprising a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a plurality of magnetic sensors configured for measuring at least two first magnetic field components oriented in a first direction, and for measuring at least two second magnetic field components oriented in a second direction; a permanent magnet movable relative to the integrated circuit and configured for generating a magnetic field. A processing circuit is configured for determining at least two physical quantities related to a position of the magnet, using a predefined algorithm based on the measured first and second magnetic field components or values derived therefrom, as inputs, and that uses a plurality of at least eight constants which are determined using machine learning. A force sensor system, a joystick or thumbstick system, and a method may use the magnetic sensor system.