# US 10,480,958 B2 · Sensor arrangement for position sensing

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- Number: US 10,480,958 B2
- Document ID: US10480958B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/967,631
- Filed: 2015-12-14
- Published: 2016-06-02
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-28
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Angeliki Pantazi; Abu Sebastian; Tomas Tuma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480958B2

## CPC

- G01D 5/16: by varying resistance
- G01B 7/003: {for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination (coordinate measuring G01B7/004)}
- G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)}
- G01R 33/09: Magnetoresistive devices
- G01R 33/091: {Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications}
- G11B 5/39: using magneto-resistive devices {or effects}
- G11B 5/3903: {using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures}
- G11B 5/3932: {Magnetic biasing films}
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)

## Abstract

A sensor arrangement for position sensing comprises a magnetic field source and a magnetoresistive element arranged in a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source, which magnetoresistive element provides an output signal (R) dependent on a position (x) of the magnetoresistive element relative to the magnetic field source. A feedback controller is configured to receive the output signal (R) of the magnetoresistive element and is configured to adjust one or more of the position (x) of the magnetoresistive element relative to the magnetic field source and a strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source acting on the magnetoresistive element dependent on the output signal (R) of the magnetoresistive element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for supporting determining the position of an object, the method comprising:
coupling one of a magnetic field source and a magnetoresistive element with the object;
arranging the magnetoresistive element in a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source;
receiving an output signal (R) from the magnetoresistive element dependent on its position (x) relative to the magnetic field source;
adjusting a strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source based on the output signal (R) of the magnetoresistive element; and
adjusting a distance between the magnetic field source and the magnetoresistive element based on a detected change in the output signal (R) caused by the adjustment of the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the object is determined dependent on one or more of:
an adjustment of the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source, and
the output signal (R).