Magnetic sensor devices and methods for determining a rotation direction of a magnetic component about a rotation axis

A magnetic sensor device comprising:

• a bridge circuit with a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge,
• wherein a first resistive element of the second half-bridge is arranged between a first resistive element and a second resistive element of the first half-bridge along a spatial direction,
• wherein the second resistive element of the first half-bridge is arranged between the first resistive element of the second half-bridge and a second resistive element of the second half-bridge along the spatial direction,
• wherein the first resistive element of the first half-bridge and the first resistive element of the second half-bridge are coupled to a first electric potential,
• wherein the second resistive element of the first half-bridge and the second resistive element of the second half-bridge are coupled to a second electric potential,
• wherein at least one of the first resistive element and the second resistive element of the first half-bridge comprises a magnetoresistive structure,
• wherein at least one of the first resistive element and the second resistive element of the second half-bridge comprises a magnetoresistive structure, and
• wherein a geometric center of the first half-bridge is different from a geometric center of the second half-bridge;
• and
• a switching circuit configured to couple a first input node of the first half-bridge and a first input node of the second half-bridge to the first electric potential and a second input node of the first half-bridge and a second input node of the second half-bridge to the second electric potential in a first mode of operation, and to couple the first input node of the first half-bridge and the second input node of the second half-bridge to the first electric potential and the second input node of the first half-bridge and the first input node of the second half-bridge to the second electric potential in a second mode of operation.

A method for determining a rotation direction of a magnetic component about a rotation axis using a bridge circuit with a first half-bridge and a second half-bridge, wherein each of the first half-bridge and the second half-bridge comprises at least one magnetoresistive structure, the method comprising:

• determining the rotation direction of the magnetic component based on a phase difference between an output signal of the first half-bridge and an output signal of the second half-bridge;
• coupling a first input node of the first half-bridge and a first input node of the second half-bridge to a first electric potential and a second input node of the first half-bridge and a second input node of the second half-bridge to a second electric potential in a first mode of operation;
• and
• coupling the first input node of the first half-bridge and the second input node of the second half-bridge to the first electric potential and the second input node of the first half-bridge and the first input node of the second half-bridge to the second electric potential in a second mode of operation.