Current sensor system

A method for determining a current in one or more of a plurality of conductors, comprising:

• providing a plurality of current sensors each having one or more magnetic field sensors, wherein the plurality of current sensors comprises a first number of current sensors;
• providing a plurality of conductors, each configured to carry a current to be measured, wherein the plurality of conductors comprises a second number of conductors that is equal to the first number of current sensors, wherein the one or more magnetic field sensors of each current sensor are configured to generate a respective magnetic field signal indicative of a detected magnetic field;
• positioning each of the plurality of current sensors in proximity to a respective one of the plurality of conductors and spaced from the other ones of the plurality of conductors;
• for each current sensor, characterizing a magnetic coupling between the current sensor and each of the plurality of conductors by determining an intended coupling factor indicative of a magnetic coupling between the current sensor and the respective one of the plurality of conductors and determining one or more parasitic coupling factors indicative of a magnetic coupling between the respective one of the plurality of conductors and the other ones of the plurality of current sensors;
• forming a coupling matrix containing the intended coupling factor and the one of more parasitic coupling factors;
• and
• using the coupling matrix to determine the current in one or more of the plurality of conductors.

A method for determining a current in one or more conductors of a current sensor system comprising a plurality of current sensors, each positioned proximate to a respective one of a plurality of conductors and spaced from one or more other ones of the plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of current sensors comprises a first number of current sensors and the plurality of conductors comprises a second number of conductors equal to the first number of current sensors, the method comprising:

• for each of the plurality of conductors, providing a reference current to the conductor and measuring an output signal of the respective current sensor and each of the other ones of the plurality of current sensors;
• generating a coupling matrix comprising, for each of the plurality of current sensors, an intended coupling factor indicative of a magnetic coupling between the current sensor and the respective one of the plurality of conductors and one or more parasitic coupling factors indicative of a magnetic coupling between the respective one of the plurality of conductors and the other ones of the plurality of current sensors;
• determining an inverse coupling matrix based on the coupling matrix;
• and
• using the inverse coupling matrix to determine a current in one or more of the plurality of conductors.

A current sensor system comprising:

• a plurality of means for detecting a magnetic field signal, each positioned proximate to a respective one of a plurality of conductors configured to carry a current to be measured and spaced from one or more other ones of the plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of means comprises a first number of means and wherein the plurality of conductors comprises a second number of conductors and wherein the first number and the second number are equal;
• and
• means coupled to each of the plurality of magnetic field detecting means for determining a magnetic coupling between the magnetic field detecting means and each of the plurality of conductors, the magnetic coupling determining means configured to:
• determine an intended coupling factor indicative of a magnetic coupling between the magnetic field detecting means and the respective conductor and one or more parasitic coupling factors indicative of a magnetic coupling between the magnetic field detecting means and the other ones of the plurality of conductors;
• generate a coupling matrix comprising the intended coupling factor and the one or more parasitic coupling factors for each of the plurality of magnetic field detecting means, and an inverse coupling matrix corresponding to an inverse matrix of the coupling matrix;
• and
• use the coupling matrix to determine the current in one or more of the plurality of conductors.