# US 11,441,888 B2 · Turn counter and sensing of a rotational angle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,888 B2 - Document ID: US11441888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/922,714 - Filed: 2020-07-07 - Published: 2021-01-21 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-19 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG - Applicants: Infineon Technologies AG - Inventors: Udo Ausserlechner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441888B2 ## CPC - G01B 7/30: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes - G01D 5/2451: {Incremental encoders (G01D5/2454 takes precedence)} - G01D 5/16: by varying resistance - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - 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 ## Abstract An off-axis counter is suggested that is arranged to count magnetic poles of a magnetic field source that turns around a rotation axis modulo an integer number. Also, a rotation angle sensing device and a method for determining a rotation angle are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: an off-axis counter configured to count magnetic poles of a magnetic field source that turns around a rotation axis modulo an integer number, wherein the integer number equals a multiple of a number of pole pairs of the magnetic field source, wherein the number of pole pairs is a first number, and wherein the off-axis counter comprises at least one circuitry configured to: convert a detected magnetic pattern to a second number, and map the second number to an interval that corresponds to counting modulo the integer number. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field source is mechanically fixed on a shaft and the magnetic field source comprises at least one of: a permanent magnet; a ring magnet; or an injection molded ferrite. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the integer number is programmable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field source is a multipole magnet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the integer number equals an integer multiple of a number P of pole pairs of the multipole magnet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the multipole magnet is a ring-shaped magnet or a donut-shaped magnet, and wherein the magnetic poles of the multipole magnet are arranged on a plane, a curved surface at a bottom, or a top of at least one of: the ring-shaped magnet or the donut-shaped magnet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The device according to claim 4, wherein the multipole magnet is a ring-shaped magnet or a donut-shaped magnet, and wherein poles of the multipole magnet are arranged on a curved surface of the ring-shaped magnet or the donut-shaped magnet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the off-axis counter is implemented as a system on a chip or in a package adjacent to an additional sensing element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the off-axis counter is arranged on a circle concentric to the rotation axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the off-axis counter comprises a micro-magnetic loop structure with a magnetization pattern, and wherein the micro-magnetic loop structure is arranged to monitor a magnetic field projected on a main surface of the micro-magnetic loop structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device according to claim 10, wherein the micro-magnetic loop structure is a loop structure on a layer of a magneto-resistor (XMR) device, wherein the layer of the XMR device is a free layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The device according to claim 10, wherein the detected magnetic pattern is detected by the micro-magnetic loop structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the off-axis counter is implemented on a chip, which comprises a main surface such that rotations of a magnetic field component are counted, which is substantially parallel to the main surface. ### Claim 14 A rotation angle sensing device comprising: a magnetic field source that is mechanically couplable to a rotatable shaft; at least one magnetic angle sensing element that is configured to detect a magnetic field of the magnetic field source, wherein the at least one magnetic angle sensing element is arranged around a rotation axis on at least one plane that is perpendicular to the rotation axis; an off-axis counter configured to count magnetic poles of the magnetic field source that turns around the rotation axis modulo an integer number, wherein the integer number equals a multiple of a number of pole pairs of the magnetic field source, wherein the number of pole pairs is a first number, and wherein the off-axis counter comprises at least one circuitry configured to: convert a detected magnetic pattern to a second number, and map the second number to an interval that corresponds to counting modulo the integer number. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The rotation angle sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the magnetic field source is a multipole magnet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The rotation angle sensing device according to claim 14, further comprising: circuitry that is coupled to the at least one sensing element and the off-axis counter, and is configured to provide a signal indicative of a rotational position of the magnetic field source around the rotation axis by combining signals from the at least one sensing element and the off-axis counter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A method for determining a rotation angle utilizing a rotation angle sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises: providing a signal indicative of a rotational position of the magnetic field source around the rotation axis by combining signals from the at least one sensing element and the off-axis counter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The rotation angle sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the detected magnetic pattern is detected by a micro-magnetic loop structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The rotation angle sensing device according to claim 18, wherein the micro-magnetic loop structure is a loop structure on a layer of a magneto-resistor (XMR) device, wherein the layer of the XMR device is a free layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The rotation angle sensing device according to claim 14, wherein the off-axis counter comprises a micro-magnetic loop structure with a magnetization pattern, and wherein the micro-magnetic loop structure is arranged to monitor a magnetic field projected on a main surface of the micro-magnetic loop structure.