Resettable closed-loop multi-turn magnetic sensor
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorGavin Patrick Cosgrave
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a resettable closed-loop multi-turn magnetic sensor. In one aspect, the sensor includes a nanowire forming a plurality of loops, a plurality of domain orientation sensors configured to detect locations of a pair of domain walls within the nanowire, and an initialization circuit configured to inject the pair of domain walls into the nanowire. The nanowire forms a closed-loop via a bridge crossing connecting two of the loops.
Claims18
A multi-turn magnetic sensor, comprising:
- a nanowire forming a plurality of loops;
- a plurality of domain orientation sensors configured to detect locations of a pair of domain walls within the nanowire;
- and
- an initialization circuit configured to inject the pair of domain walls into the nanowire,
- wherein the nanowire forms a closed-loop via a bridge crossing connecting two of the loops, the bridge crossing forming the nanowire into a continuous closed-loop without any intersections, and
- wherein the initialization circuit comprises a first set of metal traces that cross each loop of the plurality of loops at a first crossing and a second crossing, a first spacing between the metal traces at the first crossing being different that a second spacing between the metal traces at the second crossing.
A method for initializing a closed-loop multi-turn magnetic sensor, comprising:
- measuring an external magnetic field;
- determining a magnitude of one or more reset currents based on the measured external magnetic field;
- and
- applying the one or more reset currents to inject a pair of domain walls into the closed loop magnetic sensor.
A magnetic multi-turn angle sensor system, comprising:
- a printed circuit board (PCB);
- a multi-turn (MT) sensor disposed on the PCB;
- an angle sensor disposed on the PCB;
- and
- a processing circuit disposed on the PCB, the processing circuit is configured to receive output signals from the MT sensor and the angle sensor and process the received signals to provide a rotational angle position,
- wherein the MT sensor comprises:
- a nanowire forming a plurality of loops,
- a plurality of domain orientation sensors configured to detect locations of a pair of domain walls within the nanowire, and
- an initialization circuit configured to inject the pair of domain walls into the nanowire, the initialization circuit comprising a first set of metal traces that cross each loop of the plurality of loops at a first crossing and a second crossing, a first spacing between the metal traces at the first crossing being different that a second spacing between the metal traces at the second crossing,
- wherein the nanowire forms a closed-loop via a bridge crossing connecting two of the loops.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.