Magnetic field sensors and output signal formats for magnetic field sensors

A method comprising:

• generating a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with an object having a plurality of features;
• generating a detector signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of an amplified signal generated using at least the magnetic field signal and to a threshold signal and occurring at a rate corresponding to a speed of motion of the object;
• determining if a frequency of the magnetic field signal is within a first range or a second range;
• and
• generating, on a first output line, an output signal having a first format comprising a first predetermined amount of pulses for each feature of the object responsive to the determination being that the frequency of the magnetic field signal is within the first range and having a second format comprising a second predetermined amount of pulses for each feature of the object different than the first predetermined amount of pulses responsive to the determination being that the frequency of the magnetic field signal is within the second range, different than the first range;
• and
• providing, on a second output line, an indication of whether the frequency of the magnetic field signal is within the first range or within the second range.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with an object having a plurality of features;
• means for generating a detector signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of an amplified signal generated using at least the magnetic field signal and to a threshold signal and occurring at a rate corresponding to a speed of motion of the object;
• means for determining if the speed of the motion of the object is within a first range or a second range;
• and
• output means for generating, on a first output line, an output signal having a first format responsive to the determination being that the speed of motion of the object is within a first range and having a second format different than the first format responsive to the determination being that the speed of motion of the object is within a second range, different than the first range, wherein the first output signal format comprises a first predetermined amount of pulses for each feature of the object and wherein the second output signal format comprises a second predetermined amount of pulses for each feature of the object, wherein the first predetermined amount of pulses is different than the second predetermined amount of pulses, the output means further for providing, on a second output line, an indication of whether the speed of the motion of the object is within the first range or within the second range.