# US 12,111,187 B2 · Inductive position sensor with coil configuration

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- Number: US 12,111,187 B2
- Document ID: US12111187B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/939,185
- Filed: 2022-09-07
- Published: 2023-03-23
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-17
- Assignees: Sensata Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Sensata Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Harshad V. Tadas; Thomas A. Simbron
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111187B2

## CPC

- G01D 5/204: {by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils (G01D5/22 takes precedence)}
- G01D 5/2073: {by movement of a single coil with respect to two or more coils}
- G01D 5/2086: {by movement of two or more coils with respect to two or more other coils}
- 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

Coil configurations for sensing devices, and related methods are directed towards a sensor including an inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit. The inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit may include a first coil arranged in parallel with a second coil. The inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit may further include an oscillator in electronic communication with the first coil and the second coil. The first inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit may also include at least one capacitor positioned between the oscillator and at least one of the first coil and the second coil.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sensor comprising:
an inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit comprising:
a first transmit coil of a first layer of a printed circuit board electrically arranged in parallel with a second transmit coil of a second layer of the printed circuit board;
an oscillator implemented via an integrated circuit, the oscillator in electronic communication with the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil;
one or more capacitors;
one or more resistors; and
at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors and at least one resistor of the one or more resistors positioned between the oscillator and the first transmit coil, wherein the first transmit coil is electrically arranged in parallel with the second transmit coil,
wherein a value of the at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors is in a range of 900 pF to 3600 pF in order to increase filtering of a harmonic frequency produced, at least in part, by the oscillator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a first receive coil positioned proximate to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil such that upon introduction of current to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil, the first receive coil becomes coupled to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil by mutual inductance coupling.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The sensor of claim 2, further comprising:
a second receive coil positioned proximate to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil such that upon introduction of current to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil, the second receive coil becomes coupled to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil by mutual inductance coupling.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The sensor of claim 3, the first receive coil corresponds to a sine waveform and the second receive coil corresponds to a cosine waveform.

### Claim 5

A method comprising:
electrically arranging, in an inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit, a first transmit coil of a first layer of a printed circuit board in parallel with a second transmit coil of a second layer of the printed circuit board;
providing an oscillator implemented via an integrated circuit, the oscillator in electronic communication with the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil;
providing one or more capacitors;
providing one or more resistors; and
positioning at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors and at least one resistor of the one or more resistors between the oscillator and the first transmit coil, wherein the first transmit coil is electrically arranged in parallel with the second transmit coil,
wherein a value of the at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors is in a range of 900 pF to 3600 pF in order to increase filtering of a harmonic frequency produced, at least in part, by the oscillator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
positioning a first receive coil proximate to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil such that upon introduction of current to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil, the first receive coil becomes coupled to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil by mutual inductance coupling.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
positioning a second receive coil proximate to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil such that upon introduction of current to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil, the second receive coil becomes coupled to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil by mutual inductance coupling.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein electrically arranging the first transmit coil in parallel with the second transmit coil decreases a corresponding inductance of the first and second transmit coils as compared to electrically arranging the first transmit coil in series with the second transmit coil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein decreasing the corresponding inductance of the first and second transmit coils allows for increasing a capacitance of the at least one capacitor without falling below an associated resonance frequency threshold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein meeting or exceeding the associated resonance frequency threshold allows for increased filtering of the harmonic frequency produced, at least in part, by the oscillator.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein increasing the filtering of the harmonic frequency produced, at least in part, by the oscillator reduces at least one of a conducted emission associated with the oscillator and a radiated emission associated with the oscillator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein reducing at least one of the conducted emission and the radiated emission associated with the oscillator allows for maintaining or increasing the signal strength associated with the inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit, and maintaining or increasing the signal strength allows for maintaining or increasing accuracy of the sensor.

### Claim 13

An inductive position sensor comprising:
an inductance-capacitance oscillating circuit comprising:
a first transmit coil of a first layer of a printed circuit board electrically arranged in parallel with a second transmit coil of a second layer of the printed circuit board;
an oscillator implemented via an integrated circuit, the oscillator in electronic communication with the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil;
one or more capacitors;
one or more resistors; and
at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors and at least one resistor of the one or more resistors positioned between the oscillator and the first transmit coil, wherein the first transmit coil is electrically arranged in parallel with the second transmit coil, and
wherein a value of the at least one capacitor of the one or more capacitors is in a range of 900 pF to 3600 pF in order to increase filtering of a harmonic frequency produced, at least in part, by the oscillator; and
a first receive coil and a second receive coil positioned proximate to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil such that upon introduction of current to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil, at least one of the first receive coil and the second receive coil becomes coupled to the first transmit coil and the second transmit coil by mutual inductance coupling,
wherein electrically arranging the first transmit coil in parallel with the second transmit coil allows, at least in part, maintaining or increasing accuracy of the inductive position sensor as compared to electrically arranging the first transmit coil in series with the second transmit coil.
