Wheel capable of detecting direction of rotation

A method of sensing a direction of rotation of a wheel of a wheel assembly, the wheel having a plurality of objects mounted thereon in an angularly asymmetrical arrangement, wherein the number of said objects is at least three, and the objects are arranged in an angularly asymmetric arrangement on the wheel to form at least three different angles of separation between adjacent objects, the method comprising:

• generating, with a single magnetic sensor mounted to a non-rotating portion of the wheel assembly, a signal representing movement of the objects relative to the magnetic sensor as the wheel rotates, wherein the signal has a first pattern when the wheel rotates in a first direction, and has a second pattern that is different from the first pattern when the wheel rotates in a second direction, said different first and second patterns resulting from the angularly asymmetrical arrangement of the objects, wherein the magnetic sensor and the objects are positioned approximately equidistant from a center of the wheel;
• and
• by a controller coupled to the magnetic sensor, sensing said direction of rotation of the wheel by analyzing the pattern of said signal, whereby the controller senses the direction of rotation based solely on an output of the single magnetic sensor.

A method of sensing a direction of rotation of a wheel of a wheel assembly, the wheel having a plurality of objects mounted thereon in an angularly asymmetrical arrangement, wherein no two angles of separation between angularly adjacent objects are the same, the method comprising:

• generating, with a single magnetic sensor mounted to a non-rotating portion of the wheel assembly, a signal representing movement of the objects relative to the magnetic sensor as the wheel rotates, wherein the signal has a first pattern when the wheel rotates in a first direction, and has a second pattern that is different from the first pattern when the wheel rotates in a second direction, said different first and second patterns resulting from the angularly asymmetrical arrangement of the objects, wherein the magnetic sensor and the objects are positioned approximately equidistant from a center of the wheel;
• and
• by a controller coupled to the magnetic sensor, sensing said direction of rotation of the wheel by analyzing the pattern of said signal, whereby the controller senses the direction of rotation based solely on an output of the single magnetic sensor.