Magnetic sensor and magnetic detecting method of the same

A magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic field components in two axis directions or three axis directions, the magnetic sensor comprising an arrangement pattern including:

• three or more magnetic detectors disposed to be parallel to one another and parallel to a substrate plane;
• and
• a first to a third magnetic flux concentrator units disposed to be parallel to one another and parallel to the substrate plane, wherein
• the first to the third magnetic flux concentrator units are disposed to form respective magnetic paths of a magnetic flux component from the second magnetic flux concentrator unit to the first magnetic flux concentrator unit and a magnetic flux component from the second magnetic flux concentrator unit to the third magnetic flux concentrator unit, when a magnetic field is inputted in a longitudinal direction of the second magnetic flux concentrator unit,
• the three or more magnetic detectors are divided into a first magnetic detector group disposed between the second magnetic flux concentrator unit and the first magnetic flux concentrator unit and a second magnetic detector group disposed between the second magnetic flux concentrator unit and the third magnetic flux concentrator unit.

A magnetic detecting method for detecting magnetic field components in two axis directions on the basis of outputs from a first and a second magnetic detectors sandwiched between a first and a second magnetic flux concentrator units and of a output from a third magnetic detector sandwiched between the second and a third magnetic flux concentrator units, wherein

• the first to the third magnetic detectors have a sensitive axis in an identical first axis direction, and
• the magnetic detecting method comprising:
• calculating a magnetic field component in a second axis direction on the basis of a value based on the output from the first magnetic detector and a value based on the output from the third magnetic detector;
• and
• calculating a magnetic field component in a third axis direction on the basis of the value based on the output from the first magnetic detector and a value based on the output from the second magnetic detector.

A magnetic detecting method for detecting magnetic field components in two axis directions on the basis of outputs from a first and a second magnetic detectors sandwiched between a first and a second magnetic flux concentrator units and of outputs from a third and a fourth magnetic detectors sandwiched between the second and a third magnetic flux concentrator units, wherein

• the first to the fourth magnetic detectors have a sensitive axis in an identical first axis direction, and
• the magnetic detecting method comprising:
• calculating a magnetic field component in a second axis direction on the basis of a value obtained by subtracting a sum of values based on the outputs from the first and the second magnetic detectors from a sum of values based on the outputs from the third and the fourth magnetic detectors;
• and
• calculating a magnetic field component in a third axis direction on the basis of a value obtained by subtracting a sum of the values based on the outputs from the first and the third magnetic detectors from a sum of the values based on the outputs from the second and the fourth magnetic detectors, or
• calculating the magnetic field component in the second axis direction on the basis of the output from the first magnetic detector and the output from the third magnetic detector;
• and
• calculating the magnetic field component in the third axis direction on the basis of the output from the first magnetic detector and the output from the second magnetic detector.