Counting sensor having a correction function

Counting sensor for counting the number of revolutions or linear displacements of an object, wherein the counting sensor has the following:

• one single Wiegand module, which is composed of a Wiegand wire having a coil which encloses the Wiegand wire;
• at least one sensor element;
• a processing electronics, which is connected to the sensor element and configured to evaluate an output signal that is output from the sensor element;
• and
• a permanent magnet arrangement, which is movable relative to the Wiegand module in one direction as well as in a direction that is opposite to said one direction, wherein the permanent magnet arrangement is configured to be arranged at the object such that the permanent magnet arrangement performs the revolutions or the linear displacements together with the object;
• wherein:
• upon movement of the permanent magnet arrangement in said one direction, the coil of the Wiegand module generates a voltage impulse, if a north pole or a south pole of the permanent magnet arrangement is located at a first position, and, upon movement of the permanent magnet arrangement in said opposite direction, the coil of the Wiegand module generates the voltage impulse, if the north pole or the south pole of the permanent magnet arrangement is located at a second position that is different from the first position,
• in an autonomous mode, in which the counting sensor is not supplied with outside energy, the processing electronics is supplied with energy that is provided by the Wiegand module,
• the processing electronics is configured, after detecting the voltage impulse that is output from the Wiegand module, to
• (i) obtain, by an evaluation of the output signal of the sensor elements, direction informations indicating whether the permanent magnet arrangement moves in said one direction or in said opposite direction, and (ii) to obtain, by an evaluation of the output signal of the sensor element or by a determination of the polarity of the voltage impulse that is generated by the coil of the Wiegand module, magnetic pole informations indicating whether the north pole or the south pole of the permanent magnet arrangement is located at said first or said second position;
• and
• a data storage for storing a value, which indicates the number of the revolutions or of the linear displacements;
• wherein
• the processing electronics is configured (i) to incorporate both the direction informations and the magnetic pole informations in a sequence, to determine the number of the revolutions or of the linear displacements of the object on the basis of the direction informations and the magnetic pole informations, and to store the corresponding value in the data storage, (ii) to perform, on the basis of the sequence of the direction informations and the magnetic pole informations, an error detection indicating whether one of the revolutions or one of the linear displacements of the object has not been detected partially or completely, and (iii) upon detection of the error, to determine a corresponding correction of said number and to correct said value.