Magnetic Field Sensors and Method for Determining Position and Orientation of a Magnet

A magnetic field sensor for determining a position of a magnet, the position identified by one or more position variables, the magnetic field sensor comprises:

• one or more magnetic field sensing element operable to generate one or more magnetic field measurements of the magnet and an associated one or more measured magnetic field variable values;
• a first module for identifying calculated magnetic field variable values associated with a plurality of positions of the magnet;
• a second module operable to perform an optimization process to determine a value of a distance function, the distance function using the one or more measured magnetic field variable values and the calculated magnetic field variable values;
• and
• a third module operable to determine the position of the magnet by associating the value of the distance function with corresponding values of the one or more position variables.

A magnetic field sensor for determining a position of a magnet, the position identified by one or more position variables, the magnetic field sensor comprises:

• means for generating one or more magnetic field measurements of the magnet and an associated one or more measured magnetic field variable values using one or more magnetic field sensing elements;
• means for identifying calculated magnetic field variable values associated with a plurality of positions of the magnet;
• means for performing an optimization process to determine a value of a distance function, the distance function using the one or more measured magnetic field variable values and the calculated magnetic field variable values;
• and
• means for determining the position of the magnet by associating the value of the distance function with corresponding values of the one or more position variables.