Sensor system for rotation angular detection and 3d joystick function

A sensor system for use in a joystick, comprising:

• a magnetic field sensor having a sensitive surface,
• a first magnetic source, rotatably mounted relative to the sensitive surface, for generating a first magnetic field contribution of at least quadrupolar order at the sensitive surface, a rotating movement of the first magnetic source with respect to the sensitive surface being defined by a rotation angle, and
• a second magnetic source, pivotable to a plurality of source orientations with respect to the sensitive surface, for generating a second magnetic field contribution at the sensitive surface, each source orientation with respect to the sensitive surface being defined by two angular directions,
• wherein the magnetic field sensor is configured for:
• detecting at least an in-plane component of a superimposition field of the generated first and second magnetic field contributions for each of a plurality of lateral measurement locations provided on the sensitive surface, the plurality of lateral measurement locations being arranged laterally and into at least two pairs of diametrically opposite measurement locations with respect to a center location on the sensitive surface, for detecting at least the same in-plane component of the superimposition field at the measurement locations corresponding to a same pair,
• obtaining measurements indicative of a field gradient for at least two in-plane components of the first magnetic field contribution, based on a plurality of detected spatial components of the superimposition field corresponding to the plurality of lateral measurement locations,
• obtaining measurements indicative of a field mean for at least two in-plane components of the second magnetic field contribution at the center location, based on a plurality of detected spatial components of the superimposition field corresponding to the plurality of lateral measurement locations and/or based on at least two further detected in-plane components of the superimposition field at the center location, determining the rotation angle for the first magnetic source from the obtained field gradient measurements and the two angular directions for the second magnetic source from the obtained field mean measurements.