Systems and methods for utilizing two-dimensional displacement for inductive sensing
AssigneeCirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
InventorCaleb PETRIE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inductive sensing system may include an inductive coil, a conductive target having a conductive region with a spatially varying effective area positioned at a fixed separation distance from the inductive coil and magnetically coupled to the inductive coil such that a width of the conductive region in proximity to the inductive coil varies along a sensing path, and an inductance detector coupled to the inductive coil and configured to measure a parameter indicative of inductance of the inductive coil that varies with an overlap between the conductive region and the inductive coil such that the parameter varies with a position of the conductive target along the sensing path based on the parameter.
Claims18
An inductive sensing system, comprising:
- an inductive coil;
- a conductive target having a conductive region with a spatially varying effective area positioned at a fixed separation distance from the inductive coil and magnetically coupled to the inductive coil such that a width of the conductive region in proximity to the inductive coil varies along a sensing path;
- and
- an inductance detector coupled to the inductive coil and configured to measure a parameter indicative of inductance of the inductive coil that varies with an overlap between the conductive region and the inductive coil such that the parameter varies with a position of the conductive target along the sensing path based on the parameter.
A method of inductive sensing, the method comprising:
- positioning a conductive target having a conductive region with a spatially varying effective area at a fixed separation distance from an inductive coil such that the conductive target is magnetically coupled to the inductive coil and a width of the conductive region in proximity to the inductive coil varies along a sensing path;
- translating the conductive target along the sensing path to vary an overlap between the conductive region and the inductive coil;
- measuring, with an inductance detector coupled to the inductive coil, a parameter indicative of an inductance of the inductive coil that varies with the overlap between the conductive region and the inductive coil;
- and
- determining a position of the conductive target along the sensing path based on the parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.