Magnetic-field sensor and method of calibrating a magnetic-field sensor

A magnetic-field sensor comprising:

• a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements selectable for forming different measurement arrangements, each measurement arrangement comprising a measurement tap, wherein the sensor elements are arranged in a laterally offset manner on a chip of the magnetic-field sensor, and
• a control circuit coupled to the measurement taps of the measurement arrangements;
• wherein the control circuit is formed to supply the measurement arrangements with an excitation signal to generate a tappable measuring signal at each measurement tap of the measurement arrangements, further formed to detect measuring signals of at least two measurement arrangements over at least one period of a magnetic field periodically changing at least in portions, further formed to evaluate the detected measuring signals by determining the respective maximum and minimum measuring values of the detected measuring signals, and formed to determine the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference of the respective maximum and minimum measuring values and to select the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference for all subsequent measurement operations until a further calibration is performed.

A non-transitory storage medium with a program recorded thereon, the program with a program code for performing, when the program is executed on a processor, a method of calibrating a magnetic-field sensor comprising a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements selectable for forming different measurement arrangements, each measurement arrangement comprising a measurement tap, wherein the sensor elements are arranged in a laterally offset manner on a chip of the magnetic-field sensor, and wherein the magnetic-field sensor is exposed to a magnetic field periodically changing at least in portions, the method comprising supplying the measurement arrangements with an excitation signal, to generate a tappable measuring signal at each measurement tap of the measurement arrangement, detecting the measuring signals of at least two measurement arrangements over at least one period of the magnetic field, evaluating the detected measuring signals by determining the respective maximum and minimum measuring values of the detected measuring signals, and determining the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference of the respective maximum and minimum measuring values and selecting the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference for all subsequent measurement operations until a further calibration is performed.

A non-transitory storage medium with a program recorded thereon, the program with a program code for performing, when the program is executed on a processor, a method of calibrating a magnetic-field sensor comprising a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements selectable for forming different measurement arrangements, each measurement arrangement comprising a measurement tap, wherein the sensor elements are arranged in a laterally offset manner on a chip of the magnetic-field sensor, wherein the magnetic-field sensor is exposed to a magnetic field periodically changing at least in portions, and wherein a common sensor element belongs to two different measurement arrangements, the method comprising supplying the measurement arrangements with an excitation signal, to generate a tappable measuring signal at each measurement tap of the measurement arrangement, detecting the measuring signals of at least two measurement arrangements over at least one period of the magnetic field, evaluating the detected measuring signals by determining the respective maximum and minimum measuring values of the detected measuring signals, and determining the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference of the respective maximum and minimum measuring values and selecting the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference for a measurement operation.

A non-transitory storage medium with a program recorded thereon, the program with a program code for performing, when the program is executed on a processor, a method of calibrating a magnetic-field sensor comprising a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements selectable for forming different measurement arrangements, each measurement arrangement comprising a measurement tap, wherein the sensor elements are arranged in a laterally offset manner on a chip of the magnetic-field sensor, wherein the magnetic-field sensor is exposed to a magnetic field periodically changing at least in portions, and wherein the measurements arrangements are formed into bridge with a common power supply, the method comprising supplying the measurement arrangements with an excitation signal, to generate a tappable measuring signal at each measurement tap of the measurement arrangement, detecting the measuring signals of at least two measurement arrangements over at least one period of the magnetic field, evaluating the detected measuring signals by determining the respective maximum and minimum measuring values of the detected measuring signals, and determining the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference of the respective maximum and minimum measuring values and selecting the measurement arrangement with the greatest difference for a measurement operation.