US 12,276,498 B2
Angular position sensor system
Lionel Tombez, Bevaix (CH)
Assigned to MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA, Bevaix (CH)
Filed by Melexis Technologies SA, Bevaix (CH)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/730,796.
Claims priority of application No. 21172893 (EP), filed on May 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0357144 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G01B 7/30 (2006.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01); G01D 5/244 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 7/30 (2013.01) [G01D 5/145 (2013.01); G01D 5/24466 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An angular position sensor system, comprising:
a two-pole magnet rotatable about a rotation axis;
a magnetic sensor device comprising a plurality of horizontal Hall elements including at least a first, a second and a third horizontal Hall element located on a virtual circle, the circle having a centre located on the rotation axis;
wherein the first and the second horizontal Hall element are angularly spaced by 90°, and wherein the first and the third horizontal Hall element are angularly spaced by 180°;
wherein the magnetic sensor device further comprises a processing unit connected to the first, second and third horizontal Hall element for obtaining a first, second and third signal, and configured for determining a first pairwise difference between the first and second sensor signal, and for determining a second pairwise difference between the second and third sensor signal, and for determining an angular position of the magnetic sensor device relative to the magnet based on a ratio of the first and the second pairwise difference;
wherein the plurality of horizontal Hall elements further comprises a fourth horizontal Hall element situated on said virtual circle, and spaced 180° from the second horizontal Hall element, and wherein the processing unit is further connected to the fourth horizontal Hall element for receiving a fourth sensor signal; and
wherein the processing unit is further configured for one or more or all of the following:
i) determining a third pairwise difference between the third sensor signal and the fourth sensor signal, and for determining a second angle of the magnetic sensor device based on a ratio of the second pairwise difference and the third pairwise difference;
ii) determining a third pairwise difference between the third sensor signal and the fourth sensor signal, and determining a fourth pairwise difference between the first sensor signal and the fourth sensor signal, and for determining a third angle of the magnetic sensor device based on a ratio of the third pairwise difference and the fourth pairwise difference, or
iii) determining a fourth pairwise difference between the first sensor signal and the fourth sensor signal, and for determining a fourth angle of the magnetic sensor device based on a ratio of the fourth pairwise difference and the first pairwise difference.