US 12,352,607 B2
Position sensing method
Alexander Latham, Harvard, MA (US); and Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Bures sur Yvette (FR)
Assigned to Allegro MicroSystems, LLC, Manchester, NH (US)
Filed by Allegro MicroSystems, LLC, Manchester, NH (US)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/809,382.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417579 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G01D 5/20 (2006.01)
CPC G01D 5/2086 (2013.01) [G01D 2205/40 (2021.05)] 38 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a target including: (i) a first array of conductive features that are arranged in a line or arc and separated from one another by voids, (ii) a second array of conductive features that are arranged in a line or arc and separated from one another by voids, the conductive features in the first array being staggered with respect to the conductive features in the second array, and (iii) a spine, wherein the target has a flat shape, the first array of conductive features and the second array of conductive features are coupled to the spine, the conductive features in the first array extend from the spine in first direction, and the conductive features in the second array extend from the spine in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction;
a first receiving coil array configured to sense a first magnetic field that is associated with the first array of conductive features; and
a second receiving coil array configured to sense a second magnetic field that is associated with the second array of conductive features.
 
8. A target, comprising:
a spine;
a first array of conductive features that are coupled to the spine and separated from one another by voids, the first array including N conductive features, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; and
a second array of conductive features that are coupled to the spine and are separated from one another by voids, the second array including N+I conductive features, where I is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1,
wherein any of the conductive features in the first array is aligned with at least one of: (i) a respective conductive feature in the second array, and/or (ii) a respective void that separates conductive features in the second array, and
wherein the spine has a flat shape, the conductive features in the first array extend in a first direction, and the conductive features in the second array extend in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.
 
20. A system, comprising:
a target including: (i) first array of conductive features that are arranged in a line and separated from one another by voids, the first array including N conductive features, where N is a positive integer greater than 1, (ii) a second array of conductive features that are arranged in a line and separated from one another by voids, the second array including N+I conductive features, where I is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, and (iii) a spine, wherein the target has a flat shape, the first array of conductive features and the second array of conductive features are coupled to the spine, the conductive features in the first array extend from the spine in a first direction, and the conductive features in the second array extend from the spine in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction;
a first receiving coil array configured to sense a first magnetic field that is associated with the first array of conductive features; and
a second receiving coil array configured to sense a second magnetic field that is associated with the second array of conductive features.
 
35. A system, comprising:
a processing circuitry configured to:
generate a signal Sd that is indicative of a position of a target that includes a first array of conductive features and a second array of conductive features, the signal Sd being generated based on a signal S1 and a signal S2, the signal S1 being generated in response to a first magnetic field that is associated with the first array of conductive features, and the signal S2 being generated in response to a second magnetic field that is associated with the second array of conductive features;
generate a first index signal based on the signal Sd and generate an electrical angle signal Ua1 based on the signal S1 and the first index signal;
generate a second index signal based on the signal Sd and generate an electrical angle signal Ua2 based on the signal S2 and second index signal; and
generate an output signal Sout based on the electrical angle signals Ua1 and Ua2, the output signal Sout being indicative of a position of the target.