Patents by Inventor Zhimin Zhou

Zhimin Zhou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190280650
    Abstract: A balanced magnetoresistive frequency mixer comprises a first spiral coil, a second spiral coil, a balanced magnetoresistive sensor bridge, and a magnetic shielding layer. The coils are located between the magnetic shielding layer and the sensor bridge. The sensor bridge comprises a magnetoresistive full bridge consisting of four bridge arms and a balancing bridge arm connected to the power supply end of the full bridge. The four bridge arms contain pairs located in a first sub region and a second sub region above or below the first spiral coil, the balancing arm is located in a third sub region above or below the second spiral coil, a first frequency signal is input into the first spiral coil, a second frequency signal is input into the second spiral coil, and a frequency-mixed signal is output from a signal output end of the full bridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10401440
    Abstract: A single-package high-field magnetoresistive angle sensor, comprising at least one push-pull magnetoresistive bridge and soft magnetic flux attenuators located on the push-pull magnetoresistive bridge. The push-pull magnetoresistive bridge comprises a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor units. The magnetoresistive sensor units are of an MTJ or GMR type. Each magnetoresistive sensor unit comprises at least one pinned layer, one ferromagnetic reference layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a ferromagnetic free layer. The ferromagnetic free layer is a low aspect ratio oval or circle, which can make the intensity of magnetization of the ferromagnetic free layer align along an external magnetic field in any direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10393828
    Abstract: An interdigitated Y-axis magnetoresistive sensor, comprising a substrate, and located on the substrate is a first comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guide, a second comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guide, and a push-pull magnetoresistive bridge sensing unit. It also may include a calibration and/or an initialization coil. The first and the second comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guides are formed into an interdigitated shape. The gaps between a second comb tooth and two adjacent the first comb teeth are the first gap and the second gap. Furthermore, a pair of gaps are formed between the second come tooth and the base of the first comb as well as between the first comb tooth and the second comb tooth base. A push magnetoresistive unit string and a pull magnetoresistive unit string are alternately placed in the first gap and the second gap, respectively. The resulting magnetoresistive sensing unit senses the magnetic field along the X-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10379176
    Abstract: A single-chip high-magnetic-field X-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor with a calibration and an initialization coil, comprising a high magnetic field single-chip referenced bridge X-axis magnetoresistive sensor, a calibration coil, and an initialization coil, wherein the calibration coils are planar coils, and the initialization coils are planar or three-dimensional coils. The planar calibration coils and the planar initialization coils can be placed above a substrate and below the magnetoresistive sensor units, between the magnetoresistive sensor units and the soft ferromagnetic flux guides, above the soft ferromagnetic flux guides, or at gaps between the soft ferromagnetic flux guides. The three-dimensional initialization coil is wound around the soft ferromagnetic flux guides and magnetoresistive sensor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20190227129
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor wafer layout scheme used for a laser writing system and laser scanning method are disclosed. The layout scheme comprises a magnetoresistive multilayer film including an antiferromagnetic pinning layer arranged into a rectangular array of sensor dice on the wafer surface. Pinning layers of magnetoresistive sensing units are magnetically oriented and directionally aligned by the laser writing system. Sensing units are electrically connected into bridge arms electrically connected into a magnetoresistive sensor. Magnetoresistive sensing units in the dice are arranged into at least two spatially-isolated magnetoresistive orientation groups. In the magnetoresistive orientation groups, pinning layers of the sensing units have an angle of magnetic orientation of 0-360 degrees. Angles of magnetic orientation of two adjacent magnetoresistive orientation groups are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10330748
    Abstract: A push-pull X-axis magnetoresistive sensor, comprising: a substrate upon which an interlocked array of soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators and a push-pull magnetoresistive sensor bridge unit are placed. It further may comprise calibration coils and/or initialization coils. At least one of each of the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators is present such that an interlocking structure may be formed such that there are alternately interlocked and non-interlocked gaps along the X direction. Push/pull magnetoresistive sensing unit strings are respectively located in the interlocked and non-interlocked gaps and are electrically connected to form a push-pull magnetoresistive bridge sensing unit. This magnetoresistive sensing unit is sensitive to magnetic field along the X direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10228426
    Abstract: A single chip Z-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor with a calibration/initialization coil comprises a single chip Z-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor, and a calibration coil and/or an initialization coil. The calibration coil and the initialization coil are planar coils or three-dimensional coils. The planar coils are located above a substrate and below a magnetoresistive sensing unit, between a magnetoresistive sensing unit and a soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator, above a soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator, or in a gap of the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator. The three-dimensional coil is wound around the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator and the magnetoresistive sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10187731
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive audio pickup comprises an audio detection circuit. The audio detection circuit comprises at least one linear magnetoresistive sensor, a coupling capacitance, an AC amplifier, and a signal processing circuit comprising an additional amplifier. The linear magnetoresistive sensor comprises at least one single-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor unit. The linear magnetoresistive sensors are placed in a measurement plane above a speaker's voice coil, the signal output end of each single-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor unit is capacitively coupled to the AC amplifier which provides AC signals through electrical connection to the amplifier, these signals are combined within the signal processing unit into an audio signal, and the audio signal is output from the circuit; each single-axis linear sensor unit is located in the linear response area of the measurement plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhimin Zhou, James Geza Deak, Haiping Guo
  • Patent number: 10168396
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low fly height in-plane magnetic image sensor chip. This sensor chip comprises a silicon (Si) substrate with a pit on the surface, a magnetoresistive sensor, and an insulating layer. The magnetoresistive sensor is located on the bottom surface of the pit in the Si substrate. The insulating layer is located above the magnetoresistive sensor. The magnetic image surface detected during operation is coplanar or parallel with the surface of the Si substrate surface. The input and output ends of the magnetoresistive sensor are connected with leads directly, or bonded with leads through pads, or through a conducting post and pads to form connections. And the flying height of the leads is lower than the height of the surface of the Si substrate. This technical solution has several advantages, such as compact structure, high output signal, and direct contact with the magnetic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180321334
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor comprises a substrate and two comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators with an interdigitated structure formed on the substrate. The concentrators comprise N and N?1 rectangular comb teeth and corresponding comb seats wherein N is an integer greater than 1. Gaps are formed between the comb teeth of one concentrator and the comb seat of the other concentrator in an X direction. Adjacent comb teeth in a +Y direction form 2m?1 odd space gaps and 2m even space gaps. Here, m is an integer greater than zero and less than N. Push and pull magnetoresistive sensing element strings are located respectively in the odd space gaps and the even space gaps, and are electrically interconnected into a push-pull bridge. The magnetization alignment directions of the ferromagnetic pinned layer of the magnetic sensing element strings are Y direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 10066940
    Abstract: Provided are a single-chip differential free layer push-pull magnetic field sensor bridge and preparation method, the magnetic field sensor bridge comprising: a substrate, a staggered soft magnetic flux concentrator array, and a GMR spin valve or a TMR magnetoresistance sensing unit array having a magnetic sensing axis in an X-direction on the substrate. A soft magnetic flux concentrator comprises sides parallel to an X-axis and a Y-axis, and four corners sequentially labeled as A, B, C and D clockwise from an upper left position. Magnetoresistive sensing units are located at gaps between the soft magnetic flux concentrators. Additionally, the magnetoresistive sensing units corresponding to the A and C corner positions and B and D corner positions of the soft flux concentrators are defined as push magnetoresistive sensing units and pull magnetoresistive sensing units, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180246177
    Abstract: A single-chip high-magnetic-field X-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor with a calibration and an initialization coil, comprising a high magnetic field single-chip referenced bridge X-axis magnetoresistive sensor, a calibration coil, and an initialization coil, wherein the calibration coils are planar coils, and the initialization coils are planar or three-dimensional coils. The planar calibration coils and the planar initialization coils can be placed above a substrate and below the magnetoresistive sensor units, between the magnetoresistive sensor units and the soft ferromagnetic flux guides, above the soft ferromagnetic flux guides, or at gaps between the soft ferromagnetic flux guides. The three-dimensional initialization coil is wound around the soft ferromagnetic flux guides and magnetoresistive sensor units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180224509
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive relay, comprising a substrate, a magnetic excitation coil, a magnetoresistive sensor, and switch integrated circuit which are placed on a substrate, which further includes an excitation signal input electrode, an excitation signal output electrode, a switch circuit positive output electrode, a switch circuit negative output electrode, a power input electrode, and a ground electrode. The ends of the magnetic excitation coil are each connected with the excitation signal input electrode and the excitation signal output electrodes. The signal from the magnetoresistive sensor is sent to the switch integrated circuit. The positive switch circuit output electrode and the switch circuit negative electrode are respectively connected with the switch integrated circuit. The power input ends and the ground ends of the switch integrated circuit and the magnetoresistive sensor are respectively connected with the power input electrode and the ground electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Zhimin Zhou, James Geza Deak
  • Publication number: 20180164386
    Abstract: An interdigitated Y-axis magnetoresistive sensor, comprising a substrate, and located on the substrate is a first comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guide, a second comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guide, and a push-pull magnetoresistive bridge sensing unit. It also may include a calibration and/or an initialization coil. The first and the second comb-shaped soft ferromagnetic flux guides are formed into an interdigitated shape. The gaps between a second comb tooth and two adjacent the first comb teeth are the first gap and the second gap. Furthermore, a pair of gaps are formed between the second come tooth and the base of the first comb as well as between the first comb tooth and the second comb tooth base. A push magnetoresistive unit string and a pull magnetoresistive unit string are alternately placed in the first gap and the second gap, respectively. The resulting magnetoresistive sensing unit senses the magnetic field along the X-axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180149715
    Abstract: A push-pull X-axis magnetoresistive sensor, comprising: a substrate upon which an interlocked array of soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators and a push-pull magnetoresistive sensor bridge unit are placed. It further may comprise calibration coils and/or initialization coils. At least one of each of the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators is present such that an interlocking structure may be formed such that there are alternately interlocked and non-interlocked gaps along the X direction. Push/pull magnetoresistive sensing unit strings are respectively located in the interlocked and non-interlocked gaps and are electrically connected to form a push-pull magnetoresistive bridge sensing unit. This magnetoresistive sensing unit is sensitive to magnetic field along the X direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180143269
    Abstract: An integrated current sensor comprising a Z axis gradiometer and a lead frame primary coil, wherein the Z-axis gradiometer is a magnetoresistive Z-axis gradient sensor, comprising a substrate, with two elongated soft magnetic flux concentrators placed upon the substrate. The soft ferromagnetic flux concentrators are located above or below but displaced from a long-axis centerline equidistant from the magnetoresistive sensor strings, such that the combined magnetoresistive sensing unit detects the magnetic field perpendicular to the long-axis center line, and it is configured as a gradiometer sensor bridge. The lead frame serves as the primary coil, and the Z-axis gradiometer is placed above or below a cross-section of the current carrying portion of the lead frame, such that the current detection direction is parallel to the long-axis centerline. This sensor can detect currents of up to 5 to 50 A, it has low power consumption, small size, and fully integrated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza DEAK, Zhimin ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20180113179
    Abstract: A single-package high-field magnetoresistive angle sensor, comprising at least one push-pull magnetoresistive bridge and soft magnetic flux attenuators located on the push-pull magnetoresistive bridge. The push-pull magnetoresistive bridge comprises a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor units. The magnetoresistive sensor units are of an MTJ or GMR type. Each magnetoresistive sensor unit comprises at least one pinned layer, one ferromagnetic reference layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a ferromagnetic free layer. The ferromagnetic free layer is a low aspect ratio oval or circle, which can make the intensity of magnetization of the ferromagnetic free layer align along an external magnetic field in any direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180081000
    Abstract: A single chip Z-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor with a calibration/initialization coil comprises a single chip Z-axis linear magnetoresistive sensor, and a calibration coil and/or an initialization coil. The calibration coil and the initialization coil are planar coils or three-dimensional coils. The planar coils are located above a substrate and below a magnetoresistive sensing unit, between a magnetoresistive sensing unit and a soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator, above a soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator, or in a gap of the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator. The three-dimensional coil is wound around the soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator and the magnetoresistive sensing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Publication number: 20180073910
    Abstract: A direct-read meter capable of eliminating magnetic interference of adjacent rotating wheels, comprising N coaxial rotating wheel permanent magnets and corresponding magnetic angle sensors, a sampling element, a storage element, and a computation element, The magnetic angle sensors sense a linear superposition of the magnetic field from the intended permanent magnet rotating wheel and the interfering magnetic fields from the other rotating wheel permanent magnets; The sampling element samples the output signals of the N magnetic angle sensors to form a N*1 raw signal matrix [V/Vp]k(i)raw; The storage element stores an N*N correction matrix [Cij]; and the computation element computes the correction signal matrix [V/Vp]kcorr(i)=[V/Vp]k(i)raw?sum{C(i, j)*[V/Vp]k(j)raw}, thus eliminating the interfering magnetic field and permitting calculation of the rotation angle of the rotating wheel permanent magnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza DEAK, Zhimin ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20180033474
    Abstract: An automatic magnetic flow recording device, comprises a multitude of coaxially disposed hard magnetic rotating wheels wherein the hard magnetic rotating wheels are circular, and rotate with respect to each other by a predetermined transmission ratio. Each hard magnetic rotating wheel has at least one corresponding biaxial magnetoresistive angle sensor. The biaxial magnetoresistive angle sensors measure the angular positions of the hard magnetic rotating wheels within the range of 0-360 degrees. The biaxial magnetoresistive angle sensors comprise two single-axis linear magnetoresistive sensors, wherein the single-axis linear magnetoresistive sensors are an X-axis magnetoresistive sensor or a Z-axis magnetoresistive sensor. The X-axis magnetoresistive sensor of the hard magnetic rotating wheel measures a magnetic field component parallel to the tangent of the circumference of the hard magnetic rotating wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Haiping Guo, Xiaofeng Cheng, Zhimin Zhou