Abstract: Systems, circuits, and methods provide core-based closed-loop current sensors utilizing a coil connected to an IC having a magnetic field sensor configured to measure current in one or more conductors such as busbars. A closed-loop current sensor includes a magnetic core having first and second ends separated by a gap and an aperture receiving the one or more conductors; a magnetic field sensor disposed on a substrate and integrated in an IC is disposed in the gap, where the magnetic field sensor is configured to receive magnetic flux from the gap, where the IC is configured to measure AC current in the one or more conductors; and a coil integrated with the substrate and coupled to the IC, wherein the coil is configured to provide negative magnetic feedback for closed-loop compensation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for a 3D sensor having die Hall element clusters located on first and second die. In an embodiment, a sensor IC package includes a first die having first, second, and third Hall clusters having different axes of magnetic field sensitivity and a second die having a fourth Hall cluster having sensitivity in the first and third axes of sensitivity. The sensor provides 3D field sensing for stroke, end of shaft and side shaft sensing applications.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include systems, structures, circuits, and methods providing planar transformers and planar transformer structures. The planar transformers and transformer structures can include first and second core layers of soft ferromagnetic material on opposite sides of an electrical substrate. First and second coils can be configured as conductive traces disposed on the opposite sides of the substrate. The first and second soft ferromagnetic layers are in contact in a contact region. One or more holes are disposed in either or both of the soft ferromagnetic layers and contain soft ferromagnetic material to reduce reluctance of the transformer structure. The planar transformer can be included in integrated circuit (chip) packages or modules. The packages and modules may include various types of circuits; in some examples, chip packages or modules may include a gate driver or other high voltage circuit.

Abstract: A transconductance amplifier has a voltage input, a current output, and a control signal. A transconductance of the transconductance amplifier has an inverse relationship with the control signal. In some embodiments, the transconductance of the transconductance amplifier has a reciprocal relationship with the control signal. A switching voltage regulator uses the transconductance amplifier in a current control loop of a current mode switching regulator.

Abstract: A method, comprising: identifying a default supply voltage of a relay; identifying an actual supply voltage of the relay; selecting an actual duty cycle based on the actual supply voltage and the default supply voltage; and driving a coil of the relay by using a signal that has the selected actual duty cycle.

Abstract: Disclosed are example systems and methods for obtaining a representation of magnitude of a magnetic field as sensed by a sensor device. In particular, described are example systems and methods for obtaining a squared modulus value representative of magnitude of a magnetic field as sensed by a sensor device. In some embodiments, amplitudes of signals representing a magnetic field generated by a target may be sampled by the sensor device, and pulse width modulated (PWM) signals representative of the amplitudes may be generated. A double integration of a constant value over the widths of the PWM signals may then be performed, and the results of the double integrations added to obtain a squared modulus value representative of a magnitude of the magnetic field as sensed by the sensor device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for magnetic field sensor having a sample chopping with a shared ADC. A sensor may include receiving a chopping sequence for samples from first and second channels that share an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a magnetic field sensor. The samples for the first and second channel are timed with respect to a virtual sampling time (VST), such that a sum of the sample times for the samples for the first channel is equal to the VST, and a sum of the sample times for the samples for the second channel is equal to VST.

Abstract: Systems, structures, packages, circuits, and methods provide high-side gate driver circuits configured to control operation of high-side power (switching) transistors without use of external bootstrap capacitors. A high-side driver can include three sections, including a pull-up section, first pull-down section, and a second pull-down or Miller clamp section. The gate drivers can include a charge pump circuit and can avoid use of bootstrap capacitors and related circuitry. Partitioned gate drivers can include an individual pull-up section, an individual first pull-down section, and an individual second pull-down section for each of multiple high-side power transistors.

Abstract: A magnetic field speed sensor includes one or more magnetic field sensing elements to generate a magnetic field signal indicative of a magnetic field associated with a moveable target and a controller to generate a controller output signal including a plurality of output words, each including a speed pulse and a plurality of data pulses capable of having four different amplitudes. The time between the speed pulses of consecutive output words is indicative of the speed of movement of the target. Each data pulse corresponds to a data bit having a binary value represented by a transition direction of the data pulse and the amplitude of the data pulse. Features include a programmable data pulse width or an adaptively adjustable data pulse width to avoid truncation.

Abstract: A current sensor integrated circuit package includes a primary conductor having an input portion into which a current flows and an output portion from which the current flows, a plurality of secondary leads, and a semiconductor die disposed adjacent to a top surface of the primary conductor and positioned on an insulator portion. In some embodiments, at least one magnetic field sensing element is supported by the semiconductor die. In some embodiments, the package includes a package body with a first portion enclosing the semiconductor die and a first portion of the primary conductor and a second portion enclosing an elongated portion of the plurality of secondary leads, wherein a second portion of the primary conductor is exposed. A pad is secured to the package body and a pillar extends from the primary conductor to the pad.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a sensor having noise filtering using cascaded filters. A detection module can detect noise above a threshold level and a control module coupled to the detection module can output a control signal based on whether the detection module detects the noise above the threshold level. A filter module includes a first filter and a second filter cascaded with the first filter. The first filter has reconstruction mode to output a signal based on the input prior to detection of the noise above the threshold level. The second filter filters an output of the first filter to smooth the output of the first filter.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include systems, structures, circuits, and methods providing voltage-isolated integrated circuit (IC) packages or modules having a transformer integrated with or implemented on a lead frame. A portion of transformer windings may include a conductive portion of a lead frame. Conductive structure, such as wire bonds, may be used for other portions of transformer windings. In some examples, an insulating coating may be placed on the package to increase the isolation capability of the final package. The IC packages and modules may include various types of circuits; in some examples, IC packages or modules may include a galvanically isolated gate driver or other high voltage circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed are example systems and methods for error checking in magnetic field sensing applications. In particular, described are example systems and methods for error checking in magnetic field sensors used for determining a rotation angle of an object that rotates. In some embodiments, a plurality of signals representative of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic target may be received. The plurality of signals may be combined to determine a value, and a determination made as to whether the determined value is an expected value. When the determined value is not an expected value, an output signal representing an error may be output.

Abstract: A device includes an adaptive power limitation circuit configured to automatically determine active phases of a DCDC converter based upon power level of the DCDC converter. The adaptive power limitation circuit includes a translinear circuit configured to convert the power level of the DCDC converter to a current level and a clamping circuit, operatively connected to the translinear circuit, configured to clamp a maximum output current of the adaptive power limitation circuit to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method pulls down, by a responder device having at least two responder channels, a first pin to a pre-determined voltage level when all responder channels of the responder device are turned OFF; detects that a requestor coupled to the responder has frozen a synchronization signal on a second pin when voltage on the first pin is below a certain threshold; terminates a pulling down, by the responder device, the first pin to the pre-determined voltage level after the responder device detects no activity on the second pin; generates a synchronization signal, by the requestor device, on a second pin when a load power demand reaches a reactivation threshold; and turns ON all responder channels of the responder device, by the responder device, when the responder device detects the synchronization signal on the second pin.

Abstract: Disclosed are example systems, methods, and structures for improving magnetic field sensor performance. In particular, described are example systems, methods, and structures for improving magnetic field sensor performance in applications where magnetic field sensing elements detect a deflection of a magnetic field generated by a magnet. Systems, methods, and structures disclosed herein may provide a sensor device that includes magnetic field sensing elements and a plurality of magnet structures embedded in a semiconductor die. In some embodiments, the plurality of magnet structures may be configured to generate a magnetic field corresponding to a layout of the magnetic field sensing elements in the semiconductor die.

Abstract: In one aspect, an angle sensor includes a first linear sensor and a second linear sensor. A first magnetic-field direction of a target magnet measured by the first linear sensor is substantially equal to a second magnetic-field direction of the target magnet measured by the second linear sensor. The first linear sensor, the second linear sensor and the target magnet are on an axis. The angle sensor determines an angle of a magnetic field.

Abstract: A current sensor for sensing a current through a conductor includes a magnetic field sensing element configured to generate a magnetic field signal indicative of a magnetic field associated with the current through the conductor, a first processing path responsive to the magnetic field signal and configured to generate a first current sensor output signal, a resistive element coupled to the conductor, a second processing path coupled across the resistive element and configured to measure a voltage across the resistive element and generate a second current sensor output signal, and a shared processor configured to calibrate the first processing path and second processing path. The shared processor can be configured to generate one or more of a sensitivity calibration signal, a temperature calibration signal, an offset calibration signal, or a lifetime drift calibration signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising: a processing circuitry; a first magnetoresistance (MR) sensing element including a first sequence of first MR structures that are coupled to each other, the first sequence of first MR structures defining at least one first turn that is wound in a first direction; a second MR sensing element including a second sequence of second MR structures that are coupled to each other, the second sequence of second MR structures defining at least one second turn that is wound in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; a third MR sensing element including a third sequence of third MR structures that are coupled to each other, the third sequence of third MR structures defining at least one third turn that is wound in the first direction; a fourth MR sensing element including a fourth sequence of fourth MR structures that are coupled to each other, the fourth sequence of fourth MR structures defining at least one fourth turn that is wound in the second directi

Abstract: Systems, structures, packages, circuits, and methods provide multi-channel isolation transformer and gate driver structures with one or more primary and multiple secondary coils. The transformer structures include magnetic cores configured for use with multiple channels providing galvanic isolation for each channel. The channels can pass control (data) and/or power signals/pulses. One or more integrated circuits may be included with transformer packages, structures, and modules. In some examples, structure, chip packages, or modules may include one or more galvanically isolated gate drivers and/or other high voltage circuits.