Abstract: A system for reducing stray field effects comprises a magnetic target producing a changing magnetic field; a first set of magnetic field sensing elements placed in spaced relation to the magnetic target and comprising at least a first magnetic field sensing element and a second magnetic field sensing element, each magnetic field sensing element having an axis of maximum sensitivity; a second set of magnetic field sensing elements placed in spaced relation to the magnetic target and comprising at least a third magnetic field sensing element and a fourth magnetic field sensing element, each magnetic field sensing element having an axis of maximum sensitivity; and wherein the first set of magnetic field sensing elements is positioned closer to a center point of the magnetic field than the second set of magnetic field sensing elements.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing an integrated circuit having a drive current source, a magnetic sensing element coupled to the drive current source, the magnetic sensing element having first and second differential outputs, and first and second current elements to provide respective currents in relation to the drive current source, wherein the first current element is coupled to the first differential output and the second current element is coupled to the second differential output. In illustrative embodiments, an IC output can output a voltage corresponding to the currents of the first and second current elements.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor has a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements and operates as a motion detector for sensing a rotation or other movement of a target object.

Abstract: In one aspect, an angle sensor includes analog circuitry configured to generate an analog value having a tangent value, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog value to a digital value and digital circuitry configured to receive the digital value. The analog circuitry includes a plurality of magnetoresistance elements that include a first magnetoresistance element configured to provide a cosine value indicative of a magnetic field along a first axis and a second magnetoresistance element configured to provide a sine value indicative of the magnetic field along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The tangent value is determined by the cosine and sine values. The digital circuitry includes an angle processor configured to use the digital value and a fixed value in an arctangent algorithm to generate an angle of a direction of the magnetic field.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising: a substrate; a coupling capacitor that is formed over the substrate; and an isolator that is formed between the substrate and the coupling capacitor, the isolator including: (a) an MP-well layer, (b) a first well layer, (c) an epi tub layer that is nested in the MP-well layer and the first well layer, and (d) a second well layer that is nested in the epi tub layer.

Abstract: A current sensor integrated circuit to sense a current through a resistor includes a substrate, a tub disposed in the substrate, an analog front end disposed in the tub and comprising an amplifier having inputs coupled across the resistor and a charging circuit configured to bias the analog front end and the tub to a bias voltage that is a predetermined offset voltage greater than a common mode voltage associated with the resistor. In embodiments, the analog front end is biased to a first bias voltage and the tub is biased to a second, different bias voltage.

Abstract: An electronic device having first and second terminals includes an electrical overstress (EOS) protection circuitry configured to detect an EOS event at one or both of the first and second terminals. The electronic device includes a power clamp coupled to the EOS protection circuitry and configured to clamp a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal to a clamp voltage. The EOS protection circuitry can adjust the clamp voltage when an EOS event is detected.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for detecting motion of an object includes one or more magnetic field sensing elements configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with the motion of the object and a detector responsive to the magnetic field signal and to a threshold signal and configured to generate a comparison signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of the magnetic field signal to the threshold signal. A threshold generator is configured to generate the threshold signal at a first level when a peak-to-peak value of the magnetic field signal is greater than a first predetermined value and at a second level when the peak-to-peak value of the magnetic field signal is less than a second predetermined value different than the first predetermined value.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for detecting motion of an object includes one or more magnetic field sensing elements configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with the object and a detector configured to generate a comparison signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of the magnetic field signal and a threshold signal and occurring at a rate corresponding to a speed of motion of the object. A speed monitor responsive to the comparison signal is configured to generate a speed signal having a value indicative of the speed of motion of the object.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for detecting motion of an object includes one or more magnetic field sensing elements configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with the object and a detector configured to generate a comparison signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of the magnetic field signal and a threshold signal and occurring at a rate corresponding to a speed of motion of the object. A speed monitor responsive to the comparison signal is configured to generate a speed signal having a value indicative of the speed of motion of the object.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a phase-locked loop to receive a measured magnetic field signal formed from sensing element output signals of a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements in response to a magnetic field. The phase-locked loop is configured to generate an angle signal having a value indicative of the angle of the magnetic field. Associated methods are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a signal isolator having enhanced creepage characteristics. In embodiments, a signal isolator IC package comprises a leadframe including a die paddle having a first surface to support a die and an exposed second surface. A die is supported by a die paddle wherein a width of the second surface of the die paddle is less than a width of the die.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed including a sub-layer with first conductivity type, a drift layer with first conductivity type, a base region with second conductivity type positioned on the drift layer, a source region in contact with the base region, a source electrode, a plurality of trenches, at least one of the trenches in contact with the drift layer, the base region, and the source region, a plurality of insulating regions, at least one of the insulating regions positioned inside of each trench, a plurality of gate electrodes, at least one of the gate electrodes positioned inside of each trench; and a plurality of field plates, at least one of the field plates electrically connected to the source electrode and positioned in the insulating region in the trench. The field plate comprises high-resistance polysilicon.

Abstract: A sensor is disclosed for detecting an orientation of a magnet, the sensor comprising: a first sensor array including a first plurality of sensor elements that are arranged along a first line; a second sensor array including a second plurality of sensor elements that are arranged along a second line; and a processing circuitry configured to: detect a magnetic field produced by the magnet by using the first sensor array, and identify a first point on the first line where at least one component of the magnetic field has a predetermined value; detect the magnetic field by using the second sensor array, and identify a second point on the second line where at least one component of the magnetic field has the predetermined value; detect an orientation of the magnet relative to the sensor based on the first point and the second point; and output an indication of the orientation of the magnet based on the first point and the second point.

Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, an apparatus is disclosed comprising: a controller; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the controller, the ADC including an input terminal for receiving a sensor signal from a transducer; and a diagnostic circuit coupled to the input terminal of the ADC and to the controller, the diagnostic circuit being configured to: generate a diagnostic signal that indicates whether a voltage at the input terminal of the ADC meets a first threshold, and provide the diagnostic signal to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to: receive a data sample from the ADC, detect whether the data sample meets a second threshold, and transition the apparatus into a safe state when: (i) the diagnostic signal indicates that the voltage at the input terminal does not meet the first threshold, and (ii) the data sample meets the second threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a ring magnet having first surface, a second surface, and a bore extending from the first surface to the second surface, the bore having a central longitudinal axis; a substrate disposed inside the bore, the substrate having a first axis and a second axis; a first group of magnetic field sensing elements that are formed on the substrate, the first group of magnetic field sensing elements including a first in plane magnetic transducer and a second magnetic field sensing element, the first magnetic field sensing element being aligned with the first axis and the second magnetic field sensing element being aligned with the second axis; and a second group of magnetic field sensing elements that are formed on the substrate, the second group of magnetic field sensing elements including a third magnetic field sensing element and a fourth magnetic field sensing element, the third magnetic field sensing element being aligned with the first axis, and the fourth MR element being aligned with the

Abstract: In one aspect, an integrated circuit includes a first conductive layer and a magnetoresistance element (MRE) disposed over and coupled to the first layer through first vias. The MRE is magnetized to produce a first magnetic orientation. The first layer is disposed over and coupled to a second conductive layer in the circuit through second vias. The circuit also includes a metal filler disposed proximate to the MRE. The metal filler is positioned over and coupled to the second layer through third vias. The circuit also includes a thermal dissipation path resulting from a physical input applied to the first MRE. The thermal dissipation path extends through the first through third vias, the first and second layers, an integrated circuit interconnection, and the metal filler.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided, comprising: a plurality of terminals for coupling the apparatus to a sensing bridge; a switching circuitry that is coupled to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and a processing circuitry that is configured to: cause the switching circuitry to couple the plurality of terminals to a voltage source, a ground source, and the processing circuitry in accordance with a first connection profile; detect a failure of the sensing bridge or a connection between the sensing bridge and any of the plurality of terminals; select a second connection profile based on a type of the failure; and cause the switching circuitry to couple the plurality of terminals to the voltage source, the ground source, and the processing circuitry in accordance with the second connection profile.

Abstract: An LED driver includes a voltage detector and a controller. The voltage detector is configured to couple to an LED string comprising a plurality of series-coupled LEDs and to detect a voltage across the LED string to generate a feedback signal. The controller is configured to control an amount of current provided to the LED string in response to the feedback signal, with an amount of power provided to the LED string being substantially constant. The voltage detector can be coupled in parallel with the LED string, and may be a resistor divider. The controller is further configured to couple to a DC-DC converter comprising a switch controlled by the controller and configured to generate an output current and an output voltage coupled to the LED string to provide the amount of power to the LED string.

Abstract: A sensor includes a sensing element to produce a sensing element signal and a processor responsive to the sensing element signal to generate a sensor output signal comprising a Single Edge Nibble Transmission (SENT) frame. The SENT frame includes a Status and Communication (SCN) nibble comprising a bit 0 and a bit 1 that represent a status of at least one internal diagnostic indicator and a plurality of data nibbles. At least one of the plurality of data nibbles includes a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), the CRC being an encoding of the bit 0 and the bit 1 of the SCN nibble and the plurality of data nibbles and at least one of the plurality of data nibbles includes a count that indicates a new frame, the CRC being at least a five bit value.