Patents Assigned to Allegro Microsystems, LLC
  • DUAL DOUBLE-PINNED SPIN VALVE ELEMENT HAVING MAGNET BIAS WITH INCREASED LINEAR RANGE
    Publication number: 20210389393
    Abstract: In one aspect, a dual double-pinned spin valve element includes a first spin valve that includes a first pinned layer and a second pinned layer and a second spin valve disposed on the first spin valve and comprising a third pinned layer and a fourth pinned layer. The first, second, third and fourth pinned layers each have a magnetization in a first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Paolo Campiglio, Noémie Belin, Damien Dehu, Jeffrey Eagen
  • Reducing angle error in a magnetic field angle sensor
    Patent number: 11199424
    Abstract: In one aspect, a magnetic field angle sensor includes a bridge structure that include a sine bridge configured to generate a sinusoidal signal indicative of a magnetic field along a first axis and a cosine bridge configured to generate a cosinusoidal signal indicative of the magnetic field along a second axis that is orthogonal with respect to the first axis. One of the sine bridge or the cosine bridge includes a first set of at least two magnetoresistance elements, a second set of at least one magnetoresistance element, a third set of at least one magnetoresistance element and a fourth set of at least one magnetoresistance element. An average reference direction of the first set of at least two magnetoresistance elements is equal to an average reference direction of the third set of at least one magnetoresistance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC, COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Claude Fermon, Damien Dehu, Kamil Akmaldinov
  • TUNNEL MAGNETORESISTANCE (TMR) ELEMENT HAVING COBALT IRON AND TANTALUM LAYERS
    Publication number: 20210383953
    Abstract: In one aspect, a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) element includes a magnesium oxide (MgO) layer, a cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) layer in direct contact with the MgO layer and a cobalt iron (CoFe) layer. The TMR element also includes a tantalum layer in direct contact with the CoFeB layer and the CoFe layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Campiglio, Amal Hamdache, Julien Voillot
  • Diagnostic circuits and methods for sensor test circuits
    Patent number: 11194004
    Abstract: A sensor includes a detector configured to sense a parameter, at least one test circuit configured to detect a respective fault condition of the sensor and generate a fault signal in response to detecting the fault condition, a checker configured to test the at least one test circuit to determine the operational status of the at least one test circuit, and an output signal generator, coupled to receive the sensed parameter, the fault signal, and the operational status of the at least one test circuit. The output signal generator is configured to generate an output signal of the sensor to communicate the sensed parameter and the operational status of the at least one test circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: P. Karl Scheller, Devon Fernandez
  • Electrostatic discharge protection
    Patent number: 11195826
    Abstract: In one aspect an electronic device includes a substrate having one of a p-type doping or an n-type doping, a first well in the substrate, a second well in the substrate, a third well in the substrate between the first and second wells, a first terminal connected to the first well, a second terminal connected to the second well, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp connected to the first and second terminals and a transient voltage source connected to the third well. A doping type of the first, second and third wells is the other one of the p-type or n-type doping. The ESD clamp is configured to clamp the first and second wells at a clamp voltage during an ESD event and the transient voltage source is configured to provide a voltage during the ESD event that is less than the clamp voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Klebanov, Washington Lamar, Sagar Saxena, Chung C. Kuo, Sebastian Courtney, Sundar Chetlur
  • Magnetoresistance assembly having a TMR element disposed over or under a GMR element
    Patent number: 11193989
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance assembly can include a substrate and a first GMR element disposed over the substrate, the first GMR element having a bottom surface and top surface. The magnetoresistance assembly can further include a first TMR element disposed over the substrate, the first TMR element having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a line perpendicular to and intersecting the top or bottom surface of the first TMR element intersects the first GMR element. The first GMR element and the first TMR element are in electrical communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Paolo Campiglio, Bryan Cadugan, Amal Hamdache, Florian Pallier, Claude Fermon
  • ANALOG ANGLE SENSOR WITH DIGITAL FEEDBACK LOOP
    Publication number: 20210372766
    Abstract: An angle sensor comprising: a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements configured to detect a magnetic field and generate a respective plurality of analog magnetic field signals; a plurality of analog frontend circuits each analog frontend circuit associated with a respective magnetic field sensing element; and a digital feedback circuit configured to generate digital magnetic field signals from the plurality of analog magnetic field signals and generate digital error correction values, wherein the plurality of analog frontend circuits are configured to obtain the digital error correction values from the digital feedback circuit, generate analog correction values from the digital error correction values, and apply the analog correction values to the plurality of analog magnetic field signals to generate a plurality of corrected analog magnetic field signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Rigoni, Octavio H. Alpago, Leandro Tozzi
  • HIGH ISOLATION CURRENT SENSOR
    Publication number: 20210376227
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing a high isolation current sensor. In embodiments, a current sensor includes a leadframe having a current conductor first portion and a second portion, a magnetic field sensing element positioned in relation to the current conductor for detecting a magnetic generated by current flow through the current conductor, and a die supported by at least a portion of the first and/or second portions of the leadframe, wherein the first portion of the lead frame includes an isolation region aligned with a first edge of the die. In embodiments, a current sensor includes SOI processing and features to enhance active layer isolation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Latham, Natasha Healey
  • Layout of magnetoresistance element
    Patent number: 11187764
    Abstract: In one aspect, a bridge includes a first magnetoresistance element that includes a first set of pillars, a second magnetoresistance element that includes a second set of pillars, a third magnetoresistance element that includes a third set of pillars and a fourth magnetoresistance element that includes a fourth set of pillars. The first set of pillars and the fourth set of pillars are disposed in a first matrix and the second set of pillars and the third set of pillars are disposed in a second matrix. The second magnetoresistance element is in series with the first magnetoresistance element, the third magnetoresistance element is in parallel with the first magnetoresistance element and the fourth magnetoresistance element is in series with the third magnetoresistance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Amal Hamdache, Julien Voillot, Paolo Campiglio
  • Power module package and packaging techniques
    Patent number: 11183436
    Abstract: A power integrated circuit (IC) includes a lead frame comprising a signal lead, a power lead, and a paddle attached to one or more of the signal lead and the power lead, an electrical component supported by the paddle, and a mold material configured to enclose a portion of the lead frame and expose a surface of the paddle, wherein the power lead has a first portion extending from an edge of the mold material outside of the mold material in a first direction and a second portion enclosed by the mold material and extending from the edge of the mold material inside the mold material in a second direction to the paddle, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite to the first direction. In embodiments, the paddle is only attached to the second portion of the power lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Shixi Louis Liu, Natasha Healey, Rishikesh Nikam
  • Magnetic field sensor and method with reduced distortion measurement in sideshaft applications
    Patent number: 11175160
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes an analog front end having first and second magnetic field sensing elements arranged at approximately 90-degrees with respect to each other, a pre-processor and an arctangent processor. The first and second magnetic field sensing elements are arranged in a sideshaft orientation with respect to a rotating object and offset with respect to an axis of rotation of the rotating object, the rotating object having a radial axis and a tangential axis. The pre-processor is configured to receive the first and second magnetic field signals from the analog front end and to apply a correction factor to one or both of the first and second magnetic field signals to produce first and second scaled magnetic field signals. The arctangent processor is configured to calculate an arctangent value of the first and second scaled magnetic field signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Pablo Aguirre, Juan Manuel Cesaretti, Jesse Lapomardo
  • Reducing voltage non-linearity in a bridge having tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) elements
    Patent number: 11175359
    Abstract: In one aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes a plurality of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) elements that includes a first TMR element, a second TMR element, a third TMR element and a fourth TMR element. The first and second TMR elements are connected to a voltage source and the third and fourth TMR elements are connected to ground. Each TMR element has a pillar count of more than one pillar and the pillar count is selected to reduce the angle error below 1.0°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Pierre Belliot, Christophe Hoareau, Jean-Michel Daga
  • STRAY-FIELD-IMMUNE COIL-ACTIVATED POSITION SENSOR
    Publication number: 20210349163
    Abstract: A sensor comprising: a first magnetoresistive (MR) bridge having a first stray field sensitivity; a second MR bridge having a second stray field sensitivity; and a driver circuitry configured to: (i) supply a first voltage to the first MR bridge, and (ii) supply a second voltage to the second MR bridge that is different from the first voltage, wherein supplying the first voltage and the second voltage to the first MR bridge and the second MR bridge, respectively, causes the first stray field sensitivity to match the second stray field sensitivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Hernán D. Romero
  • Hall element signal calibrating in angle sensor
    Patent number: 11169223
    Abstract: In one aspect, an angle sensor includes a first Hall element disposed on a first axis, a second Hall element disposed on a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and a conduction path having a first portion extending parallel to the first axis and a second portion parallel to the second axis. The conduction path is configured to conduct a calibration current that generates a first magnetic flux density measured at the first Hall element and a second magnetic flux density measured at the second Hall element. The angle sensor also includes calibration circuitry configured to generate one or more compensation signals based on the first and second magnetic flux densities and to adjust an external magnetic flux density measured at the second Hall element due to an external magnetic field using the one or more compensation signals to reduce angle error of the angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Till-Jonas Ostermann, Dominik Geisler, Simon Rock, Fabian Winkler
  • Non-volatile memory data and address encoding for safety coverage
    Patent number: 11169877
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for use in an electronic device having a non-volatile storage device and a volatile storage device, the method comprising: retrieving a first encoded data packet from a first address in the non-volatile storage device; decoding the first encoded data packet to obtain a first data item and a first error code corresponding to the first data item, the first encoded data packet being decoded by using a first coding key that is associated with the first address; detecting whether the first data item is corrupt based on the first error code and an error correction function, storing the first data item at a first address in the volatile storage device when the first data item is not corrupt, and transitioning the electronic device into a safe state when the first data item is corrupt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Rigoni, Nicolás Rafael Biberidis, Ahmed Hassan Fahmy, Octavio H. Alpago
  • Method and apparatus for eliminating EEPROM bit-disturb
    Patent number: 11170858
    Abstract: A method for use in a memory device including a first memory matrix is provided, the method comprising: receiving a write request that is associated with a first memory cell, the first memory cell being part of the first memory matrix; copying a content of a second memory cell into a register, the second memory cell being part of the first memory matrix; overwriting the second memory cell with the content of the register when the content of the second memory cell is different from the content of the register; and writing, to the first memory cell, at least a portion of data that is associated with the write request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Muhammad Sarwar, Vyankatesh Gupta, James McClay, Sundar Chetlur, Harianto Wong
  • Target alignment and stray field indicator
    Patent number: 11169221
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor is provided, including a substrate, a first bridge circuit formed on the substrate, the first bridge circuit being arranged to generate a first signal indicative of a motion of a target, and a second bridge circuit formed on the substrate, the second bridge circuit being arranged to generate a second signal indicative of whether the magnetic field sensor is aligned with the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Eagen
  • Magnetic field sensor for angle detection with a phase-locked loop
    Patent number: 11163022
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Steven Daubert
  • Sensors having signal redundancy
    Patent number: 11163021
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combining redundant signals to generate outputs signals with enhanced accuracy and/or risk level. In embodiments, first signals are generated by a first transducer and second signals are generated by a second transducer. In other embodiments, first signals are generated by a first die and second signals are generated by a second die. An amount of overlap between error distributions of the first and second signals can be used to detect failure and/or indicate risk of failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas P. Friedrich, Christophe Lutz
  • Angular magnetic field sensor and rotating target with stray field immunity
    Patent number: 11162815
    Abstract: A system for detecting a magnetic target includes a magnetic field sensor comprising two or more sensing clusters positioned on a surface of a substrate; and a magnetic target comprising at least four magnetic quadrants spaced evenly around a center point of the magnetic target. The at least four magnetic quadrants have alternating magnetic polarities. The two or more sensing clusters are positioned evenly around the axis of rotation so that each of the sensing clusters detects a magnetic field of two magnetic quadrants that have the same magnetic polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Husain Yusuf Sirohiwala, Nevenka Kozomora