Abstract: A sensor system and a joystick including the sensor system. The sensor system comprises a magnetic field sensor, and first and second magnetic sources. The first magnetic source is rotatable relative to a sensitive surface of the sensor and generates a first magnetic field contribution of at least quadrupolar order. The second magnetic source is pivotable with respect to the sensitive surface and generates a second magnetic field contribution. The sensor is configured for detecting at least an in-plane component of a superimposition field of the first and second magnetic contributions at a plurality of lateral measurement locations on the sensitive surface, obtaining measurements, and determining a rotation angle for the first source from the field gradient measurements and two angular directions for the second source from the field mean measurements. Lateral measurement locations are arranged into two pairs of diametrically opposite measurement locations with respect to the sensitive surface.

Abstract: A coil arrangement for generating a configurable 3D magnetic field vector inside a cavity, comprises a solenoid forming the cavity and having a first axis, a first pair of coils having a second common axis, and a second pair of coils having a third common axis, the three axes intersecting in a point where a chip to be tested is to be located. A test arrangement further comprises a container for holding a liquid and having at least one opening for providing access to the at least one cavity. A test system further comprises an electrical unit with a plurality of current sources, and a mechanical positioning mechanism for placing and holding the chip to be tested.

Abstract: A sensor device comprises a sensor unit for generating a signal indicative of a physical quantity. The device comprises a processing unit for receiving the signal, in which the processing unit comprises a storage memory for storing data derived from the signal as provided by the sensor unit at at least two points in time. The device comprises a bus interface for communicating with an electronic control unit via a digital communication bus. When a read command is received from the electronic control unit, an estimate of the physical quantity is sent in response to the electronic control unit. The processing unit comprises an estimator for calculating the estimate at a reference point in time based on the data stored in the storage memory, in which the reference point in time differs from the point in time at which the read command is received by substantially a predetermined offset.

Abstract: An apparatus is arranged for sensing a position of a target, in particular for offset invariant sensing of the position of the target is described, as well as the respective target and the method. The apparatus comprises at least two sensor elements. At least one sensor element of the at least two sensor elements generates a magnetic field. At least one other sensor element of the at least two sensor elements receives the magnetic field and outputs at least one signal associated with the received magnetic field. The target affects a coupling of a magnetic flux of the magnetic field between the at least one sensor element generating the magnetic field and the at least one other sensor element receiving the magnetic field and wherein the target is non-rotational invariant.

Abstract: A system includes a magnet for forming a magnetic field and a sensor between the magnet and an object having a circumferential surface. The object rotates around a rotation axis direction of the circumferential surface and displaces along the rotation axis direction, and an interaction between the magnet and a recess or projection portion of the circumferential surface of the object is configured to induce the magnetic field. The sensor outputs a first signal proportional to a first magnetic flux density in the rotation axis direction at a predetermined time, outputs a second signal proportional to a second magnetic flux density in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential surface of the object at the predetermined time, calculates an angle based on the first and the second magnetic flux density, and output a third signal proportional to the angle based on the first and the second magnetic flux density.

Abstract: A position sensor system comprising: a magnetic field generator movable relative to two sensor devices or vice versa. The system has at least one processor adapted with a special algorithm for determining a position of the magnetic field generator in a manner which is highly robust against a disturbance field. A method for determining the position of the magnetic field generator based on a set of equations, in particular a set of linear equations which allows to completely eliminate the external disturbance field.

Abstract: A position sensor system for measuring a position of a target movable outside a plane, the system comprising: a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor fixedly arranged in the plane and spaced apart by a distance; the first respectively second magnetic sensor adapted for measuring at least one first respectively second in-plane magnetic field component in the plane to obtain at least a first respectively second value; a controller connected to the sensors for obtaining the values, and adapted for determining the out-of-plane position as a function of the values and of the predefined distance. A method is provided for determining the position.

Abstract: A position sensor system for determining a position of a sensor device relative to a magnetic structure, the system comprising: said magnetic structure comprising a plurality of poles; said sensor device comprising a plurality of magnetic sensors; the magnetic structure being movable relative to the sensor device, or vice versa; wherein: a distance between centres of adjacent poles varies along the movement direction; the sensor device is adapted: for determining a first magnetic field component parallel to, and a second magnetic field component perpendicular to a movement direction, and for calculating a coarse signal based on these components; and for determining a first and second gradient of these signals along the movement direction, and for calculating a fine signal based on these gradients; and for determining said position based on the coarse signal and the fine signal.

Abstract: A field-sensor device comprises first and second field sensors disposed in corresponding different first and second orientations, each responsive to an external field to produce corresponding first and second sensor signals. One of or both the first and second sensor signals are converted to equivalent comparable sensor signals in a common orientation and compared to determine a faulty field sensor. If a faulty field sensor is determined, a faulty sensor signal is produced or, if a faulty sensor is not determined, an output sensor signal responsive to the first, second or comparable sensor signals is produced. Evaluation of the direction of differences between the comparable sensor signals can determine which of the first and second field sensors is faulty.

Abstract: A sensor comprises a housing; and a lead frame comprising at least three elongated leads having an exterior portion extending from the housing; and a magnetic sensor circuit disposed in the housing, and connected to the lead frame. The housing comprises two recesses arranged on two opposite sides of the housing for allowing the sensor to be mounted to a support. The lead frame may further comprise a plurality of tabs disposed between the elongated leads, for use as test pins. A component assembly comprising said sensor mounted on a support between deformable protrusions. A method of making said component assembly, comprising the step of positioning said component on the support between said protrusions, and deforming said protrusions such that they are at least partially disposed within the recesses.

Abstract: A rotation angle detector includes a magnet arranged to rotate, and a magnetic detection circuit provided with a first pair of magnetic detection elements arranged to be in combination sensitive to a first magnetic field in circumferential direction to the first surface and to a second magnetic field in normal direction to the first surface and arranged away from the rotation axis, and configured to detect magnetic flux of the magnet. A second pair of magnetic detection elements are arranged to be in combination sensitive to the first magnetic field in circumferential direction to the first surface and to the second magnetic field in normal direction to the first surface. A signal processing unit is configured to output a signal representative of a rotation angle of the magnet based on outputs of the first and second pair of magnetic detection elements.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for redundant measurements of a magnetic field originating from or influenced by a moveable object is described. The apparatus comprising at least one first magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one first magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a first area of a semiconductor substrate, at least one second magnetic field sensitive element measuring at least one magnetic field property of the magnetic field, wherein the at least one second magnetic field sensitive element is implemented on a second area of said semiconductor substrate, and wherein the first and second areas are isolated from one another.

Abstract: A current sensor is disclosed. The current sensor is substantially immune to stray fields due to the orientation of at least two magnetic field sensors and their respective axes of maximum sensitivity, as well as a total current sensor output that is a weighted difference of the individual magnetic field sensor outputs. The specific orientation of the magnetic field sensors allows for the current sensor to be smaller than known sensors of similar sensitivity.

Abstract: A current sensor device for measuring a current of at least 30 Amps, comprising: a leadframe with a electrical conductor having a centerline; a substrate mounted to the electrical conductor and comprising a first and a second magnetic sensor configured for providing a first and second value; and a processing circuit for determining the current based on a difference or weighted difference between the first and second value. The first and second magnetic sensor are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the centerline.

Abstract: An inductive position sensor is configured to determine a position of a target device. The inductive position sensor comprises at least two coils for determining said position. At least two of the at least two coils for determining the position at least partially overlap. The at least two coils each have a plurality of portions being equally distributed over N substantially parallel planes, with N being an integer larger than or equal to two. For each of the at least two coils the portions distributed over the N substantially parallel planes are substantially identical, so that mutual inductance between the at least two coils is substantially unaffected by misalignments between the N substantially parallel planes.

Abstract: A sensor system comprises a magnetic field generator and a sensor device arranged at a distance from said magnetic field generator and adapted for measuring or determining at least one magnetic field component and/or at least one magnetic field gradient component. The magnetic field generator comprises a multi-pole magnet having a number N of pole pairs that are axially magnetized to generate an N-pole magnetic field that is substantially rotationally symmetric around an axis. The magnet comprises a plurality of grooves and/or elongate protrusions that are arranged in a rotationally symmetric pattern around the axis to provide a substantially constant magnetic field gradient in a central region around said axis.

Abstract: Provided is a displacement detection device which can uniquely determine displacement of a detection target from output values based on detection as well as make a displacement range of the detection target wider than a displacement range detectable by a sensor. A displacement detection device includes a magnet which is displaced in a displacement direction Ds, is rod-shaped and has a form in which a longitudinal direction and the displacement direction Ds form a predetermined angle ?, and a sensor IC which detects a magnetic flux density of a magnetic field formed by the magnet in an x direction and a z direction orthogonal to the displacement direction Ds and outputs a signal proportional to the magnetic field detected.

Abstract: A method for detecting a fault in a sensor arrangement is described. The method comprising modulating at least one physical parameter of the sensor arrangement by a configuration value, wherein the at least one physical parameter of the sensor arrangement is modulated during operation of the sensor arrangement, comparing an output of the sensor arrangement with a reference output related to the modulated at least one physical parameter and detecting a fault based on the comparison. Furthermore, also a corresponding processing circuit is described.

Abstract: A semiconductor amplifier circuit comprising an input block adapted for receiving a voltage signal to be amplified, an integrator circuit having an integrating capacitor providing a continuous-time signal representative for the integral of the voltage signal, a first feedback path comprising: a sample-and-hold block and a first feedback block, the first feedback path providing a proportional feedback signal upstream of the current integrator. The amplification factor is larger than 1 for a predefined frequency range. Charge stored on the integrating capacitor at the beginning of a sample period is linearly removed during one single sampling period in such a way that the absolute value of the charge is smaller at the end of the sampling period than at the beginning of the sample period when the voltage signal to be amplified is equal to zero.

Abstract: A field-sensor device comprises a first field sensor with a first sensor response to a field. The first sensor response is measured in a first orientation to produce a first sensor signal, a second field sensor with a second sensor response to the field the second sensor response measured in a second orientation different from the first orientation to produce a second sensor signal, and a controller for controlling the first and second field sensors to produce respective first and second sensor signals. The controller comprises a control circuit that converts any combination of first and second sensor signals to equivalent first and second comparable sensor signals in a common orientation, calculates an error signal derived from differences between the first and second comparable sensor signals, and adjusts any combination of the first and second sensor responses to reduce the error signal.