Patents Examined by Reena Aurora
  • Patent number: 11346898
    Abstract: An object is to provide a magnetic sensor module that suppresses a size of a magnetic sensor chip while applying a uniform calibration magnetic field to a magneto-resistive element. Provided is a magnetic sensor module comprising an IC chip having a first coil; and a magnetic sensor chip that is disposed on a surface of the IC chip and includes a first magnetic sensor that detects magnetism in a direction of first axis, wherein a planar shape of the IC chip encompasses a planar shape of the magnetic sensor chip, and the first coil has a planar shape including three or more sides, and is, when seen in a cross section along at least one side of the planar shape, is formed so as to cover a region, in a direction of the one side, of the first magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation, TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Okutsu, Masanori Yoshida, Kazuhiro Ishida, Kazuya Watanabe, Hiraku Hirabayashi, Masanori Sakai
  • Patent number: 11339650
    Abstract: A compact sub assembly and well measurement system. The compact sub assembly may comprise a deep transmitter disposed about one end of the compact sub assembly, a shallow dual transmitter disposed on the compact sub assembly between the deep transmitter and a second end of the compact sub assembly, a shallow dual-collocated receiver disposed on the compact sub assembly between the deep transmitter and a second end of the compact sub assembly, and a deep receiver disposed about the second end of the compact sub assembly. A well measurement system for decoupling a component signal may comprise a logging tool. The logging tool may comprise a first sub assembly and a conveyance attached to the logging tool. In examples the first sub assembly is a compact sub assembly comprising a deep transmitter, a shallow dual transmitter, a shallow dual-collocated receiver, and a deep receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bittar, Jin Ma, Alexei Korovin
  • Patent number: 11327127
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor responsive to a movement of a target object can include a plurality of magnetoresistance elements arranged in a line and having a span according to y(1?1/x), where y is equal a full spatial period of the target object and where x is equal to a total quantity of magnetoresistance elements in the plurality of magnetoresistance elements. The plurality of magnetic field sensing elements is operable to generate a signal that is substantially not responsive to the movement of the target object but is responsive to stray external magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Maxime Rioult, Jean-Michel Daga
  • Patent number: 11326906
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing a rotating body includes a detection target arranged on a surface perpendicular to an extension direction of a rotating shaft of the rotating body, a sensor module facing the detection target, and comprising two sensors disposed in a rotation direction of the rotating body, and a rotation information calculator configured to calculate rotation information of the rotating body based on sensed values from the two sensors, wherein the rotation information calculator is further configured to calculate a rotation angle of the rotating body in accordance with a difference value generated from the sensed values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Yeol Lee
  • Patent number: 11313666
    Abstract: An angle sensor includes a first magnetic sensor that outputs a first signal, a second magnetic sensor that outputs a second signal, and a processor that performs processing for generating an angle detection value. The processing for generating the angle detection value includes first processing for determining a first candidate value of the angle detection value, second processing for performing processing for determining an (n+1)th candidate value either once or more than once while incrementing n in value by one each time, the (n+1)th candidate value being determined by performing second computing processing using the first and second signals, first and second strengths, and an nth candidate value of the angle detection value, where n is an integer of 1 or more, and third processing for assuming the candidate value last determined by the second processing as the angle detection value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yosuke Antoku
  • Patent number: 11313884
    Abstract: A current sensor includes at least two conductors and at least two magnetoelectric conversion units each having at least two magnetism detection elements for detecting magnetic flux density of magnetic flux input to detection surfaces facing the same direction, and outputting a signal according to a difference in magnetic flux density between orthogonal components orthogonal to the detection surface of magnetic flux input to the detection surface of the magnetism detection elements. Each conductor includes an extending portion extending along a second-direction orthogonal to a first-direction being an adjacent direction of two adjacent conductors, and a recessed portion including orthogonal portions extending along a third-direction orthogonal to the first- and second-directions and recessed in the third-direction from the extending portion. Each magnetoelectric conversion unit is disposed with the detection surface facing the orthogonal portion of the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nozomi Koizumi
  • Patent number: 11307052
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor system includes a magnetic device and a signal processing circuit. The device generates first to third detection signals corresponding to components in three directions of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator that is able to change its relative position with respect to the device. The circuit includes a longest segment extraction section and a midpoint coordinate computing section. With coordinates that represent a set of values of the first to third detection signals at a certain timing in an orthogonal coordinate system being taken as a measurement point, the longest segment extraction section extracts a first point and a second point that define a line segment having the greatest length among a plurality of measurement points at a plurality of timings. The midpoint coordinate computing section determines coordinates of a midpoint of the line segment defined by the first and second points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunji Saruki, Shinichirou Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 11300582
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure provides a wheel speed detecting device installable in a wheel bearing comprising an outer ring and an inner ring rotatable relative to the outer ring by rolling elements. The wheel speed detecting device may comprise a frame fixed on the inner ring so as to surround an outer circumference of the inner ring, a first target disposed along an outer circumference of the frame, a second target disposed at a central portion of the frame, and sensor configured to detect signals generated from each of the first target and the second target to measure rotational information of the inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ILJIN GLOBAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jong Keun Lim, Hyeon Ung Shin
  • Patent number: 11280855
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes at least two magnetoresistive (MR) sensor elements arranged in a half-bridge configuration. Each of the MR sensor elements includes a magnetic region having a magnetic anisotropy with a resultant magnetization. The magnetic anisotropy is created using an oblique incident deposition (OID) technique, with the magnetic regions being deposited at a nonzero deposition angle relative to a reference line oriented perpendicular to a surface of the magnetic field sensor. A system includes an encoder and the half-bridge configuration of the sensor elements. The encoder produces an external magnetic field, having predetermined magnetic variations in response to motion of the encoder, the magnetic field being detectable by the sensor elements. The resultant magnetization of the sensor elements is aligned by OID in a preferred direction perpendicular to the direction of the external magnetic field instead of utilizing a permanent magnet structure for providing a bias magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Jörg Kock
  • Patent number: 11262180
    Abstract: A position detection device, for detecting a change in relative position of a detection object with respect to a reference portion, includes: a base portion immovable with respect to the reference portion; a following portion deformable or movable following relative movement of the detection object with respect to the reference portion; an expandable and contractible member; and a heat flux detection section. The expandable and contractible member is provided between the base portion and the following portion, is made of a material expandable and contractible according to deformation or movement of the following portion, and generates heat during contraction and absorbs heat during expansion. The heat flux detection section is provided to be subjected to heat of the expandable and contractible member, and is configured to detect a heat flux that is a flow of heat between an inside and an outside of the expandable and contractible member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norio Goko, Toshihisa Taniguchi, Atsushi Sakaida, Keiji Okamoto, Yoshihiko Shiraishi, Masahiro Asano
  • Patent number: 11262418
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for sending and receiving rotation speed information and corresponding computer programs and electronically readable data carriers are provided. A current interface is configured to transmit pulse sequences coding a number of bits. In a first bit group of the number of bits, it is flagged whether the pulse sequence has been sent for a zero crossing in a magnetic field. Information modulated onto a second bit group of the number of bits is selected on the basis of the first bit group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Patricia Lorber, Tobias Werth
  • Patent number: 11255697
    Abstract: A control stick may include a magnet and a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic sensor. The 3D magnetic sensor may determine a twist angle of a handle of the control stick based on a strength of a magnetic field at the 3D magnetic sensor. A twisting of the handle may modify an air gap between the 3D magnetic sensor and the magnet. The strength of the magnetic field may be based on strengths of first, second, and third magnetic field components. The 3D magnetic sensor may determine a tilt angle of the handle based on a ratio of the strength of the first magnetic field component to the strength of the third magnetic field component. A tilting of the handle in a direction corresponding to the first magnetic field component may modify the ratio of the strength of the first magnetic field component to the strength of the third magnetic field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stephan Leisenheimer, Richard Heinz, Sigmund Zaruba
  • Patent number: 11255930
    Abstract: A Hall sensor trim circuit includes a current source, a transistor, a reference voltage circuit, an amplifier, and a Hall sensor. The transistor includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The third terminal is coupled to the current source. The amplifier includes an output terminal, a first input terminal, and a second input terminal. The output terminal is coupled to the first terminal of the transistor. The first input terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the transistor. The second input terminal is coupled to the reference voltage circuit. The Hall sensor is coupled to the current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Junfeng Jiang, Julio E. Acosta, Srinivasan Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 11255927
    Abstract: A three-axis upstream-modulated low-noise magnetoresistive sensor comprises an X-axis magnetoresistive sensor, a Y-axis magnetoresistive sensor, and a Z-axis magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the X, Y, and Z-axis magnetoresistive sensors respectively comprise X, Y, and Z-axis magnetoresistive sensing unit arrays, X, Y, and Z-axis soft ferromagnetic flux concentrator arrays, and X, Y, and Z-axis modulator wire arrays. The X, Y, and Z-axis magnetoresistive sensing unit arrays are electrically interconnected into X, Y, and Z-axis magnetoresistive sensing bridges respectively. The X, Y, and Z-axis modulator wire arrays are electrically interconnected into individual two-port X, Y, and Z-axis excitation coils. In order to measure external magnetic fields, the two-port X, Y, and Z-axis excitation coils are separately supplied with high-frequency alternating current at a frequency f, from a current supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11255885
    Abstract: An electric power conversion device including a converter ECU (51) configured to control a switching device (33) via a gate driver (52), and an electronically insulating support member (115) supporting the control unit. The support member is provided with a first surface (116) supporting the control unit, and a second surface (117) facing away from the first surface, a signal line connected to the control unit extending along at least one of the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaaki Fushimi, Toshiki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11249145
    Abstract: A sensing element is provided including a magnetic sensor that detects a first magnetic field component, at least one AC-magnetic field generator that applies at least one additional magnetic field component at a given frequency to the magnetic sensor, where the first magnetic field component and the at least one additional magnetic field component are orthogonal to each other, and at least one demodulator using the given frequency to determine a sensitivity of the sensing element respective to the at least one additional magnetic field component. Also, several methods of operating such sensing element are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 11249152
    Abstract: A magnetic field detection device includes a magnetism detection element, a modulator, and a demodulator. The magnetism detection element has a sensitivity axis along a first direction. The modulator is configured to impart a spin torque to the magnetism detection element. The spin torque has a rotational force and oscillates at a first frequency. The rotational force is exerted on a plane including the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The demodulator is configured to demodulate an output signal received from the magnetism detection element and to detect an intensity of a measurement target magnetic field exerted on the magnetism detection element on the basis of an amplitude of the output signal. The output signal has the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenzo Makino, Hiroshi Kiyono
  • Patent number: 11249151
    Abstract: A magnetic detector includes a full-bridge circuit including magnetoresistive sensors on the same substrate. The magnetoresistive sensors include two magnetoresistive films and have different relationships between the fixed magnetization direction and the bias application direction. The fixed magnetization direction and the bias application direction are determined with three or more exchange coupling films including antiferromagnetic layers with different blocking temperatures. Thus, the magnetic detector has high resistance to a strong magnetic field, is easy to produce, and has a high degree of flexibility in production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masamichi Saito
  • Patent number: 11237289
    Abstract: A system for determining the location of pipelines using at least one geopig that is introduced into a pipeline, advances therein and that has a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field, wherein at least one unmanned aerial vehicle is provided with magnetic field sensors and position determination devices, a controller is provided for determining the field strength profile of the magnetic field and for positioning the unmanned aerial vehicle at a defined distance from the at least one geopig, and a device is provided for determining the location of the at least one geopig from the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the defined distance between the at least one geopig and the unmanned aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Josef Alois Birchbauer, Uwe Linnert, Klaus Ludwig, Markus Richter
  • Patent number: 11237223
    Abstract: A structure includes a substrate which includes a surface. The structure also includes a horizontal-type Hall sensor positioned within the substrate and below the surface of the substrate. The structure further includes a patterned magnetic concentrator positioned above the surface of the substrate, and a protective overcoat layer positioned above the magnetic concentrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jo Bito, Benjamin Stassen Cook, Dok Won Lee, Keith Ryan Green, Ricky Alan Jackson, William David French