Abstract: A virtual touch knob assembly is provided that translates sensed movement of a user's fingers around a knob into control signals for operation of an appliance. A knob is provided on a user control panel of an appliance. The knob is fixed, i.e., does not turn or rotate. A system is provided that can sense the user's fingers moving around the fixed knob and translate the sensed input to control signals for setting the operation of the appliance or device.

Abstract: A virtual touch knob assembly is provided that translates sensed movement of a user's fingers around a knob into control signals for operation of an appliance. A knob is provided on a user control panel of an appliance. The knob is fixed, i.e., does not turn or rotate. A system is provided that can sense the user's fingers moving around the fixed knob and translate the sensed input to control signals for setting the operation of the appliance or device.

Abstract: An AMR array magnetic position sensing method and system for improving sensor-to-magnet carrier misposition. A magnetic carrier can be provided, which maintains two or more magnets with angled magnetic vectors position above an array of AMR array sensors. The magnet carrier can then be passed over the AMR array sensors to generate an output signal having less susceptibility to variations in air gap because the angles of flux lines generated by the magnets do not change much with air gap variation. The AMR array sensors are generally sensitive to variation in a direction being sensed, because a constant magnetic field angle sensed by AMR runners located on the AMR array sensors do not change with respect to variation in other directions.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor module includes a MR sensor array including a plurality of MR sensors/bridge circuits. A first group of bridge circuits has an output coupled to a first signal conditioning circuit and a second group of bridge circuits has an output coupled to a second signal conditioning circuit. A first electrical connector is coupled to one end of the module and a second electrical connector is coupled to its opposite end. The pins include a pin for providing signal coupling between adjacent modules and a Vsupply pin for coupling Vsupply to adjacent modules. Signals from the second signal conditioning circuit are coupled to the first signal conditioning circuit which determines a position of a magnetic target. The first signal conditioning circuit communicates the position to the controller which outputs a single sensor module signal that includes the position of the magnetic target.

Abstract: An AMR array magnetic position sensing system for improved sensor flexibility and improved air gap performance is disclosed. A pair of magnets can be enclosed in a magnet carrier that moves along a path and located above an array of AMR position sensors. The magnets are generally magnetized through the length of the magnets, and the magnets are positioned in the carrier such that an angle between the magnets exists in a manner similar to an angle made by AMR runners on a surface of the AMR positions sensors to create magnetic flux lines thereof. The AMR position sensors come into contact with the uniform magnetic flux lines to sense a change in linear and angular position associated with the magnet carrier. The output signal generated by the AMR position sensors have less susceptibility to variations in air gap as the angles of the magnetic flux lines generated by the magnets do note change with respect to air gap variation.

Abstract: An AMR array magnetic position sensing system for improved sensor flexibility and improved air gap performance is disclosed. A pair of magnets can be enclosed in a magnet carrier that moves along a path and located above an array of AMR position sensors. The magnets are generally magnetized through the length of the magnets, and the magnets are positioned in the carrier such that an angle between the magnets exists in a manner similar to an angle made by AMR runners on a surface of the AMR positions sensors to create magnetic flux lines thereof. The AMR position sensors come into contact with the uniform magnetic flux lines to sense a change in linear and angular position associated with the magnet carrier. The output signal generated by the AMR position sensors have less susceptibility to variations in air gap as the angles of the magnetic flux lines generated by the magnets do note change with respect to air gap variation.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a linear signal from a non-contact magnetoresistive position sensors utilizing a multilayer perception neural network. The neural network multiplies a number of non-linear inputs from the magnetoresistive position sensor by a number of first layer interconnection weights, which are summed by a number of first layer summing nodes and processed by a number of nonlinear activation function. The processed data can then be multiplied by a number of second layer interconnection weights and summed by an output layer-summing node. The output from the output layer-summing node can further be processed by an output activation function in order to produce a linear output signal.

Abstract: An AMR array magnetic position sensing method and system for improving sensor-to-magnet carrier misposition. A magnetic carrier can be provided, which maintains two or more magnets with angled magnetic vectors position above an array of AMR array sensors. The magnet carrier can then be passed over the AMR array sensors to generate an output signal having less susceptibility to variations in air gap because the angles of flux lines generated by the magnets do not change much with air gap variation. The AMR array sensors are generally sensitive to variation in a direction being sensed, because a constant magnetic field angle sensed by AMR runners located on the AMR array sensors do not change with respect to variation in other directions.

Abstract: A thermal gas flow sensor and method of forming such a sensor. The sensor has a substrate and a heater disposed on the substrate. At least one pair of thermal sensing elements is disposed on the substrate either side of the heater. A protective layer is disposed on at least the heater and/or the thermal sensing elements. The protective layer comprises a high temperature resistant polymer based layer which is preferably a fluoropolymer based layer. The protective layer can also cover interconnects and electrical connections also formed on the substrate so as to completely seal the sensor. A passivation layer, such as silicon nitride, can be disposed on the sensing and/or heating elements and optionally the interconnects and is arranged to interpose the protective layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a heating element comprising an upstream side and a downstream side. A first heat sensing set is generally configured adjacent to the upstream side of the heating element and comprises a first sensing element and a second sensing element, the first and second sensing elements configured in a serpentine, interdigitated pattern. A second heat sensing set can be configured adjacent to the downstream side of the heating element and comprises a third sensing element and a fourth sensing element, the third and fourth sensing elements configured in a serpentine, interdigitated pattern.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor system includes a plurality of chip carriers, such that each integrated circuit among the plurality of chip carriers is associated with a respective magnetoresistive sensing components. A plurality of magnetoresistive sensing components can be arranged in an array, wherein each magnetoresistive component among the plurality of magnetoresistive components is associated with a respective integrated circuit among the plurality of chip carriers and wherein the plurality of magnetoresistive sensing components comprises sensing components that are spaced irregular from one another in order to optimize the performance of the array and meet requirements of a particular magnetoresistive sensing application.