Abstract: A magneto-resistive resistor for use in sensors for determining alignment of the sensor relative to a homogeneous magnetic field include an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) strip having a longitudinal extent and a first and second edge along the longitudinal extent. The first and second edge have a shape along the longitudinal extent such that the direction of current flowing through the strip varies continuously along the longitudinal extent of the strip. The shape of the first and second edges produce a resistance determining angle with respect to the homogeneous magnetic field, the angle varying throughout the length of the strip and filtering out harmonics. A sensor bridge comprising at least one AMR resistor pair, each resistor electrically connected to the other resistor, a positive input contact and a negative input, and an output voltage tap electrically connected between the resistors in each resistor pair.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive sensors which use the AMR or the GMR effect and indicate the direction of the homogeneous magnetic field of a rotatable permanent magnet in the angle measurement or the position of the sensor with respect to a scale, which is magnetized periodically in an alternating direction, for the position measurement, and in which the angle or position value is obtained from the quotient of the output signals from two bridges or half bridges with the aid of arctan interpolation, allow small measurement errors if the output signals have small harmonic components and hysteresis areas. In arrangements according to the invention, this is achieved by the resistors being composed of strips and by continuously varying the resistance-determining angle along the strip longitudinal extent for each constant magnetic field acting on the strips.

Abstract: Disclosed are absolute measuring systems comprising measuring rods that are composed of groups of at least two magnetic segments. The magnetic segments of at least one group have the same length in the direction of measurement while the magnetic segments of the different groups have different lengths. For arrangements encompassing more than two sensors on the single-track measuring rods, multistage phase difference processes are disclosed which result in high resolutions and accurate measurements while allowing for great measured lengths and, when anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors are used, for example, an unambiguous angle measurement range of 360°. FIG. 6a best represents the essence of the invention.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive sensors which use the AMR or the GMR effect and indicate the direction of the homogeneous magnetic field of a rotatable permanent magnet in the angle measurement or the position of the sensor with respect to a scale, which is magnetized periodically in an alternating direction, for the position measurement, and in which the angle or position value is obtained from the quotient of the output signals from two bridges or half bridges with the aid of arctan interpolation, allow small measurement errors if the output signals have small harmonic components and hysteresis areas. In arrangements according to the invention, this is achieved by the resistors being composed of strips and by continuously varying the resistance-determining angle along the strip longitudinal extent for each constant magnetic field acting on the strips.