Patents by Inventor Dennis Helmboldt
Dennis Helmboldt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11486742Abstract: A system includes an encoder magnet, a magnetic field sensor, and a shield structure. The encoder magnet is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and is configured to produce a measurement magnetic field. The magnetic field sensor is axially displaced away from the encoder magnet and is configured to detect the measurement magnetic field. The shield structure at least partially surrounds both of the encoder magnet and the magnetic field sensor for shielding against stray magnetic fields. The shield structure attaches to a secondary structure. The shield structure and the encoder magnet may be coupled via the secondary structure so that they are commonly rotational. Alternatively, the sensor package and the shield structure are coupled via the secondary structure so that they are nonrotational relative to the encoder magnet.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Thomas Hain, Berkan Zorlubas, Bernd Offermann, Dennis Helmboldt
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Publication number: 20210048320Abstract: A system includes an encoder magnet, a magnetic field sensor, and a shield structure. The encoder magnet is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and is configured to produce a measurement magnetic field. The magnetic field sensor is axially displaced away from the encoder magnet and is configured to detect the measurement magnetic field. The shield structure at least partially surrounds both of the encoder magnet and the magnetic field sensor for shielding against stray magnetic fields. The shield structure attaches to a secondary structure. The shield structure and the encoder magnet may be coupled via the secondary structure so that they are commonly rotational. Alternatively, the sensor package and the shield structure are coupled via the secondary structure so that they are nonrotational relative to the encoder magnet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Thomas Hain, Berkan Zorlubas, Bernd Offermann, Dennis Helmboldt
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Patent number: 10914611Abstract: A system includes a magnet having an axis of rotation, the magnet being configured to produce a magnetic field. The system further includes a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements, each of the magnetoresistive sensor elements having a magnetic free layer configured to generate a vortex magnetization pattern in the magnetic free layer, and the magnetoresistive sensor elements being configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field. A rotation angle of a rotating element to which the magnet is coupled may be determined using the plurality of output signals.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Edwin Schapendonk, Jörg Kock, Dennis Helmboldt, Ralf van Otten, Jaap Ruigrok
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Patent number: 10914609Abstract: A system includes a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field, the magnet having an asymmetric magnetization configuration that produces a distinct feature in the magnetic field. The asymmetric magnetization configuration can be produced via an asymmetric physical characteristic, nonuniform magnetization strengths, nonuniform magnetization distributions, off-centered magnet, and so forth. Magnetic field sensors are configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field, the output signals being indicative of the distinct feature in the magnetic field. A processing circuit receives the output signals and determines a rotation angle for the magnet using the output signals, the rotation angle having a range of 0-360°.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Edwin Schapendonk, Dennis Helmboldt, Jaap Ruigrok, Ralf van Otten, Jan Przytarski, Jörg Kock
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Patent number: 10816363Abstract: A system for determining angular position includes a magnet having at least four poles and an axis of rotation, wherein the magnet produces a magnetic field. A first magnetic field sensor produces a first output signal and a second magnetic field sensor produces a second output signal in response to the magnetic field. The magnetic field sensors are operated in a saturation mode in which the magnetic field sensors are largely insensitive to the field strength of the magnetic field. Thus, the first output signal is indicative of a first direction of the magnetic field and the second output signal is indicative of a second direction of the magnetic field. Methodology performed by a processing circuit entails combining the first and second output signals to obtain a rotation angle value of the magnet in which angular error from a stray magnetic field is at least partially canceled.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Jaap Ruigrok, Edwin Schapendonk, Stephan Marauska, Dennis Helmboldt, Marijn Nicolaas van Dongen
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Patent number: 10718825Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic sense element and a shield structure formed on a substrate. The shield structure fully encircles the magnetic sense element for suppressing stray magnetic fields along a first axis and a second axis, both of which are parallel to a surface of the substrate and perpendicular to one another. A magnetic field is oriented along a third axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and the magnetic sense element is configured to sense a magnetic field along the first axis. A magnetic field deflection element, formed on the substrate proximate the magnetic sense element, redirects the magnetic field from the third axis into the first axis to be sensed as a measurement magnetic field by the magnetic sense element. At least two magnetic field sensors, each fully encircled by a shield structure, form a gradient unit for determining a magnetic field gradient.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Jörg Kock, Hartmut Matz, Mark Isler, Dennis Helmboldt
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Publication number: 20200158791Abstract: A sensor package includes a magnetic field sensor having first and second surfaces, the first surface being a sensing surface of the magnetic field sensor, a shield structure spaced apart from the magnetic field sensor, and a spacer interposed between the magnetic field sensor and the shield structure. The shield structure is configured to suppress stray magnetic fields in a plane parallel to first and second axes that are parallel to the sensing surface of the magnetic field sensor and perpendicular to one another. The shield structure may include a continuous sidewall having a central region, the spacer being surrounded by the continuous sidewall and the sensing surface of the magnetic field sensor being positioned outside of the central region. A system includes an encoder magnet and the sensor package, with the sensing surface of the magnetic field sensor facing the encoder magnet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Dennis Helmboldt, Bernd Offermann, Thomas Hain
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Publication number: 20200064157Abstract: A system includes a magnet having an axis of rotation, the magnet being configured to produce a magnetic field. The system further includes a plurality of magnetoresistive sensor elements, each of the magnetoresistive sensor elements having a magnetic free layer configured to generate a vortex magnetization pattern in the magnetic free layer, and the magnetoresistive sensor elements being configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field. A rotation angle of a rotating element to which the magnet is coupled may be determined using the plurality of output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Edwin Schapendonk, Jörg Kock, Dennis Helmboldt, Ralf van Otten, Jaap Ruigrok
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Publication number: 20190383644Abstract: A system includes a magnet configured to produce a magnetic field, the magnet having an asymmetric magnetization configuration that produces a distinct feature in the magnetic field. The asymmetric magnetization configuration can be produced via an asymmetric physical characteristic, nonuniform magnetization strengths, nonuniform magnetization distributions, off-centered magnet, and so forth. Magnetic field sensors are configured to produce output signals in response to the magnetic field, the output signals being indicative of the distinct feature in the magnetic field. A processing circuit receives the output signals and determines a rotation angle for the magnet using the output signals, the rotation angle having a range of 0-360°.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2018Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Edwin Schapendonk, Dennis Helmboldt, Jaap Ruigrok, Ralf van Otten, Jan Przytarski, Jörg Kock
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Publication number: 20190265071Abstract: A system for determining angular position includes a magnet having at least four poles and an axis of rotation, wherein the magnet produces a magnetic field. A first magnetic field sensor produces a first output signal and a second magnetic field sensor produces a second output signal in response to the magnetic field. The magnetic field sensors are operated in a saturation mode in which the magnetic field sensors are largely insensitive to the field strength of the magnetic field. Thus, the first output signal is indicative of a first direction of the magnetic field and the second output signal is indicative of a second direction of the magnetic field. Methodology performed by a processing circuit entails combining the first and second output signals to obtain a rotation angle value of the magnet in which angular error from a stray magnetic field is at least partially canceled.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2018Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Jaap Ruigrok, Edwin Schapendonk, Stephan Marauska, Dennis Helmboldt, Marijn Nicolaas van Dongen
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Patent number: 10261138Abstract: A system comprises at least one magnetic field sensor having a magnetic sense element formed on a substrate. The sense element senses a magnetic field along a sense axis oriented in a first direction parallel to a surface of the substrate. A shield structure is formed on the substrate. The shield structure has first and second shield portions and the magnetic sense element is disposed between the shield portions. Each of the shield portions includes a body and first and second brim segments extending from opposing ends of the body. The body is aligned parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the surface of the substrate. The brim segments are aligned substantially parallel to the first direction. The shield portions are arranged in mirror symmetry with the brim segments of each of the shield portions extending toward one another.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Jörg Kock, Mark Isler, Harmut Matz, Dennis Helmboldt
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Publication number: 20190079141Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic sense element and a shield structure formed on a substrate. The shield structure fully encircles the magnetic sense element for suppressing stray magnetic fields along a first axis and a second axis, both of which are parallel to a surface of the substrate and perpendicular to one another. A magnetic field is oriented along a third axis perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and the magnetic sense element is configured to sense a magnetic field along the first axis. A magnetic field deflection element, formed on the substrate proximate the magnetic sense element, redirects the magnetic field from the third axis into the first axis to be sensed as a measurement magnetic field by the magnetic sense element. At least two magnetic field sensors, each fully encircled by a shield structure, form a gradient unit for determining a magnetic field gradient.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Jörg Kock, Hartmut Matz, Mark Isler, Dennis Helmboldt
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Publication number: 20190018080Abstract: A system comprises at least one magnetic field sensor having a magnetic sense element formed on a substrate. The sense element senses a magnetic field along a sense axis oriented in a first direction parallel to a surface of the substrate. A shield structure is formed on the substrate. The shield structure has first and second shield portions and the magnetic sense element is disposed between the shield portions. Each of the shield portions includes a body and first and second brim segments extending from opposing ends of the body. The body is aligned parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to the surface of the substrate. The brim segments are aligned substantially parallel to the first direction. The shield portions are arranged in mirror symmetry with the brim segments of each of the shield portions extending toward one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2017Publication date: January 17, 2019Inventors: Stephan Marauska, Jörg Kock, Mark Isler, Harmut Matz, Dennis Helmboldt