Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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°.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for determining angular position includes a dipole magnet having an axis of rotation, wherein the dipole 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 substantially cancelled.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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°.

Abstract: A system for determining angular position includes a dipole magnet having an axis of rotation, wherein the dipole 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 substantially cancelled.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor is disclosed for providing an output signal in response to an external magnetic field. The sensor comprises a primary magnetic field transducer for producing a primary signal in response to the external magnetic field and having a first magnetic field saturation characteristic; a secondary magnetic field transducer for producing a secondary signal in response to the external magnetic field and having a second magnetic field saturation characteristic. The first magnetic field saturation characteristic is different from the second magnetic field saturation characteristic. The sensor is configured to use the secondary signal to correct for errors in the output signal arising from saturation of the primary transducer.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor is disclosed for providing an output signal in response to an external magnetic field. The sensor comprises a primary magnetic field transducer for producing a primary signal in response to the external magnetic field and having a first magnetic field saturation characteristic; a secondary magnetic field transducer for producing a secondary signal in response to the external magnetic field and having a second magnetic field saturation characteristic. The first magnetic field saturation characteristic is different from the second magnetic field saturation characteristic. The sensor is configured to use the secondary signal to correct for errors in the output signal arising from saturation of the primary transducer.

Abstract: An integration substrate for a system in package comprises a through-substrate via and a trench capacitor wherein with a trench filling that includes at least four electrically conductive capacitor-electrode layers in an alternating arrangement with dielectric layers. —The capacitor-electrode layers are alternatingly connected to a respective one of two capacitor terminals provided on the first or second substrate side. The trench capacitor and the through-substrate via are formed in respective trench openings and via openings in the semiconductor substrate, which have an equal lateral extension exceeding 10 micrometer. This structure allows, among other advantages, a particularly cost-effective fabrication of the integration substrate because the via openings and the trench openings in the substrate can be fabricated simultaneously.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor comprising first and second magnetoresistive elements is disclosed. Each magnetoresistive element is coupled at a respective first end to a common ground terminal and comprises one or more magnetoresistive segments, each overlying a corresponding segment of an excitation coil. The resistance of the magnetoresistive segments in each of the first and second magnetoresistive elements is the same and the resistance of the segments of the excitation coil corresponding to the first magnetoresistive element is the same as the resistance of the segments of the excitation coil corresponding to the second magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: An AMR sensor, comprises at least first and second AMR sensor elements to which opposite bias fields are applied. The first and second AMR sensor element outputs are combined to derive a sensor response which is substantially anti-symmetric in the region close to zero external magnetic field. This arrangement shifts the zero detection point of the AMR sensor elements away from a maximum of the response curve, so that sensitivity in proximity to a zero input field is obtained. To overcome the problem that the response is not anti-symmetric, the signals from (at least) two sensor elements are combined.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor assembly (401a, 401b) for measuring an angular direction (?) of a sensed magnetic field (Happl) relative to the assembly, the sensor assembly comprising: a sensor (404a, 404b) of a first type configured to sense an orientation of the sensed magnetic field; a sensor (402, 406) of a second type configured to measure an orientation and a direction of the sensed magnetic field; and processing circuitry (403, 405) connected to each of the magnetic field sensors, the processing circuitry being configured to process output signals from the sensor of the first type to determine an uncorrected sensed magnetic field angle and to apply an offset angle to the uncorrected magnetic field angle dependent on a logical combination of signs of output signals from the sensors of the first and second types.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means to integrate planar coils on silicon, while providing a high inductance. This high inductance is achieved through a special back- and front sided shielding of a material. In many applications, high-value inductors are a necessity. In particular, this holds for applications in power management. In these applications, the inductors are at least 5 of the order of 1 ?H, and must have an equivalent series resistance of less than 0.1?. For this reason, those inductors are always bulky components, of a typical size of 2×2×1 mm 3, which make a fully integrated solution impossible. On the other hand, integrated inductors, which can monolithically be integrated, do exist. However, these inductors suffer either from low inductance values, or 10 very-high DC resistance values.

Abstract: The invention provides a magnetic field sensor or current sensor which can exhibit a substantially linear relationship between the sensor signal and the logarithm of the magnetic field or current. The sensor may be used as a wide dynamic range sensor which can offer a constant relative sensitivity and a uniform SNR over several decades. The design of the sensor device may be implemented in discrete magnetic field sensors or current sensors as well as in integrated current sensors in ICs comprising MRAM modules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a configurable trench multi-capacitor device comprising a trench in a semiconductor substrate. The trench has a lateral extension exceeding 10 micrometer and a trench filling includes a number of at least four electrically conductive capacitor-electrode layers. A switching unit is provided that comprises a plurality of switching elements electrically interconnected between different capacitor-electrode layers of the trench filling. A control unit is connected with the switching unit and configured to generate and provide to the switching unit respective control signals for forming a respective one of a plurality of multi-capacitor configurations using the capacitor-electrode layers of the trench filling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a read only magnetic information carrier (1b, 1c, 1d) comprising a substrate (2), an information layer (3) and a stabilizing layer (15a, 15b). The information layer (3) comprises a pattern of magnetic bits (4) of magnetic material wherein the pattern of magnetic bits (4) constitutes an array of bit locations. The presence or absence of the magnetic material at a bit location represents a value of the bit location by a magnetic field (5) having a predetermined magnetization direction (6). The stabilizing layer (15a, 15b) is arranged between the substrate (2) and the information layer (3) and comprises hard magnetic material (8, 9) which is magnetically coupled to the magnetic material of the magnetic bit (4). The magnetically coupled hard magnetic material (8, 9) provides the predetermined magnetization direction (6) of the magnetic field (5).

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor comprising first and second magnetoresistive elements is disclosed. Each magnetoresistive element is coupled at a respective first end to a common ground terminal and comprises one or more magnetoresistive segments, each overlying a corresponding segment of an excitation coil. The resistance of the magnetoresistive segments in each of the first and second magnetoresistive elements is the same and the resistance of the segments of the excitation coil corresponding to the first magnetoresistive element is the same as the resistance of the segments of the excitation coil corresponding to the second magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: An AMR sensor, comprises at least first and second AMR sensor elements to which opposite bias fields are applied. The first and second AMR sensor element outputs are combined to derive a sensor response which is substantially anti-symmetric in the region close to zero external magnetic field. This arrangement shifts the zero detection point of the AMR sensor elements away from a maximum of the response curve, so that sensitivity in proximity to a zero input field is obtained. To overcome the problem that the response is not anti-symmetric, the signals from (at least) two sensor elements are combined.