Semiconductor Type Solid-state Or Magnetoresistive Magnetometers Patents (Class 324/252)
  • Patent number: 11125835
    Abstract: An AMR-type integrated magnetoresistive sensor sensitive to perpendicular magnetic fields is formed on a body of semiconductor material covered by an insulating region. The insulating region houses a set/reset coil and a magnetoresistor arranged on the set/reset coil. The magnetoresistor is formed by a magnetoresistive strip of an elongated shape parallel to the preferential magnetization direction. A concentrator of ferromagnetic material is arranged on top of the insulating region as the last element of the sensor and is formed by a plurality of distinct ferromagnetic regions aligned parallel to the preferential magnetization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Dario Paci
  • Patent number: 11112435
    Abstract: An electrical current transducer including a housing, a magnetic core comprising a central passage and a magnetic circuit gap, a magnetic field detector positioned in the magnetic circuit gap, and a leadframe conductor arrangement comprising a primary conductor for carrying the current to be measured and magnetic field detector conductors for connecting the magnetic field detector to an external circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: LEM International SA
    Inventors: Jean Marc Peccoux, David Barbagallo, Pascal Morel
  • Patent number: 11073576
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to selectively detect a detection magnetic field without separately providing a sensor for detecting an environmental magnetic field. A magnetic field detection device includes a magnetic field detection unit 10 that generates an output signal S1 according to a magnetic field, a first signal generation unit 20 that extracts a predetermined frequency component from the output signal S1 and generates a cancel signal S2 based on the predetermined frequency component, a first magnetic field generation unit 40 that applies a first cancel magnetic field to the magnetic field detection unit 10 based on the cancel signal S2, and a second signal generation unit 30 that generates a detection signal S3 based on the output signal S1 of the magnetic field detection unit 10 to which the first cancel magnetic field is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kei Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11069544
    Abstract: A rapid thermal processing method and apparatus used for programming the pinned layer of spintronic devices, the apparatus comprising a rapid thermal annealing light source, a reflective cover, a magnet, a wafer, and a substrate. The light source is used for heating the substrate. The reflective cover at least comprises a transparent insulating layer and a reflective layer. The magnet is used to produce a constant magnetic field. An antiferromagnetic layer on a wafer may be locally programmed by controlling the exposure time, for heating a specific area on the wafer to a temperature above the blocking temperature of the antiferromagnetic layer, and then turning off the magnetic field after the heating area has cooled in the presence of the applied magnetic field. This rapid thermal processing method is used to improve the spatial resolution of laser annealing. It provides excellent performance, and it is suitable for mass production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: James Geza Deak
  • Patent number: 11061085
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensing apparatus including a substrate, a plurality of magnetoresistance sensors and a plurality of magnetization direction setting devices is provided. A surface of the substrate includes a plurality of inclined surfaces and a plane surface. The magnetoresistance sensors include a plurality of first magnetoresistance sensors disposed at the inclined surfaces and a plurality of second magnetoresistance sensors disposed at the plane surface. The first magnetoresistance sensors include a first and a third portions and form a first full Wheatstone Bridge. The second magnetoresistance sensors include a second and a fourth portions and form a second full Wheatstone Bridge. The magnetization direction setting devices include a first and a second magnetization direction setting devices. The first magnetization direction setting device is disposed beside and overlaps with the first and the second portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: iSentek Inc.
    Inventor: Fu-Te Yuan
  • Patent number: 11047709
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes at least one magneto-resistive spin-valve sensor element configured to sense a first magnetic field component, and at least one AMR sensor element configured to sense a second magnetic field component which is perpendicular to the first magnetic field component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Raberg
  • Patent number: 11035913
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensing device including a magnetic flux concentrating module and a plurality of vortex magnetoresistors is provided. The magnetic flux concentrating module has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, wherein the first side is parallel to the third side, the second side is parallel to the fourth side, and the first side is not parallel to the second side. The vortex magnetoresistors are disposed beside the first to the fourth sides. The vortex magnetoresistors have a same pinning direction. The pinning direction is inclined with respect to the first side and the second side. The vortex magnetoresistors are configured to be connected to form a plurality of different Wheatstone bridges, so as to sense magnetic field components in a plurality of different directions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: iSentek Inc.
    Inventor: Fu-Te Yuan
  • Patent number: 11022661
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance (MR) element includes a first stack portion comprising a first plurality of layers including a first spacer layer having a first thickness and a first material selected to result in the first stack portion having a first sensitivity to the applied magnetic field. The MR element also has a second stack portion comprising a second plurality of layers, including a second spacer layer having a second thickness to result in the second stack portion having a second sensitivity to the applied magnetic field. The first thickness may be different than the second thickness resulting in the first sensitivity being different than the second sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Jeffrey Eagen, Paolo Campiglio
  • Patent number: 11022632
    Abstract: An electric current sensor includes a substrate, a first sloped surface, a second sloped surface, at least one conductive wire, a first anisotropic magnetoresistor (AMR) unit, a second AMR unit, a first magnetization direction setting device, and a second magnetization direction setting device. The first sloped surface and the second sloped surface are disposed on the substrate and arranged in a first direction. The at least one conductive wire extends along a second direction and is disposed beside the substrate. The first AMR unit is disposed on the first sloped surface. The second AMR unit is disposed on the second sloped surface. The first magnetization direction setting device and the second magnetization direction setting device are configured to set magnetization directions of the AMR units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: iSentek Inc.
    Inventors: Fu-Te Yuan, Yen-Chi Lee
  • Patent number: 11016124
    Abstract: An integrated current sensor is provided in the present invention. The integrated current sensor includes: a conductor comprising at least one current input pin, at least one current output pin, a first leg portion connected to the at least one current input pin, a second leg portion connected to the at least one current output pin, and a connection portion connected between the first leg portion and the second leg portion; a magnetoresistive sensing and signal processing unit; an isolation unit configured to be sandwiched between the magnetoresistive sensing and signal processing unit and the conductor; a plurality of signal pins configured for being coupled to the magnetoresistive sensing and signal processing unit via wires respectively; and a package body configured for wrapping part of the conductor, part of the signal pins, the isolation unit and the magnetoresistive sensing and signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: ACEINNA TRANSDUCER SYSTEMS CO, LTD.
    Inventors: Dalai Li, Leyue Jiang
  • Patent number: 11002805
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a magnetic field converter, a magnetic field detector, and a plurality of shields aligned in a Y direction. The magnetic field converter includes a plurality of yokes. Each yoke has a shape elongated in the Y direction, and is configured to receive an input magnetic field component in a direction parallel to a Z direction and to output an output magnetic field component in a direction parallel to an X direction. The magnetic field detector includes a plurality of trains of elements. Each train of elements includes a plurality of MR elements that are aligned in the Y direction along one yoke and connected in series. Each shield has such a shape that its maximum dimension in the Y direction is smaller than its maximum dimension in the X direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Uchida
  • Patent number: 11002806
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic field detection device capable of detecting with a higher accuracy. A magnetic field detection device 1 includes a first magnetic sensor unit 1000a, a second magnetic sensor unit 1000b, a third magnetic sensor unit 1000c and a fourth magnetic sensor unit 1000d. The first and the second magnetic sensor units are disposed side by side so that a sensitive axis directions of the first and the second magnetic sensor units are oriented in a first direction, and the third and the fourth magnetic sensor units are disposed side by side so that the sensitive axis directions of the third and the fourth magnetic sensor units are oriented in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Masuda, Yoshitaka Moriyasu
  • Patent number: 10989770
    Abstract: A wide magnetic field range measuring method includes the measurement step for a medium-and-large magnetic field and the measurement step for an extremely large magnetic field. In addition to that, the method further includes: Step 1: placing four orthogonally-configured magnetic resistance resistors into an external magnetic field and obtaining the resistance value of each magnetic resistance resistor; Step 2: substituting the resistance values of two mutually orthogonal magnetic resistance resistors into the measurement step for a medium-and-large magnetic field for calculation; if calculation process converges, then, determining that the external magnetic field as a medium-and-large magnetic field with the calculation result representing the magnetic field intensity and the direction of the medium-and-large magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, SICHUAN ENERGY INTERNET RESEARCH INSTITUTE, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jinliang He, Yong Ouyang, Jun Hu, Shanxiang Wang, Gen Zhao, Zhongxu Wang, Rong Zeng, Chijie Zhuang, Bo Zhang, Zhanqing Yu
  • Patent number: 10983179
    Abstract: A magnetic field measuring device that can measure a weaker magnetic field is provided. A magnetic field measuring device is provided, the magnetic field measuring device including: a sensor unit that has at least one magnetoresistive element; a reference voltage generating unit that outputs a reference voltage; a magnetic field generating unit that generates a magnetic field to be applied to the sensor unit; a feedback current generating unit that supplies, according to a difference between an output voltage of the sensor unit and the reference voltage, the magnetic field generating unit with a feedback current that generates a feedback magnetic field to diminish an input magnetic field to the sensor unit; a magnetic field measuring unit that outputs a measurement value corresponding to the feedback current; and an adjusting unit that uses the output voltage of the sensor unit to adjust the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ishida, Masanori Masuda, Takenobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10969410
    Abstract: A current sensor device includes: at least one bus bar; at least one sensor package that includes a magneto-electric conversion element which detects a current flowing through the bus bar and an external connection terminal which is electrically connected to the magneto-electric conversion element; a printed circuit board that is disposed on the sensor package opposite to the bus bar, and electrically connected to the terminal; a magnetic shield body that shields the magneto-electric conversion element from an external magnetic field; and a resin element that integrally holds at least a part of the magnetic shield body and the bus bar fixed to the sensor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Sugito, Kohsuke Nomura, Ryosuke Sakai, Takuma Esaka
  • Patent number: 10948553
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device comprises a substrate, first and second magnetic sensors, and one or more inductors are disposed over the substrate and are controlled by a magnetic sensor controller having a control circuit. The control circuit controls the first magnetic sensor to measure a first magnetic field and the second magnetic sensor to measure a second magnetic field under presence of a fifth magnetic field generated by the inductors. The control circuit controls the first magnetic sensor to measure a third magnetic field and the second magnetic sensor to measure a fourth magnetic field under presence of a sixth magnetic field generated by the inductors, the fifth magnetic field and the sixth magnetic field being different. The control circuit calculates a relative sensitivity matching value converting magnetic field values measured by the second magnetic sensor to a comparable magnetic field value measured by the first magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES NV
    Inventors: Samuel Huber Lindenberger, Javier Bilbao De Mendizabal
  • Patent number: 10948554
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor with encapsulated initialization coil comprises a packaging structure, at least one pair of sensor chips, a spiral initialization coil, a set of wire bonding pads, an ASIC specific integrated circuit and an encapsulation layer. The spiral initialization coil is located on a PCB substrate of the encapsulation structure. Each set of sensor chips comprises two sensor chips, wherein each of the sensor chips comprises two groups of magnetoresistive sensing unit strings. The magnetoresistive sensing unit strings located on the sensor chip are connected to form a magnetoresistive sensor bridge. The application specific integrated circuit, ASIC and the magnetoresistive sensor bridge are electrically interconnected. The sensor chips are located above the spiral initialization coil placed circumferentially along the surface of the spiral initialization coil. The wire bonding pad and the ASIC are electrically interconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Xiaojun Zhang
  • Patent number: 10935396
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a magneto-resistive element configured to output a signal and a detection circuit configured to receive the signal. The detection circuit includes a regulator configured to supply a potential to the magneto-resistive element, a first current path configured to electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator, a second current path, a switch, and a diagnostic circuit connected to the second current path. The second current path includes, and is configured to electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator via the resistor. The switch is configured to select one of the first current path and the second current path, and electrically connect the magneto-resistive element to the regulator via the selected one of the first current path and the second current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Tomida, Takeshi Uemura, Hideaki Fujiura, Ryo Osabe
  • Patent number: 10921391
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a magnetic field sensor integrated circuit including a lead frame having a first surface, a second opposing surface, and a plurality of leads. A substrate has a first surface supporting a magnetic field sensing element and a second surface attached to the first surface of the lead frame. A magnet has a first surface and a second, opposing surface, and is configured to generate a magnetic field. A spacer is positioned between the first surface of the magnet and the second surface of the lead frame with a thickness selected to establish a predetermined distance between the first surface of the magnet and the magnetic field sensing element, the predetermined distance selected to provide the magnetic field signal as a sinusoidal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Cadugan, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10914764
    Abstract: A magnetic balance type current sensor includes a plurality of coils and a magnetic detection element whose characteristics change depending on a magnetic field induced by a current to be measured. Each of the plurality of coils includes a coil wire section disposed on a surface located away from a reference plane, a lead wire section connected to the coil wire section, and two electrode sections connected individually to the coil wire section and to the lead wire section. Each of the plurality of coils is capable of generating a canceling magnetic field when a feedback current is passed by using the electrode sections. The lead wire sections and the coil wire sections have crossing portions in which the lead wire sections and the coil wire sections are layered with an insulating section interposed so as to overlap each other in a winding axis direction of the coil wire sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Ichinohe, Hideaki Kawasaki, Akira Takahashi, Naoki Sakazume
  • Patent number: 10901050
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensing device including a plurality of first magnetoresistor units and a plurality of second magnetoresistor units is provided. Magnetic field sensing axes of the first magnetoresistor units are parallel to a plane formed by a first direction and a third direction and are inclined with respect to the first direction and the third direction. Magnetic field sensing axes of the second magnetoresistor units are parallel to a plane formed by a second direction and the third direction and are inclined with respect to the second direction and the third direction. The first magnetoresistor units and the second magnetoresistor units are configured to measure a plurality of magnetic field components in a plurality of directions in three-dimensional space in a plurality of different time periods, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: iSentek Inc.
    Inventors: Fu-Te Yuan, Meng-Huang Lai
  • Patent number: 10895473
    Abstract: The magnetoresistive effect element is provided with a plurality of magnetoresistive effect laminated bodies, a plurality of lower lead electrodes and upper lead electrodes that electrically connect the plurality of magnetoresistive effect laminated bodies in series, and a film that electrically connects the plurality of lower lead electrodes to each other so that none of the plurality of lower lead electrodes is electrically isolated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Ohta, Takayasu Kanaya
  • Patent number: 10890630
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enhance detection accuracy of a magnetic sensor having four bridge-connected magnetic sensing elements. A magnetic sensor includes magnetic layers 41-43 provided on a surface of the sensor substrate 20 and bridge-connected magnetic sensing elements R1-R4. The magnetic layer 41 includes a main area M1 and a converging area S1 having a width gradually reduced with increasing distance from the main area M1, the magnetic layer 42 includes a main area M2 and converging areas S5, S7 each having a width gradually reduced with increasing distance from the main area M2, and the magnetic layer 43 includes a main area M3 and converging areas S6, S8 each having a width gradually reduced with increasing distance from the main area M3. The end portions of the converging areas S1-S4 and the end portions of the converging areas S5-S8 face each other, respectively, through gaps G1-G4, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Ushioda, Makoto Kameno, Chengbin Lin, Shuichi Okawa
  • Patent number: 10883857
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor is described comprising at least three magnetic flux concentrator sections integrated on a planar substrate, each section being adjacent to at least one of the other sections and being separated by gaps. The sensor comprises at least a first sensing element positioned for sensing flux density in or near the gap between a first section and a second section and at least a second sensing element positioned for sensing flux density in or near the gap between the first section and at least a further section. The magnetic field sensor further comprises further sensing elements arranged to measure changes of the magnetic field in the direction perpendicular to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Melexis Technologies NV
    Inventor: Javier Bilbao De Mendizabal
  • Patent number: 10884092
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes a first magnetic field sensing element first generating a first signal having a first axis of maximum sensitivity, a second magnetic field sensing element for generating a second signal and having a second axis of maximum sensitivity, one or more detectors for receiving an output of the first magnetic field sensing element or the second magnetic field sensing element, and a processor that receives an output of the one or more detectors and uses the output of the one or more detectors to calculate a first constant Kc and a second constant Ks and then uses Kc and Ks to compensate for an orthogonality error between the first axis of maximum sensitivity and second axis of maximum sensitivity. The detectors include peak detectors and/or zero-crossing detectors that compare the output of the first input signal or the second input signal with a threshold or zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Nicolas Rigoni, Octavio H. Alpago, Nicolas Rafael Biberidis, Hernán D. Romero
  • Patent number: 10877072
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for sensing current carried by one or more planar conductors is described. A plurality of sensing coils may be fabricated adjacent to one or more planar, current-carrying conductors. The sensing coils may detect a magnetic field generated by time-varying current flowing through the one or more planar conductors. The sensing coils may be arranged to cancel uniform and linear-gradient magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Stanley Riehl, Anand Satyamoorthy, Vladimir A. Muratov
  • Patent number: 10866287
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor can include four magnetoresistance elements arranged in a bridge, wherein two of the magnetoresistance elements have a response to an external or stray magnetic field that is opposite to a response of the other two magnetoresistance elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Jeffrey Eagen, Damien Dehu
  • Patent number: 10838020
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor array includes non-packaged magnetic sensors disposed on a substrate. The non-packaged magnetic sensors can include bare dice, in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the magnetic sensors are formed directly on the substrate, such as by printing conductive traces on the substrate. In another embodiment, a magnetic sensor array includes a magnetic field converter configured to launch received magnetic fields along an axis corresponding to a magnetic sensor maximum sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: INNOVAURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: C. Macgill Lynde, David B. Goodson, Christopher A. Wiklof
  • Patent number: 10818990
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect device includes a first port, a second port, a first circuit unit and a second circuit unit which are connected in series between the first port and the second port, a shared reference electric potential terminal or a first reference electric potential terminal and a second reference electric potential terminal, and a shared DC application terminal or a first DC application terminal and a second DC application terminal, wherein the first circuit unit and the second circuit unit include a magnetoresistance effect element and a conductor connected to one end thereof, a first end portion of the conductor is connected to a high-frequency current input side, and a second end portion of the first conductor is connected to the shared reference electric potential terminal, the first reference electric potential terminal or the second reference electric potential terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Suzuki, Shinji Hara
  • Patent number: 10809097
    Abstract: In a detector apparatus, a first magnetosensitive unit includes first and third magnetic resistor elements arranged next to each other in a moving direction of the to-be-detected unit and electrically connected in series between a first potential and a second potential, a second magnetosensitive unit includes second and fourth magnetic resistor elements arranged next to each other in the moving direction of the to-be-detected unit and electrically connected in series between the first potential and the second potential, and as for resistances for a same magnetic field, a relation of whether or not a resistance of the third magnetic resistor element is higher than a resistance of the first magnetic resistor element is the same as a relation of whether or not a resistance of the second magnetic resistor element is higher than a resistance of the fourth magnetic resistor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Matsubara, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10788561
    Abstract: A ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurement method is disclosed wherein a magnetic film or stack of layers is patterned into elongated structures having a length along a long axis. A magnetic field (H) is applied in two different orientations with respect to the long axis (in-plane parallel and perpendicular to the long axis) or one orientation may be perpendicular-to-plane. In another embodiment, H is applied parallel to a first set of elongated structures with a long axis in the x-axis direction, and perpendicular to a second set of elongated structures with a long axis in the y-axis direction. From the difference in measured resonance frequency (?fr) (for a fixed magnetic field and sweeping through a range of frequencies) or the difference in measured resonance field (?Hr) (for a fixed microwave frequency and sweeping through a range of magnetic field amplitudes), magnetic saturation Ms is determined using formulas of demagnetizing factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Santiago Serrano Guisan, Luc Thomas, Guenole Jan, Son Le
  • Patent number: 10782153
    Abstract: A system includes a multiturn counter that can store a magnetic state associated with a number of accumulated turns of a magnetic field. The multiturn counter includes a plurality of magnetoresistive elements electrically coupled in series with each other. A matrix of electrical connections is arranged to connect magnetoresistive elements of the plurality of magnetoresistive elements to other magnetoresistive elements of the plurality of magnetoresistive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global
    Inventor: Jochen Schmitt
  • Patent number: 10768743
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a foam is located below an OLED display, and a film is located below the foam. Multiple bridge circuits are disposed on the film. Each bridge circuit includes two parallel branches. A first branch includes a first and a third resistor. A second branch includes a second and a fourth resistor. At least one of the four resistors is bonded to the foam. At least one resistor is not bonded to the foam. The resistor that is bonded to the foam is made from a first material. A strain sensitivity coefficient of the first material is greater than 100. A film area in which the resistor that is bonded to the foam is located is covered by a second material. A Young's modulus of the second material is greater than 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dongli Wang, Xiaoyan Yu, Jiang Liu, Ziqian Ding
  • Patent number: 10739417
    Abstract: A magnetic-field-sensitive MOSFET (MagFET) is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment, the MagFET comprises a semiconductor body, a first well region arranged in the semiconductor body and being doped with dopants of a first doping type, and a number of N contact regions arranged in the first well region and doped with dopants of a second doping type, which is complementary to the first doping type, wherein N is equal to or greater than three. A gate electrode covers the first well region between the contact regions. The gate electrode is separated from the first well region by an isolation layer and is configured to control a charge carrier density in the first well region between the contact regions dependent on a voltage applied at the gate electrode. The first well region has a center of symmetry and the contact regions are arranged rotationally symmetric with respect to the center of symmetry with a rotational symmetry of order N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 10732232
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic field detection device that includes a first soft magnetic body and a magnetic detector. The first soft magnetic body includes a first plate and a first protrusion. The first plate includes a first surface including a first outer edge. The first protrusion is provided at a first arrangement position in the first surface and includes a first tip on opposite side to the first surface. The first arrangement position is set back from the first outer edge. The magnetic detector is provided in the vicinity of the first tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Nagata, Kazuya Watanabe, Keisuke Uchida, Kohei Honma, Hiraku Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10718830
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor is provided. The magnetoresistive sensor comprises a magnetic sensing layer, a magnetic reference layer, and a tunnel barrier layer between the magnetic sensing layer and the magnetic reference layer. The magnetoresistive sensor also comprises a sensing exchange layer having a layer of anti-ferromagnetic material. The sensing exchange layer is exchange coupled with the magnetic sensing layer. Also, the magnetoresistive sensor still further comprises a reference exchange layer having a layer of anti-ferromagnetic material. The reference exchange layer is exchange coupled with the magnetic reference layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: INL-INTERNATIONAL IBERIAN NANOTECHNOLGY LABORATORY
    Inventors: Ricardo Alexandre de Matos Antunes Ferreira, Elvira Pérez de Colosia Paz
  • Patent number: 10712178
    Abstract: A position detection device includes a first magnetic field generation unit for generating a first magnetic field, a second magnetic field generation unit for generating a second magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor. The position of the second magnetic field generation unit relative to the first magnetic field generation unit is variable. The magnetic sensor detects the direction of a target magnetic field at a detection position in a reference plane. The target magnetic field is a composite magnetic field of first and second magnetic field components which are respective components of the first and second magnetic fields parallel to the reference plane. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistive element including a free layer and a magnetization pinned layer. In the reference plane, two directions orthogonal to the magnetization direction of the magnetization pinned layer are each different from both of directions of the first and second magnetic field components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Uchida, Tsuyoshi Umehara, Toshihide Suto, Hiraku Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10712369
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide mechanisms for measuring currents flowing in one or more conductor wires. The mechanisms are based on using magnetic sensor pairs arranged within a housing with an opening for the wires, where each magnetic sensor pair can generate a pair of signals indicative of magnetic fields in two different directions. The outputs of the sensor pairs can be used to derive a measure of current(s) flowing through the one or more wires. The use of magnetic sensor pairs that can measure magnetic field in two different directions may enable simultaneous current measurement in multiple wires placed within the opening, improve accuracy of current measurements while relaxing requirements for precise control of the placement of the wire(s), reduce the impact of stray magnetic interference, and enable both AC and DC measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES GLOBAL UNLIMTED COMPANY
    Inventors: Boris Lerner, Yogesh Jayaraman Sharma, Sefa Demirtas, Jochen Schmitt, Paul Blanchard, Arthur J. Kalb, Harvey Weinberg, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 10697799
    Abstract: An angle sensor includes a plurality of composite magnetic field information generation units and an angle computing unit. The plurality of composite magnetic field information generation units detect, at a plurality of detection positions, a composite magnetic field of a magnetic field to be detected and a noise magnetic field other than the magnetic field to be detected, and thereby generate a plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information including information on the direction of the composite magnetic field. The angle computing unit generates a detected angle value by performing an operation using the plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information so that an error of the detected angle value caused by the noise magnetic field is made smaller than in the case where the detected angle value is generated on the basis of any and only one of the plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenkichi Anagawa, Shinichirou Mochizuki, Hiraku Hirabayashi, Kazuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10684310
    Abstract: A magnetic field transducer mounting apparatus can include a first mount configured to fixedly couple to a side surface of a wafer test fixture magnet, and a second and third mount configured to adjustably position a magnetic field transducer in a predetermined location proximate a face of the wafer test fixture magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Spin Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Yam, Jorge Vasquez, Georg Wolf, Roberto Cordero
  • Patent number: 10677860
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a magnetoresistive body that is disposed over a surface of an insulator, a protective film that is provided over a surface of the insulator, including over the magnetoresistive body, and an open portion that runs along at least a portion of a perimeter of the magnetoresistive body and penetrates the protective film in a thickness direction of the protective film. In the magnetic sensor, a separation distance between an inside wall of the open portion and the magnetoresistive body, this being a minimum distance with respect to the magnetoresistive body, is configured so as to be longer than an alignment margin dimension of the open portion with respect to the magnetoresistive body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Yoichi Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 10670671
    Abstract: Sensor devices, systems and methods are provided, including a first magnetic sensor configured to measure a first magnetic field in a first frequency range and output a first sensor signal based on the measured first magnetic field, a second magnetic sensor configured to measure a second magnetic field in a second frequency range and output a second sensor signal based on the measured second magnetic field, and a sensor circuit configured to receive the first and the second sensor signals, combine the first and the second sensor signals, and output a combined sensor signal. The first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are configured to share a cross-over frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 10650849
    Abstract: An exchange-coupled film according to the present invention includes an antiferromagnetic layer, pinned magnetic layer, and free magnetic layer which are stacked. The antiferromagnetic layer is composed of a Pt—Cr sublayer and an X—Mn sublayer (where X is Pt or Ir). The X—Mn sublayer is in contact with the pinned magnetic layer. The Pt—Cr sublayer has a composition represented by the formula Pt?Cr100 at %-? (? is 44 at % to 58 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the Pt—Cr sublayer or has a composition represented by the formula Pt?Cr100 at %-? (? is 44 at % to 57 at %) when the X—Mn sublayer is placed on the pinned magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masamichi Saito, Fumihito Koike, Hiroaki Endo
  • Patent number: 10613161
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes an MR element and two stacks. The two stacks are spaced apart from each other along a first direction. Each stack includes a ferromagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer stacked along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. An element placement region is formed between the two stacks when viewed in the second direction. The element placement region includes a middle region and two end regions. The MR element is placed to lie within the middle region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yosuke Komasaki
  • Patent number: 10605626
    Abstract: An angle sensor may comprise a sensing element including a first half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the first half bridge are along a first reference axis. The sensing element may include a second half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the second half bridge are along a second reference axis. The sensing element may include a third half bridge, where magnetic reference directions of resistors of the third half bridge are along a third reference axis. At least two of the first reference axis, the second reference axis, or the third reference axis may be non-orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 10591555
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device includes: a magnet; a magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted substrate on which a magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted body is mounted on a surface thereof opposite to a surface thereof facing the magnet, the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted body extending in the longitudinal direction of the magnet; a case that accommodates or retains the magnet and the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted substrate; and a magnetic shield that covers the case except for the surface of the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted substrate on which is mounted the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted body. The magnetic shield covers the case at a position corresponding to the surface of the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted substrate facing the magnet, or from the position corresponding to the surface of the magnetic-resistance-effect-element mounted substrate facing the magnet to a side of the case opposite to the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Matsui, Tomokazu Ogomi, Masaaki Okada, Kenji Shimohata, Sadaaki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10578684
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor can include a substrate, a first magnetoresistance element disposed over the substrate and including a first maximum response axis and a first bias layer structure configured to generate a first bias magnetic field with a first magnetic direction between ninety degrees and sixty degrees relative to the first maximum response axis. The magnetic field sensor can also include a second magnetoresistance element disposed over the substrate and including a second maximum response axis parallel to the first maximum response axis and a second bias layer structure configured to generate a second bias magnetic field with a second magnetic direction parallel to the first magnetic direction and opposed to the first magnetic direction. The first and second magnetoresistance elements can each have a pair of electrical contacts for coupling to circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Cadugan, Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Alexander Latham, Paolo Campiglio, Noémie Belin
  • Patent number: 10571298
    Abstract: A rotation detecting device includes first to fourth magneto-resistive elements that are provided on a first substrate to constitute a bridge circuit, a detection circuit provided on a second substrate, first to fourth wirings each connecting between the detection circuit and respective one of ends of the first to fourth magneto-resistive elements, first to fourth nodes provided on the second substrate, and first and second amplifiers provided on the second substrate. The first node combines signals on the first and second wirings. The second node combines signals on the third and fourth wirings. The first and second amplifiers amplify signals at the first and second nodes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Tomida, Takeshi Uemura, Hideaki Fujiura, Ryo Osabe
  • Patent number: 10564228
    Abstract: The magnetoresistive effect element unit includes an anisotropic magnetoresistive effect element and a conductive reset line that, as viewed in a direction orthogonal to both a magnetic sensing direction x? and an easy magnetization direction y? of the anisotropic magnetoresistive effect element, passes through a center of the anisotropic magnetoresistive effect element, extends in a direction inclined from the easy magnetization direction y? so as to form an angle of 45° or less with the easy magnetization direction y?, and is parallel to a plane including the magnetic sensing direction x? and the easy magnetization direction y?. As viewed in the direction orthogonal to both the magnetic sensing direction x? and the easy magnetization direction y?, the reset line has a width that covers an entirety of the anisotropic magnetoresistive effect element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Ogomi, Kenji Shimohata, Jin Inoue, Tetsuji Imamura, Yoshinori Yamaguchi, Takashi Daimon
  • Patent number: 10545176
    Abstract: A current measurement circuit suitable for measuring the flow of current along a path in an electrical circuit such as a part of an electric power assisted steering system comprises a current measurement resistor that is located in series in the electrical path through which a current to be measured may flow, a first measurement sub-circuit that measures the voltage dropped across at least a part of the resistor and produces a first output signal, and a second measurement sub-circuit that measures the voltage dropped across at least a part of the resistor and produces a second output signal, and in which the electrical connections of the two sub-circuits to the resistor are independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: TRW Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Harvey, Andrew Williams, Philip Browne