Integrated magnetic field sensor and method of powering on and off a load
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package, wherein the integrated circuit package comprises a thermal pad configured to thermally couple the substrate to a circuit board;
a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and
a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state.
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Abstract
An integrated magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic field sensing circuit and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within a common substrate. A method of powering on and off a load uses the above integrated magnetic field sensor.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package, wherein the integrated circuit package comprises a thermal pad configured to thermally couple the substrate to a circuit board; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of powering on and off a load, comprising:
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providing an integrated magnetic field sensor, the integrated magnetic field sensor comprising; a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package, wherein the integrated circuit package comprises a thermal pad configured to thermally couple the substrate to a circuit board; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, the method further comprising; sensing a change of the magnetic field with the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the higher power state and the lower power state are achieved at different respective strengths or angles of the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a permanent magnet coupled to the integrated circuit package for generating a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to the magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of powering on and off a load, comprising:
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providing an integrated magnetic field sensor, the integrated magnetic field sensor comprising; a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a permanent magnet coupled to the integrated circuit package for generating a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to the magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, the method further comprising; sensing a change of the magnetic field with the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the higher power state and the lower power state are achieved at different respective strengths or angles of the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, wherein the power driving circuit comprises; a temperature sensor disposed upon or within the substrate; and a temperature compensation circuit responsive to the temperature sensor and operable to reduce the higher power state of the power driving signal to a reduced power state at environmental temperatures above a threshold temperature. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of powering on and off a load, comprising:
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providing an integrated magnetic field sensor, the integrated magnetic field sensor comprising; a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, wherein the power driving circuit comprises; a temperature sensor disposed upon or within the substrate; and a temperature compensation circuit responsive to the temperature sensor and operable to reduce the higher power state of the power driving signal to a reduced power state at environmental temperatures above a threshold temperature, the method further comprising; sensing a change of the magnetic field with the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the higher power state and the lower power state are achieved at different respective strengths or angles of the magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises; a magnetic field sensing element disposed upon the semiconductor substrate; a conductor disposed upon the semiconductor and proximate to the magnetic field sensing element; and a self-test circuit operable to drive a current into the conductor to generate a self-test of the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the integrated magnetic field sensor further comprises; a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises; a power on reset circuit operable to hold the two-state signal or to hold the power driving circuit into a condition to result in the lower power state for a predetermined time period following a time when power is applied to the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the integrated magnetic field sensor further comprises; a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, wherein the higher power state is operable to provide at least one hundred seventy milliamps of current, wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises a Hall effect element having first, second, third, and fourth electrical connection nodes disposed upon the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the power driving circuit is disposed upon the semiconductor substrate at a position to result in a predetermined thermal gradient direction at a position of the Hall effect element with respect to positions of the first, second, third, and fourth connections nodes. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A method of powering on and off a load, comprising:
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providing an integrated magnetic field sensor, the integrated magnetic field sensor comprising; a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, the method further comprising; sensing a change of the magnetic field with the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the higher power state and the lower power state are achieved at different respective strengths or angles of the magnetic field, wherein the higher power state is operable to provide at least one hundred seventy milliamps of current, wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises a Hall effect element having first, second, third, and fourth electrical connection nodes disposed upon the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the power driving circuit is disposed upon the semiconductor substrate at a position to result in a predetermined thermal gradient direction at a position of the Hall effect element with respect to positions of the first, second, third, and fourth connections nodes. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. An integrated magnetic field sensor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, wherein the higher power state is operable to provide at least one hundred seventy milliamps of current, and wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises a Hall effect element disposed upon the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the power driving circuit is disposed at a position upon the semiconductor substrate to result in a thermal gradient at a position of the Hall effect element smaller than one degree Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. A method of powering on and off a load, comprising:
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providing an integrated magnetic field sensor, the integrated magnetic field sensor comprising; a semiconductor substrate disposed within an integrated circuit package; a magnetic field sensing circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate a two-state signal responsive to a magnetic field; and a power driving circuit disposed upon or within the substrate and operable to generate, in response to the two-state signal, a power driving signal having a higher power state and a lower power state, the method further comprising; sensing a change of the magnetic field with the integrated magnetic field sensor, wherein the higher power state and the lower power state are achieved at different respective strengths or angles of the magnetic field, wherein the higher power state is operable to provide at least one hundred seventy milliamps of current, and wherein the magnetic field sensing circuit comprises a Hall effect element disposed upon the semiconductor substrate, and wherein the power driving circuit is disposed at a position upon the semiconductor substrate to result in a thermal gradient at a position of the Hall effect element smaller than one degree Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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Specification