Magnetic flux sensor and method
First Claim
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1. A device comprising:
- (A) a first magnetically conductive structure;
(B) a second magnetically conductive structure;
(C) a circuit coupled to the first and second magnetically conductive structures that senses information pertaining to a permeability of the first magnetically conductive structure relative to a permeability of the second magnetically conductive structure.
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Abstract
A device comprises a first magnetically conductive structure, a second magnetically conductive structure, and a circuit coupled the first and second magnetically conductive structures. The circuit senses information pertaining to a permeability of the first magnetically conductive structure relative to a permeability of the second magnetically conductive structure. The device may be used for various flux sensing and control applications, such as in current sensors.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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(A) a first magnetically conductive structure;
(B) a second magnetically conductive structure;
(C) a circuit coupled to the first and second magnetically conductive structures that senses information pertaining to a permeability of the first magnetically conductive structure relative to a permeability of the second magnetically conductive structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A method of sensing a parameter comprising acquiring information indicative of a permeability of a first material relative to a permeability of a second material, the permeability of the first material relative to the permeability of the second material being indicative of the parameter.
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21. A system comprising:
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a magnetically conductive structure;
a feedback control circuit that controls an amount of magnetic flux in the magnetically conductive structure, the feedback control circuit comprising a sensing circuit that acquires information indicative of the relative permeability of first and second magnetic flux paths that form at least a part of the magnetically conductive structure, the sensing circuit producing a signal that is usable by the feedback control circuit to control the amount of flux in the magnetically conductive structure. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system comprising:
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(A) a magnetically first magnetically conductive structure formed of a first material;
(B) a second magnetically conductive structure formed of a second material, the second material having a different permeability than the first material;
(C) a first winding that is wound around the first magnetically conductive structure and not the second magnetically conductive structure; and
(D) a second winding that is wound around the second magnetically conductive structure and not the first magnetically conductive structure;
(E) a third winding that is wound around both the first magnetically conductive structure and the second magnetically conductive structure; and
(F) processing circuitry coupled to the first, second and third windings to receive information pertaining to a permeability of the first material relative to a permeability of the second material, and the processing circuitry generating information pertaining to a parameter of interest based upon the relative permeability of the first and second materials. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of sensing a parameter, comprising:
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(A) acquiring information pertaining to a permeability of a first material relative to a permeability of a second material, the first and second materials forming first and second magnetically conductive paths in a magnetically conductive structure;
(B) generating an excitation signal based on the information pertaining to the permeability of the first material relative to a permeability of the second material, the excitation signal being operative to adjust the total amount of magnetic flux in the magnetically conductive structure. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A system comprising:
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a magnetically conductive structure;
a feedback control circuit including a sense winding, the sense winding being wound around the magnetically conductive structure;
an excitation winding, the excitation winding being wound around the magnetically conductive structure;
wherein the feedback control circuit acquires feedback information pertaining to a voltage across the sense winding, and wherein the feedback control circuit provides an excitation signal to the excitation winding to control the amount of flux in the magnetically conductive structure. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification