MAGNETIC SENSING APPARATUS AND MAGNETIC SENSING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150362564A1
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: QST Corporation
• Original Assignee: QST Corporation [Cn/Cn]
• Inventors: WAN, Hong, WAN, Xudong, ZHANG, Ting
• Application Number:
  US14/832,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0011 comprising means, e.g. flux concentrators, flux guides, for guiding or concentrating the magnetic flux, e.g. to the magnetic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0206 Three-component magnetometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/09 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/093 using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors thin magnetic films H01F10/00

Abstract

A magnetic sensing apparatus includes a third direction magnetic sensing component that includes a substrate and a pair of coupled magnetic sensing modules. A groove is set in surface of the substrate. The magnetic sensing module includes a magnetic conductive unit, where a main part of the magnetic conductive unit is set in the groove, and a part of it is exposed out the groove and to surface of the substrate, in order to collect magnetic field signal in the third direction and output the magnetic field signal. The magnetic conductive unit includes a magnetic material layer. The magnetic sensing module includes an inducing configured to receive the magnetic field signal in the third direction and measure corresponding magnetic field strength in the third direction by the magnetic field signal. The inducing unit includes a magnetic material layer.

Claims

1. A magnetic sensing apparatus, comprising a third direction magnetic sensing component, the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a substrate and a pair of coupled magnetic sensing modules, a groove is set in surface of the substrate;

and

the magnetic sensing module comprises;

a magnetic conductive unit, main part of the magnetic conductive unit is set in the groove, and a part of it is exposed out the groove and to surface of the substrate, in order to collect magnetic field signal in the third direction and output the magnetic field signal; and

an inducing unit setting on the surface of the substrate, to receive the magnetic field signal in the third direction and measure corresponding magnetic field strength in the third direction by the magnetic field signal;

the inducing unit comprises a magnetic material layer, electrical resistance of the magnetic material in the magnetic material layer is variable with the magnetic field strength and direction, and

wherein output magnetic signals in a first direction and/or a second direction for every pairs of coupled magnetic sensing modules are offset after the pair of coupled magnetic sensing modules is settled.

2. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a perpendicular direction magnetic sensing component;

the magnetic conductive unit is configured to collect the magnetic field signal in a perpendicular direction and outputting the magnetic field signal;

the inducing unit comprises a magnetic sensor inducing magnetic field paralleled to the surface of the substrate, sets on the surface of the substrate, configured to receive the magnetic field signal in the perpendicular direction from the magnetic conductive unit, and measuring corresponding magnetic field strength in the perpendicular direction by the magnetic field signal; and

the magnetic sensing apparatus further comprises a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor configured to respectively induce magnetic field in the first direction, and the second direction; and

the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

3. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the magnetic sensing apparatus further comprises a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor configured to respectively induce magnetic field in the first direction, and the second direction; and

the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular each other.

4. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each pair of two coupled magnetic sensing modules comprises three factors:

(1) for relative locations of the groove and the inducing unit, the groove sets in one side of the corresponding inducing unit, or other side;

the magnetic conductive unit is at left of the inducing unit, to guide the magnetic field in the third direction to one direction in the surface of the substrate, and the magnetic conductive unit is at right of the inducing unit, to guide the magnetic field in the third direction to other direction in the surface of the substrate;

(2) the inducing unit gets an initial magnetization direction by outer exciting magnetic field; and

the initial magnetization directions of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules are set as same or opposite; and

(3) for direction of current in the magnetic sensing module, the directions of current in the two coupled magnetic sensing modules are set as same or orthographic;

for each of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules, factors (1) in the three factors are set as opposite, and factors (2) and (3) are set as same;

or all three factors are set as opposite;

comparison of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules above is based on the two coupled magnetic sensing modules are paralleled.

5. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

each pair of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules above is paralleled so that initial magnetization directions of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit of the two coupled magnetic sensing module are same or opposite.

6. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

each magnetic sensing modules above is paralleled, and factors (1) are set as opposite and the factors (2) and (3) are set as same for all three factors of two connected magnetic sensing modules;

or all three factors are set as opposite.

7. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a first magnetic sensing module, a second magnetic sensing module, a third magnetic sensing module, and a fourth magnetic sensing module;

each magnetic sensing modules above is paralleled so that initial magnetization directions of the magnetic material layer in sensing units of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules are same or opposite, and trend of the grooves in the magnetic sensing modules are paralleled or overlapped;

a first terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module are grounding, a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module, a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the third magnetic sensing module;

a second terminal of the third magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module connect to a power source, and an electrical signal is output between a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a first side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the first magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is direction A, and current is direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a second side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the second magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction opposite to the direction A, and current is a direction perpendicular to the direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a first side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the third magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction same to the direction A, and current is a direction paralleled to the direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a second side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the fourth magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction opposite to the direction A, and current is a direction perpendicular to the direction B.

8. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a first magnetic sensing module, a second magnetic sensing module, a third magnetic sensing module, and a fourth magnetic sensing module;

each magnetic sensing modules above is paralleled so that initial magnetization directions of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit of the two coupled magnetic sensing modules are same or opposite, and trend of the grooves in the magnetic sensing modules are paralleled or overlapped;

a first terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a first terminal of the second magnetic sensing module are grounding, a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module, a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the third magnetic sensing module;

a second terminal of the third magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module connect to a power source, and an electrical signal is output between a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a first side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the first magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is direction A, and current is direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a second side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the second magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction same to the direction A, and current is a direction paralleled to the direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a first side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the third magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction same to the direction A, and current is a direction paralleled to the direction B;

the grooves coupled to each part of the inducing unit are set in a second side of the coupled part of the inducing unit in the fourth magnetic sensing module;

initial magnetization direction of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit is a direction same to the direction A, and current is a direction paralleled to the direction B.

9. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a first magnetic sensing module, a second magnetic sensing module, a third magnetic sensing module, and a fourth magnetic sensing module;

center points of the first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module are in the same line so that magnetization directions of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit of the first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module are same or opposite, and trend of the grooves in the magnetic sensing modules are paralleled or overlapped;

the third magnetic sensing module and the fourth magnetic sensing module are respectively perpendicular to the first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module so that initial magnetization directions of the magnetic material layer in the inducing unit of the third magnetic sensing module and the fourth magnetic sensing module are respectively perpendicular to the first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module, and trend of the grooves in the third magnetic sensing module and the fourth magnetic sensing module are respectively perpendicular to trend of corresponding grooves in the first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module;

a first terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a first terminal of the second magnetic sensing module are grounding, a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module, a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module connects to the a first terminal of the third magnetic sensing module;

a second terminal of the third magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the fourth magnetic sensing module connect to a power source, and an electrical signal is output between a second terminal of the first magnetic sensing module and a second terminal of the second magnetic sensing module;

for the coupled first magnetic sensing module and the second magnetic sensing module, the relative location of the groove and the inducing units for them are set as opposite, and the initial magnetization directions and the current directions are set as same in the three factors;

or the relative location of the groove and the inducing units for them are set as opposite, the initial magnetization directions set as opposite, and the current directions are perpendicular;

for the coupled third magnetic sensing module and the fourth magnetic sensing module, the relative location of the groove and the inducing units for them are set as opposite, and the initial magnetization directions and current directions are set as same in the three factors;

or the relative location of the groove and the inducing units for them are set as opposite, the initial magnetization directions set as opposite, and the current directions are perpendicular.

10. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the third direction magnetic sensing component comprises a peripheral circuit, used for calculating magnetic field strength and magnetic field direction, and outputting;

angle between main part of the magnetic conductive unit and surface of the substrate is 45°

˜

90°

;

the inducing unit is directly disposed on the surface of the substrate, and paralleled to the surface of the substrate;

the first direction is X-axis, the second direction is Y-axis, and the third direction is Z-axis.

11. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a second magnetic sensing component, used for sensing magnetic signal in the first direction and/or the second direction, and measuring the corresponding magnetic field strength and magnetic field direction in the first direction and/or the second direction by it.

12. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the second magnetic sensing component comprises four inducing subunits, which are a fifth inducing subunit, a sixth inducing subunit, a seventh inducing subunit, and an eighth inducing subunit;

each inducing subunit above comprises a magnetic material layer, electrical resistance of magnetic material in the magnetic material layer is variable depending on the magnetic field strength and direction.

13. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the magnetic conductive unit comprises four magnetic conductive subunits, which are a first magnetic conductive subunit, a second magnetic conductive subunit, a third magnetic conductive subunit, and a fourth magnetic conductive subunit;

the inducing unit comprises four inducing subunits, which are a first inducing subunit, a second inducing subunit, a third inducing subunit, and a fourth inducing subunit;

the first magnetic conductive subunit is coupled with the first inducing subunit as the first inducing module of the magnetic sensing component in the third direction;

the second magnetic conductive subunit is coupled with the second inducing subunit as the second inducing module of the magnetic sensing component in the third direction;

the third magnetic conductive subunit is coupled with the third inducing subunit as the third inducing module of the magnetic sensing component in the third direction;

the fourth magnetic conductive subunit is coupled with the fourth inducing subunit as the fourth inducing module of the magnetic sensing component in the third direction;

each inducing subunit above comprises a magnetic material layer, electrical resistance of magnetic material in the magnetic material layer is variable depending on the magnetic field strength and direction;

one or multiple columns of grooves are set in the substrate, and a column of grooves is formed by a long groove, or a column of grooves comprises multiple sub-grooves;

each magnetic conductive subunit comprises multiple magnetic accessories, main part of the magnetic accessory is set in a corresponding groove, and a part of it is exposed out of the groove; and

the exposed part is directly disposed on the magnetic material layer of the corresponding inducing subunit;

each magnetic accessory has the exposed part out of the groove, and distance between the exposed part and the magnetic material layer of the corresponding inducing subunit is 0-20 micrometer.

14. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the magnetic conductive unit and the inducing unit comprise magnetic material layers respectively; and

material of the magnetic material layer is magneto-resistance material, anisotropic magneto-resistance (AMR) material, giant magneto-resistance (GMR) material, or tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) material;

character of them is AMR, GMR, or TMR.

15. The magnetic sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the magnetic conductive unit and the magnetic material layer of the inducing unit are formed by same magnetic material, and have same number of layers deposited in same step;

the magnetic conductive unit and the magnetic material layer of the inducing unit are formed by different magnetic material deposited in different steps.

16. A magnetic induction method using a magnetic sensing apparatus, comprising:

inducing magnetic field in a third direction;

collecting, by a magnetic conductive unit, magnetic signal in the third direction, and outputs the magnetic signal;

receiving, by an inducing unit, the magnetic signal in the third direction output by the magnetic conductive unit, and measure magnetic field strength and magnetic field direction corresponding to the third direction by the magnetic signal; and

directly offsetting, by each pair of magnetic sensing modules, the output magnetic field signal in first and second direction of the pair of magnetic sensing modules, after setup of each pair of magnetic sensing modules in the magnetic sensing apparatus is complete.

17. The magnetic induction method of claim 16, further comprising:

inducing in first direction and second direction, the magnetic signal in the first direction and second direction; and

measuring the magnetic field strength and magnetic field direction corresponding to the first direction and the second direction.