Two terminal Hall-sensor
First Claim
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1. A two terminal Hall-sensor comprising:
- (a) a Hall-element;
(b) a threshold detector means being connected to the output of said Hall-element for providing two distinctly different output signals in response to a low and a high range of magnetic field ambients at said Hall-element, respectively;
(c) a voltage regulator means for supplying a substantially constant DC voltage to said Hall-element and to said threshold detector;
(d) a pair of DC voltage supply terminals being connected to the input of said voltage regulator; and
(e) a constant current load means for drawing a substantially constant current of a predetermined value from said pair of DC voltage supply terminals in response to one of said detector means output signals and for drawing substantially less current in response to the other of said detector means output signals whereby the magnitude of the supply current flowing through said DC supply terminals provides unambiguous indications respectively of said high and low ambient magnetic field range.
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Abstract
An integrated circuit includes a Hall-element, a voltage regulator, and a threshold detector. DC power is supplied through a pair of terminals that may be connected to a remote DC voltage source. A switchable constant current sink circuit connected across these terminals is turned on and off in response to the two output states of the threshold detector that in turn is responsive to the Hall-element output voltage. Thus the DC current flowing in the two DC supply lines is a predictable large value or small value corresponding to a low and a high magnitude magnetic field at the sensor, even when the supply DC voltage changes over a wide range.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A two terminal Hall-sensor comprising:
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(a) a Hall-element; (b) a threshold detector means being connected to the output of said Hall-element for providing two distinctly different output signals in response to a low and a high range of magnetic field ambients at said Hall-element, respectively; (c) a voltage regulator means for supplying a substantially constant DC voltage to said Hall-element and to said threshold detector; (d) a pair of DC voltage supply terminals being connected to the input of said voltage regulator; and (e) a constant current load means for drawing a substantially constant current of a predetermined value from said pair of DC voltage supply terminals in response to one of said detector means output signals and for drawing substantially less current in response to the other of said detector means output signals whereby the magnitude of the supply current flowing through said DC supply terminals provides unambiguous indications respectively of said high and low ambient magnetic field range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification