Magnetic array position sensor
First Claim
1. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
- a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device;
a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
, wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;
a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and
a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor apparatus and method that can measure either a linear position or an angular position of a device. A linear array of galvanomagnetic sensing elements is fixedly mountable adjacent the device. A target is connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device and is shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes a peak and/or a valley. A first circuit excites each of the sensing elements, and a second circuit measures a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements. A maximum and/or a minimum of the flux density curve indicates the position of the device.
37 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
, wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley; and
wherein the target comprises a magnetic tooth in the form of a spiral magnetic strip supported by a non-magnetic disk, the spiral magnetic strip starting at a first point a first radial distance from a center of the disk and continuing around a circumference of the non-magnetic disk along a path having a continuously-increasing radius until the strip reaches a second point having a second radial distance from the center of the disk; and
wherein the non-magnetic disk is mountable on a shaft rotatable with movement of the device;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; a second circuit for measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein each magnetic flux density value is associated with the magnetic flux density curve and wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; and a second magnetic tooth in the form of an annular magnetic strip supported by the non-magnetic disk, the annular magnetic strip one of radially inside the spiral magnetic strip and radially outside the spiral magnetic strip, and the annular magnetic strip concentric with the non-magnetic disk. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, wherein the target comprises one of two magnetic teeth separated by a target spacing and two magnetic slots separated by the target spacing; and
wherein the target spacing is less than half the distance between a first galvanomagnetic sensing element and a last galvanomagnetic sensing element of the linear array.
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21. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target is operably positionable at a fixed angle α
with respect to a direction of displacement of the target upon movement of the device such that a range of the sensor is equal to a distance between a first galvanomagnetic sensing element and a last galvanomagnetic sensing element of the linear array divided by sin α
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22. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target is operably positionable to move normal to a length of the linear array in response to movement of the device.
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23. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target is one of a spiral magnetic tooth and a spiral magnetic slot rotatable about an axis. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target comprises a magnetic tooth in the form of a spiral magnetic strip supported by a non-magnetic disk, the spiral magnetic strip starting at a first point a first radial distance from a center of the disk and continuing around a circumference of the non-magnetic disk along a path having a continuously-increasing radius until the strip reaches a second point having a second radial distance from the center of the disk; and
wherein the non-magnetic disk is mountable on a shaft rotatable with movement of the device. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; and means for determining at least one of the maximum of the peak and the minimum of the valley using magnetic flux density values measured at certain of the sensing elements, wherein certain of the sensing elements includes a set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j1, j2, j3 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3 being one of a highest and a lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured by the second circuit; and
wherein a position of the target relative to array element numbers is equal to
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28. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; and means for determining at least one of the maximum of the peak and the minimum of the valley using magnetic flux density values measured at certain of the sensing elements, wherein certain of the sensing elements includes a first set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j1, j2, j3 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3 being one of a highest and a lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured by the second circuit; and
wherein certain of the sensing elements includes a second set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j4, j5, j6 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V4, V5, V6, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V4, V5, V6 also being the one of the highest and the lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured by the second circuit such that the sensing elements numbered j1, j2, j3 and the sensing elements numbered j4, j5, j6 overlap by at least one sensing element; and
wherein a position of the target relative to array element numbers is equal to an average of
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29. A magnetic position sensor for measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, the sensor comprising:
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a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements fixedly mountable adjacent the device; a target connectable to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;a first circuit for exciting each of the sensing elements; and a second circuit for measuring the magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target further comprises one of two spaced magnetic teeth and two spaced magnetic slots. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; and rotating the target about an axis in response to movement of the device wherein the target is one of a spiral magnetic tooth and a spiral magnetic slot. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the connecting step further comprises the step of mounting an annular disk on a shaft rotatable with movement of the device, wherein the target is a spiral magnetic strip supported by a non-magnetic disk, the spiral magnetic strip starting at a first point a first radial distance from a center of the disk and continuing around a circumference of the non-magnetic disk along a path having a continuously-increasing radius until the strip reaches a second point having a second radial distance from the center of the disk.
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35. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the fixedly mounting step further comprises the step of stationarily mounting the linear array adjacent the device and facing the surface of the non-magnetic disk such that, upon rotation of the shaft, each location of the spiral magnetic strip along a length of the linear array corresponds to a unique angle of rotation β
according to the formula R(β
)=r+β
(R-r)/360°
, wherein R(β
) is a radius of the spiral magnetic strip target at the unique angle of rotation β
, R is a larger of the first radial distance and the second radial distance, and r is the other of the first radial distance and the second radial distance.
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36. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein an annular magnetic strip is supported by the non-magnetic disk one of radially inside the spiral magnetic strip and radially outside the spiral magnetic strip, the annular magnetic strip concentric with the non-magnetic disk. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the connecting step further comprises the step of positioning the target at a fixed angle α
with respect to a direction of displacement of the target upon movement of the device such that a range of the sensor is equal to a distance between a first galvanomagnetic sensing element and a last galvanomagnetic sensing element of the linear array divided by sin α
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39. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the connecting step further comprises the step of positioning the target such that target moves normal to a length of the linear array upon movement of the device.
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40. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; sequentially numbering each of the sensing elements of the linear array with an array element number; finding a set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j1, j2, j3 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3 being one of a highest and a lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured in the measuring step; and calculating a position of the target relative to array element numbers assigned in the sequentially numbering step according to the formula - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device; sequentially numbering each of the sensing elements of the linear array with an array element number; finding a first set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j1, j2, j3 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V1, V2, V3 being one of a highest and a lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured in the measuring step; finding a second set of three sequential sensing elements numbered j4, j5, j6 respectively having three sequential magnetic flux density values V4, V5, V6, one of the three sequential magnetic flux density values V4, V5, V6 also being the one of the highest and the lowest of the magnetic flux density values measured in the measuring step such that the sensing elements numbered j1, j2, J3 and the sensing elements numbered j4, j5, j6 overlap by at least one sensing element; and calculating a position of the target relative to the array element numbers assigned in the numbering step, wherein the position is equal to an average of
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43. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the connecting step further comprises the step of connecting one of a magnetic mount and a non-magnetic mount to the device wherein the target is one of at least two spaced slots in the magnetic mount and at least two spaced magnetic strips embedded in the non-magnetic mount.
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44. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target comprises two spaced magnetic teeth, the method further comprising the steps of; determining a location of a maximum of a first peak of the magnetic flux density curve; detecting one of a presence and an absence of a minimum of the magnetic flux density curve; locating the linear position of the device using the location of the maximum and a location of the minimum when the detecting step indicates the presence of the minimum; and locating the linear position of the device using the location of the maximum and the absence of the minimum when the detecting step indicates the absence of the minimum.
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45. A method of measuring one of a linear position and an angular position of a device, comprising the steps of:
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fixedly mounting a linear array of at least three galvanomagnetic sensing elements adjacent the device; connecting a target to the device such that the target moves adjacent a surface of the linear array in response to movement of the device, the target shaped so that a magnetic flux density curve resulting from excitation of the sensing elements includes at least one of a peak and a valley, the magnetic flux density curve comprising a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements; and
wherein a width of the target moving adjacent the surface of the linear array is equal to or narrower than a distance between adjacent sensing elements;exciting each of the sensing elements; and measuring a magnetic flux density value at each of the sensing elements, wherein at least one of a maximum of the peak and a minimum of the valley indicates one of the linear position and the angular position of the device, and wherein the target comprises two spaced magnetic slots, the method further comprising the steps of; determining a location of a minimum of a first valley of the magnetic flux density curve; detecting one of a presence and an absence of a maximum of the magnetic flux density curve; locating the linear position of the device using the location of the minimum and a location of the maximum when the detecting step indicates the presence of the maximum; and locating the linear position of the device using the location of the minimum and the absence of the maximum when the detecting step indicates the absence of the maximum.
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Specification