Magnetic field sensor with automatic sensitivity adjustment

• US 7,923,996 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Inventors: Monreal, Gerardo, Taylor, William P., Doogue, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US12/037,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 324/202, 324/207.2, 324/207.21, 324/251, 324/252, 327/510, 327/511, 257/421, 257/425, 257/427, 338/32.R, 338/32.H
• US Class Current: 324/251
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0023 Electronic aspects, e.g. circuits for stimulation, evaluation, control; Treating the measured signals; calibration G01R33/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0041 using feed-back or modulation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/07 Hall effect devices

Abstract

Magnetic field sensors have a magnetic field sensing element and also a feedback circuit to provide a gain-adjustment signal to affect a sensitivity associated with the magnetic field sensing element. In some arrangements, the feedback circuit can include piezoresistors to sense a strain of a substrate over which the magnetic field sensor is disposed. With these arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate the gain-adjustment signal in accordance with the sensed strain. In other arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate pulsed magnetic fields proximate to the magnetic field sensing element in order to directly measure the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensing element. With these arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate the gain-adjustment signal in accordance with the sensed sensitivity.

Claims

1. A magnetic field sensor, comprising:

a magnetic field sensing element supported by a substrate, the magnetic field sensing element for generating an output signal comprising a magnetic-field-responsive signal portion, wherein the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion has a sensitivity to a first magnetic field;

a feedback circuit, comprising;

a current conductor supported by the substrate and proximate to the magnetic field sensing element, the current conductor for generating a second magnetic field; and

a gain-calculation circuit configured to generate a gain-calculated signal and a gain-adjustment signal both responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the gain-calculation circuit comprises a sample-and-hold circuit configured to sample and hold the gain-calculated signal in response to an enable signal to generate the gain-adjustment signal; and

a gain-adjustment circuit supported by the substrate and having a gain-adjustment node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the sensitivity of the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion in response to the gain-adjustment signal.

2. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the output signal generated by the magnetic field sensing element comprises both the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion and also a gain-adjustment-signal-related portion responsive to the second magnetic field and related to the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion comprises an AC signal component, wherein the magnetic field sensor further comprises a filter circuit coupled to the magnetic field sensing element and configured to separate the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion from the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion.

3. The magnetic field sensor of claim 2, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a current generator circuit having an output node at which current pulses are generated, wherein the current conductor is coupled to receive the current pulses resulting in the second magnetic field, wherein the AC signal component of the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion is related to an AC signal component of the current pulses.

4. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensing element is a Hall effect element, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises a current generator coupled to the Hall element, the current generator having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.

5. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises an amplifier coupled to receive the output signal from to the magnetic field sensing element, the amplifier having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.

6. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a second magnetic field sensing element supported by the substrate, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element is responsive to the second magnetic field, and wherein the second magnetic field sensing element generates an output signal related to the gain-adjustment signal.

7. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a first piezoresistor supported by the substrate, the first piezoresistor having a node at which a first piezoelectric output signal is generated, wherein the first piezoelectric output signal is responsive to a strain of the substrate in a first direction and also responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the first piezoelectric output signal is related to the gain-adjustment signal.

8. The magnetic field sensor of claim 7, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a second piezoresistor supported by the substrate, each one of the first and second piezoresistors having a respective primary response axis, wherein the first and second piezoresistors are disposed in a relative orientation so that their respective primary response axes are generally perpendicular, the second piezoresistor having a node at which a second piezoelectric output signal is generated, wherein the second piezoelectric output signal is responsive to a strain of the substrate in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and also responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the second piezoelectric output signal is also related to the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-calculation circuit comprises a combining circuit having first and second input nodes coupled to receive signals related to the first and second piezoelectric output signals and having an output node at which the gain-adjustment signal is generated.

9. The magnetic field sensor of claim 8, wherein the current conductor comprises first and second current conductors, and wherein the second magnetic field comprises first and second magnetic field portions, wherein the first piezoresistor is responsive to the first magnetic field portion and the second piezoresistor is responsive to the second magnetic field portion.

10. The magnetic field sensor of claim 8, wherein the output signal generated by the magnetic field sensing element comprises both the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion and also a gain-adjustment-signal-related portion responsive to the second magnetic field and related to the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion comprises an AC signal component, wherein the magnetic field sensor further comprises a filter circuit coupled to the magnetic field sensing element and configured to separate the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion from the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion.

11. The magnetic field sensor of claim 10, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a current generator circuit having an output node at which current pulses are generated, wherein the current conductor is coupled to receive the current pulses resulting in the second magnetic field, wherein the AC signal component of the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion is related to an AC signal component of the current pulses.

12. The magnetic field sensor of claim 8, wherein the magnetic field sensing element is a Hall effect element, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises a current generator coupled to the Hall element, the current generator having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.

13. The magnetic field sensor of claim 8, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises an amplifier coupled to receive the output signal from to the magnetic field sensing element, the amplifier having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.

14. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, further comprising a temperature threshold circuit configured to generate a temperature enable signal in response to a temperature being above a temperature threshold, wherein selected portions of the feedback circuit turn on or off depending upon a state of the temperature enable signal.

15. The magnetic field sensor of claim 1, further comprising a power-on circuit configured to generate a power-on enable signal in response to the magnetic field sensor being powered on, wherein selected portions of the feedback circuit turn on or off depending upon a state of the power-on enable signal.

16. A magnetic field sensor, comprising:

a magnetic field sensing element supported by a substrate, the magnetic field sensing element for generating an output signal comprising a magnetic-field-responsive signal portion, wherein the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion has a sensitivity to a first magnetic field;

a feedback circuit, comprising;

a current conductor supported by the substrate and proximate to the magnetic field sensing element, the current conductor for generating a second magnetic field;

a second magnetic field sensing element supported by the substrate, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element is responsive to the second magnetic field; and

a gain-calculation circuit configured to generate a gain-adjustment signal responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element generates an output signal related to the gain-adjustment signal; and

a gain-adjustment circuit supported by the substrate and having a gain-adjustment node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the sensitivity of the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion in response to the gain-adjustment signal.

17. A magnetic field sensor, comprising:

a magnetic field sensing element supported by a substrate, the magnetic field sensing element for generating an output signal comprising a magnetic-field-responsive signal portion, wherein the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion has a sensitivity to a first magnetic field;

a feedback circuit, comprising;

a current conductor supported by the substrate and proximate to the magnetic field sensing element, the current conductor for generating a second magnetic field;

a first piezoresistor supported by the substrate, the first piezoresistor having a node at which a first piezoelectric output signal is generated, wherein the first piezoelectric output signal is responsive to a strain of the substrate in a first direction and also responsive to the second magnetic field; and

a gain-calculation circuit configured to generate a gain-adjustment signal responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the first piezoelectric output signal is related to the gain-adjustment signal; and

a gain-adjustment circuit supported by the substrate and having a gain-adjustment node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the sensitivity of the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion in response to the gain-adjustment signal.

18. The magnetic field sensor of claim 17, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a second piezoresistor supported by the substrate, each one of the first and second piezoresistors having a respective primary response axis, wherein the first and second piezoresistors are disposed in a relative orientation so that their respective primary response axes are generally perpendicular, the second piezoresistor having a node at which a second piezoelectric output signal is generated, wherein the second piezoelectric output signal is responsive to a strain of the substrate in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction and also responsive to the second magnetic field, wherein the second piezoelectric output signal is also related to the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-calculation circuit comprises a combining circuit having first and second input nodes coupled to receive signals related to the first and second piezoelectric output signals and having an output node at which the gain-adjustment signal is generated.

19. The magnetic field sensor of claim 18, wherein the current conductor comprises first and second current conductors, and wherein the second magnetic field comprises first and second magnetic field portions, wherein the first piezoresistor is responsive to the first magnetic field portion and the second piezoresistor is responsive to the second magnetic field portion.

20. The magnetic field sensor of claim 18, wherein the output signal generated by the magnetic field sensing element comprises both the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion and also a gain-adjustment-signal-related portion responsive to the second magnetic field and related to the gain-adjustment signal, wherein the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion comprises an AC signal component, wherein the magnetic field sensor further comprises a filter circuit coupled to the magnetic field sensing element and configured to separate the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion from the magnetic-field-responsive signal portion.

21. The magnetic field sensor of claim 20, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a current generator circuit having an output node at which current pulses are generated, wherein the current conductor is coupled to receive the current pulses resulting in the second magnetic field, wherein the AC signal component of the gain-adjustment-signal-related portion is related to an AC signal component of the current pulses.

22. The magnetic field sensor of claim 18, wherein the magnetic field sensing element is a Hall effect element, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises a current generator coupled to the Hall element, the current generator having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.

23. The magnetic field sensor of claim 18, wherein the gain-adjustment circuit comprises an amplifier coupled to receive the output signal from to the magnetic field sensing element, the amplifier having a control node coupled to receive the gain-adjustment signal.