Electronic device comprising hall effect region with three contacts
First Claim
1. An electronic device comprising:
- a Hall effect region;
a first contact arranged in or on a surface of the Hall effect region, and configured to function at least temporarily as a first supply contact for the Hall effect region;
a second contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, the second contact being a second supply contact for the Hall effect region; and
a third contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, and configured to function at least temporarily as a sense contact;
wherein the first contact and the third contact are arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner to each other with respect to the second contact, wherein an electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity to be measured, and wherein a sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device is disclosed as a part of a magnetic field sensor or a mechanical stress sensor. The electronic device includes a Hall effect region, a first contact (temporarily functioning as a first supply contact), a second contact (second supply contact), and a third contact (temporarily functioning as a first sense contact) that are arranged in or on a surface of the Hall effect region. The first contact and the third contact are arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner to each other with respect to the second contact. An electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity (e.g. magnetic field strength or mechanical stress) to be measured. A sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity. A corresponding sensing method using the electronic device is also disclosed.
29 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An electronic device comprising:
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a Hall effect region; a first contact arranged in or on a surface of the Hall effect region, and configured to function at least temporarily as a first supply contact for the Hall effect region; a second contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, the second contact being a second supply contact for the Hall effect region; and a third contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, and configured to function at least temporarily as a sense contact; wherein the first contact and the third contact are arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner to each other with respect to the second contact, wherein an electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity to be measured, and wherein a sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic device comprising:
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a Hall effect region; a first contact arranged in or on a surface of the Hall effect region and configured to at least temporarily function as a supply contact; a second contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region and configured to function as a further supply contact; and a third contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region configured to at least temporarily function as a sense contact, the third contact being at a first distance from the first contact and at a second distance from the second contact; wherein a distance between the first contact and the second contact is smaller than a maximum of the first distance and the second distance; and wherein an electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity to be measured and wherein a sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity.
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24. A sensing method comprising:
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feeding an electric current to a Hall effect region via a first contact arranged in or on a surface of a Hall effect region and withdrawing the electric current from the Hall effect region via a second contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region; sensing a sense signal at a third contact formed in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, wherein the first contact and the third contact are arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner to each other with respect to the second contact, and wherein an electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity to be measured and wherein a sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity; feeding the electric current or a further electric current to the Hall effect region via the third contact and withdrawing the electric current or the further electric current via the second contact, or vice versa; sensing a further sense signal at the first contact; and determining an output signal on the basis of the sense signal and the further sense signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A sensing method comprising:
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feeding an electric current to a Hall effect region via a first contact arranged in or on a surface of a Hall effect region and withdrawing the electric current from the Hall effect region via a second contact arranged in or on the surface of the Hall effect region; sensing a sense signal at a third contact formed in or on the surface of the Hall effect region, wherein the third contact is at a first distance from the first contact and at a second distance from the second contact; wherein a distance between the first contact and the second contact is smaller than a maximum of the first distance and the second distance, and wherein an electrical current distribution within the Hall effect region is influenced by a physical quantity to be measured, and wherein a sense signal tapped at the third contact is a function of the current distribution, the sense signal thus being indicative of the physical quantity; feeding the electric current or a further electric current to the Hall effect region via to the third contact and withdrawing the electric current or the further electric current via the second contact, or vice versa; sensing a further sense signal at the first contact; and determining an output signal on the basis of the sense signal and the further sense signal. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification