Sensor assembly and method for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet
First Claim
1. A sensor assembly for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet, comprising:
- a first magnetic field sensor configured to detect a first magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a first spatial direction and a second magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a second spatial direction, wherein the first and second spatial directions are linearly independent spatial directions;
a second magnetic field sensor configured to detect a third magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the first spatial direction and a fourth magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the second spatial direction;
wherein the first magnetic field sensor and the second magnetic field sensor are arranged spaced apart from one another; and
a processor implemented to;
combine a first value derived from the first magnetic field component and a second value derived from the second magnetic field component to acquire a first combination result;
combine a third value derived from the third magnetic field component and a fourth value derived from the fourth magnetic field component to acquire a second combination result;
determine a position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly based on a comparison of the first combination result and the second combination result; and
determine the magnetization direction based on the determined position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly and on a sign of a detected magnetic field component with respect to the second spatial direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor assembly for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly includes a first magnetic field sensor for detecting a first and a second magnetic field component with respect to a first and a second spatial direction, and a second magnetic field sensor for detecting a third and a fourth magnetic field component with respect to the second spatial direction, wherein the first and the second magnetic field sensor are spaced apart from one another. Further, the sensor assembly includes a processor that is implemented to combine the first and the second magnetic field component to obtain a first combination quantity, to combine the third and the fourth magnetic field component to obtain a second combination quantity, to determine a position of the indicator magnet and the magnetization direction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet, comprising:
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a first magnetic field sensor configured to detect a first magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a first spatial direction and a second magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a second spatial direction, wherein the first and second spatial directions are linearly independent spatial directions; a second magnetic field sensor configured to detect a third magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the first spatial direction and a fourth magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the second spatial direction; wherein the first magnetic field sensor and the second magnetic field sensor are arranged spaced apart from one another; and a processor implemented to; combine a first value derived from the first magnetic field component and a second value derived from the second magnetic field component to acquire a first combination result; combine a third value derived from the third magnetic field component and a fourth value derived from the fourth magnetic field component to acquire a second combination result; determine a position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly based on a comparison of the first combination result and the second combination result; and determine the magnetization direction based on the determined position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly and on a sign of a detected magnetic field component with respect to the second spatial direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program for performing, when the computer program runs on a processor, the method for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet with respect to a sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a first magnetic field sensor configured to detect a first magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a first spatial direction and a second magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a second spatial direction, wherein the first and second spatial directions are linearly independent spatial directions, and a second magnetic field sensor spaced apart therefrom configured to detect a third magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the first spatial direction and a fourth magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the second spatial direction, the method comprising:
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combining a first value derived from the first magnetic field component and a second value derived from the second magnetic field component to acquire a first combination result; combining a third value derived from the third magnetic field component and a fourth value derived from the fourth magnetic field component to acquire a second combination result; determining a position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly based on a comparison of the first combination result and the second combination result; and determining the magnetization direction based on the determined position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly and on a sign of a detected magnetic field component with respect to the second spatial direction.
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15. A method for determining a magnetization direction of an indicator magnet with respect to a sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a first magnetic field sensor configured to detect a first magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a first spatial direction and a second magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to a second spatial direction, wherein the first and second spatial directions are linearly independent spatial directions, and a second magnetic field sensor spaced apart therefrom configured to detect a third magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the first spatial direction and a fourth magnetic field component of the indicator magnet with respect to the second spatial direction, comprising:
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combining a first value derived from the first magnetic field component and a second value derived from the second magnetic field component to acquire a first combination result; combining a third value derived from the third magnetic field component and a fourth value derived from the fourth magnetic field component to acquire a second combination result; determining a position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly based on a comparison of the first combination result and the second combination result; and determining the magnetization direction based on the determined position of the indicator magnet with respect to the sensor assembly and on a sign of a detected magnetic field component with respect to the second spatial direction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification