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Magnetic field sensor and method for sensing relative location of the magnetic field sensor and a target object along a movement line

  • US 9,664,497 B2
  • Filed: 12/15/2014
  • Issued: 05/30/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A magnetic field sensor, comprising:

  • a magnet operable to generate a DC magnetic field; and

    first and second magnetic field sensing elements operable to sense first and second influenced magnetic fields, respectively, related to the DC magnetic field but influenced by at least one ferromagnetic surface upon a ferromagnetic target object, wherein the first and second magnetic field sensing elements are disposed proximate to the at least one ferromagnetic surface, wherein the first and second magnetic field sensing elements are also operable to generate corresponding first and second electronic signals related to the first and second influenced magnetic fields, respectively, wherein a difference of amplitudes of the first and second electronic signals is related to a relative location of the magnetic field sensor and the ferromagnetic target object along a movement axis, wherein a change of the relative location is indicative of a relative displacement of the magnetic field sensor and the ferromagnetic object, and wherein the difference of the amplitudes of the first and second electronic signals is not related to a rotation of the ferromagnetic target object about a rotation axis passing through the ferromagnetic target object.

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