Apparatus and method for magnetic sensor based surface shape analysis spatial positioning in a uniform magnetic field

• US 9,841,266 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegro Microsystems Incorporated (Sanken Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Crocus Technology S.A.
• Inventors: Lombard, Lucien, Cambou, Bertrand F., Mackay, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Aurora, Reena
• Application Number:
  US14/863,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 32420711, 324244
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/24 using change in magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/28 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/02 Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux G01R33/20 takes precedence

Abstract

A device has a flexible substrate supporting an array of magnetic sensors exposed to a uniform external magnetic field. One or more controllers receive magnetic sensor signals from the magnetic sensors. The one or more controllers collect reference magnetic sensor signals when the flexible substrate is aligned with the uniform external magnetic field. The one or more controllers collect first polarity magnetic sensor signals in response to deformation of the flexible substrate in a first direction. The one or more controllers collect second polarity magnetic sensor signals in response to deformation of the flexible substrate in a second direction. The magnetic sensor signals establish a profile of the orientation of the flexible substrate with respect to the uniform external magnetic field.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a flexible substrate supporting an array of magnetic sensors exposed to a uniform external magnetic field; and

one or more controllers to receive magnetic sensor signals from the array of magnetic sensors, wherein the one or more controllers collect reference magnetic sensor signals from the array of magnetic sensors when the flexible substrate is aligned with the uniform external magnetic field, first polarity magnetic sensor signals from the array of magnetic sensors in response to deformation of the flexible substrate in a first direction and second polarity magnetic sensor signals from the array of magnetic sensors in response to deformation of the flexible substrate in a second direction, such that the magnetic sensor signals establish a profile of the orientation of the flexible substrate with respect to the uniform external magnetic field;

wherein the one or more controllers utilize a first sampling rate in the array of magnetic sensors until detection of deformation of the flexible substrate in a region of the array of magnetic sensors and a second sampling rate in the array of magnetic sensors greater than the first sampling rate in the region of the array of magnetic sensors in response to the detection.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the uniform external magnetic field is magnetic earth.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the uniform external magnetic field is an applied magnetic field.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the applied magnetic field is generated by a magnet.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the applied magnetic field is generated by a current in a conductor.