Miniaturized magnetic impedance sensor with an IC chip having an electrode near a magnetic impedance element
First Claim
1. An IC chip configured and arranged to be used with an MI sensor which detects an external magnetic field and outputs a sense signal, the IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signal output from the MI element, said IC chip comprising:
- an MI element connection electrode connected to said MI element; and
a switching circuit controlled by a pulse signal so as to supply a pulsed magnetizing current to said MI element through the MI element connection electrode, wherein said MI element connection electrode is located near a side of said IC chip.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An MI sensor is miniaturized while maintaining high sensitivity. At least one MI element detects an external magnetic field and outputs a sense signal. The sense signal is supplied to a rectangular IC chip. The IC chip is provided with an MI element connection electrode connected to the MI element and a switching circuit controlled by a pulse signal so as to supply a pulsed magnetizing current to the MI element through the MI element connection electrode. The MI element connection electrode is located near a side of the rectangular IC chip.
13 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. An IC chip configured and arranged to be used with an MI sensor which detects an external magnetic field and outputs a sense signal, the IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signal output from the MI element, said IC chip comprising:
-
an MI element connection electrode connected to said MI element; and
a switching circuit controlled by a pulse signal so as to supply a pulsed magnetizing current to said MI element through the MI element connection electrode, wherein said MI element connection electrode is located near a side of said IC chip. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. An IC-chip configured and arranged to be used with MI elements including first and second MI elements, the IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with a sense signal from each of the first and second MI elements, said IC chip comprising:
-
a first MI element connection electrode connected to said first MI element;
a second MI element connection electrode connected to said second MI element;
a first switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said first MI element through the first MI element connection electrode; and
a second switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said second MI element through said second MI element, wherein said first and second switching circuits are separated from each other and located symmetrically with respect to a first diagonal line of the rectangular IC chip, the first diagonal line extending between said first and second MI elements. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An MI sensor comprising:
-
an MI element detecting an external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal; and
an IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signal output from said MI element, wherein said IC chip comprises;
an MI element connection electrode connected to said MI element; and
a switching circuit controlled by a pulse signal so as to supply a pulsed magnetizing current to said MI element through the MI element connection electrode, wherein said MI element connection electrode is located near a side of said IC chip. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. An MI sensor comprising:
-
a first MI element detecting an external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal;
a second MI element detecting an external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal, the second MI element being positioned at a predetermined angle to said first MI element; and
an IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signals from the first and second MI elements, wherein said IC chip comprising;
a first MI element connection electrode connected to said first MI element;
a second MI element connection electrode connected to said second MI element;
a first switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said first MI element through the first MI element connection electrode; and
a second switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said second MI element through said second MI element connection electrode, wherein said first and second MI elements face adjacent sides of said IC chip, respectively; and
said first and second switching circuits are located at identical positions with respect to the respective first and second MI elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An electronic equipment comprising:
-
an MI sensor detecting an external magnetic field and outputting a detection signal; and
a functional part using the detection signal to perform a predetermined function, wherein said MI sensor comprising;
an MI element detecting the external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal; and
an IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signal output from said MI element so as to output the detection signal, wherein said IC chip comprises;
an MI element connection electrode connected to said MI element; and
a switching circuit controlled by a pulse signal so as to supply a pulsed magnetizing current to said MI element through the MI element connection electrode, wherein said MI element connection electrode is located near a side of said IC chip. - View Dependent Claims (24)
-
-
25. An electronic equipment comprising:
-
an MI sensor detecting an external magnetic field and outputting a detection signal; and
a functional part using the detection signal to perform a predetermined function, wherein said MI sensor comprising;
a first MI element detecting the external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal;
a second MI element detecting the external magnetic field and outputting a sense signal, the second MI element being positioned at a predetermined angle to said first MI element; and
an IC chip having a rectangular shape and supplied with the sense signals from the first and second MI elements so as to output the detection signal, wherein said IC chip comprising;
a first MI element connection electrode connected to said first MI element;
a second MI element connection electrode connected to said second MI element;
a first switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said first MI element through the first MI element connection electrode; and
a second switching circuit supplying a magnetizing current to said second MI element through said second MI element connection electrode, wherein said first and second MI elements face adjacent sides of said IC chip, respectively; and
said first and second switching circuits are located at identical positions with respect to the respective first and second MI elements. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification