Method and Device for Magnetoresistive Sensor

• US 20130218510A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Movella Incorporated (Movella Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Inventors: Flannery, Anthony F. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,588,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/09 Magnetoresistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/18 Measuring magnetostrictive properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence

Abstract

A method and structure for operating a magnetoresistive sensor system includes applying a set-reset process wherein the set-reset signal is phased through the magnetoresistive element in such a way that the set-reset field of each region is not released until the adjacent field is aligned. Starting at one end of the magnetoresistive element, the set-reset signal is activated. This aligns the domains directly underneath the first of the set-reset elements. Before this field is released, the adjacent set-reset is activated, which aligned the domains in the adjacent field. Once the adjacent field has been realigned, the set-reset field in the first region can be released, and the set-reset field in the next region can be activated. In this way, no more than two set-reset elements must be active at any one time.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for operating a magnetoresistive sensor system including a magnetoresistive sensor element and a plurality of set-reset elements, implemented in the magnetoresistive sensor system programmed to perform the method comprising:

activating, by a processor, a set-reset signal in each of the plurality of set-reset elements in a stepwise pattern, wherein the set-reset signal is only active in a maximum of two set-reset elements at any given time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises a plurality of domain regions including domain regions 1 through N and the plurality of set-reset elements includes set-reset elements 1 through N, wherein N is an integer greater than 2.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the set-reset elements 1 through N corresponds to each of the domain regions 1 through N, respectively.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the domain regions 1 through N are configured within a vicinity below each the set-reset elements 1 through N, respectively.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising

activating, by the processor, a set-reset signal in set-reset element 1;

performing, by the processor, the following executable codes for i=2 to i=N, wherein i is an integer;

activating, by the processor, a set-reset signal in set-reset element i while the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 is still active; and

deactivating, by the processor, the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 when domain region i-1 is aligned; and

deactivating, by the processer, the set-reset signal in set-reset element N when domain region N is aligned.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises an ordinary magneto-resistive (OMR), an anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR), a giant magneto-resistive (GMR), or a tunnel junction magneto-resistive (TMR) device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises an ordinary magneto-resistive (OMR), an anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR), a giant magneto-resistive (GMR), or a tunnel junction magneto-resistive (TMR) device.

7. A method for operating a magnetoresistive sensor system including a magnetoresistive sensor element and a plurality of set-reset elements, the method comprising:

activating a set-reset signal in each of the plurality of set-reset elements in a stepwise pattern, wherein the set-reset signal is only active in a maximum of two set-reset elements at any given time.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises a plurality of domain regions including domain regions 1 through N and the plurality of set-reset elements includes set-reset elements 1 through N, wherein N is an integer greater than 2.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein each of the set-reset elements 1 through N corresponds to each of the domain regions 1 through N, respectively.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein each of the domain regions 1 through N are configured within a vicinity below each the set-reset elements 1 through N, respectively.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising

activating, by the processor, a set-reset signal in set-reset element 1;

performing, by the processor, the following executable codes for i=2 to i=N, wherein i is an integer;

activating, by the processor, a set-reset signal in set-reset element i while the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 is still active; and

deactivating, by the processor, the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 when domain region i-1 is aligned; and

deactivating, by the processer, the set-reset signal in set-reset element N when domain region N is aligned.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising a substrate member and an IC layer disposed overlying the substrate member, wherein the IC layer is coupled to the magnetoresistive sensor, the tangible memory, and the processor.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises an ordinary magneto-resistive (OMR), an anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR), a giant magneto-resistive (GMR), or a tunnel junction magneto-resistive (TMR) device.

20. The system of claim 11 further comprising a housing and a display, the display being coupled to the processor, the magnetoresistive sensor system being spatially disposed within the housing.

13. A magnetoresistive sensor system, the system comprising:

a magnetoresistive sensor including a magnetoresistive sensor element and a plurality of set-reset elements;

a tangible memory configured to store a plurality of non-transitory executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the magnetoresistive sensor and the tangible memory, wherein the processor is programmed to perform a plurality of functions by the plurality of executable instructions;

wherein the plurality of executable instructions comprises;

executable code that programs the processor to activate a set-reset signal in each of the plurality of set-reset elements in a stepwise pattern, wherein the set-reset signal is only active in a maximum of two set-reset elements at any given time.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the magnetoresistive sensor element comprises a plurality of domain regions including domain regions 1 through N and the plurality of set-reset elements includes set-reset elements 1 through N, wherein N is an integer greater than 2.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein each of the set-reset elements 1 through N corresponds to each of the domain regions 1 through N, respectively.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein each of the domain regions 1 through N are configured within a vicinity below each the set-reset elements 1 through N, respectively.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of non-transitory executable instructions comprises:

executable code that programs the processor to activate a set-reset signal in set-reset element 1;

executable code that programs the processor to perform the following executable codes for i=2 to i=N, wherein i is an integer;

executable code that programs the processor to activate a set-reset signal in set-reset element i while the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 is still active; and

executable code that programs the processor to deactivate the set-reset signal in set-reset element i-1 when domain region i-1 is aligned; and

executable code that programs the processer to deactivate the set-reset signal in set-reset element N when domain region N is aligned.