Patent ID: 9291687
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: B82Y,G01R

Claim Text:
1. A magnetic field sensor comprising: a first bridge circuit including a first plurality of magnetic sense elements, the first plurality of magnetic sense elements including i groups of magnetic sense elements, wherein each group of the i groups of magnetic sense elements includes a plurality of magnetic sense elements to sense a magnetic field in a first direction; a second bridge circuit including a second plurality of magnetic sense elements, the second plurality of magnetic sense elements including j groups of magnetic sense elements, wherein each group of the j groups of magnetic sense elements includes a plurality of magnetic sense elements to sense the magnetic field in a second direction; and circuitry configured to generate a first plurality of current pulses and a second plurality of current pulses, wherein the first plurality of current pulses is sequentially applied adjacent to each of the i groups of the first plurality of magnetic sense elements, wherein sequential application of current pulses adjacent to the i groups of magnetic sense elements results in a larger current applied adjacent to each of the i groups of magnetic sense elements, for a given voltage, than if the first plurality of current pulses had been applied adjacent to the i groups of magnetic sense elements simultaneously, and wherein the second plurality of current pulses is sequentially applied adjacent to each of the j groups of the second plurality of magnetic sense elements.