Patent ID: 9664748
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: G01D,G01P,G01R

Claim:
1. A magnetic field sensor, comprising: two or more magnetic field sensing elements responsive to a target capable of moving, the target having a signature region, wherein the two or more magnetic field sensing elements are configured to generate at least two magnetic field signals; at least two detector circuits coupled to the two or more magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the at least two detector circuits are configured to generate a respective at least two detector signals, wherein each detector signal has respective state transitions with respective rates which identify a rate of movement of the target, and wherein the state transitions of the at least two detector signals have first and second different relative phases, wherein the first and second different relative phases identify respective first and second different directions of movement of the target; and an output protocol processor coupled to the at least two detector circuits and configured to generate a magnetic field sensor output signal, wherein the magnetic field sensor output signal has a plurality of pulses with respective pulse widths, wherein first pulses with first pulse widths with a first time duration identify that the target is moving in the first direction, wherein second pulses with second pulse widths with a second different time duration identify that the target is moving in the second different direction, wherein third pulses with identifiable encoding identify that the signature region is passing by the magnetic field sensor, wherein the third pulses each comprise respective state transitions and each comprise respective pulse widths with respective fixed predetermined time durations, wherein the fixed predetermined time durations are not affected by a size of the signature region, and wherein the first and second pulse widths of the first and second pulses that identify the first and second different directions do not depend upon respective duty cycles of the at least two magnetic field signals or upon respective duty cycles of the at least two detector signals.