Patent ID: 9684042
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: G01D,G01R

Claim:
1. A magnetic field sensor, comprising: a circular vertical Hall (CVH) sensing element comprising: a sequence switches circuit coupled to the plurality of vertical Hall elements, wherein the sequences switches circuit is operable to sequentially select from among the plurality of vertical Hall elements to generate sequenced signal steps; a first current source sequentially coupled by the sequence switches circuit to the first current receiving contact of sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements, and operable to provide, at first sequential times, a first current signal to the first current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements; a second current source sequentially coupled by the sequence switches circuit to the second current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements and operable to provide, at the same first sequential times, a second current signal to the second current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements; and an amplifier circuit coupled to receive the sequenced signal steps produced at the first and second output signal generating contacts of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements, and, in response to the sequenced signal steps, the amplifier circuit is configured to generate an amplified signal representative of sequentially selected ones of the plurality of magnetic field signals, wherein the first current source is sequentially coupled by the sequence switches circuit to the second current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements, and operable to provide, at second sequential times, the first current signal to the second current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements; and wherein the second current source is sequentially coupled by the sequence switches circuit to the first current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements, and operable to provide, at the same second sequential times, the second current signal to the first current receiving contact of the sequentially selected ones of the plurality of vertical Hall elements.