Patent ID: 9720050
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: G01R

Claim:
1. A sensor system comprising: a plurality of sensor devices positioned proximate each other such that each of the plurality of sensor devices is configured to sense essentially the same condition, wherein the plurality of sensor devices comprise vertical Hall effect sensor devices; control circuitry configured to operate each of the plurality of sensor devices in at least one partial spinning current mode comprising at least two phases to obtain a partial spinning current output signal in each phase by selectively coupling a first of the plurality of terminals of each of the plurality of sensor devices as a supply terminal and a second of the plurality of terminals of each of the plurality of sensor devices as a signal terminal such that, in sequential phases, current flows in different directions in each of the plurality of sensor devices; and output circuitry configured to determine a system output signal from partial spinning current output signals of the at least two phases of each of at least two of the plurality of sensor devices, wherein the output circuitry is further configured to compare the partial spinning current output signals of the plurality of sensor devices to determine a distribution of the partial spinning current output signals.