Patent ID: 7372260
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: B82Y,G01C,G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. A magnetic sensor comprising a substrate, a plurality of magnetoresistive elements disposed at an upper portion of said substrate, bridge circuits disposed at the upper portion of said substrate and bridge-interconnecting said plurality of magnetoresistive elements, and a control circuit section for obtaining via said bridge circuits a physical quantity determined on the basis of resistance values of said plurality of magnetoresistive elements and processing the physical quantity so as to generate an output signal to be output to the outside, wherein said substrate has an approximately square or rectangular shape with sides extending along mutually perpendicular X- and Y-axes; each of said plurality of magnetoresistive elements is disposed at a peripheral portion of said substrate and in vicinity of an approximate center of each of said sides of said substrate; each of said bridge circuits is disposed inside said plurality of magnetoresistive elements so as to form substantially a closed curve having sides along the X-axis and the Y-axis as viewed in plan; and said control circuit section is disposed substantially inside said closed curve formed by the bridge circuits as viewed in plan.