Patent ID: 6788052
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: G01D,G01R,G04F,H03M

Abstract:
A magnetic sensor apparatus comprising:a ring circuit including a plurality of semiconductor magnetic sensors connected to each other in a ring shape; and an output circuit for detecting a propagation condition of a pulse signal within the ring circuit during a predetermined time period, and outputting digital data corresponding to a magnitude of an applied magnetic field based upon a detection result of the propagation condition, wherein each semiconductor magnetic sensor is constructed with source regions, drain regions, and a gate electrode in such a manner that at least the drain regions are separated, and the gate electrode controls channel regions formed between the source regions and the separated drain regions, whereby amounts of carriers flowing through the separated drain regions are changed in correspondence with a magnitude of the magnetic field when the magnetic field is applied to the carriers flowing through the channel regions, and wherein one of the separated drain regions of a pre-staged semiconductor magnetic sensor is connected to the gate electrode of a post-staged semiconductor magnetic sensor, so that each of the semiconductor magnetic sensors constitutes an inverting circuit.