Patent ID: 6366078
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: G01D

Abstract:
An inductive angle sensor with a stator element having an exciting coil for having a periodic AC voltage applied thereto and several receiving coils displaced with respect to each other by a predetermined angle, and with a rotor element positioned near the stator element so that it can move and thereby affect an inductive coupling between the exciting and receiving coils as a function of its position relative to the stator element, and an evaluation circuit for determining a position of the rotor element from output signals (A, B, C, D, E) of the receiving coils, wherein the evaluation circuit has a selection device that selects a particular at least one of the output signals depending on a momentary value of at least one of the output signals, and wherein the evaluation circuit determines a momentary position of the rotor element using the value of the particular at least one of the output signals; wherein the angle sensor has an odd number of receiving coils and wherein an input portion of the evaluation circuit feeds reversed polarity output signals ({overscore (A)} through {overscore (E)}) to the selection device in addition to the output signals (A through E) of the receiving coils.