Patent ID: 6538437
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: B82Y,G01R

Abstract:
A device for sensing a magnetic anomaly, comprising:a drive current source for providing a drive current; a bias current source for providing a bias current; a network of thin film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance; a first conductor inductively coupled to a first subset of the thin film elements for supplying the drive current to the device; and a second conductor coupled to a second subset of the thin film elements for providing the bias current to the device; wherein the network of thin film elements generates an output signal in response to an external magnetic field oriented in a first direction relative to the applied drive current, the external magnetic field being representative of the magnetic anomaly, and wherein the drive current source and bias current source are operable to control the drive current and the bias current, respectively, such that neither of the drive current and the bias current is at a frequency