Patent ID: 8749005

Claim:
A magnetic field sensor, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a planar surface; a plurality of primary vertical Hall elements disposed on the planar surface, wherein each one of the plurality of primary vertical Hall elements comprises a respective plurality of primary vertical Hall element contacts arranged in a respective line, wherein the lines of primary vertical Hall element contacts are arranged in a pattern representative of at least a portion of a polygonal shape, wherein the plurality of primary vertical Hall elements includes a primary vertical Hall element having a respective line of vertical Hall element contacts not parallel to a line of vertical Hall element contacts of another one of the plurality of primary vertical Hall elements, wherein each one of the plurality of primary vertical Hall elements is configured to generate a respective magnetic field signal indicative of a projected component of a magnetic field projected upon the plane of the planar surface relative to an angular position of the respective vertical Hall element; and an electronic circuit disposed on the planar surface and coupled to each one of the plurality of primary vertical Hall elements, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to generate an output signal indicative of an angle of the projected component of the magnetic field.