Patent ID: 7113104

Claim:
A gyroscope ( 10 ) for determining rate of rotation, said gyroscope ( 10 ) comprising: a mass ( 12 ) that oscillates with oscillations that vary as said gyroscope ( 10 ) is rotated; a magnetic element ( 16 ) producing a magnetic field; a giant magnetoresistor (GMR) ( 14 ) operatively connected to said mass ( 12 ) for changing in electrical resistance in response to changes in the magnetic field produced by said magnetic element ( 16 ); a voltage sensor ( 20 ) operatively connected to said GMR ( 14 ) for sensing a voltage across said GMR ( 14 ); said magnetic element ( 16 ) including a strip of magnetic bits ( 18 ) providing discrete magnetic regions disposed linearly relative to one another along a path; said mass ( 12 ) and said strip of magnetic bits ( 18 ) being supported for movement relative to one another along said path to produce digital signals from said voltage sensor ( 20 ).