Patent ID: 7176672

Claim:
A DC current sensor comprising: a core comprising a magnetically permeable material; a permeability measurement winding formed around at least a portion of the core; a DC voltage driver configured to apply a DC voltage to the permeability measurement winding so as to effect current flow through the permeability measurement winding; a current measurement circuit configured to measure current flow through the permeability measurement winding in response to the voltage applied thereto by the DC voltage driver; a temperature compensation winding formed about at least a portion of the core; a temperature sensor formed upon the core; a temperature measurement circuit in electrical communication with the temperature sensor; a current source in electrical communication with the temperature measurement circuit and the temperature compensation winding, the current source being conjured to receive a current control signal from the temperature measurement circuit and to provide current to the temperature compensation winding in response to the current control signal, so as to mitigate variations in a permeability of the core due to temperature variations thereof; and wherein the core can be placed within a magnetic field of a conductor such that measurement of a permeability of the core via the permeability measurement winding facilitates determination of current flow through the conductor.