Patent ID: 7915891

Claim:
A microelectromechanical modulating magnetic sensor comprising: a base; a magnetic transducer associated with the base that provides an output in response to a magnetic field; a pair of movable flux concentrators positioned to move relative to the magnetic transducer; the pair of movable flux concentrators having a region of high flux concentration between the pair of movable flux concentrators; support structure for supporting the pair of movable flux concentrators, at least one bridge element forming an alternate flux path between the pair of movable flux concentrators, the at least one bridge element being positioned such that when the pair of movable flux concentrators are in a distal position, most of the flux passes through the bridge element so that the magnetic transducer is exposed to a smaller magnetic field, and when the pair of movable flux concentrators is in a proximal position a region of high flux concentration is produced in the vicinity of the magnetic transducer so that the magnetic transducer is exposed to a larger magnetic field; a power source for causing the movable flux concentrators to move at a frequency within a predetermined frequency range; whereby when the pair of movable flux concentrators move from the first position to the second position the intensity of the flux sensed by the transducer is modulated.