Patent ID: 7336064

Claim:
An apparatus for measurement of a conductor current which is flowing in an axially elongated electrical conductor, comprising: at least one sensor element at least partially encircling the conductor that is electrically isolated from the conductor and has magnetoresistive characteristics; and means for tapping off a resistance value, the resistance value depending on the magnetic field of the current flowing through the conductor, across the at least one sensor element and for further processing of the resistance value, wherein the at least one sensor element which is formed from magnetoresistive material forms a loop which is magnetically closed around the conductor in the circumferential direction and has a predetermined axial extent, wherein the resistance value is tapped off axially at opposite ends of the sensor element by passing measurement current in the axial direction through the magnetoresistive material of the sensor element, wherein the magnetoresistive material is a non-metallic material including a powder composite material with a high magnetoresistive effect, and wherein the powder composite material contains particles compose of at least one Heusler or half-Heusler phase to which a small proportion of at least one oxide material is added.