Patent ID: 7112957

Claim:
A proximity sensor for detecting the proximity of a moving target, comprising: a first magnetoresistive resistor; a second magnetoresistive resistor spaced from the first magnetoresistive resistor along a path of the moving target; a first flux concentrator positioned proximate the first magnetoresistive resistor; and a second flux concentrator positioned proximate the second magnetoresistive resistor; wherein, the first magnetoresistive resistor and the second magnetoresistive resistor are electrically coupled in a bridge configuration; wherein at least one of the first magnetoresistive resistor and the second magnetoresistive resistor is a giant magneto resistance resistor having an in-plane first axis direction and an orthogonal in-plane second axis direction; wherein the first flux concentrator redirects a magneric field component along the first axis direction through the first magnetoresistive resistor along the second axis direction.