Magnetic field sensor and related techniques that provide varying current spinning phase sequences of a magnetic field sensing element

摘要

A magnetic field sensor can use a variety of different current spinning phase sequences, and/or can provide an angle error value to correct and/or minimize errors of the magnetic field sensor, A circuit using this magnetic field sensor can process output signals from an angle sensing element to provide an output signal that has a high degree of angle accuracy and a relatively high speed.

主权项

1. A method of reducing an error in a magnetic field sensor, comprising:
providing a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements, wherein each one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements is configured to generate a respective x-y output signal responsive to a magnetic field in an x-y plane; sequentially selecting, at an element selection rate with an element selection period, from among the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements, resulting in a plurality of repeating cycles of selected magnetic field sensing elements, each repeating cycle sequentially selecting all of the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the repeating cycles repeat at a cycle repetition rate with a cycle repetition period; and current spinning, within respective element selection periods, each selected one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the current spinning comprises generating a respective plurality of current spinning phases within the respective element selection periods, each plurality of current spinning phases within an element selection period having a respective phase sequence with a plurality of phases, each phase having a phase period, each phase period less than an element selection period, wherein the sequentially selecting and the current spinning together result in a sequenced-chopped signal representative of an angle of the magnetic field, wherein a first portion of the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements has a first current spinning phase sequence within one of the cycle repetition periods, and a second different portion of the plurality of magnetic field sensing elements has a second different current spinning phase sequence within the same one of the cycle repetition periods.