Stress compensation systems and methods in differential sensors

摘要

Embodiments relate to stress compensation in differential sensors. In an embodiment, instead of compensating for stress on each sensor element independently, stress compensation circuitry aims to remove stress-related mismatch between two sensor elements using the sensor elements themselves to detect the mismatch. A circuit can be implemented in embodiments to detect mechanical stress-related mismatch between sensor elements using the sensor elements, and tune the output signal by a compensation factor to eliminate the mismatch. Embodiments are therefore less complicated and less expensive than conventional approaches. While embodiments have applicability to virtually any differential sensor, including magnetic field, pressure, temperature, current and speed, an example embodiment discussed herein relates to magnetic field.

主权项

1. A differential magnetic field sensor system comprising:
at least two sensor elements configured to sense a magnetic field characteristic; compensation circuitry coupled to the at least two sensor elements to use the at least two sensor elements to sense a mechanical stress affecting the at least two sensor elements and configured to determine a compensation factor that is a function of a difference in mechanical stress between the at least two sensor elements; and a sensor system output configured to provide an output signal that is a difference between the outputs of the at least two sensor elements adjusted by the compensation factor.