Inductive position sensor

1 . A linear position sensor for determining a linear position of a conductive target, the position sensor comprising:

at least one transmit coil;

a first, second and third receive coil enclosed by the transmit coil, wherein each receive coil has a predefined electrical period which is the same for each receive coil and wherein each receive coil comprises a first conductive strand and a second conductive strand, wherein the first strand is obtained from a primitive function which is scaled given the electrical period, and wherein the primitive function of the second strand is the primitive function of the first strand shifted over 180°, and wherein both strands are electrically connected so that a continuous coil is formed with two open ends, and wherein the primitive function of a strand of the second receive coil is the primitive function of a corresponding strand of the first receive coil shifted over 120°, and wherein the primitive function of a strand of the third receive coil is the primitive function of the corresponding strand of the first receive coil shifted over 240°;

the conductive target which overlaps the receive coils; and

an integrated circuit which is configured for exciting the transmit coil, thus inducing signals on the receive coils, and for reading the signals from the receive coils or a combination of the signals, and for processing these signals, wherein the position sensor is configured for removing a common mode signal from these signals.

2 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive target has flanges arranged in a periodic arrangement and wherein the flanges are identical.

3 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first strand and the second strand are provided on a printed circuit board.

4 . The linear position sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the first strand and/or the second strand alternate between a first and second side of the printed circuit board for enabling crossings between both strands.

5 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein processing the signals comprises offset compensation of the signals.

6 . The linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein processing the signals comprises extracting a position of the conductive target from the obtained signals.

7 . Use of a linear position sensor according to claim 1 , wherein:

the transmit coil is excited using an excitation signal;

signals from the first, second, and third receive coils are read; and

the obtained signals are processed for obtaining the position of the conductive target, wherein processing at least comprises removing a common mode component of the received signals.

8 . A method of forming a linear position sensor, the method comprising:

defining a substantially sinusoidal primitive function;

scaling the primitive function given a predefined electrical period;

obtaining a second strand from the primitive function shifted over 180°;

obtaining a second receive coil, wherein the primitive function of a strand of the second receive coil is the primitive function of a corresponding strand of a first receive coil shifted over 120°;

obtaining a third receive coil, wherein the primitive function of a strand of the third receive coil is the primitive function of the corresponding strand of the first receive coil shifted over 240°;

providing a conductive target which overlaps the receive coils; and

providing an integrated circuit which is configured for exciting a transmit coil, for reading signals from the receive coils, and for processing these signals, wherein processing the signals comprises removing a common mode signal from these signals.