Micro-power magnetic switch

1. A sensor comprising:

a magnetic field signal generating circuit;

a control circuit, coupled to the magnetic field signal generating circuit and responsive to an externally generated trigger signal, to initiate a supply current pulse that activates the magnetic field signal generating circuit for a predetermined time interval; an input configured to receive a pulsed signal generated by an external microcontroller as the externally generated trigger signal; and

wherein the supply current pulse has a duration that is determined by the control circuit.

2. The sensor of claim 1 further including a magnetic field signal processing circuit, coupled to the control circuit and the magnetic field signal generating circuit, wherein the magnetic field signal processing circuit is activated by the supply current pulse to set a state for an output signal based on an output from the magnetic field signal generating circuit.

3. The sensor of claim 1 further comprising a voltage supply input, and wherein the sensor is configured to use a pulsed power supply signal based on a supply signal received at the voltage supply input as the externally generated trigger signal.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit includes a sensing element that comprises at least one Hall-effect element.

5. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit includes a sensing element that comprises at least one magnetoresistance (MR) element.

6. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the control circuit comprises a one-shot circuit to receive the externally generated trigger signal as a trigger input and to provide a one-shot output pulse in response thereto.

7. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the supply current pulse defines an awake interval during which the magnetic field signal generating circuit is activated, and the time between the supply current pulse and a next supply current pulse defines a sleep interval during which the magnetic field signal generating circuit is deactivated.

8. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit and the control circuit are integrated as a semiconductor integrated circuit.

9. A sensor comprising:

a magnetic field signal generating circuit;

a control circuit, coupled to the magnetic field signal generating circuit and responsive to an externally generated trigger signal, to initiate a supply current pulse that activates the magnetic field signal generating circuit for a predetermined time interval;

wherein the control circuit comprises a one-shot circuit to receive the externally generated trigger signal as a trigger input and to provide a one-shot output pulse in response thereto; and

wherein the control circuit further comprises a switch, connected to the one-shot circuit, operable to provide the supply current pulse to the magnetic field signal generating circuit in response to the one-shot output pulse.

10. A system comprising:

a controller; and

a sensor, coupled to the controller, the sensor including a magnetic field signal generating circuit and a control circuit coupled to the magnetic field signal generating circuit and responsive to an externally generated trigger signal, wherein the control circuit is operable to initiate a supply current pulse that activates the magnetic field signal generating circuit for a predetermined time interval, wherein the controller comprises a microcontroller and the sensor further includes an input configured to receive a pulsed signal generated by the microcontroller as the externally generated trigger signal and wherein the supply current pulse has a duration that is determined by the control circuit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor further includes a magnetic field signal processing circuit, coupled to the control circuit and the magnetic field signal generating circuit, wherein the magnetic field signal processing circuit is activated by the supply current pulse to set a state for an output signal based on an output from the magnetic field signal generating circuit.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor further comprises a voltage supply input, and wherein the sensor is configured to use a pulsed power supply signal based on a supply signal received at the voltage supply input as the externally generated trigger signal.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit includes a sensing element that comprises at least one Hall-effect element.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit includes a sensing element that comprises at least one magnetoresistance (MR) element.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the control circuit comprises a one-shot circuit to receive the externally generated trigger signal as a trigger input and to provide a one-shot output pulse in response thereto.

16. A system comprising:

a controller;

a sensor, coupled to the controller, the sensor including a magnetic field signal generating circuit and a control circuit coupled to the magnetic field signal generating circuit and responsive to an externally generated trigger signal, wherein the control circuit is operable to initiate a supply current pulse that activates the magnetic field signal generating circuit for a predetermined time interval;

wherein the control circuit comprises a one-shot circuit to receive the externally generated trigger signal as a trigger input and to provide a one-shot output pulse in response thereto; and

wherein the control circuit further comprises a switch, connected to the one-shot circuit, operable to provide the supply current pulse to the magnetic field signal generating circuit in response to the one-shot output pulse.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the magnetic field signal generating circuit and the control circuit are integrated as a semiconductor integrated circuit.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the supply current pulse defines an awake interval during which the magnetic field signal generating circuit is activated, and the time between the supply current pulse and a next supply current pulse defines a sleep interval during which the magnetic field signal generating circuit is deactivated.

19. A sensor integrated circuit comprising:

an input to receive an externally generated trigger signal comprising pulses;

a magnetic field signal generating circuit; and

a control circuit, coupled to the magnetic field signal generating, comprising a first control circuit and a second control circuit, the second control circuit being responsive to an edge of each pulse of the externally generated trigger signal to produce an output pulse and the first control circuit being responsive to each output pulse to initiate a supply current pulse that activates the magnetic field signal generating circuit for a predetermined time interval.

20. The sensor of claim 19 , wherein the supply current pulse has a duration that is determined by the second control circuit.