IP Library Granted Patent US 8,164,149
Granted Patent B2
US 8,164,149 · App. 12/623,571 · Granted Apr 24, 2012

Vertical hall sensor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,164,149
App. No.
12/623,571
Granted
Apr 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vertical Hall sensor which is integrated in a semiconductor chip has at least 6 electric contacts which are arranged along a straight line on the surface of the semiconductor chip. The electric contacts are wired according to a predetermined rule, namely such that when the contacts are numbered through continuously and repeatedly with the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 starting from one of the two outermost contacts, the contacts to which the same numeral is assigned are electrically connected with each other.

Claims (17)

1. A vertical Hall sensor which is integrated in a semiconductor chip, comprising

an electrically conductive well of a first conductivity type which is embedded in an electrically conductive region of a second conductivity type, and

a number, n, of electric contacts which are arranged along a straight line on a surface of the electrically conductive well, wherein

the number n of the contacts is at least n=6, and, when the contacts are numbered through continuously and repeatedly with the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 starting from one of the two outermost contacts, the contacts to which the same numeral is assigned are directly electrically connected with each other.

2. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 1 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the distance between the contacts increases from contact to contact.

3. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 2 , wherein said distance increases by a predetermined factor.

4. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 2 , wherein said distance increases by a constant value.

5. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 2 , wherein said distance is increased by a predetermined factor and a constant value is added thereto.

6. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 1 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the length of the contacts increases from contact to contact.

7. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 2 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the length of the contacts increases from contact to contact.

8. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 3 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the length of the contacts increases from contact to contact.

9. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 4 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the length of the contacts increases from contact to contact.

10. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 5 , wherein, starting from the middle between the two outermost contacts, the length of the contacts increases from contact to contact.

11. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic circuit configured to operate the vertical Hall sensor according to the spinning current method.

12. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 2 , further comprising an electronic circuit configured to operate the vertical Hall sensor according to the spinning current method.

13. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 6 , further comprising an electronic circuit configured to operate the vertical Hall sensor according to the spinning current method.

14. The vertical Hall sensor according to claim 7 , further comprising an electronic circuit configured to operate the vertical Hall sensor according to the spinning current method.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2010
From: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA
To: MELEXIS TESSENDERLO NV
Reel/Frame 024741/0854 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2009
From: SCHOTT, CHRISTIAN
To: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA
Reel/Frame 023703/0479 →