Current sensor having stray field immunity

1. A current sensor, comprising:

an elongate current conductor having an input and an output and a longitudinal axis; and

first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are coupled in a bridge configuration, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in a plane parallel to a surface of the current conductor such that the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise inner elements and the first and third magnetic field sensing elements comprise outer elements with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge and the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge, wherein the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap with the current conductor, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in relation to the current conductor.

2. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are aligned along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

3. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are spaced equidistantly along the axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

4. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the current conductor includes a narrowed region, wherein the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap narrowed portion of the current conductor.

5. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise magnetoresistive elements.

6. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise Hall elements.

7. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are sensitive in the vertical direction.

8. The current sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to subtract an interfering external field a signal of interest.

9. A method, comprising:

employing an elongate current conductor having an input and an output and a longitudinal axis; and

employing first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are coupled in a bridge configuration, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in a plane parallel to a surface of the current conductor such that the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise inner elements and the first and third magnetic field sensing elements comprise outer elements with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge and the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge, wherein the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap with the current conductor, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in relation to the current conductor.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are aligned along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are spaced equidistantly along the axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the current conductor includes a narrowed region, wherein the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap narrowed portion of the current conductor.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise magnetoresistive elements.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise Hall elements.

15. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are sensitive in the vertical direction.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured to subtract an interfering external field from a signal of interest.

17. A current sensor, comprising:

an elongate current conductor having an input and an output and a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate conductor includes first and second conductors coupled in parallel and separated by a non-conductive region between the first and second conductors; and

first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are coupled in a bridge configuration, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in a plane parallel to a surface of the current conductor such that the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise inner elements and the first and third magnetic field sensing elements comprise outer elements with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge and the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element at least partially overlaps with the first conductor and the fourth magnetic field sensing element at least partially overlaps with the second conductor, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in relation to the current conductor.

18. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are aligned along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

19. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are spaced equidistantly along the axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

20. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap with the non-conductive region.

21. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise magnetoresistive elements.

22. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise Hall elements.

23. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are sensitive in the vertical direction.

24. The current sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the sensor is configured to subtract an interfering external field from a signal of interest.

25. A method, comprising:

employing an elongate current conductor having an input and an output and a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate conductor includes first and second conductors coupled in parallel and separated by a non-conductive region between the first and second conductors; and

employing first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are coupled in a bridge configuration, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in a plane parallel to a surface of the current conductor such that the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise inner elements and the first and third magnetic field sensing elements comprise outer elements with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge and the second and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are opposite each other in the bridge, wherein the second magnetic field sensing element at least partially overlaps with the first conductor and the fourth magnetic field sensing element at least partially overlaps with the second conductor, wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are positioned in relation to the current conductor.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are aligned along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

27. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are spaced equidistantly along the axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the current conductor.

28. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first and third magnetic field sensing elements at least partially overlap with the non-conductive region.

29. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise magnetoresistive elements.

30. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements comprise Hall elements.

31. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic field sensing elements are sensitive in the vertical direction.

32. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the sensor is configured to subtract an interfering external field from a signal of interest.

33. A current sensor, comprising:

a means for conducting current; and

first, second, third and fourth means for sensing magnetic fields generated by the means for conducting current, wherein the third and fourth means for sensing magnetic fields are connected in a bridge; and

a means for subtracting an interfering external field similarly affecting the first, second, third and fourth means for sensing magnetic fields.