JP2008514913A - sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

  An apparatus (1) having a sensor arrangement (10) with a movable object (13) for changing the magnetic field in response to movement, has two or more elements (in order to detect the magnetic field component in the plane of the bridge). A magnetic field detector (12) with a bridge having 21-24, 31-34) and a further bridge having two or more elements (35-38) is provided. The bridge has a first characteristic that depends on movement in the Z direction and a second characteristic that depends on movement in the X direction. The further bridge has a third characteristic dependent on movement in the Z direction and a fourth characteristic dependent on movement in the Y direction. The first and third characteristics indicate whether the resistance values of all elements have increased or decreased with substantially the same value. The second and fourth characteristics indicate that the resistance values of the two elements increase with approximately the same value and the resistance values of the two other elements decrease with approximately the same value.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus having a sensor configuration, and also relates to a sensor configuration and a sensing method.

  Examples of such devices are portable personal computers and small portable electronic terminals such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, digital cameras and global positioning system devices.

  A device according to the prior art is known from US Pat. No. 6,738,043 B2, which discloses a coordinate input device comprising a magnet for generating a magnetic field and an electromagnetic transducer for generating an output voltage. These output voltages have values that change in response to changes in the distance between the electromagnetic transducer and the magnet. Thus, the movement of one magnet in the three-dimensional space is converted into three-dimensional coordinates.

  This known device is particularly disadvantageous as a result of the fact that the device requires a personal computer to evaluate the output voltage. In other words, this known device generates an output voltage specifying movement in a relatively indirect manner. This is relatively complex and relatively expensive.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide, inter alia, a device with a sensor arrangement that identifies movement in a relatively direct manner.

  It is a further object of the present invention to provide, inter alia, a sensor arrangement that identifies movement in a relatively direct manner and a sensing method that identifies movement in a relatively direct manner.

  An apparatus according to the present invention is a bridge having a movable object for changing at least a part of a magnetic field in response to movement and a plurality of elements for detecting, for each element, a component of the magnetic field in the plane of the bridge, A sensor configuration is provided that includes a magnetic field detector including a bridge having a first characteristic depending on movement in a first direction and a different second characteristic depending on movement in a different second direction.

  By introducing a magnetic field detector in the form of a bridge with at least two magnetic field dependent elements such as a magnetoresistive element whose resistance depends on the strength and direction of the magnetic field in which the element is arranged, different movements are achieved. Different characteristics of the bridge can be used to indicate in a relatively direct way. As a result, complex and expensive personal computers for evaluating the output voltage of electromagnetic transducers in the prior art are no longer needed. The first characteristic of the bridge depends on the movement of the movable object in the first direction and indicates the first coordinate in the first direction, and the different second characteristic of the bridge depends on the movement of the movable object in the second direction different from the second coordinate. Instruct. Other magnetic field dependent elements other than magnetoresistive elements should not be excluded.

  The device according to the invention is particularly further advantageous in that the overall power consumption is reduced compared to using a personal computer to evaluate the output voltage of the electromagnetic transducer in the prior art.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is that the longitudinal axis of the element and the direction of magnetization of the element are between 25 and 65 degrees with respect to the rest position of the movable object and for a given strength of the magnetic field. Is defined by forming This embodiment is advantageous in that barberpole stripes can be avoided. Such barber pole-like stripes reduce the overall resistance of the device and increase power consumption when it is specified on the device.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is defined by the angle being approximately 45 degrees. This embodiment is advantageous in that the sensor configuration has the highest linearity and maximum sensitivity.

  In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the sensor arrangement further comprises a fixed object, the magnetic field detector is arranged between the two objects, and one of the two objects generates a magnetic field for generating the magnetic field. And the other object is defined by having a magnetic field conductor for conducting said magnetic field. Using a magnetic field generator, such as one magnet and one magnetic conductor, for example, reduces the cost of the device compared to using two or more magnets as disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,734,043B2 To do.

  In one embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the first characteristic is an external characteristic, the second characteristic is an internal characteristic, the first direction is a direction substantially perpendicular to the face of the bridge, The second direction is defined by being a direction that is substantially in the plane of the bridge. When the surface of the bridge coincides with the X axis and the Y axis, the first direction coincides with the Z axis, and the second direction coincides with, for example, the X axis.

  In one embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, the bridge includes first and second external terminals for supplying the external characteristics, first and second internal terminals for supplying the internal characteristics, and the plurality of the plurality of external terminals. A first and second series branch disposed in parallel between the external terminals of the first and second series branches, the first series branch comprising first and second elements coupled to each other via the first internal terminal, The second series branch is defined by including third and fourth elements coupled to each other via the second internal terminal. The external characteristic indicates, for example, whether the resistance values of all elements have increased with substantially the same value or decreased with substantially the same value. For example, the internal characteristics indicate that the resistance values of the two elements have increased with approximately the same value and the resistance values of the two other elements have decreased with approximately the same value. This internal characteristic is relatively independent of the temperature change, and the external characteristic is relatively dependent on the temperature change.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is defined by the sensor arrangement further comprising a temperature compensator to compensate for the temperature dependence of the bridge.

  The temperature compensator compensates for the temperature dependence of the bridge and thus compensates for the temperature dependence of the external characteristics, allowing the sensor configuration to be used under changing temperature conditions.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized in that the magnetic field detector comprises a further bridge having a plurality of further elements, the plurality of further elements representing the magnetic field component in a further plane of the further bridge. Detecting for each of the plurality of further elements, wherein the further bridge comprises a third characteristic dependent on the movement in the first direction and a fourth characteristic dependent on the movement in a different third direction. Is done. This sensor configuration is sensitive to movement in three different directions. Usually, the surface of the bridge and the further surface of the further bridge are substantially coincident surfaces.

  In an embodiment of the device according to the invention, the third characteristic is an external characteristic, the fourth characteristic is an internal characteristic, and the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the further surface of the further bridge. A direction, wherein the third direction is a direction substantially in the further plane of the further bridge, and the second and third directions are substantially perpendicular. . If the further surface of the further bridge coincides with the X axis and the Y axis, the first direction coincides with the Z axis and the third direction coincides with the Y axis, for example.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized in that the further bridge provides third and fourth external terminals for supplying the external characteristic, third and fourth internal terminals for supplying the internal characteristic, A third and a fourth series branch arranged in parallel between the external terminals, the third series branch comprising a fifth and a sixth element coupled to each other via the third internal terminal; A serial branch is defined by having seventh and eighth elements coupled together via the fourth internal terminal. The external characteristic indicates, for example, whether the resistance values of all elements have increased with substantially the same value or decreased with substantially the same value. For example, the internal characteristics indicate that the resistance values of the two elements have increased with approximately the same value and the resistance values of the two other elements have decreased with approximately the same value. This internal characteristic is relatively independent of the temperature change, and the external characteristic is relatively dependent on the temperature change.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is defined by the sensor arrangement further comprising a temperature compensator for compensating the temperature dependence of the plurality of bridges.

  The temperature compensator compensates for the temperature dependence of the bridge and thus compensates for the temperature dependence of the external characteristics, allowing the sensor configuration to be used under changing temperature conditions.

  An embodiment of the device according to the invention is defined by the temperature compensator comprising two temperature dependent elements forming part of a still further bridge further comprising the bridge and the further bridge. Is done. By placing this bridge and further bridges in still further bridges, and still further two temperature-dependent elements having, for example, temperature dependence similar to that of the bridges and further bridges. By placing in the bridge, the external characteristics depending on the temperature of the bridge and further bridges are converted into the internal characteristics of still further bridges which are relatively temperature independent.

  In one embodiment of the device according to the invention, the plurality of temperature-dependent elements and the plurality of elements are made of the same magnetic material, the plurality of temperature-dependent elements, wherein the plurality of temperature-dependent elements are the magnetic field. Each of which is provided with a pair of resistors configured to be substantially insensitive to changes in For example, when an anisotropic magnetoresistive material is used, the pair of resistors includes, for example, two substantially right-angle resistors.

  The embodiment of the sensor arrangement according to the invention and the embodiment of the sensing method according to the invention correspond to the embodiment of the device according to the invention.

  The present invention is based in particular on the insight that the sensor configuration should identify movement in a relatively direct manner, with the magnetic field detector having different characteristics that replace the prior art evaluation of the output voltage. Specifically based on the basic idea that at least one bridge should be provided.

  The present invention solves, among other things, the problem of providing a device with a sensor configuration that identifies movement in a relatively direct manner, and the present invention provides a personal computer for evaluating the output voltage of an electromagnetic transducer in the prior art. It is particularly advantageous in that the overall power consumption is reduced compared to using a computer.

  These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

  The device 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises a sensor arrangement 10 according to the invention. The sensor arrangement 10 comprises a fixed object 11 such as a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field such as a magnet. The sensor arrangement 10 includes a magnetic field detector 12 for detecting a magnetic field component (as shown in FIG. 3) and a movable magnetic field conductor (eg, a joystick) for changing at least a portion of the magnetic field in response to movement. and a movable object 13 such as a field conductor. The projection of the magnetic field on the surface of the magnetic field detector is approximately a radial field. The detected magnetic field component is a magnetic field vector located in the plane of the magnetic field detector. That is, this component is a radial magnetic field vector. The change comprises, for example, a displacement of the radial magnetic field center 19 (as shown in FIG. 2).

  For example, a fixed object 11 such as a permanent magnet and a movable object 13 such as a magnetically conductive stick are both integrated in a package, for example, in the form of a chip. The package is modified so that the movable object 13 may be mounted in a non-through hole in the package, for example with a flexible adhesive 14, an O-ring, or any other mechanical spring. The magnetic field detector 12 is mounted on a substrate 16 that is coupled to a lead frame 15 via wire bonds.

  As a performance of the sensor arrangement 10 shown in FIG. 2, the movable object 13 is arranged between a point of the movable object 13 and the end of the movable object 13 arranged closest to the magnetic field detector 12. It has a pivot point. Preferably, this pivot point substantially coincides with this end of the movable object 13 located closest to the magnetic field detector 12. By pivoting the movable object 13, the radial magnetic field center 19 (as shown in FIG. 3) of the magnetic field component is displaced, and this displacement is detected by the magnetic field detector 12. Such a magnetic field detector 12 includes a plurality of elements as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

  The magnetic field detector 12 shown in FIG. 3 includes a plurality of elements 21 to 24. A radial magnetic field H, magnetization M, and current I are extracted for each element 21-24. A radial magnetic field occurs when a magnetic field generated from a magnetic field generator is projected onto the surface of the magnetic field detector. Point C is the center of the radial magnetic field H when the movable object 13 is at the rest position. A magnetic field line of the radial magnetic field is indicated by an arrow H. Four magnetoresistive elements 21 to 24 whose resistance value depends on the strength and direction of the magnetic field in which the element is arranged, that is, four fine resistance elements made of, for example, a barber pole-free magnetoresistive material. The pieces are arranged so that the magnetization M in the element and the longitudinal direction of the magnetoresistive elements 21 to 24 make an angle such as an angle of 25 to 65 degrees, preferably an angle of 45 degrees. Current I flows through magnetoresistive elements 21-24. The magnetization M in the elements 21 to 24 attempts to align on the one hand in the longitudinal direction of the elements 21 to 24 and on the other hand to align in the direction of the radial magnetic field H. As a result, the magnetization M will take a position between the longitudinal direction of the elements 21 to 24 and the component of the magnetic field H. At low magnetic field H, magnetization M will be closer to the longitudinal direction of elements 21-24, and at higher magnetic field H, magnetization M will be closer to the direction of the component of magnetic field H. Under an infinitely high magnetic field H, the magnetization M will be aligned with the magnetic field H.

The angle θ between the magnetization M and the current I in the elements 21 to 24 determines the resistance value of the elements 21 to 24. Therefore, in the case of anisotropic magnetoresistance, the resistance R = R ₀ + ΔRcos ² θ, In the equation, R is the total resistance value of the elements 21 to 24, R ₀ is a base resistance, and ΔR / R ₀ is a magnetoresistive effect. If the angle θ is chosen around 45 degrees, the response characteristics of the elements 21-24 will be approximately linear. The best linearity is obtained for θ = 45 degrees. By setting a magnetic field at an angle in the longitudinal direction of elements 21-24, barber pole-like stripes are not required, which has several advantages (easier handling, higher resistance, more Good resistance reproducibility). Usually this configuration will increase the switching of magnetization hysteresis when the magnetic field is cycled from positive to negative and back. However, in this form with a permanent magnetic field, firstly the magnetic field is not circulated between positive and negative (it is only modulated around a certain value), and secondly the magnetic field is It is larger than the anisotropic magnetic field that brings the magnetization outside the hysteresis region.

  The radial magnetic field H is, for example, a radial magnetic field vector located in the plane of the magnetic field detector 12, that is, in the plane of the elements 21 to 24. This surface includes, for example, an X axis and a Y axis. When the radial magnetic field center 19 is moved from the position C to the position D in the XY plane, the direction of the radial magnetic field H is mainly changed. In elements 21 and 23, the radial magnetic field vector moves in the direction of current I, reducing the angle between magnetization M and current I, thereby increasing the resistance of elements 21 and 23. The reverse occurs for elements 22 and 24. The radial magnetic field vector moves away from the direction of the current I and increases the angle θ between the magnetization M and the current I, thereby decreasing the resistance value. By appropriately connecting the elements 21 to 24 in the form of a bridge such as a Wheatstone bridge, an output signal that changes approximately linearly according to the radial magnetic field center position 19 in the X direction can be generated. . For the Y direction, a similar configuration can be formed by rotating the entire configuration by 90 degrees. Usually, the distance between the elements 21-24 and the radial component center 19 of the radial component will be much larger (eg 300 μm) than the typical displacement of the radial field center (eg 20 μm). Therefore, when the radial magnetic field center 19 is displaced, the direction of the radial magnetic field H is mainly changed, and the intensity of the radial magnetic field H will be changed by only a small range.

  A movable object 13 and a magnetic field detector 12 separated by a distance D1 and a fixed object 11 separated by a distance D2 from the magnetic field detector 12 are shown in a sectional view in FIG. In order to make the distance D1 variable, the adhesive 14 in FIG. 1 may be a flexible adhesive, but does not exclude other embodiments that allow three-dimensional movement.

  The intensity of the radial magnetic field H in accordance with the in-plane position of the magnetic field detector 12 is shown in FIG. 5 for various distances D1 between the movable object 13 and the magnetic field detector 12. This intensity obviously depends on this distance D1.

  A magnetic field detector 12 with a Wheatstone bridge having elements 31-34 is shown in FIG. The first external terminal of the Wheatstone bridge is coupled to voltage source 50, the second external terminal is coupled to resistor 30, which is further coupled to ground. Movement in the X direction is instructed via the internal terminal of the Wheatstone bridge. Movement in the Z direction is instructed via the external terminal. Due to the fact that resistor 30 and Wheatstone bridge together form a series circuit, movement in the Z direction will also be indicated across resistor 30. This can be derived as follows.

  At the rest position, the radial magnetic field center 19 is located at the position C. The radial magnetic field strength at the element position will have a certain value. This value is determined, for example, by the on-axis distance D2 between the fixed object 11 and the magnetic field detector 12 and / or the distance D1 between the magnetic field detector 12 and the movable object 13. FIG. 5 shows the calculated intensity of the radial magnetic field according to the distance D1. As the distance changes, the radial magnetic field strength changes.

  When the distance between the movable object 13 and the magnetic field detector 12 is changed, for example, by pushing the movable object in the axial direction, the position of the radial magnetic field center 19 of the radial component in the XY plane remains at the position C. The radial magnetic field direction remains unchanged. However, the radial field strength can be changed by the fact that the distance changes the strength of the magnetic field. In FIG. 3, when the strength of the magnetic field is changed, the direction of the magnetization M is changed for all the elements. This change in the direction of magnetization M is the same for all elements. Since the magnetoresistive elements 21-24, 31-34 are part of a Wheatstone bridge configuration, the output at the internal terminal of the bridge is not altered by this change in the strength of the magnetic field H. In other words, the bridge output is not affected by the vertical movement of the movable object 13.

  However, the total resistance of this bridge can be changed. This change can be detected by another circuit such as resistor 30 to provide Z-direction functionality. For example, when a constant voltage is applied to the bridge, a change in resistance will result in a change in current. By sending this current through resistor 30 in series with the Wheatstone bridge, the change in current can be converted into a change in voltage across resistor 30 that can be measured. In this way, the total resistance value of the bridge is detected in a non-differential and non-temperature compensated manner. In order to detect the total resistance value of the bridge in a temperature-compensated manner, a temperature compensator can be introduced, for example by forming the resistor 30 in a temperature-dependent state, for example with the same temperature dependence as the bridge. .

  In other words, the device 1 according to the invention comprises the magnetic field detector 12 with a bridge having at least two and preferably four elements 31 to 34 for detecting the magnetic field component in the bridge plane for each element. This bridge comprises a first characteristic dependent on movement in a first direction and a different second characteristic dependent on movement in a different second direction. The first characteristic is an external characteristic that defines an external value of the bridge from an overall viewpoint. The second characteristic is an internal characteristic that defines the internal value of the bridge from the viewpoint of balance / unbalance. When the bridge surface coincides with the X axis and the Y axis, the first direction coincides with the Z axis, and the second direction coincides with the X axis, for example.

  Preferably, the magnetic field detector 12 further comprises a further bridge having further elements 35 to 38 for detecting for each further element a magnetic field component in a further plane of the further bridge, the further bridge being A third characteristic depending on movement in one direction and a fourth characteristic depending on movement in a different third direction are provided. Usually, the face of the bridge and the further face of the further bridge will coincide. The third characteristic is an external characteristic, and the fourth characteristic is an internal characteristic. If the further surface of the further bridge coincides with the X axis and the Y axis, the first direction coincides with the Z axis and the third direction coincides with the Y axis, for example.

  In the case of a bridge with four elements, the external characteristic indicates, for example, whether the resistance values of all elements have increased or decreased with substantially the same value. For example, the resistance value of two elements at crossing positions increases with substantially the same value, and the resistance value of two other elements at other crossing positions decreases with approximately the same value. It shows that.

  In the case of a bridge with two elements, the external characteristic indicates, for example, whether the resistance values of all elements have increased or decreased with substantially the same value. The internal characteristics indicate, for example, that the resistance value of one element has increased or decreased and the resistance value of the other element has not changed.

  The magnetic field detector 12 shown in FIG. 7 comprises a bridge and a further bridge forming part of a still further bridge further comprising two temperature dependent resistors 39, 40. The temperature dependent resistor shown in FIG. 8 is insensitive to changes in the magnetic field. This whole should be considered as follows.

Internal characteristics are relatively independent of temperature changes, but external characteristics are relatively dependent on temperature changes. For example, the temperature coefficient of an element including NiFe is about 2.9 × 10 ⁻³ ° C. ⁻¹ . A temperature change of 80 ° C. (this is the temperature that can be inside the laptop) will therefore cause a 23% change in resistance. This change must be compared with a 2% maximum change in resistance due to the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect. The change in resistance value due to the movement of the movable object 13 in the Z direction will be much smaller (0.1%).

  A temperature compensator can be introduced to overcome this temperature problem. The temperature compensator compensates for the temperature dependence of the bridge and thus compensates for the temperature dependence of the external characteristics, enabling the sensor configuration 10 to be used under changing temperature conditions. Such a temperature compensator measures, for example, the temperature, calculates the influence of the measured resistance value on the common mode resistance value (external characteristic) of the bridge, and compensates for the common mode resistance value of the bridge.

  Alternatively, the common mode resistance of the bridge and further bridge is again placed in a still further bridge, such as a Wheatstone bridge. Still further bridges are two Wheatstone bridges (one for X detection and one for Y detection), and also two temperature dependent elements, for example on the die 39, 40. These temperature dependent elements preferably have the same temperature dependency as the bridge and further bridges. Therefore, these temperature dependent elements may be made of the same (magnetic) material. However, these temperature dependent elements should not respond to changes in the magnetic field H. Due to the special shape of these temperature dependent elements, they can be formed so that they are (almost) insensitive to changes in the magnetic field.

The idea is that one half of the element is R ₀ + ΔR ₀ . in response to a change in the direction of the radial component according to sin2ψ (ψ is the angle between magnetization and current), the other half of the element is R ₀ + ΔR ₀ . Based on the fact that it changes according to cos ² ψ. By adding these elements, the total resistance becomes 2 (R ₀ + ΔR ₀ ) independent of the angle ψ. These four resistors can be placed on the die. Two can be used to form a new (nested) Wheatstone bridge and the other two can be used to measure the temperature of the die itself. Thus some resulting temperature dependence (Wheatstone bridge cannot completely eliminate temperature dependence, and slight variations in the temperature coefficient of various resistances will always be present in the bridge) Can be compensated by software means if necessary.

  It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. It should be noted. Any reference signs placed in parentheses in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the claims. The use and exploitation of the verb “comprise” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in the claims. The mere fact that certain features are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to benefit.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a device according to the invention with a sensor arrangement according to the invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of a sensor configuration according to the present invention. It is the schematic which shows the magnetic field detector provided with the element, and is a figure which discloses the component of a magnetic field, magnetization, and an electric current for every element. It is sectional drawing which shows schematically the movable object and magnetic field detector which were separated by the distance D1, and the fixed object separated by the distance D2 from the magnetic field detector. It is a figure which shows the intensity | strength of a magnetic field component according to the in-plane position of a magnetic field detector about various distance D1 between a movable object and a magnetic field detector. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a magnetic field detector with a bridge having elements coupled to further elements for detecting external characteristics of the bridge in a non-differential and non-temperature compensated manner. Two temperature-dependent elements for detecting the external characteristics of the bridge and further bridge in a differential and temperature compensated manner comprising a bridge and further bridge forming part of still further bridge It is the schematic which shows a magnetic field detector provided with. It is a figure which shows the temperature dependence element which is made from an anisotropic magnetoresistive material and does not respond to the change of a magnetic field.

Claims (15)

A movable object for changing at least a portion of the magnetic field in response to movement;
A bridge having a plurality of elements for detecting the component of the magnetic field in the plane of the bridge for each element, the first characteristic depending on movement in the first direction and different depending on movement in different second directions An apparatus with a sensor arrangement comprising a magnetic field detector with a bridge having a second characteristic.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the element and the direction of magnetization of the element form an angle of 25 to 65 degrees with respect to the rest position of the movable object and for a given strength of the magnetic field. .   The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the angle is approximately 45 degrees.   The sensor arrangement further comprises a fixed object, the magnetic field detector is disposed between both objects, one object of the two objects comprises a magnetic field generator for generating the magnetic field, and the other object is the magnetic field The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a magnetic field conductor for conducting the magnetic field.   The first characteristic is an external characteristic, the second characteristic is an internal characteristic, the first direction is a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the bridge, and the second direction is an in-plane of the bridge. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is in a direction substantially existing in   The bridge is arranged in parallel between first and second external terminals for supplying the external characteristics, first and second internal terminals for supplying the internal characteristics, and the plurality of external terminals. First and second series branches, wherein the first series branch comprises first and second elements coupled to each other through the first internal terminal, and the second series branch is the second internal terminal. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a third and a fourth element coupled to each other via.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement further comprises a temperature compensator to compensate for temperature dependence of the bridge.   The magnetic field detector comprises a further bridge having a plurality of further elements, the plurality of further elements detecting the magnetic field component in a further plane of the further bridge for each of the plurality of further elements. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the further bridge comprises a third characteristic dependent on the movement in the first direction and a fourth characteristic dependent on the movement in a different third direction.   The third characteristic is an external characteristic, the fourth characteristic is an internal characteristic, the first direction is a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the further surface of the further bridge, and the third direction is 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the direction is substantially in the further plane of the further bridge, and the second and third directions are substantially perpendicular.   The further bridge includes third and fourth external terminals for supplying the external characteristics, third and fourth internal terminals for supplying the internal characteristics, and a third disposed between the external terminals in parallel. 3 and a fourth series branch, the third series branch comprising fifth and sixth elements coupled to each other via the third internal terminal, and the fourth series branch via the fourth internal terminal. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising seventh and eighth elements coupled together.   The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sensor arrangement further comprises a temperature compensator for compensating for temperature dependence of the plurality of bridges.   12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the temperature compensator comprises two temperature dependent elements that form part of a still further bridge further comprising the bridge and the further bridge.   The plurality of temperature dependent elements and the plurality of elements are made of the same magnetic material, the plurality of temperature dependent elements such that the plurality of temperature dependent elements do not substantially respond to changes in the magnetic field. The apparatus of claim 12, each comprising a pair of configured resistors. A movable object for changing at least a portion of the magnetic field in response to movement;
A bridge having a plurality of elements, wherein the plurality of elements detect a component of the magnetic field in the plane of the bridge for each of the plurality of elements and differ from a first characteristic depending on the movement in a first direction. A sensor configuration comprising: a magnetic field detector with a bridge having different second characteristics depending on the movement in a second direction. Changing at least a portion of the magnetic field in response to movement;
Detecting the component of the magnetic field in the plane of the bridge for each element of the bridge, wherein the bridge depends on the first characteristic depending on the movement in a first direction and on the movement in a different second direction. A sensing method comprising: a step having different second characteristics.

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