Inductive position sensing
Infineon XENSIV™ inductive position sensing - intrinsic stray field robustness at highest safety and accuracy
Infineon's XENSIV™ range boasts the most comprehensive portfolio of sensor solutions available on the market, catering to a wide range of applications across the automotive, industrial, and consumer sectors. Leveraging industry-leading, proprietary technology, XENSIV™ products offer best-fit solutions tailored to specific application needs.
Inductive sensing is based on the principle of electromagnetic coupling between a printed circuit board (PCB) coil and a metal target positioned above it. When the metal target enters the electromagnetic field generated by the sensor coil, a portion of the electromagnetic energy is transferred to the metallic rotor (target), inducing eddy currents. These eddy currents, in turn, create a reverse electromagnetic field in the sensor coil, which alters the effective inductance of the coil. By measuring this change in inductance, the position of the target can be accurately determined.
Infineon’s inductive position sensing products feature entirely contactless designs, allowing unparalleled longevity with minimal wear and tear over time. Broad temperature ranges and advanced protection technologies such as short-circuit protection and reverse voltage protection ensure inductive position sensing products can be employed anywhere, even in the traditionally inhospitable operating environments. A range of interface and connection options also allow for seamless integration into existing and new systems with the option to select from numerous automotive and industry-compliant sensors.
Inductive position sensing products feature a comprehensive design, incorporating a driver and receiver connected to the PCB coil system, as well as signal-conditioning circuits and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for calculating torque or angle information within a single device. The calculated data is then transmitted to the controller Electronic Control Unit (ECU) via a digital communication interface.
The inductive position sensing products inherently meet the stray field robustness requirements outlined in the ISO 11452-8:2015 standard.
The single-chip design is developed in accordance with the ISO 26262 Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) and enables system design safety levels up to Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) D. This is crucial for meeting future fail-operational system safety requirements.
