Abstract

To extend the operating life and improve user experience, many applications are adopting magnetic switches to eliminate the use of mechanical contact switches, which are prone to failure over time due to mechanical wear, oxidation, and the buildup of contaminants on the contact surface. In many applications such as home appliances, locks, door and window controls, and flow meters there is importance to keep total power consumption to a minimum to maintain power efficiency. Although mechanical switches offer the benefit of zero power consumption when the circuit is open, the switches have long-term reliability challenges. Magnetic designs including reed switches, Hall-effect sensors, and Tunneling Magneto Resistive Sensors are commonly used as low power alternatives with better reliability.