Abstract

You can use Hall-effect sensors to determine a rotation position in brushed motor applications. Such applications include power windows in automobile, powered window blinds, water meters, volume knobs, automated gates, and smart locks. This article briefly covers the basic operating principles and the benefits of multi-Hall element devices like the TMAG5110 and TMAG5111 in rotary-encoding applications.

Encoding works on the principle that every time a sensor (like the Hall-effect latch) is exposed to an opposing magnet polarity, the output of the sensor switches states. Every state change corresponds to a discrete step of one revolution and, with a fixed, known number of steps per revolution, the user can determine the relative degree of rotation.

There are multiple key specifications Hall-effect latches in encoding applications that are covered in this article. These include Hall element count, Hall element orientation, and BOP and BRP thresholds.