Homework #1: Automobile Sensors

Chris Buckingham
ECE-8525
6/9/2015
Hall effect sensors are used extensively in the automotive market. From
speed sensing and ignition control to powered seat and window controls, variations
of the Hall effect sensor have found a comfortable home in most modern
automobiles.
The Hall effect (or Hall voltage) is mediated fundamentally by the Lorentz
force. The Lorentz force is brought about when a charged particle moves with some
velocity in the presence of an electrical field through a magnetic field [1]. The force
is heuristically imagined using the right and rule (shown below along with the
application with the rail-gun)

Figure 1: right hand rule and rail gun operation

For this discussion the application in RPM sensing will be investigated.

Figure 2: typical configuration in RPM sensing for

As the teeth (or tape/window) passes over the air gap between the sensor
housing and rotating component (trigger wheel) an alternating positive/ negative
voltage is output by the Hall effect device. The rate at which the signal repeats is
correlated to the speed of the specific rotor. These sensors have the advantage of

Homework #1: Automobile Sensors

being relatively immune to harsh environmental conditions e.g. contamination,
heat, pressure, etc. they also cost less than a mechanical sensor with greater
accuracy and relibility.