An AC and DC current sensor of high accuracy

A current sensor that can detect AC and DC currents with high accuracy of the same degree is presented. The detection characteristics are not degraded even when the sensor is exposed to large temperature variations and/or to external magnetic fields. The proposed sensor, which is named for the sensing principle it employs, will be referred to as the magnetic field controlled type or the zero magnetic field type of field and has the ability to fulfil the following specifications: (1) the sensor is a noncontacting type; (2) the operating frequency range covers from DC to several hundred hertz; (3) the dynamic range can be extended from several milliamperes to 100 A; (4) a detection accuracy of 0.01% full scale (FS) is guaranteed over the sensor´s whole range; and (5) several sets of current sensor having the same detection characteristics are easily obtainable even if the B-H of the core to be used for each sensor is very different