Arrangement for contactlessly measuring a position using a magnetoresistive sensor, and method for operating the arrangement

The disclosure relates to an arrangement for contactlessly measuring a position using a magnetoresistive sensor, the displacement-proportional transfer characteristic of which has a plurality of ranges which are suitable for a position measurement and associated characteristic curve sections of which have both positive and negative gradients. The arrangement can be included in a position regulator which has control electronics which, with the aid of a microcontroller, receive one or more input signals and output actuating signals for controlling the actuating drive. A method is also disclosed for operating the arrangement. For example, to uniquely associate the direction of movement of the displacement pick-off shaft with the effective direction of the drive, at least one range sensor for detecting the characteristic curve range of the magnetoresistive measuring system, which is in the form of a magnetoresistor potentiometer, in which the position is measured, is proposed. The range sensor can be connected to the control electronics. The activity of each range sensor can be assigned a sign for the gradient of the characteristic curve section of the measuring system in which the position is measured, which sign can be used to infer the effective direction of the actuating drive.