Method and rotary encoder for measuring the absolute angular position

The invention relates to a method for detecting an absolute angular position of a rotatable component, in particular a shaft 3, in which at least two independent magneto-resistive sensor pairs 6, 7, 8 pre-magnetized by at least one magnetic field source in a first stationary unit, which has an evaluation 5 be, wherein the sensor pairs 6, 7, 8 are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the magnetic field source and wherein in a second unit rotatable with the unit at least one modulator 9, the position-dependent magnetic flux of the magnetic field source at the location of the sensor pairs 6, 7, 8 in density and / or direction changes, as a result of its rotation with the component, the sensors are periodically covered and their excitation is influenced, the sensors of each sensor pair 6, 7, 8 being arranged in such a way thatthat they are covered by the overlap elements of the modulator 9 with an angular difference of a quarter coverage period, and an angle encoder 1 for performing the method. The signal quality of the angle sensor signal is controlled by positioning the sensors, type of bias of the sensors and by material properties and geometric shape of the modulator 9.