Continuous monitoring of drive amplitude in vibrating microelectromechanical gyroscopes
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising at least one mass element, a drive actuator, sense electrodes, and a gyroscope control circuit, wherein—
- the drive actuator is configured to be controlled by a drive signal comprising a drive signal amplitude and a drive signal frequency,the at least one mass element is configured to be driven by the drive actuator into a drive oscillation movement with a drive oscillation frequency ω
D, andthe sense electrodes are configured to produce a sense signal from a sense oscillation movement of the at least one mass element, the sense signal including a first component induced by the effect of the Coriolis force on the at least one mass element,wherein the gyroscope control circuit comprises an amplitude detection unit which detects the effect of the Coriolis force from a sense signal amplitude at the frequency ω
D,and the sense signal has a second component with a second harmonic frequency 2ω
D,and the gyroscope control circuit comprises a second amplitude detection unit which detects the sense signal amplitude at the second harmonic frequency 2ω
D.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising at least one mass element, a drive actuator and sense electrodes. The at least one mass element is configured to be driven by the drive actuator into oscillating movement with a drive oscillation frequency ωD, and the sense electrodes are configured to produce a sense signal from the oscillating movement of the at least one mass element. The gyroscope control circuit comprises an amplitude detection unit which detects a sense signal amplitude at the frequency 2ωD. This amplitude yields a measure of drive oscillation amplitude. Amplitude detection at the frequency ωD yields a measure of angular rotation rate.
7 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising at least one mass element, a drive actuator, sense electrodes, and a gyroscope control circuit, wherein—
- the drive actuator is configured to be controlled by a drive signal comprising a drive signal amplitude and a drive signal frequency,
the at least one mass element is configured to be driven by the drive actuator into a drive oscillation movement with a drive oscillation frequency ω
D, andthe sense electrodes are configured to produce a sense signal from a sense oscillation movement of the at least one mass element, the sense signal including a first component induced by the effect of the Coriolis force on the at least one mass element, wherein the gyroscope control circuit comprises an amplitude detection unit which detects the effect of the Coriolis force from a sense signal amplitude at the frequency ω
D,and the sense signal has a second component with a second harmonic frequency 2ω
D,and the gyroscope control circuit comprises a second amplitude detection unit which detects the sense signal amplitude at the second harmonic frequency 2ω
D. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- the drive actuator is configured to be controlled by a drive signal comprising a drive signal amplitude and a drive signal frequency,
-
11. A method for operating a microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising at least one mass element, a gyroscope control circuit, and a drive actuator controlled by a drive signal comprising a drive signal amplitude and a drive signal frequency, wherein
the at least one mass element is driven by the drive actuator into a drive oscillation movement with a drive oscillation frequency ω -
D,
a sense signal is produced from a sense oscillation movement of the at least one mass element, the sense signal including a first component induced by effect of the Coriolis force on the at least one mass element, wherein an amplitude detection unit in the gyroscope control circuit detects the effect of the Coriolis force from a sense signal amplitude at the frequency ω
D,the sense signal has a second component with a second harmonic frequency 2ω
D,the sense signal amplitude is detected at the second harmonic frequency 2ω
D in the gyroscope control circuit,and a second amplitude detection unit in the gyroscope control circuit detects the sense signal amplitude at the second harmonic frequency 2ω
D. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
D,
Specification