Sensor system
First Claim
1. A sensor system comprising:
- a base;
a substrate; and
a flexible member suspended from at least a portion of the substrate, at least a portion of the flexible member being capable of moving relative to at least a portion of the substrate, the substrate having a substrate mass, the flexible member having a flexible member mass, the substrate mass being greater than the flexible member mass, the substrate and flexible member being configured to interact to produce a motion signal identifying movement of the base, the flexible member being secured to the base, the substrate being movable relative to the base, wherein the substrate includes a conductor that cooperates with the flexible member to form a varying capacitor, the capacitance of the varying capacitor changing as the substrate moves relative to the flexible member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Rather than increasing the mass of the structure, the structure in a sensor system suspends its substrate from some mechanical ground. Motion of the substrate relative to the mechanical ground thus provides the movement information. To those ends, the sensor system includes a base, a substrate, and a flexible member suspended from at least a portion of the substrate. At least a portion of the flexible member is capable of moving relative to at least a portion of the substrate. In addition, the flexible member is secured to the base, thus causing the substrate to be movable relative to the base. Moreover, the mass of the substrate is greater than the mass of the flexible member. The substrate and flexible member are configured to interact to produce a motion signal identifying movement of the base.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A sensor system comprising:
-
a base;
a substrate; and
a flexible member suspended from at least a portion of the substrate, at least a portion of the flexible member being capable of moving relative to at least a portion of the substrate, the substrate having a substrate mass, the flexible member having a flexible member mass, the substrate mass being greater than the flexible member mass, the substrate and flexible member being configured to interact to produce a motion signal identifying movement of the base, the flexible member being secured to the base, the substrate being movable relative to the base, wherein the substrate includes a conductor that cooperates with the flexible member to form a varying capacitor, the capacitance of the varying capacitor changing as the substrate moves relative to the flexible member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
- 6. (canceled)
-
16. A method of producing a sensor system, the method comprising:
-
forming a MEMS chip having a flexible member suspended from at least a portion of a substrate, at least a portion of the substrate being capable of moving relative to at least a portion of the flexible member, the flexible member having a flexible member mass, the substrate having a substrate mass, the substrate mass being greater than the flexible member mass; and
coupling the flexible member with a base so that the substrate is movable relative to the base, wherein the flexible member includes a movable portion relative to the substrate, the flexible member also including a stationary portion relative to the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
19. (canceled)
-
23. A sensor system comprising:
-
a base;
a substrate; and
means for movably securing the substrate to the base, the securing means being suspended from at least a portion of the substrate, at least a portion of the securing means being capable of moving relative to the substrate, the substrate having a substrate mass, the securing means having a securing means mass, the substrate mass being greater than the securing means mass, movement of the substrate producing a motion signal identifying movement of the base, the substrate being movable relative to the base, wherein the base includes a circuit board or a package. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. (canceled)
-
28. (canceled)
-
29. A sensor system comprising:
-
a base;
a substrate; and
a flexible member suspended from at least a portion of the substrate, at least a portion of the flexible member being capable of moving relative to at least a portion of the substrate, the substrate having a substrate mass, the flexible member having a flexible member mass, the substrate mass being greater than the flexible member mass; and
a plurality of additional flexible members suspended from the substrate, the additional flexible members each having an additional flexible member mass, the sum total of the flexible member mass and all additional flexible member masses being less than the substrate mass, the substrate and flexible member being configured to interact to produce a motion signal identifying movement of the base, the flexible member being secured to the base, the substrate being movable relative to the base. - View Dependent Claims (30)
-
Specification