Yaw rate sensor, sensor system, method for operating a yaw rate sensor and method for operating a sensor system

• US 20110314912A1
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kho, Rex, Kohn, Oliver, Bennini, Fouad, Bartholomeyczik, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5726 Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5755 the devices having a single sensing mass

Abstract

A yaw rate sensor having a substrate and a seismic mass is described, in which the seismic mass is excitable to a working oscillation relative to the substrate via a drive unit, and a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass is detectable relative to the substrate, in which the yaw rate sensor furthermore has an interrupt interface, the drive unit being configured to reduce a frequency and/or an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is present at the interrupt interface.

Claims

1. A yaw rate sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

a drive unit;

a seismic mass, which is movable relative to the substrate, the seismic mass being excitable to a working oscillation relative to the substrate by the drive unit, wherein a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation is detectable; and

an interrupt interface, wherein the drive unit is configured to reduce at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is present at the interrupt interface.

2. The yaw rate sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit unit which is functionally coupled with the interrupt interface and with the drive unit, wherein the circuit unit is configured to detect the interrupt signal, and wherein the circuit unit is configured to control the drive unit as a function of the interrupt signal so that a reduction in at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation is provided upon detecting the interrupt signal.

3. The yaw rate sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

(i) the yaw rate sensor is configured to at least one of activate the working oscillation and increase at least one of a frequency and an amplitude to an initial value if an interrupt signal is not present at the interrupt interface, and (ii) the yaw rate sensor has a data interface, the yaw rate sensor being connected to a working processor via the data interface.

11. The yaw rate sensor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

(i) the yaw rate sensor is configured to at least one of activate the working oscillation and increase at least one of a frequency and an amplitude to an initial value if an interrupt signal is not present at the interrupt interface, and (ii) the yaw rate sensor has a data interface, the yaw rate sensor being connected to a working processor via the data interface, the yaw rate sensor being configured to output an output signal, which is dependent on the Coriolis deflection, to the working processor via the data interface, and the data interface being independent of the interrupt interface.

4. A sensor system, comprising:

a yaw rate sensor, including;

a substrate,

a drive unit,

a seismic mass, which is movable relative to the substrate, the seismic mass being excitable to a working oscillation relative to the substrate by the drive unit, wherein a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation is detectable, and

an interrupt interface, wherein the drive unit is configured to reduce at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is present at the interrupt interface; and

a sensor;

wherein the yaw rate sensor is coupled with the sensor via the interrupt interface, and wherein the sensor is configured to output the interrupt signal via the interrupt interface as a function of a sensor signal.

5. The sensor system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

(i) the sensor is configured to output the interrupt signal via the interrupt interface as a function of a comparison between the sensor signal and a sensor threshold value, and (ii) the sensor includes at least one of an acceleration sensor and a proximity sensor.

6. A method for operating a yaw rate sensor, the method comprising:

exciting a seismic mass to a working oscillation by a drive unit of the yaw rate sensor, the yaw rate sensor including;

a substrate,

the drive unit,

the seismic mass, which is movable relative to the substrate, the seismic mass being excitable to the working oscillation relative to the substrate by the drive unit, wherein a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation is detectable, and

an interrupt interface, wherein the drive unit is configured to reduce at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is present at the interrupt interface;

detecting the Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation; and

reducing at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is detected at an interrupt interface of the yaw rate sensor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the interrupt interface is monitored for the presence of the interrupt signal via a circuit unit, and the drive unit is controlled via the circuit unit so that at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of the working oscillation is reduced upon detecting the interrupt signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the following is satisfied:

(i) the working oscillation is reactivated; and

(ii) at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of the working oscillation is again increased to an initial value when the interrupt signal is no longer detected at the interrupt interface.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein if no interrupt signal is detected, an output signal is generated as a function of the Coriolis deflection, and wherein the output signal is transmitted to a working processor via a data interface which is independent of the interrupt interface.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the interrupt interface is monitored for the presence of the interrupt signal via a circuit unit, and the drive unit is controlled via the circuit unit so that at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of the working oscillation is reduced upon detecting the interrupt signal, wherein at least one of the frequency and the amplitude of the working oscillation is reduced to the extent that the working oscillation is stopped.

10. A method for operating a sensor system, the method comprising:

exciting a seismic mass to a working oscillation by a drive unit of the yaw rate sensor, the yaw rate sensor system including;

a yaw rate sensor including;

a substrate,

the drive unit,

the seismic mass, which is movable relative to the substrate, the seismic mass being excitable to the working oscillation relative to the substrate by the drive unit, wherein a Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation is detectable, and

an interrupt interface, wherein the drive unit is configured to reduce at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is present at the interrupt interface; and

a sensor, wherein the yaw rate sensor is coupled with the sensor via the interrupt interface, and wherein the sensor is configured to output the interrupt signal via the interrupt interface as a function of a sensor signal;

detecting the Coriolis deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the working oscillation; and

reducing at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the working oscillation if an interrupt signal is detected at an interrupt interface of the yaw rate sensor;

wherein the interrupt signal is generated by the sensor, wherein the interrupt signal is generated as a function of a comparison between a sensor signal and a sensor threshold value, and wherein the interrupt signal is generated upon failure to reach a determined acceleration value.