ADJUSTING A MEMS GYROSCOPE TO REDUCE THERMALLY VARYING BIAS

• US 20120272711A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Supino, Ryan, French, Howard B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,726,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.38
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5776 Signal processing not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices

Abstract

A method for calibrating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating structure gyroscope is provided. The method includes obtaining an indication of a position of at least one proof mass with respect to at least one drive electrode and applying an electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass as a function of the indication, the electrostatic force configured to position the at least one proof mass in a first position with respect to at least one drive electrode.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating structure gyroscope, the method comprising:

obtaining an indication of a position of at least one proof mass with respect to at least one drive electrode; and

applying an electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass as a function of the indication, the electrostatic force configured to position the at least one proof mass in a first position with respect to at least one drive electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic force is configured to adjust a position of the at least one proof mass along the sense axis with respect to a position of the at least one drive electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic force is configured to align at least one comb of the at least one proof mass with at least one comb of at least one drive electrode with respect to the sense axis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying an electrostatic force includes applying a first direct current (DC) voltage to a first electrode opposing a first side of the at least one proof mass and a second DC voltage to a second electrode opposing a second side of the at least one proof mass based on the indication, wherein the first side and the second side of the at least one proof mass are orthogonal to a sense axis for the at least one proof mass.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to apply an electrostatic field to the at least one proof mass for sensing a Coriolis Effect in the at least one proof mass.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining an indication includes:

applying a test signal to the at least one drive electrode; and

measuring a capacitance between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass; and

wherein applying an electrostatic force includes applying an electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass as a function of the capacitance, the electrostatic force configured to position the at least one proof mass such that a first capacitance is achieved between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass when a test signal is applied.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein measuring a capacitance includes measuring an output from a charge amplifier coupled to the at least one proof mass.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein applying a test signal includes applying a signal configured to limit motion of the at least one proof mass.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining an indication includes performing a bias decomposition on bias present at the sense output in order to isolate a bias that is attributable to the disengagement of a proof mass comb with respect to a drive electrode comb.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

systematically applying different test electrostatic forces to the at least one proof mass;

obtaining indications corresponding to the different test electrostatic forces; and

selecting a first electrostatic force of the different test electrostatic forces as a function of the indications, wherein applying an electrostatic force includes applying the first electrostatic force.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining indications includes:

applying a test signal to the at least one drive electrode; and

measuring capacitances between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass to obtain a plurality of capacitances corresponding to the different test electrostatic forces; and

wherein selecting a first electrostatic force includes selecting an electrostatic force of the different test electrostatic forces corresponding to a largest capacitance of the plurality of capacitances.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein obtaining indications includes, for each test electrostatic force performing a bias decomposition on bias present at the sense output in order to isolate a bias that is attributable to the disengagement of a proof mass comb with respect to a drive electrode comb.

13. A vibratory structure gyroscope, the gyroscope comprising:

at least one proof mass having a first at least one comb, the at least one proof mass having a planar structure disposed orthogonal to a sense axis;

at least one drive electrode having a second at least one comb, the second at least one comb configured to engage the first at least one comb;

a first electrode opposing a first side of the at least one proof mass and a second electrode opposing a second side of the at least one proof mass, wherein the first side and second side of the at least one proof mass are orthogonal to the sense axis; and

a control circuit configured to;

apply a first direct current (DC) voltage to the first electrode and a second DC voltage to the second electrode in order to adjust a position along the sense axis of the at least one comb of the at least one proof mass with respect to a position along the sense axis of the at least one comb of the at least one drive electrode.

14. The vibratory structure gyroscope of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

apply a test signal to the at least one drive electrode;

measure a capacitance between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass while the test signal is applied; and

apply DC voltages that are configured to align the at least one comb of the at least one proof mass with the at least one comb of the at least one drive electrode with respect to the sense axis.

15. The vibratory structure gyroscope of claim 13, wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to apply an electrostatic field to the at least one proof mass for sensing a Coriolis Effect in the at least one proof mass.

16. The vibratory structure gyroscope of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

systematically apply different test DC voltages to the first and second electrodes;

measure capacitances between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass for the different test DC voltages;

select first DC voltages of the test DC voltages that corresponds to a largest capacitance measured; and

apply the first DC voltages to the first and second electrodes during operation.

17. The vibratory structure gyroscope of claim 13, wherein the at least one comb of the at least one proof mass corresponds to a first at least one comb and the at least one proof mass includes a second at least one comb;

wherein the at least one comb of the at least one drive electrode corresponds to a third at least one comb and the at least one drive electrode includes a fourth at least one comb configured to engage the second at least one comb of the at least one proof mass;

wherein the first and second electrodes are proximate the first and second at least one comb; and

where the vibratory structure gyroscope includes a third electrode opposing a first side of the at least one proof mass and a fourth electrode opposing a second side of the at least one proof mass, the third and fourth electrode proximate the third and fourth at least one comb;

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

apply a first test signal to the first at least one comb;

measure a first capacitance between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass while the first test signal is applied;

apply a second test signal to the second at least one comb;

measure a second capacitance between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass while the second test signal is applied; and

apply first DC voltages corresponding to the first capacitance to the first and second electrodes to adjust a position of the first comb; and

apply second DC voltages corresponding to the second capacitance to the third and fourth electrodes to adjust a position of the third comb.

18. A method for calibrating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating structure gyroscope, the method comprising:

applying a test signal to at least one drive electrode;

systematically applying different test electrostatic forces to at least one proof mass;

measuring capacitances between the at least one drive electrode and the at least one proof mass to obtain a plurality of capacitances corresponding to the different test electrostatic forces;

selecting a first electrostatic force of the different electrostatic forces, the first electrostatic forces corresponding to a largest capacitance of the capacitances; and

applying the first electrostatic force to the at least one proof mass during operation of the at least one proof mass.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein applying a first electrostatic force includes applying a first direct current (DC) voltage to a first electrode opposing a first side of the at least one proof mass and a second DC voltage to a second electrode opposing a second side of the at least one proof mass based on the indication, wherein the first side and the second side of the at least one proof mass are orthogonal to a sense axis for the at least one proof mass.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrostatic force is configured to adjust a position of the at least one proof mass along the sense axis with respect to a position of the at least one drive electrode.