INERTIAL SENSOR AND METHOD OF LEVITATION EFFECT COMPENSATION
First Claim
1. An inertial sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
a drive mass flexibly coupled to said substrate, said drive mass including first movable fingers and second movable fingers, said drive mass having first and second opposing sides delineated by a centerline of said drive mass; and
a drive system configured to oscillate said drive mass within a plane substantially parallel to a surface of said substrate, said drive system comprising;
first drive units coupled to said substrate and having first fixed fingers interleaved with said first movable fingers, at least one of said first drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said first drive units being located at said second side; and
second drive units coupled to said substrate and having second fixed fingers interleaved with said second movable fingers, at least one of said second drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said second drive units being located at said second side, and said second drive units being driven in phase opposition to said first drive units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inertial sensor (110) includes a drive system (118) configured to oscillate a drive mass (114) within a plane (24) that is substantially parallel to a surface (50) of a substrate (28). The drive system (118) includes first and second drive units (120, 122) having fixed fingers (134, 136) interleaved with movable fingers (130, 132) of the drive mass (114). At least one of the drive units (120) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). Likewise, at least one of the drive units (122) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). The drive units (122) are driven in phase opposition to the drive units (120) so that a levitation force (104) generated by the drive units (122) compensates for, or at least partially suppresses, a levitation force (100) generated by the drive units (120).
19 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inertial sensor comprising:
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a substrate; a drive mass flexibly coupled to said substrate, said drive mass including first movable fingers and second movable fingers, said drive mass having first and second opposing sides delineated by a centerline of said drive mass; and a drive system configured to oscillate said drive mass within a plane substantially parallel to a surface of said substrate, said drive system comprising; first drive units coupled to said substrate and having first fixed fingers interleaved with said first movable fingers, at least one of said first drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said first drive units being located at said second side; and second drive units coupled to said substrate and having second fixed fingers interleaved with said second movable fingers, at least one of said second drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said second drive units being located at said second side, and said second drive units being driven in phase opposition to said first drive units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating an inertial sensor, wherein said inertial sensor comprises a drive mass flexibly coupled to a substrate and a sense mass linked to said drive mass, said drive mass including first movable fingers and second movable fingers, said drive mass having first and second opposing sides delineated by a centerline of said drive mass, and wherein said inertial sensor further includes a drive system having first drive units and second drive units coupled to said substrate, said first drive units having first fixed fingers interleaved with said first movable fingers, said second drive units having second fixed fingers interleaved with said second movable fingers, at least one of said first drive units is located at said first side, at least another one of said first drive units is located at said second side, at least one of said second drive units is located at said first side, at least another one of said second drive units is located at said second side, and said method comprises:
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actuating said first drive units of said drive system; and actuating said second drive units of said drive system, said actuating said first and second drive units including driving said second drive units in phase opposition to said first drive units. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An inertial sensor comprising:
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a substrate; a drive mass flexibly coupled to said substrate, said drive mass including first movable fingers and second movable fingers, said drive mass having first and second opposing sides delineated by a centerline of said drive mass; a drive system configured to oscillate said drive mass within a plane substantially parallel to a surface of said substrate, said drive system comprising; first drive units coupled to said substrate and having first fixed fingers interleaved with said first movable fingers, at least one of said first drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said first drive units being located at said second side; and second drive units coupled to said substrate and having second fixed fingers interleaved with said second movable fingers, at least one of said second drive units being located at said first side and at least another one of said second drive units being located at said second side, and said second drive units being driven in phase opposition to said first drive units, wherein said at least one of said first drive units located at said first side of said drive mass is aligned transverse to said centerline with said at least another one of said second drive units located at said second side, and said at least one of said second drive units located at said first side is aligned transverse to said centerline with said at least another one of said first drive units located at said second side of said drive mass, said at least one of said second drive units located at said first side is adjacent to said at least one of said first drive units located at said first side, and said at least another one of said second drive units located at said second side is adjacent to said at least another one of said first drive units located at said second side. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification