SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING INERTIAL PARAMETERS USING A VIBRATORY ACCELEROMETER WITH MULTIPLE DEGREES OF FREEDOM
First Claim
1. An inertial device having multiple degrees of freedom for determining an inertial parameter, the inertial device comprising:
- a first sense mass with a first degree of freedom;
a second sense mass mechanically coupled to the first sense mass and with a second degree of freedom;
a first time domain switch coupled to the first sense mass, and a second time domain switch coupled to the second sense mass;
a drive structure configured to oscillate the first sense mass and the second sense mass in a differential frequency mode, wherein the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch each produce an electrical signal in response to oscillations of the first sense mass and the second sense mass; and
a processor in signal communication with the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch, and configured to determine an inertial parameter based in part on time intervals produced by the electrical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described herein for determining an inertial parameter. In particular, the systems and methods relate to multiple degrees of freedom inertial sensors implementing time-domain sensing techniques. Within a multiple degrees of freedom inertial sensor system, sense masses may respond to actuation with more than one natural frequency mode, each corresponding to a characteristic motion. Measurement of the inertial parameter can be conducted in the differential natural frequency mode using differential sensing techniques to remove common mode error. The inertial parameter can be acceleration in the vertical dimension. The inertial parameter can be acceleration in the horizontal dimension.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An inertial device having multiple degrees of freedom for determining an inertial parameter, the inertial device comprising:
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a first sense mass with a first degree of freedom; a second sense mass mechanically coupled to the first sense mass and with a second degree of freedom; a first time domain switch coupled to the first sense mass, and a second time domain switch coupled to the second sense mass; a drive structure configured to oscillate the first sense mass and the second sense mass in a differential frequency mode, wherein the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch each produce an electrical signal in response to oscillations of the first sense mass and the second sense mass; and a processor in signal communication with the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch, and configured to determine an inertial parameter based in part on time intervals produced by the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of determining an inertial parameter using multiple degrees of freedom, the method comprising:
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oscillating a first sense mass in a first degree of freedom; oscillating a second sense mass mechanically coupled to the first sense mass and with a second degree of freedom; coupling a first time domain switch to the first sense mass, and a second time domain switch to the second sense mass; producing an electrical signal in response to oscillations of the first sense mass and the second sense mass from each of the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch, and wherein a drive structure oscillates the first sense mass and the second sense mass at a differential frequency mode; and determining an inertial parameter based in part on time intervals produced by the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An inertial device having multiple degrees of freedom for determining an inertial parameter, the inertial device comprising:
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a first sense mass with a first degree of freedom; a second sense mass mechanically coupled to the first sense mass and with a second degree of freedom; a first time domain switch coupled to the first sense mass, and a second time domain switch coupled to the second sense mass; a drive structure configured to oscillate the first sense mass and the second sense mass in a differential frequency mode, wherein the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch each produce an electrical signal in response to oscillations of the first sense mass and the second sense mass; and a processor in signal communication with the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch, and configured to determine an inertial parameter based in part on time intervals produced by the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of determining an inertial parameter using multiple degrees of freedom, the method comprising:
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oscillating a first sense mass in a first degree of freedom; oscillating a second sense mass mechanically coupled to the first sense mass and with a second degree of freedom; coupling a first time domain switch to the first sense mass, and a second time domain switch to the second sense mass; producing an electrical signal in response to oscillations of the first sense mass and the second sense mass from each of the first time domain switch and the second time domain switch, and wherein a drive structure oscillates the first sense mass and the second sense mass at a differential frequency mode; and determining an inertial parameter based in part on time intervals produced by the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification