LOW-NOISE MULTI-AXIS ACCELEROMETERS AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
- a proof mass comprising first and second portions defining a plane and connected to each other by a coupler, wherein, in response to out-of-plane acceleration, the first portion of the proof mass is configured to rotate clockwise relative to an axis and the second portion of the proof mass is configured to rotate counterclockwise relative to the axis;
a first sensor configured to sense in-plane motion of the proof mass in a first direction; and
a second sensor configured to sense in-plane motion of the proof mass in a second direction different from the first direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers are described. The MEMS accelerometers may include multiple proof mass portions collectively forming one proof mass. The entirety of the proof mass may contribute to detection of in-plane acceleration and out-of-plane acceleration. The MEMS accelerometers may detect in-plane and out-of-plane acceleration in a differential fashion. In response to out-of-plane accelerations, some MEMS accelerometers may experience butterfly modes, where one proof mass portion rotates counterclockwise relative to an axis while at the same time another proof mass portion rotates clockwise relative to the same axis. In response to in-plane acceleration, the proof mass portions may experience common translational modes, where the proof mass portions move in the plane along the same direction.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
-
a proof mass comprising first and second portions defining a plane and connected to each other by a coupler, wherein, in response to out-of-plane acceleration, the first portion of the proof mass is configured to rotate clockwise relative to an axis and the second portion of the proof mass is configured to rotate counterclockwise relative to the axis; a first sensor configured to sense in-plane motion of the proof mass in a first direction; and a second sensor configured to sense in-plane motion of the proof mass in a second direction different from the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for sensing acceleration using a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer having first and second proof mass portions defining a plane, the method comprising:
-
sensing in-plane acceleration of the MEMS accelerometer in a first direction parallel to the plane; sensing in-plane acceleration of the MEMS accelerometer in a second direction parallel to the plane and different from the first direction; and sensing out-of-plane acceleration of the MEMS accelerometer by; sensing clockwise rotational motion of the first proof mass portion; and sensing counterclockwise rotational motion of the second proof mass portion, wherein the clockwise rotational motion of the first proof mass portion and the counterclockwise rotational motion of the second proof mass portion are defined relative to a common axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer comprising:
-
a proof mass comprising first and second portions defining a plane and connected to each other by a coupler, the first and second proof mass portions being configured to; in response to in-plane acceleration, experience a common translational mode in the plane; and in response to out-of-plane acceleration, experience a butterfly mode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification