Micro-machined multi-sensor providing 2-axes of acceleration sensing and 1-axis of angular rate sensing
First Claim
1. A multi-sensor, comprising:
- a substantially planar accelerometer frame;
a first proof mass coupled to the frame;
a second proof mass coupled to the frame;
a first pair of diametrically opposed acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a first acceleration axis; and
a second pair of diametrically opposed acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a second acceleration axis, the second acceleration axis being perpendicular to the first acceleration axis, wherein the first and second proof masses are configured to vibrate in antiphase along a vibration axis, the vibration axis being in a plane defined by the acceleration axes, and wherein each acceleration sense electrode structure is configured to produce a respective acceleration sense signal, each sense signal being electrically independent of the remaining sense signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A micro-machined multi-sensor that provides 2-axes of acceleration sensing and 1-axis of angular rate sensing. The multi-sensor includes a rigid accelerometer frame, a first proof mass, and a second proof mass. The substrate has two associated acceleration axes in the plane of the substrate, and one associated rotation axis perpendicular to the acceleration axes. The proof masses have a common vibration axis, which is perpendicular to the rotation axis. The multi-sensor further includes a drive electrode structure for causing the proof masses to vibrate in antiphase, a first pair of acceleration sense electrode structures disposed along one of the acceleration axes, and a second pair of acceleration sense electrode structures disposed along the other acceleration axis. The multi-sensor adds the sense signals provided by the respective sense electrode pairs to extract information pertaining to acceleration sensing along the acceleration axes, and adds the differences of the sense signals provided by the respective sense electrode pairs to extract information pertaining to angular rate sensing relative to the rotation axis.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A multi-sensor, comprising:
-
a substantially planar accelerometer frame;
a first proof mass coupled to the frame;
a second proof mass coupled to the frame;
a first pair of diametrically opposed acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a first acceleration axis; and
a second pair of diametrically opposed acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a second acceleration axis, the second acceleration axis being perpendicular to the first acceleration axis, wherein the first and second proof masses are configured to vibrate in antiphase along a vibration axis, the vibration axis being in a plane defined by the acceleration axes, and wherein each acceleration sense electrode structure is configured to produce a respective acceleration sense signal, each sense signal being electrically independent of the remaining sense signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of operating a multi-sensor, comprising the steps of:
-
vibrating in antiphase a first proof mass and a second proof mass along a vibration axis by a drive electrode structure, the first proof mass and the second proof mass being coupled to an accelerometer frame;
producing respective first accelerometer sense signals by a first pair of diametrically oppose acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a first acceleration axis; and
producing respective second accelerometer sense signals by a second pair of diametrically oppose acceleration sense electrode structures coupled to the frame and disposed along a second acceleration axis, the second acceleration axis being perpendicular to the first acceleration axis, wherein each sense signal produced in the first and second producing steps is electrically independent of the remaining sense signals. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification