Output correction circuit for three-axis accelerometer

• US 7,520,170 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Murayama, Katashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen C.
• Application Number:
  US11/775,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 735/10, 735/11, 734/93, 734/95, 73/13.8, 734/97
• US Class Current: 73/510
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/02 with provision for altering or correcting the law of variation
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/006 used for thermal compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

A sensor unit for a three-axis accelerometer enabling reduction in chip size. The sensor unit is connected to an accelerometer that detects a plurality of acceleration values for a plurality of axis directions. The sensor unit includes a correction value generation circuit that sequentially generates a plurality of correction values for correcting the plurality of acceleration values. A correction circuit is connected to the correction value generation circuit to sequentially correct the plurality of acceleration values with a plurality of correction values and generate a plurality of corrected acceleration values.

Claims

1. A sensor unit with a temperature compensation circuit for connection to an accelerometer in which the accelerometer detects a plurality of acceleration values respectively for a plurality of axis directions, wherein the plurality of acceleration values have a temperature dependency, the sensor unit comprising:

an input capacitor, connected to the accelerometer, for sequentially holding the plurality of acceleration values;

a correction value generation circuit that sequentially generates a plurality of correction values for respectively correcting the plurality of acceleration values, wherein each of the plurality of correction values is a temperature coefficient value for correcting the temperature dependency; and

a correction circuit connected to the correction value generation circuit, wherein the correction circuit receives the plurality of correction values from the correction value generation circuit and sequentially corrects the plurality of acceleration values with the plurality of correction values to generate a plurality of corrected acceleration values, and wherein the correction circuit includes;

a plurality of switched capacitor circuits, connected to the input capacitor and the correction value generation circuit, for respectively holding the plurality of correction values; and

a plurality of operational amplifiers connected to the plurality of switched capacitor circuits respectively, wherein the operational amplifiers each receive one of the plurality of acceleration values from the input capacitor via a corresponding one of the plurality of switched capacitor circuits to correct the received acceleration value with the correction value held by the corresponding switched capacitor circuit.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the correction value generation circuit sequentially generates the plurality of correction values in accordance with a plurality of clock signals.

3. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the accelerometer detects first, second, and third acceleration values respectively for X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions;

the correction value generation circuit generates first, second, and third correction values for respectively correcting the first, second, and third acceleration values; and

wherein the plurality of switched capacitor circuits and operational amplifiers of the correction circuit includes;

a first switched capacitor circuit, connected to the accelerometer and the correction value generation circuit, for holding the first correction value;

a first operational amplifier, connected to the first switched capacitor circuit, for receiving the first acceleration value and the first correction value via the first switched capacitor circuit and generating a first corrected acceleration value;

a second switched capacitor circuit, connected to the accelerometer and the correction value generation circuit, for holding the second correction value;

a second operational amplifier, connected to the second switched capacitor circuit, for receiving the second acceleration value and the second correction value via the second switched capacitor circuit and generating a second corrected acceleration value;

a third switched capacitor circuit, connected to the accelerometer and the correction value generation circuit, for holding the third correction value; and

a third operational amplifier, connected to the third switched capacitor circuit, for receiving the third acceleration value and the third correction value via the third switched capacitor circuit and generating a third corrected acceleration value.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 3, wherein the

input capacitor is connected between the accelerometer and the first, second, and third switched capacitor circuits, for sequentially holding the first, second, and third acceleration values, wherein:

the first switched capacitor circuit holds the first correction value when the input capacitor holds the first acceleration value;

the second switched capacitor circuit holds the second correction value when the input capacitor holds the second acceleration value; and

the third switched capacitor circuit holds the third correction value when the input capacitor holds the third acceleration value.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 4, wherein the correction value generation circuit:

sequentially generates the first, second, and third correction values in accordance with first, second, and third clock signals;

generates a first sampling signal in synchronization with inactivation of the first clock signal and activation of the second clock signal, the first sampling signal being used by the first operational amplifier to read the first correction value and the first acceleration value;

generates a second sampling signal in synchronization with inactivation of the second clock signal and activation of the third clock signal, the second sampling signal being used by the second operational amplifier to read the second correction value and the second acceleration value;

generates a third sampling signal in synchronization with inactivation of the third clock signal and activation of the first clock signal, the third sampling signal being used by the third operational amplifier to read the third correction value and the third acceleration value;

generates a first reset signal following the third sampling signal to hold the first correction value with the first switched capacitor circuit;

generates a second reset signal following the first sampling signal to hold the second correction value with the second switched capacitor circuit; and

generates a third reset signal following the second sampling signal to hold the third correction value with the third switched capacitor circuit.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 3, wherein the correction value generation circuit includes:

a plurality of series-connected resistor circuits including an output node for sequentially outputting the first, second, and third correction values;

at least two switches connected in parallel to at least two of the plurality of resistor circuits; and

a control circuit for controlling the at least two switches and sequentially generating the first, second, and third correction values at the output node.

7. The sensor unit according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of resistor circuits include a first resistor circuit having a positive resistance property and a second resistor circuit having a negative resistance property.

8. A sensor unit with a temperature compensation circuit for connection to an accelerometer in which the accelerometer detects a plurality of acceleration values respectively for a plurality of axis directions, wherein the plurality of acceleration values have a temperature dependency, the sensor unit comprising:

a temperature coefficient offset (TCO) circuit for generating temperature coefficient values used to adjust the acceleration values in order to compensate said temperature dependency;

a C-V conversion circuit connected to the accelerometer and receiving capacitance values indicative of the acceleration values, and converting the capacitance values to corresponding voltage values;

an output circuit connected to the TCO circuit and the C-V circuit, the output circuit including,

an input capacitor connected to the C-V circuit for sequentially holding the plurality of acceleration values;

a plurality of switched capacitor circuits, connected to the input capacitor TOC circuit for respectively holding the plurality of temperature coefficient values; and

a plurality of operational amplifiers connected to the plurality of switched capacitor circuits respectively, wherein the operational amplifiers each receive one of the plurality of acceleration values from the input capacitor via a corresponding one of the plurality of switched capacitor circuits and combine the received acceleration value with the temperature coefficient value held by the corresponding switched capacitor circuit.