System and method for mitigating errors in electrostatic force balanced instrument
First Claim
1. A force balanced instrument system comprising:
- a sensing element having an inertial proof mass disposed between a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate;
a switching system switchable between providing charge pulses to the sensing element in a normal polarity configuration and providing the charge pulses to the sensing element in a reverse polarity configuration; and
a control logic device that controls the switching of the switching system to provide the charge pulses to the sensing element in the normal polarity configuration for a first charge cycle time period and to provide the charge pulses to the sensing element in the reverse polarity configuration for a second charge cycle time period.
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Abstract
System and method for mitigating errors in electrostatic force balanced instrument is provided. The system and method mitigate errors in measurement readings caused by charge buildup in force balanced instruments that employ charge pulses to generate an electrostatic force to null an inertial proof mass disposed between opposing electrodes. The system and method mitigate charge buildup by applying charge pulses to each opposing electrode of a sensing element for a given charge cycle time period in a normal polarity configuration followed by charge pulses to each opposing electrode of the sensing element for a second given charge cycle time period in a reverse polarity configuration.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A force balanced instrument system comprising:
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a sensing element having an inertial proof mass disposed between a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate; a switching system switchable between providing charge pulses to the sensing element in a normal polarity configuration and providing the charge pulses to the sensing element in a reverse polarity configuration; and a control logic device that controls the switching of the switching system to provide the charge pulses to the sensing element in the normal polarity configuration for a first charge cycle time period and to provide the charge pulses to the sensing element in the reverse polarity configuration for a second charge cycle time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A force balanced instrument having a sensing element having an inertial proof mass disposed between a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate, the instrument comprising;
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means for providing charge pulses; means for switching between applying the charge pulses to the sensing element in a normal polarity configuration and applying the charge pulses to the sensing element in a reverse polarity configuration; and means for controlling a charge cycle time period for applying the charge pulses to the sensing element in the normal polarity configuration and controlling a charge cycle time period for applying the charge pulses to the sensing element in the reverse polarity configuration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for mitigating error in a force balanced instrument that employs a sensing element having an inertial proof mass disposed between a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate, the method comprising:
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switching the sensing element to one of a normal polarity configuration and a reverse polarity configuration; applying a charge pulse from a reference voltage alternately to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate for a first charge cycle time period; determining a first difference voltage between voltages induced by charge pulses from the reference voltage on the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate for each charge cycle sequence of the first charge cycle time period; aggregating the first difference voltage over time to set a duty cycle associated with the charge cycle sequence of the first charge cycle time period; switching to the other of the normal polarity configuration and the reverse polarity configuration; applying a charge pulse from the reference voltage alternately to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate for a second charge cycle time period; determining a second difference voltage between voltages induced by the charge pulses from the reference voltage on the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate for each charge cycle sequence of the second charge cycle time period; and aggregating the second difference voltage over time to set a duty cycle associated with the charge cycle sequence of the second charge cycle time period. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification