Anchor-tilt cancelling accelerometer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An accelerometer, comprising:
- a mechanical structure, comprising;
a substrate;
an anchor coupled to the substrate;
a support arm rigidly coupled to the anchor; and
a first proof mass flexibly coupled to the support arm, wherein the first proof mass moves in response to acceleration of the accelerometer;
a first transducer configured to measure a first distance between a first reference area and a first portion of the mechanical structure;
a second transducer configured to measure a second distance between a second reference area and a second portion of the mechanical structure, the first portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the first proof mass and the second portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the support arm;
a signal processing circuit, coupled to the first transducer and the second transducer, is configured to measure the acceleration, wherein the signal processing circuit determines the motion of the first proof mass relative to the support arm.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is an accelerometer that can be sensitive to acceleration, but not anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. The accelerometer can employ a set of electrodes and/or transducers that can register motion of the proof mass and support structure and employ and output-cancelling mechanism so that the accelerometer can distinguish between acceleration and anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. For example, the effects of anchor motion can be cancelled from an output signal of the accelerometer so that the accelerometer exhibits sensitivity to only acceleration.
29 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An accelerometer, comprising:
-
a mechanical structure, comprising; a substrate; an anchor coupled to the substrate; a support arm rigidly coupled to the anchor; and a first proof mass flexibly coupled to the support arm, wherein the first proof mass moves in response to acceleration of the accelerometer; a first transducer configured to measure a first distance between a first reference area and a first portion of the mechanical structure; a second transducer configured to measure a second distance between a second reference area and a second portion of the mechanical structure, the first portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the first proof mass and the second portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the support arm; a signal processing circuit, coupled to the first transducer and the second transducer, is configured to measure the acceleration, wherein the signal processing circuit determines the motion of the first proof mass relative to the support arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 19)
-
-
9. An accelerometer, comprising:
-
a mechanical structure, comprising; a substrate; an anchor coupled to the substrate; a support arm coupled to the anchor; and a first proof mass flexibly coupled to the support arm that moves in response to acceleration, the first portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the first proof mass and the second portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the support arm; a first electrode configured to measure a first distance between a first reference area and a first portion of the mechanical structure; a second electrode configured to measure a second distance between a second reference area and a second portion of the mechanical structure; a signal processing circuit coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode configured to produce an output responsive to acceleration and not responsive to anchor motion. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An accelerometer, comprising:
-
means for measuring a first distance between a first reference area and a first portion of a mechanical structure, wherein the mechanical structure comprises a substrate, an anchor coupled to the substrate, a support arm rigidly coupled to the anchor, and a first proof mass flexibly coupled to the support arm that moves in response to acceleration; means for measuring a second distance between a second reference area and a second portion of the mechanical structure, the first portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the first proof mass and the second portion of the mechanical structure being a portion of the support arm; and means for generating an output responsive to acceleration and not responsive to anchor motion.
-
Specification