Transducer-including devices, and methods and apparatus for their calibration

• US 9,365,413 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Barrilado, Andres, Lestringuez, Stephane, Jones, Peter T., Paransun, Seyed K., Sessego, Raimondo P., Stanley, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, David A
• Application Number:
  US13/962,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20140352400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/008 MEMS characterised by an electronic circuit specially adapted for controlling or driving the same B81B7/0087 takes precedence; arrangements for starting, regulating, braking, or otherwise controlling an actuator H02N; control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators G09G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0802 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups

Abstract

Embodiments of packaged transducer-including devices and methods for their calibration are disclosed. Each device includes one or more transducers, an interface configured to facilitate communications with an external calibration controller, a memory, and a processing component. The external calibration controller sends calibration commands to the transducer-including devices through a communication structure. The processing component of each device executes code in response to receiving the calibration commands. Execution of the code includes generating transducer data from the one or more transducers, calculating calibration coefficients using the transducer data, and storing the calibration coefficients within the memory of the device.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a packaged device that includes one or more transducers, the method performed by the packaged device and comprising the steps of:

receiving a first calibration command from an external calibration controller through an interface;

executing first code in response to receiving the first calibration command, wherein executing the first code includes generating first transducer data from the one or more transducers;

receiving a second calibration command from the external calibration controller through the interface; and

executing second code in response to receiving the second calibration command, wherein executing the second code includes generating second transducer data from a transducer of the one or more transducers, calculating calibration coefficients using the first transducer data and the second transducer data, and storing the calibration coefficients within a memory of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calibration coefficients are selected from a gain value, a gain code, an offset value, and an offset code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the first calibration command, producing a ready indicator for the calibration controller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein producing the ready indicator comprises:

producing a voltage at a contact of the packaged device, wherein the voltage has a voltage level that corresponds to the ready indicator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calibration coefficients specify a selected gain value and a selected offset value, and the method further comprises:

after executing the second code, configuring the device to apply the selected gain value and the selected offset value to an output signal of the transducer; and

generating and storing calibrated transducer data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a final command from the calibration controller;

executing third code in response to receiving the final command, wherein executing the third code includes verifying validity of calibration results; and

after executing the third code, producing a calibration complete indicator for the calibration controller.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein producing the calibration complete indicator comprises toggling a voltage at a contact of the packaged device.

8. A method for calibrating a plurality of packaged, transducer-including devices, the method comprising the steps of:

sending, through a communication structure, a first calibration command to a plurality of transducer-including devices when the plurality of transducer-including devices is in a first orientation, wherein the first calibration command causes each of the transducer-including devices to execute first code stored in memories of the transducer-including devices, and wherein execution of the first code causes the transducer-including devices to generate first transducer data;

causing a motor control module to rotate the plurality of transducer-including devices from the first orientation to a second orientation in a series of orientations; and

sending a second calibration command to the plurality of transducer-including devices when the plurality of transducer-including devices is in the second orientation, wherein the second calibration command causes each of the transducer-including devices to execute second code that causes the transducer-including devices to generate second transducer data, to calculate calibration coefficients using the first transducer data and the second transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the calibration coefficients are selected from a gain value, a gain code, an offset value, and an offset code.

10. A method for calibrating a plurality of packaged, transducer-including devices, the method comprising the steps of:

waiting for ready indicators from the plurality of transducer-including devices; and

after receiving the ready indicators, sending, through a communication structure, calibration commands to the plurality of transducer-including devices, wherein the calibration commands cause each of the transducer-including devices to execute code stored in memories of the transducer-including devices, and wherein execution of the code causes the transducer-including devices to generate transducer data, to calculate calibration coefficients using the transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein waiting for the ready indicators comprises:

determining if a voltage at a contact of each of the plurality of transducer-including devices has a voltage level that corresponds to the ready indicator.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

indicating an error for each of the transducer-including devices from which the ready indicator is not received before expiration of a timeout period.

13. A method for calibrating a plurality of packaged, transducer-including devices, the method comprising the steps of:

sending, through a communication structure, calibration commands to a plurality of transducer-including devices, wherein the calibration commands cause each of the transducer-including devices to execute code stored in memories of the transducer-including devices, and wherein execution of the code causes the transducer-including devices to generate transducer data, to calculate calibration coefficients using the transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices;

determining whether the plurality of transducer-including devices have been positioned in all orientations in a series of orientations;

when the plurality of transducer-including devices have been positioned in all orientations, sending a final command to the plurality of transducer-including devices, which causes the transducer-including devices to perform a validity verification process in which the transducer-including devices verify validity of calibration results; and

waiting for calibration complete indicators from the plurality of transducer-including devices, indicating that the plurality of transducer-including devices have completed the validity verification process.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

indicating an error for each of the transducer-including devices from which the calibration complete indicator is not received before expiration of a timeout period.

15. A packaged transducer-including device comprising:

one or more transducers;

an interface configured to facilitate communications with an external calibration controller;

a memory; and

a processing component configured

to receive a first calibration command from the external controller through the interface,

to execute first code in response to receiving the first calibration command, wherein execution of the first code includes generating first transducer data from the one or more transducers,

to receive a second calibration command from the external calibration controller through the interface, and

to execute second code in response to receiving the second calibration command, wherein executing the second code includes generating second transducer data from a transducer of the one or more transducers, calculating calibration coefficients using the first transducer data and the second transducer data, and storing the calibration coefficients within the memory.

16. The transducer-including device of claim 15, wherein the calibration coefficients are selected from a gain value, a gain code, an offset value, and an offset code.

17. The transducer-including device of claim 15, wherein the one or more transducers are selected from one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, and one or more magnetic sensors.

18. A system for calibrating a plurality of packaged, transducer-including devices, the system comprising:

a calibration control module configured

to send, through a communication structure, a first calibration command to the plurality of transducer-including devices while the plurality of transducer-including devices are loaded in sockets of a calibration board that is in a first orientation of a series of orientations, wherein the first calibration command causes each of the transducer-including devices to execute first code stored in memories of the transducer-including devices, and wherein execution of the first code causes the transducer-including devices to generate first transducer data,

to cause a motor control module to rotate the calibration board to a second orientation in the series of orientations, and

to send a second calibration command to the plurality of transducer-including devices while the calibration board is in the second orientation, which causes the plurality of transducer-including devices to execute second code that causes the transducer-including devices to generate second transducer data, to calculate calibration coefficients using the first transducer data and the second transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the calibration coefficients are selected from a gain value, a gain code, an offset value, and an offset code.

20. A system for calibrating a plurality of packaged, transducer-including devices, the system comprising:

a calibration control module configured to send, through a communication structure, calibration commands to the plurality of transducer-including devices, wherein the calibration commands cause each of the transducer-including devices to execute code stored in memories of the transducer-including devices, and wherein execution of the code causes the transducer-including devices to generate transducer data, to calculate calibration coefficients using the transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices;

a board support structure configured to hold a calibration board in a fixed position with respect to the board support structure;

one or more motors configured to rotate the board support structure around one or more axes of a fixed coordinate system;

a motor control module configured to send motor control signals to the one or more motors to cause the one or more motors to move the board support structure through a series of orientations with respect to the fixed coordinate system; and

the calibration board, wherein the calibration board includes a substrate, a plurality of sockets, a first connector, and a plurality of conductors, wherein each socket of the plurality of sockets includes a plurality of socket contacts configured to connect with a corresponding plurality of contacts of a transducer-including device, the plurality of conductors is configured to convey signals between the first connector and the plurality of socket contacts, and the first connector is configured to couple with the communication structure.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the calibration control module is configured to:

send a first calibration command to the plurality of transducer-including devices when the plurality of transducer-including devices is in a first orientation of the series of orientations, wherein the first calibration command causes each of the transducer-including devices to execute first code that causes the transducer-including devices to generate first transducer data;

cause the motor control module to rotate the board support structure to a second orientation in the series of orientations; and

send a second calibration command to the plurality of transducer-including devices, which causes the plurality of transducer-including devices to execute second code that causes the transducer-including devices to generate second transducer data, to calculate the calibration coefficients using the first transducer data and the second transducer data, and to store the calibration coefficients within the memories of the transducer-including devices.