Force feedback loop for pressure sensors

• US 9,645,029 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Hammerschmidt, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woodward, Nathaniel T
• Application Number:
  US14/246,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20150285701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 73724, 73723, 73715, 73700
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0059 Constitution or structural means for controlling the movement not provided for in groups B81B3/0037 - B81B3/0056
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/086 using electrostatic or electromagnetic counterbalancing forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/144 with associated circuitry G01L1/146 and G01L1/148 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance

Abstract

A pressure sensor system comprises a force feedback loop. The force feedback loop is configured to receive a measured pressure sensor signal and generate a feedback signal based on the measured pressure and an electrostatic force. The electrostatic force is generated based on the feedback signal and combined with the measured force keeping the resultant sensor signal stable.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor system, comprising:

a pressure sensor configured to measure a force caused by a pressure and to generate a sensor signal based on the measured pressure force and an electrostatic force; and

a force feedback loop configured to receive the sensor signal and to generate an output signal and a feedback signal based on the sensor signal;

wherein the feedback signal is utilized to generate the electrostatic force on the pressure sensor, wherein the electrostatic force is exerted on the pressure sensor in addition to the pressure force;

wherein the pressure sensor is a capacitive sensor and is configured to generate an overall capacitance associated with the sensor signal, wherein the overall capacitance is caused by an overall force exerted to the pressure sensor by the electrostatic force and the measured pressure, wherein the overall capacitance is equal to or greater than a capacitance caused by a maximum measured pressure applied to the pressure sensor;

wherein the feedback signal or the output signal is converted to a bias voltage to provide a target charge to be compared with a measurement charge.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the force feedback loop is configured to adjust the feedback signal in response to the sensor signal so that the overall capacitance caused by the overall force is maintained at a stable value over a variation of pressure measurements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is integrated in a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the output signal comprises a digital or analog signal.

5. A signal processing system, comprising:

an input stage configured to measure a source force and to generate a capacitive signal in response to the measured source force and an electrostatic force;

a force feedback loop configured to receive the capacitive signal and to generate an output signal and a feedback driving voltage based on the capacitive signal; and

a force function component configured to generate the electrostatic force based on the feedback driving voltage;

wherein the electrostatic force is combined with the measured source force to generate an overall force;

wherein the force feedback loop comprises an analog controller including a first integrator stage configured to run at a relatively lower clock frequency and a second analog stage having an interpolation character and configured to run at a relatively higher frequency;

wherein the first integrator stage introduces a DC pole into an open loop before a signal is quantized, wherein the DC pole turns into a zero for a quantization noise transfer function of a closed control loop.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an overall capacitance of the input stage generated by the overall force is maintained at a stable value over a variation of source force measurements.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the feedback driving voltage is used as a bias voltage both to provide a target charge to be compared with a measurement charge and to generate the electrostatic force.

8. A signal processing system, comprises:

an input stage configured to measure a source force and to generate a capacitive signal in response to the measured source force and an electrostatic force;

a force feedback loop configured to receive the capacitive signal and to generate an output signal and a feedback driving voltage based on the capacitive signal;

a force function component configured to generate the electrostatic force based on the feedback driving voltage;

a controller configured to compare a measurement charge and a target charge, and generate a control signal in response to a charge difference;

a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the control signal to a feedback voltage;

an amplifier configured to amplify the feedback voltage to form the feedback driving voltage; and

a switched capacitor circuit configured to generate a comparison result of the measurement charge and the target charge;

wherein the switched capacitor circuit comprises a programmable array of capacitors connected in parallel to a capacitor of a sensor bridge.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the output signal is based on the control signal.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the feedback driving voltage is applied to the input stage and the controller as a bias voltage.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the feedback driving voltage is applied to the input stage as a bias voltage, and the feedback voltage is applied to the controller as another bias voltage.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the amplifier is a charge pump configured to amplify the feedback voltage greater than a supply voltage of the system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the digital controller is a proportional-integral-derivate (PID) controller or a state space controller.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising an analog integrator between the input stage and the controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the analog integrator comprises a first integrator stage configured to run at a relatively lower clock frequency and a sigma delta modulator configured to run at a relatively higher frequency.

16. A method of operating a pressure sensor system comprises:

using a pressure sensor to generate a sensor signal based on the measured pressure and an electrostatic force applied to the pressure sensor;

comparing the sensor signal with a target charge to generate an output signal and a feedback signal via a force feedback loop;

converting the feedback signal to a voltage signal and amplifying the voltage signal to a feedback driving voltage greater than the voltage signal;

generating a new electrostatic force using the feedback driving voltage as a first bias voltage; and

applying the new electrostatic force to the pressure sensor in addition to a force caused by the measured pressure to generate a new sensor signal;

wherein the target charge is generate using the voltage signal as a second bias voltage, the second bias voltage being smaller than the first bias voltage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a sensor capacitance and a programmable target capacitance are compared or substracted.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedback signal is generated so that an overall force of the electrostatic force and the measured pressure generates a stable capacitance that is equal to or greater than a capacitance caused by a maximum measured pressure.