Drive loop for MEMS oscillator

• US 8,378,756 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Huang, Ming-Chieh, Pu, Chiang, Chern, Chan-Hong, Lin, Chih-Chang, Swei, Yuwen
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US12/782,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 734/88, 735/03, 735/033, 735/040.2, 735/040.3, 735/040.4, 735/041.2, 331/116.R, 331/116.M, 331/109, 331/154, 331/156, 331/182, 331/183, 331/185
• US Class Current: 331/154
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/30 with frequency-determining element being electromechanical resonator

Abstract

Some embodiments regard a method comprising: generating a current according to a movement of the MEMS device; the movement is controlled by a control signal; generating a peak voltage according to the current; and adjusting the control signal when the peak voltage is out of a predetermined range.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a MEMS device, comprising:

generating a current according to a movement of the MEMS device;

the movement is controlled by a control signal;

converting the current to a voltage signal;

amplifying the voltage signal;

generating a peak voltage according to the amplified voltage signal; and

adjusting the control signal during a period that the peak voltage is out of a predetermined range, the predetermined range ranging from a first reference voltage to a second reference voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the control signal as an operation voltage for a driver driving a proof mass of the MEMS device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the current is performed when the proof mass moves.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the control signal comprises generating a state of a state machine and comparing the control signal with a third reference voltage corresponding to the state of the state machine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the peak voltage comprises:

using the amplified voltage signal to control a first transistor coupled to a capacitive device, resulting in the amplified voltage signal running at a first frequency higher than a second frequency running by the peak voltage; and

repeating steps of charging the capacitive device via the first transistor when the amplified voltage signal turns on the transistor and stop charging the capacitive device when the amplified voltage signal turns off the transistor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the peak voltage comprises:

driving the amplified voltage signal to a gate of a first transistor; and

at a source of the first transistor,

coupling the source of the first transistor to a first end of a capacitive device; and

providing a current path at the source of the first transistor.

7. A MEMS circuit comprising:

a MEMS oscillator configured to generate a current;

a current-to-voltage converter configured to convert the current to a first voltage;

an amplifier configured to convert the first voltage to a second voltage;

a voltage peak detector configured to generate a voltage peak of the second voltage;

a calibrating circuit configured to receive the voltage peak and generate a calibrating circuit signal;

a voltage generating circuit configured to generate a third voltage based on the calibrating circuit signal; and

a driver configured to receive the second voltage as an input and the third voltage as an operation voltage and generate a fourth voltage for use by the MEMS oscillator.

8. The MEMS circuit of claim 7 wherein the MEMS oscillator comprises a proof mass that generates the current when the fourth voltage causes the proof mass to move.

9. The MEMS circuit of claim 7 wherein the voltage peak detector comprises

a first transistor having a first gate, first drain, and a first source;

a second transistor having a second gate, a second drain, and a second source; and

a capacitive device having a first capacitive end and a second capacitive end;

wherein

the first gate is configured to receive the second voltage;

the first source is coupled to the first capacitive end and the second drain and to generate the voltage peak; and

the second capacitive end is coupled to the second source and a bulk of the second transistor.

10. The MEMS circuit of claim 7 further comprising:

a switching device configured to be at a first state based on first voltage portions of the second voltage and to be at a second state based on second voltage portions of the second voltage; and

a capacitive device coupled to the switching device configured to be charged by a current generated from the first voltage portions.

11. The MEMS circuit of claim 7 wherein

the calibrating circuit comprises a comparator and a state machine;

and

the comparator is configured based on the voltage peak, a first reference voltage, and a second reference voltage to generate the calibrating circuit signal corresponding to a state of the state machine that corresponds to a voltage level of the third voltage.

12. The MEMS circuit of claim 7 wherein

the voltage generating circuit comprises a detector and a charge pump;

the detector is configured to control the charge pump based on the calibrating circuit signal, a voltage reference corresponding to a state of a state machine of the calibrating circuit, and a voltage level of the third voltage.

13. The MEMS circuit of claim 12 wherein the detector is configured to control the charge pump by generating an enable signal based on the calibrating circuit signal, the reference voltage and the voltage level of the third voltage.

14. A circuit comprising:

a node having a first voltage;

a voltage peak detector coupled to the first node and configured to generate a voltage peak of the first voltage;

a comparator configured to generate a compare-result signal based on the voltage peak, a first reference voltage, and a second reference voltage;

a state machine configured to generate a state machine signal based on the compare-result signal;

a voltage generating circuit configured to generate a second voltage based on the state machine signal, a voltage level of the second voltage, and a third reference voltage; and

a driver coupled to the first node and configured to receive the first voltage as an input and the second voltage as an operation voltage and generate a third voltage for use by an oscillating circuit;

a voltage level of the first voltage corresponding to a voltage level of the third voltage via a feedback loop.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the feedback loop comprises a current path having a current converted to the first voltage.

16. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the feedback loop comprises

a current path having a current;

a current-to-voltage converter configured to convert the current to a converted voltage; and

an amplifier configured to amplify the converted voltage to the first voltage.

17. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the state machine includes a plurality of states;

a state of the plurality of states corresponding to the voltage level of the second voltage.

18. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the voltage peak detector comprises

a first transistor having a first gate, first drain, and a first source;

a second transistor having a second gate, a second drain, and a second source;

a capacitive device having a first capacitive end and a second capacitive end;

wherein

the first gate is configured to receive the second voltage;

the first source is coupled to the first capacitive end and the second drain, and to generate the voltage peak;

the second capacitive end is coupled to the second source and a bulk of the second transistor.

19. The circuit of claim 14 further comprising:

a switching device configured to be at a first state based on first voltage portions of the second voltage and to be at a second state based on second voltage portions of the second voltage; and

a capacitive device coupled to the switching device configured to be charged by a current generated from the first voltage portions.