# US 10,502,568 B2 · Inertial sensing systems and methods of manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 10,502,568 B2
- Document ID: US10502568B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/931,939
- Filed: 2015-11-04
- Published: 2017-03-09
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-29
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Sergey Alexandrovich Zotov; Christopher Fred Keimel; Todd Frederick Miller; Yizhen Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502568B2

## CPC

- G01C 19/5684: the devices involving a micromechanical structure
- G01P 15/02: by making use of inertia forces {using solid seismic masses}(G01P15/14 takes precedence)
- G01P 2015/0805: {being provided with a particular type of spring-mass-system for defining the displacement of a seismic mass due to an external acceleration}
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

A gyroscope includes at least one anchor and a plurality of gyroscope spring elements coupled to the at least one anchor. The gyroscope also includes a plurality of concentric rings coupled to the plurality of gyroscope spring elements and configured to encircle the plurality of gyroscope spring elements. The gyroscope further includes an excitation/detection/tuning unit electrostatically coupled to the plurality of concentric rings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inertial sensing system, comprising:
a substrate;
a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the substrate by an anchor, wherein the gyroscope is circular in shape and defines a central opening, and wherein the gyroscope comprises:
a plurality of gyroscope spring elements coupled to the anchor;
a gyroscope proof mass, wherein the gyroscope proof mass comprises a plurality of concentric rings operatively coupled to the plurality of gyroscope spring elements, and wherein the gyroscope proof mass encircles the plurality of gyroscope spring elements;
a plurality of gyroscope electrodes to sense an angular rate of the gyroscope proof mass;
an accelerometer positioned within the central opening, wherein the accelerometer comprises:
a plurality of accelerometer spring elements;
an accelerometer body portion coupled to the substrate through the plurality of accelerometer spring elements and not through the gyroscope proof mass; and
a plurality of accelerometer electrodes to sense an acceleration of the accelerometer body portion,
wherein the gyroscope and the accelerometer are configured to be independently operable.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of accelerometer electrodes encircles the accelerometer body portion, and wherein the plurality of accelerometer electrodes is positioned between the accelerometer body portion and the gyroscope.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gyroscope comprises:
an excitation/detection unit coupled to the plurality of concentric rings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the plurality of concentric rings encircles the anchor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the anchor defines the central opening.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of gyroscope spring elements is circumferentially-spaced about the anchor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gyroscope is configured to sense angular speed, the accelerometer is configured to sense acceleration, and wherein the inertial sensing system is configured to sense acceleration without operation of the gyroscope.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The inertial sensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the accelerometer body portion is coupled to the anchor through the plurality of accelerometer spring elements and not through the gyroscope proof mass.