# US 11,079,228 B2 · Detector with catch and release mechanism

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- Number: US 11,079,228 B2
- Document ID: US11079228B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/119,744
- Filed: 2018-08-31
- Published: 2019-08-01
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-26
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Yohei Hatakeyama; Tetsuro Itakura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079228B2

## CPC

- G01C 19/5733: Structural details or topology
- G01C 19/5726: Signal processing
- G01C 19/5776: Signal processing not specific to any of the devices covered by groups G01C19/5607 - G01C19/5719
- G01R 33/0029: {Treating the measured signals, e.g. removing offset or noise}
- G01R 33/02: Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux (G01R33/20 takes precedence)
- 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)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, a detector is disclosed. The detector has a mechanism with first and second vibrators which vibrate in first and second directions. Circuits detect output first and second signals conforming to the detected positions of the vibrators. A detection circuit detects second signal using the first signal as a reference of synchronous detection and outputs a detection signal. A filter continues a moving average process on the detection signal for a period set based on the first signal. A controller circuitry controls the mechanism to causes the first vibrator to start vibrating in the first direction in synchronization with a clock signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A detector comprising:
a vibration mechanism including a first mechanical vibrator vibrating in at least a first direction, a second mechanical vibrator mechanically connected to the first mechanical vibrator vibrating in at least a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a catch and release mechanism configured to catch the first mechanical vibrator in vibration and release the caught first mechanical vibrator to start vibration of the first mechanical vibrator;
a first circuit configured to detect a first position of the first mechanical vibrator in accordance with the first direction and output a first signal corresponding to the detected first position, the first signal including a first frequency;
a second circuit configured to detect a second position of the second mechanical vibrator in accordance with the second direction and output a second signal corresponding to the detected second position;
a detection circuit configured to detect the second signal by using the first signal as a reference of synchronous detection and output a detection signal;
a filter configured to continue on a moving average process on the detection signal according to a clock signal for a period set based on the first signal; and
a first controller circuitry configured to control the vibration mechanism to cause the first mechanical vibrator to start vibrating in the first direction by the catch and release mechanism in synchronization with the clock signal and continue the started vibration by the catch and release mechanism for the period during which the filter performs the moving average process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, wherein the period is M (M is a positive integer) times a cycle corresponding to the first frequency.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, wherein the filter starts the moving average process after an elapse of a certain time set based on the first signal from a rising of a clock of the clock signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The detector according to claim 3, wherein the certain time is N (N is a positive integer) times a cycle corresponding to the first frequency.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, wherein the first frequency is a resonance frequency of the first mechanical vibrator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, further comprising a generation circuit configured to generate the clock signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, further comprising a calculation circuitry configured to calculate a physical quantity based on an output signal of the filter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The detector according to claim 7, wherein the physical quantity is an angular velocity or a magnetic force.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, further comprising a second control circuitry configured to control the first circuit, the second circuit, the detection circuit, and the filter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The detector according to claim 9, wherein the second control circuitry stops an operation of at least one of the first circuit, the second circuit, the detection circuit, and the filter, and the first control circuitry stops the vibration in the first direction of the first mechanical vibrator.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The detector according to claim 1, wherein each of the first mechanical vibrator and the second mechanical vibrator is a movable electrode of a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) type variable capacitor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The detector of claim 1, wherein the second mechanical vibrator vibrates in the second direction when a force for generating rotation acts on the vibration mechanism in a period during which the first mechanical vibrator vibrates in the first direction.
