Back to results
US 11,629,047 B2Granted
Method for detecting contamination of a MEMS sensor element
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsRobert Kuells, Felix Springer, Martin Kittel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element. The method includes the following steps: outputting heating control signals for controlling a heating device in order to heat the sensor element, receiving measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured with the aid of the heated sensor element, ascertaining, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, outputting result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination. Moreover, a device is described.
Claims13
A method for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element, comprising the following steps:
- outputting heating control signals to control a heating device to heat the sensor element;
- receiving measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured using the heated sensor element;
- ascertaining, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination;
- and
- outputting result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination,
- wherein reference signals that represent a physical reference variable are received, the physical reference variable and the measured physical variable having the same physical units, the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination being carried out based on the physical reference variable.
3 more elements
A method for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element, comprising the following steps:
- outputting heating control signals to control a heating device to heat the sensor element;
- receiving measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured using the heated sensor element;
- ascertaining, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination;
- and
- outputting result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination,
- wherein reference signals that represent a physical reference variable are received, the physical reference variable and the measured physical variable having the same physical units, the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination being carried out based on the physical reference variable, a deviation of the measured physical variable from the physical reference variable being ascertained, the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination being carried out based on the ascertained deviation.
3 more elements
A method for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element, comprising the following steps:
- outputting heating control signals to control a heating device to heat the sensor element;
- receiving measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured using the heated sensor element;
- ascertaining, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination;
- and
- outputting result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination,
- wherein when the measured physical variable is ascertained that the sensor element has contamination, a type of contamination is ascertained, the result signals additionally indicating the type of contamination.
3 more elements
A device for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element, comprising:
- a microelectromechanical sensor element;
- a heating device configured to heat the microelectromechanical sensor element;
- and
- a signal processing device, including:
- an output configured to output heating control signals to control the heating device to heat the sensor element,
- an input configured to receive measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured using the heated sensor element,
- a processor configured to ascertain, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination,
- wherein the output is configured to output result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, and
- a memory in which a physical reference variable is stored, the physical reference variable and the measured physical variable having the same physical units, the input being configured to receive reference signals from the memory that represent the physical reference variable, the processor being configured to carry out the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, based on the physical reference variable.
6 more elements
A device for detecting contamination of a microelectromechanical sensor element, comprising:
- a microelectromechanical sensor element;
- a heating device configured to heat the microelectromechanical sensor element;
- and
- a signal processing device, including:
- an output configured to output heating control signals to control the heating device to heat the sensor element,
- an input configured to receive measuring signals that represent a physical variable that is measured using the heated sensor element,
- a processor configured to ascertain, based on the measured physical variable, whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination,
- wherein the output is configured to output result signals that represent a result indicating whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, and
- a memory in which a physical reference variable is stored, the physical reference variable and the measured physical variable having the same physical units, the input being configured to receive reference signals from the memory that represent the physical reference variable, the processor being configured to carry out the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, based on the physical reference variable, the processor being configured to ascertain a deviation of the measured physical variable from the physical reference variable, the processor being configured to carry out the ascertainment of whether the sensor element has contamination or is free of contamination, based on the ascertained deviation.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.