Acceleration sensor and method for detecting an acceleration
AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorsChristian Drabe, Harald Schenk
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Abstract
An acceleration sensor comprises a mass, which can be deflected in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, a driving means effective to vibrate the mass, a detection means for detecting times when the mass passes a predetermined position when an acceleration is applied, and an evaluation means which detects the acceleration based on the detected times during acceleration and times when the mass passes the predetermined position when no acceleration is applied. Thereby, it is achieved that the acceleration is detected inexpensively and accurately.
Claims8
An acceleration sensor, comprising:
- a mass, which is deflectable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction;
- a driver, which is effective to vibrate the mass;
- a detector for detecting times when the mass passes a predetermined position when an acceleration is applied;
- an evaluator, which detects the acceleration based on the detected times during acceleration and times when the mass passes the predetermined position when no acceleration is applied.
A method for detecting an acceleration based on a vibrating mass, comprising the steps of:
- vibrating the mass;
- detecting times when the mass passes a predetermined position when an acceleration is applied;
- detecting the acceleration based on the detected times during acceleration and times when the mass passes the predetermined position when no acceleration is applied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.