US 2009/0255336 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACCELERATION AND ROTATIONAL DETERMINATION FROM AN IN-PLANE AND OUT-OF-PLANE MEMS DEVICE

Abstract

A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) inertial sensor systems and methods determine linear acceleration and rotation in the in-pane and out-of-plane directions of the MEMS inertial sensor. An out-of-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor may be sensed with the first out-of-plane electrode pair and the second out-of-plane electrode pair. An in-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor may be sensed with the first out-of-plane electrode pair and the second out-of-plane electrode. An in-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor may be sensed with the first in-plane sense comb and the second in-plane sense comb. An out-of-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor may be sensed with the first in-plane sense comb and the second in-plane sense comb.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of sensing linear accelerations and rotations of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor comprising a first proof mass and a second proof mass aligned in an in-plane axis, a first out-of-plane electrode pair with the first proof mass disposed therebetween, a second out-of-plane electrode pair with the second proof mass disposed therebetween, a first in-plane sense comb with a plurality of comb fingers interleaved with opposing first proof mass comb fingers, and a second in-plane sense comb with a plurality of comb fingers interleaved with the opposing second proof mass comb fingers, the method comprising:

sensing an out-of-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor with the first out-of-plane electrode pair and the second out-of-plane electrode pair;
sensing an in-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor with the first out-of-plane electrode pair and the second out-of-plane electrode pair;
sensing an in-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor with the first in-plane sense comb and the second in-plane sense comb;
and
sensing an out-of-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor with the first in-plane sense comb and the second in-plane sense comb.

2 more elements

A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor for determining linear acceleration and rotation, comprising:

a first proof mass with a plurality of in-plane comb fingers and a first drive comb configured to drive the first proof mass in an oscillatory motion along an in-plane axis;
a second proof mass aligned with the first proof mass along the in-plane axis, the second proof mass with a plurality of in-plane comb fingers and a second drive comb configured to drive the second proof mass in an opposing oscillatory motion along the in-plane axis, the opposing oscillatory motion substantially 180 degrees out of phase from the oscillatory motion of the first proof mass;
a first out-of-plane electrode pair with the first proof mass disposed therebetween, the first out-of-plane electrode pair configured to sense a first out-of-plane motion of the first proof mass corresponding to an in-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor, and configured to sense a second out-of-plane motion of the first proof mass corresponding to out-of-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor mass;
a second out-of-plane electrode pair with the second proof mass disposed therebetween, the second out-of-plane electrode pair configured to sense the first out-of-plane motion of the second proof mass corresponding to an in-plane rotation of the MEMS sensor, and configured to sense the second out-of-plane motion of the second proof mass corresponding to a second out-of-plane linear acceleration of the MEMS sensor;
a first in-plane sense comb with a plurality of comb fingers interleaved with the opposing first proof mass comb fingers, the first in-plane sense comb configured to sense an in-plane motion of the first proof mass corresponding to an out-of-plane rotation of the first proof mass, and configured to sense an in-plane motion of the first proof mass corresponding to an in-plane linear acceleration of the first proof mass;
and
a second in-plane sense comb with a plurality of comb fingers interleaved with the opposing second proof mass comb fingers, the second in-plane sense comb configured to sense an out-of-plane rotation of the second proof mass, and configured to sense an in-plane linear acceleration of the second proof mass.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for acceleration and rotational determination from an in-plane and out-of-plane mems device

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for acceleration and rotational determination from an in-plane and out-of-plane mems device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20