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US 2016/0255318 A1Published application
Methods and devices for detecting open and/or shorts circuits in mems micro-mirror devices
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsEric Chevallaz, Nicolas Abele
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to the present invention there is provided methods and devices for detecting open and/or short circuits in MEMS micro-mirror devices, which use relative comparisons of voltage levels within the MEMS micro-mirror devices for detecting the occurrence of open and/or short circuits.
Claims21
1-15. (canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror comprising:
- a mirror;
- and
- a conduction coil to conduct a current and apply a force to the mirror to oscillate the mirror about at least one axis;
- a power supply circuit electrically coupled to the MEMS mirror, the power supply circuit to selectively apply voltage to a first side of the conduction coil or a second side of the conduction coil;
- a current source electrically coupled to the power supply circuit;
- and
- a comparator to compare a voltage at the first and second side of the conduction coil to a voltage across the current source to detect an open circuit in the MEMS mirror.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- determining a first voltage at a first side of a conduction coil of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, the conduction coil to conduct a current and apply a force to a mirror element of the MEMS mirror to oscillate the mirror element about at least one axis;
- determining a second voltage at a second side of the conduction coil;
- comparing the first voltage and the second voltage;
- and
- detecting a change in the comparison to detect an open circuit in the MEMS mirror.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a light source to emit a light beam;
- a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror, the MEMS mirror comprising:
- a mirror to receive the light beam and reflect the light beam;
- and
- a conduction coil to conduct a current and apply a force to the mirror to oscillate the mirror about at least one axis;
- a power supply circuit electrically coupled to the MEMS mirror, the power supply circuit to selectively apply voltage to a first side of the conduction coil or a second side of the conduction coil;
- a current source electrically coupled to the power supply circuit;
- and
- a comparator to compare a voltage at the first and second side of the conduction coil to a voltage across the current source to detect an open circuit in the MEMS mirror.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.