US 2022/0089435 A9 · REDUNDANT SENSOR SYSTEM WITH SELF-TEST OF ELECTROMECHANICAL STRUCTURES

Abstract

A sensor system includes first and second MEMS structures and a processing circuit. The first and second MEMS structures are configured to produce first and second output signals, respectively, in response to a physical stimulus. A method performed by the processing circuit entails receiving the first and second output signals and detecting a defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another. The method further entails utilizing only the first or the second output signal from a non-defective one of the MEMS structures to produce a processed output signal when one of the MEMS structures is determined to be defective and utilizing the first and second output signals from both of the MEMS structures to produce the processed output signal when neither of the MEMS structures is defective.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of testing first and second microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures in a MEMS sensor system, the first MEMS structure being configured to produce a first output signal in response to a first physical stimulus, and the second MEMS structure being configured to produce a second output signal in response to a second physical stimulus, the method comprising:

receiving the first and second output signals at a processing circuit;
and
detecting defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor system, comprising:

a first MEMS structure configured to produce a first output signal in response to a first physical stimulus;
a second MEMS structure configured to produce a second output signal in response to a second physical stimulus;
and
a processing circuit configured to receive the first and second output signals and detect a defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another.

1 more element

A method of testing first and second microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures in a MEMS sensor system, the first MEMS structure being configured to produce a first output signal in response to a physical stimulus and the second MEMS structure being configured to produce a second output signal in response to the physical stimulus, the method comprising:

receiving the first and second output signals at a processing circuit;
detecting a defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another;
and
utilizing only the first output signal or the second output signal from a non-defective one of the first and second MEMS structures to produce a processed output signal when the detecting operation detects the defective one of the first and second MEMS structures.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Redundant sensor system with self-test of electromechanical structures

Life of this patent

Redundant sensor system with self-test of electromechanical structures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20