Method of actuating MEMS switches
AssigneeOptical Coating Laboratory, Inc.
InventorsMarkus Duelli, Donald M. Friedrich, Bryant P. Hichwa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching signal having multiple sequential pulses is applied to a MEMS switch. A first pulse moves the switch from a first switch position toward a second switch position. After a selected dwell period, a second pulse is applied to dampen ringing or overshoot of the movable portions of the switch. In a further embodiment, non-symmetrical switching signals are used to cycle the switch from the first state to the second state, and back to the first.
Claims16
A method of operating a micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) switch, the method comprising:
- providing the MEMS switch in a first switch position;
- applying an electronic signal to the MEMS switch;
- accelerating a movable portion of the MEMS switch with the electronic signal from the first switch position toward a second switch position;
- and
- decelerating the movable portion of the MEMS switch with the electronic signal before the movable portion of the MEMS switch reaches the second switch position.
A method of operating a micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) switch, the method comprising:
- providing the MEMS switch in a first switch position;
- applying a first electronic pulse to a first portion of an electrostatic comb drive actuator of the MEMS switch to accelerate a center body of the MEMS switch from the first switch position toward a second switch position;
- waiting a selected period of time;
- and
- applying a second electronic pulse to a second portion of the electrostatic comb drive actuator to decelerate the center body before the MEMS switch reaches the second switch position.
A method of cycling a micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) switch, the method comprising:
- providing the MEMS switch in a first switch position;
- applying a first electronic signal to the MEMS switch to accelerate a movable portion of the MEMS switch from the first switch position toward a second switch position;
- waiting a first selected period of time;
- applying a second electronic signal to the MEMS switch to retard motion of the movable portion;
- applying a third electronic signal to the MEMS switch to accelerate the movable portion of the MEMS switch from the second switch position toward the first switch position;
- waiting a second selected period of time;
- and
- applying a fourth electronic signal to the MEMS switch to retard motion of the movable portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.