In-situ testing of a MEMS accelerometer in a disc storage system
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorDustin M. Cvancara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disc storage system performing an in-situ test on a MEMS accelerometer, in a disc drive. The circuit includes a control circuit that establishes a desired self test condition conducive to the in-situ test during a self test interval. The circuit includes a stored reference representing at least one characteristic limit of an integrity output of the, MEMS accelerometer. The circuit includes a test circuit that receives the integrity output value and the stored reference during the in-situ test interval and that generates an in-situ test output representative of integrity of the MEMS accelerometer. Damaged or degraded MEMS accelerometers can be diagnosed in-situ.
Claims18
A disc storage system including a circuit for performing an in-situ self test on a MEMS accelerometer that is coupled to the disc storage system, the circuit comprising:
- a controller configured to apply a self test input comprising a duty cycle control signal to the MEMS accelerometer during a self test interval to establish a self test condition that comprises a simulated acceleration induced by the duty cycle control signal;
- a stored reference representative of at least one characteristic limit of an integrity output of the MEMS accelerometer;
- and
- a test circuit configured to receive at least one MEMS integrity output value from the MEMS accelerometer during the self test interval and to generate an in-situ test output representative of integrity of the MEMS accelerometer subject to the simulated acceleration induced by the duty cycle control signal and based on the MEMS integrity output value and the stored reference.
A method of performing an in-situ test on a MEMS accelerometer in a disc storage system, comprising:
- (a) establishing a self test condition conducive to performing an in-situ self test during a self test interval, the self test condition including simulating acceleration by applying of a duty cycle control signal to the MEMS accelerometer;
- (b) storing a reference value representing a reference limit of an integrity output of the MEMS accelerometer;
- (c) receiving the integrity output and the stored reference value during the self test interval at a test circuit;
- and
- (d) generating an integrity-indicative test output in the test circuit when the simulated acceleration induced by the duty cycle control signal is applied.
A disc storage system including a circuit for performing an in-situ test on a MEMS accelerometer, comprising:
- a stored reference representative of at least one characteristic limit of an integrity output of the MEMS accelerometer;
- and
- means for generating an in-situ test output representative of integrity of the MEMS accelerometer based upon the MEMS integrity output value when a simulated acceleration is induced by a duty cycle control signal and the stored reference.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.