Opto-mechanical tilt and inertial force sensor
AssigneeAvago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorA/L Munlandy Murelitharan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor having a mass that moves relative to a structure is disclosed. The mass is attached to the structure by a rigid member such that the mass moves around a pivot point on the structure, the pivot point remaining fixed with respect to the structure as the mass moves. A code scale is attached to the mass. An imaging system that is fixed with respect to the structure forms an image of the code scale. A controller provides an indication of a position of the mass relative to the structure using the code scale image. The rigid member can include a surface having the code scale thereon, the surface rotating about the pivot point as the mass moves such that the surface remains at a fixed distance from the pivot point as the mass moves.
Claims17
A sensor comprising:
- a structure;
- a mass that moves relative to said structure, said mass is attached to said structure by a rigid member such that said mass moves around a pivot point on said structure, said pivot point remaining fixed with respect to said structure as said mass moves;
- a code scale attached to said mass;
- an imaging system for forming an image of said code scale, said imaging system being fixed with respect to said structure, said imaging system including an image sensor to generate said image of said code scale and a lens positioned between the image sensor and the code scale to focus said code scale onto the image sensor;
- and
- a controller that provides an indication of a position of said mass relative to said structure, said controller utilizing said code scale image, said controller being configured to compare said code scale image with an absolute encoding pattern that specifies a displacement of said code scale relative to an equilibrium position or to compare said code scale image with another code scale image to determine a displacement of said code scale that occurred between said code scale image and said another code scale image.
A sensor comprising:
- a structure;
- a mass that moves relative to said structure, said mass is attached to said structure by a rigid member such that said mass moves around a pivot point on said structure, said pivot point remaining fixed with respect to said structure as said mass moves;
- a code scale attached to said mass;
- a camera to form an image of said code scale, said camera being fixed with respect to said structure, said camera including an image sensor to generate said image of said code scale and a lens positioned between the image sensor and the code scale to focus said code scale onto the image sensor;
- and
- a controller that provides an indication of a position of said mass relative to said structure, said controller utilizing said code scale image, said controller being configured to compare said code scale image with an absolute encoding pattern that specifies a displacement of said code scale relative to an equilibrium position or to compare said code scale image with another code scale image to determine a displacement of said code scale that occurred between said code scale image and said another code scale image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.