Invensense, Inc.

Joe Seeger

Houri Johari-Galle

Doruk Senkal

Igor Tchertkov

Alexander Castro

Robert Hennessy

Jin Qiu

Richard Li

Steven Saeed Nasiri

Ilya Gurin

Bruno Borovic

The subject disclosure provides exemplary 3-axis (e.g., GX, GY, and GZ) linear and angular momentum balanced vibratory rate gyroscope architectures with fully-coupled sense modes. Embodiments can employ balanced drive and/or balanced sense components to reduce induced vibrations and/or part to part coupling. Embodiments can comprise two inner frame gyroscopes for GY sense mode and an outer frame or saddle gyroscope for GX sense mode and drive system coupling, drive shuttles coupled to the two inner frame gyroscopes or outer frame gyroscope, and four GZ proof masses coupled to the inner frame gyroscopes for GZ sense mode. Components can be removed from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a single axis or two axis gyroscope and/or can be configured such that a number of proof-masses can be reduced in half from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a half-gyroscope. Other embodiments can employ a stress isolation frame to reduce package induced stress.

Drive and sense balanced, fully-coupled 3-axis gyroscope

Described herein is an accelerometer that can be sensitive to acceleration, but not anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. The accelerometer can employ a set of electrodes and/or transducers that can register motion of the proof mass and support structure and employ and output-cancelling mechanism so that the accelerometer can distinguish between acceleration and anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. For example, the effects of anchor motion can be cancelled from an output signal of the accelerometer so that the accelerometer exhibits sensitivity to only acceleration.

Anchor-tilt cancelling accelerometer

An example system comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor, a strain gauge, and a strain compensation circuit. The MEMS sensor is operable to generate a sensor output signal that corresponds to a sensed condition (e.g., acceleration, orientation, and/or pressure). The strain gauge is operable to generate a strain measurement signal indicative of a strain on the MEMS sensor. The strain compensation circuit is operable to modify the sensor output signal to compensate for the strain based on the strain measurement signal. The strain compensation circuit stores sensor-strain relationship data indicative of a relationship between the sensor output signal and the strain measurement signal. The strain compensation circuit is operable to use the sensor-strain relationship data for the modifying of the sensor output signal. The modification of the sensor output signal comprises one or both of: removal of an offset from the sensor signal, and application of a gain to the sensor signal.

MEMS sensor offset compensation with strain gauge

A sensor that measures angular velocity about an axis that is normal to a sensing plane of the sensor. The sensor comprises a sensing subassembly that includes a planar frame parallel to the sensing plane, a first proof mass disposed in the sensing plane, a second proof mass disposed in the sensing plane laterally to the first proof mass, and a linkage within the frame and connected to the frame. The linkage is connected to the first proof mass and to the second proof mass. The sensor further includes actuator for driving the first proof mass and the second proof mass into oscillation along a drive axis in the sensing plane. The sensor further includes a first transducer to sense motion of the frame in response to a Coriolis force acting on the oscillating first proof mass and the oscillating second proof mass.

Integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating mass Z-axis rate sensor

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Joe Seeger