Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Qualtre, Inc.

Panasonic Corporation

Property Management Co., Ltd.

Ronald Joseph Lipka

Akhil K Garlapati

Mohammad Maymandi Nejad

Diego Emilio Serrano

Saroj Rout

Amir Rahafrooz

Duane Younkin

Chihchuan Che

Ryan P Hennessy

Hong Xiao

A gyro sensor circuit includes a gyro sensor generating an RF sensing signal according to an angular movement, an RF sense path configured to receive and process the RF sensing signal. The RF sense path comprises a first chopper configured to chop the RF signal at a first chopping frequency to generate a chopped signal, and a demodulator configured to mix the chopped signal with an LO signal to output a baseband signal. The circuit further includes a feedback loop comprising a chopper re-modulator configured to chop and modulate the baseband signal at a frequency of the LO signal, a first amplifier configured to amplify the modulated feedback signal, and a test voltage monitor configured to extract a component corresponding to the LO signal from the modulated feedback signal, and compare a voltage of the extracted component with an expected value determined based on a gain of the first amplifier.

Continuous monitoring of gyroscope sensor forced-to-rebalance loop electronics

Systems and methods disclosed herein include a correction circuit. The correction circuit may include frequency division circuitry that is configured to receive and condition a reference signal. The correction circuit may include drive circuitry that is configured to receive the reference signal. The correction circuit may include a first resonator that is configured to receive the reference signal. The correction circuit may include sense circuitry that is configured to receive the reference signal from the first resonator. The correction circuit may include phase detector circuitry that is configured to generate at least one output signal based on receipt of a plurality of input signals from the drive circuitry and the sense circuitry. The correction circuit may include a proportional integral derivative controller that is configured to generate a temperature correction signal to correct frequency error in an oscillator based on receipt of the at least one output signal.

Systems and methods for real-time frequency shift detection via a nested-MEMS architecture

An apparatus for detecting a Q-demodulator's real-time phase and offset error includes an RF signal path configured to receive an RF signal from an RF component, a first chopper to chop the RF signal at a first frequency to generate a chopped RF signal, an LO signal path configured to receive an LO signal, a second chopper to chop the LO signal at a second frequency to generate a chopped LO signal, a summing mechanism to combine the chopped LO signal to the chopped RF signal into a combination signal. The apparatus further includes a Q-demodulator comprising a phase shifter configured to shift a phase of the combination signal and a phase of the LO signal, and a mixer configured to multiply the shifted combination signal by the shifted LO signal to generate a baseband signal, and at least two filters configured to extract different signals contained in the baseband signal for analysis.

Real time phase error detection in quadrature demodulators

An aspect of the present disclosure concerns a calibration system including a test tone signal generator that produces a test tone; a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) that comprises two input terminals, receives two output signals from an external sensor device, the test tone, and a calibration signal at the two input terminals, and produces a voltage signal; and a calibration circuit that receives the voltage signal and the test tone to produce the calibration signal that causes the TIA to produce the voltage signal such that an error signal included in the voltage signal is canceled. The external sensor device may be a mode-matched vibratory micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope.

Calibration system, and sensor system including the same

An electronic circuit for a micro-electro-mechanical systems gyroscope is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a current buffer, a transimpedance amplifier coupled with the current buffer, and a plurality of transistors. An inverting input terminal of the current buffer and a non-inverting input terminal of the current buffer are connected with a plurality of first resistors. The inverting input terminal of the current buffer is connected with a source of one of the plurality of transistors, and the non-inverting input terminal of the current buffer is connected with a source of another one of the plurality of transistors. The plurality of first resistors are connected to a ground. The current buffer is configured to isolate a load in the micro-electro-mechanical systems gyroscope from the transimpedance amplifier.

Trans impedance amplifier capacitance isolation stage

An aspect of the present disclosure concerns an oscillator circuit including a driver circuit that includes a first amplifier and a current detector where the first amplifier produces an oscillation voltage signal, where the current detector detects an oscillation current signal and produces a drive voltage signal, and where the oscillation current signal corresponds to difference in voltage between the oscillation voltage signal and the drive voltage signal; a feedback circuit that includes a second amplifier receiving the oscillation voltage signal and the drive voltage signal, to produce a feedback voltage signal to the driver circuit; and an oscillator that oscillates at a frequency determined in accordance with the drive voltage signal.

Oscillator circuit including oscillator

An auto phase control drive circuit for a gyroscope apparatus is disclosed. The gyroscope apparatus has a gyro resonator, and the circuit comprises a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes a first electrode configured to face the gyro resonator, a first amplifier configured to be electrically connected with the first electrode and output a first signal, a variable capacitor electrically connected with the first amplifier, a second electrode configured to face the gyro resonator, to receive a second signal and to be electrically connected with the variable capacitor. The second circuit is configured to be electrically connected with the first circuit and to change a capacitance of the variable capacitor of the first circuit based on the first signal and the second signal to decrease a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal.

Auto phase control drive circuit for gyroscope apparatus

A quadrature error signal cancellation circuit and technique can detect an undesired quadrature signal component in the output of a MEMS gyroscope and null the quadrature signal component. In one embodiment, the cancellation circuit is configured in a feedback loop with the MEMS gyroscope and includes components to detect and condition the quadrature signal, digitize the conditioned quadrature signal, and generate a quadrature error cancellation signal which is provided back to the MEMS gyroscope.

Method and system for detecting and correcting quadrature error signals for MEMS device

An charge pump architecture capable of generating ultra high DC voltages but implemented in low voltage CMOS technology uses a cascade of NMOS stages with the bulk terminal of the latter stages biased to a voltage just below the reverse breakdown of the parasitic bulk diode. The bias voltage is tapped from a lower voltage point within the charge pump. The upper limit of the output voltage is then increased to the maximum allowable oxide voltage plus the parasitic diode reverse bias breakdown voltage.

Ultrahigh voltage charge pump apparatus implemented with low voltage technology

The present disclosure provides a varying high voltage source implemented with low voltage domain electronic components that are less costly to manufacture. According to one aspect, the present disclosure provides a high voltage circuit apparatus comprising a pull up resistance module, a plurality of cascode cell stages, a first of the cascode cell stages being coupled to the pull up resistance module, a low voltage domain current sink module coupled to a last of the cascode cell stages, and a clamping voltage source coupled to the last of the cascode cell stages. The circuit apparatus is devoid of high-voltage transistor components.

Growing community of inventors

Northborough, MA, United States of America

Ronald Joseph Lipka