The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 03, 2022
Filed:
Jun. 26, 2019
Stmicroelectronics, Inc., Coppell, TX (US);
Stmicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Yamu Hu, Allen, TX (US);
David McClure, Carrollton, TX (US);
Alessandro Tocchio, Milan, IT;
Naren K. Sahoo, Frisco, TX (US);
Anthony Junior Casillan, Lewisville, TX (US);
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Coppell, TX (US);
STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer sensor has a mobile mass and a sensing capacitor. To self-test the sensor, a test signal is applied to the sensing capacitor during a reset phase of a sensing circuit coupled to the sensing capacitor. The test signal is configured to cause an electrostatic force which produces a physical displacement of the mobile mass corresponding to a desired acceleration value. Then, during a read phase of the sensing circuit, a variation in capacitance of sensing capacitor due to the physical displacement of the mobile mass is sensed. This sensed variation in capacitance is converted to a sensed acceleration value. A comparison of the sensed acceleration value to the desired acceleration value provides an indication of an error in operation of the MEMS accelerometer sensor if the sensed acceleration value and desired acceleration value are not substantially equal.