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:
Nov. 11, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2005
Fabio Pasolini, San Martino Siccomario, IT;
Michele Tronconi, San Martino Siccomario, IT;
Wen Lin, Longmont, CO (US);
William R. Raasch, Longmont, CO (US);
Fabio Pasolini, San Martino Siccomario, IT;
Michele Tronconi, San Martino Siccomario, IT;
Wen Lin, Longmont, CO (US);
William R. Raasch, Longmont, CO (US);
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
STMicroelectronics S.R.L., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
In an integrated free-fall detection device for a portable apparatus an acceleration sensor generates acceleration signals correlated to the components of the acceleration of the portable apparatus along three detection axes. A dedicated purely hardware circuit connected to the acceleration sensor generates a free-fall detection signal in a continuous way and in real-time. The free-fall detection signal has a first logic value in the event that the acceleration signals are simultaneously lower than a respective acceleration threshold, and is sent to a processor unit of the portable apparatus as an interrupt signal to activate appropriate actions of protection for the portable apparatus. Preferably, the acceleration sensor and the dedicated purely hardware circuit are integrated in a single chip and the acceleration sensor is made as a MEMS.