Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state

Chu, Dahlon D; Campbell, David V

Title: Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state

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Abstract

A digital feedback control circuit is disclosed for use in an accelerometer (e.g. a microelectromechanical accelerometer). The digital feedback control circuit, which periodically re-centers a proof mass in response to a sensed acceleration, is based on a sigma-delta (.SIGMA..DELTA.) configuration that includes a notch filter (e.g. a digital switched-capacitor filter) for rejecting signals due to mechanical resonances of the proof mass and further includes a comparator (e.g. a three-level comparator). The comparator generates one of three possible feedback states, with two of the feedback states acting to re-center the proof mass when that is needed, and with a third feedback state being an "idle" state which does not act to move the proof mass when no re-centering is needed. Additionally, the digital feedback control system includes an auto-zero trim capability for calibration of the accelerometer for accurate sensing of acceleration. The digital feedback control circuit can be fabricated using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology, bi-CMOS technology or bipolar technology and used in single- and dual-proof-mass accelerometers.

Inventors:

Chu, Dahlon D ^[1]; Thelen, Jr., Donald C. ^[2]; Campbell, David V ^[1]

Albuquerque, NM
(Bozeman, MT)

Issue Date:: 2001-01-01

Research Org.:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 874050

Patent Number(s):: 6301965

Assignee:: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: H - ELECTRICITY H03 - BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY H03H - IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01P - MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK

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H - ELECTRICITY H03 - BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY H03H - IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS
H03H19/004 - {Switched capacitor networks}

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01P - MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK
G01P15/131 - {with electrostatic counterbalancing means}

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DOE Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: microelectromechanical; accelerometer; resonance-cancelling; control; circuit; including; idle; digital; feedback; disclosed; periodically; re-centers; proof; mass; response; sensed; acceleration; based; sigma-delta; sigmadelta; configuration; notch; filter; switched-capacitor; rejecting; signals; due; mechanical; resonances; comparator; three-level; generates; acting; re-center; third; move; re-centering; additionally; auto-zero; trim; capability; calibration; accurate; sensing; fabricated; complementary; metal-oxide; semiconductor; cmos; technology; bi-cmos; bipolar; single-; dual-proof-mass; accelerometers; control circuit; feedback control; circuit including; /73/

Citation Formats


                    Chu, Dahlon D, Thelen, Jr., Donald C., and Campbell, David V. Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state.  United States: N. p., 2001. 
        Web.

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                    Chu, Dahlon D, Thelen, Jr., Donald C., & Campbell, David V. Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state.  United States.

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                    Chu, Dahlon D, Thelen, Jr., Donald C., and Campbell, David V. Mon .  
        "Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874050.

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@article{osti_874050,

  title        = {Microelectromechanical accelerometer with resonance-cancelling control circuit including an idle state},

  author       = {Chu, Dahlon D and Thelen, Jr., Donald C. and Campbell, David V},

  abstractNote = {A digital feedback control circuit is disclosed for use in an accelerometer (e.g. a microelectromechanical accelerometer). The digital feedback control circuit, which periodically re-centers a proof mass in response to a sensed acceleration, is based on a sigma-delta (.SIGMA..DELTA.) configuration that includes a notch filter (e.g. a digital switched-capacitor filter) for rejecting signals due to mechanical resonances of the proof mass and further includes a comparator (e.g. a three-level comparator). The comparator generates one of three possible feedback states, with two of the feedback states acting to re-center the proof mass when that is needed, and with a third feedback state being an "idle" state which does not act to move the proof mass when no re-centering is needed. Additionally, the digital feedback control system includes an auto-zero trim capability for calibration of the accelerometer for accurate sensing of acceleration. The digital feedback control circuit can be fabricated using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology, bi-CMOS technology or bipolar technology and used in single- and dual-proof-mass accelerometers.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2001},

  month        = {1}

}

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