US 6,508,122 B1
Microelectromechanical system for measuring angular rateGeneral
US 6,508,122 B1
Microelectromechanical system for measuring angular rate
Tech Center:
2800 Semiconductors/Memory, Circuits/Measuring and Testing, Optics/Photocopying, Printing/Measuring and Testing
Examiner:
Helen Kwok
Art Unit:
2856 Printing/Measuring and Testing
Agent:
David and Raymond Patent Group
Inventors:
Hiram McCall; Ching-Fang Lin
Assignee:
Priority:
09/16/99
Filed:
09/15/00
Granted:
01/21/03
Expiration:
09/15/20
Abstract
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) for measuring angular rate of a carrier includes an angular rate sensor unit, microelectronic circuitry, and signal processing to obtain highly accurate, sensitive, stable angular rate measurements of the carrier under dynamic environments. Wherein, the angular rate sensor unit receives dither driver signals, capacitive pickoff excitation signals, and displacement restoring signals to output angle rate signals in response to the motion of the carrier and dither motion signals; the central circuitry receives the angle rate signals in response to the motion of the carrier and dither motion signals to output angular rate signals and digital low frequency inertial element displacement signals; a digital signal processing system analyzes digital low frequency inertial element displacement signals to feed back the dither drive signals to the angular rate sensor unit.