Acceleration Utilizing An Inertial Element Patents (Class 73/1.38)
  • Patent number: 11958627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining the relative positions of components of a munitions system, the munitions system comprising a first component (331) and at least one second component (333). The method comprises monitoring the output of a resonant circuit (305) provided on a first component (331), the resonant circuit (305) having a resonant frequency, detecting a change in the output due to a change in the resonant frequency caused by a change in the relative positions of the first component (331) and the at least one second component (333), and using the detected change to determine that the at least one second component (333) has moved relative to the first component (331).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MBDA UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Edwin John William Bowden-Peters, Ben Cook
  • Patent number: 11959797
    Abstract: An online detection device and method for a piezoelectric device. The device comprises an elastic wave sensor, a sell-detection circuit, a working circuit, a switch circuit and a control chip. The switch circuit is connected with the elastic wave sensor, the self-detection circuit and the working circuit. The sell-detection circuit is connected with the control chip and is used for, When being connected to the elastic wave sensor, generating, a self-detection signal according to the capacitance of the elastic wave sensor. The working circuit is connected with the control chip and is used for, when being connected to the elastic wave sensor, forming a touch detection circuit and detecting an external touch by means of the elastic wave sensor so as to obtain a detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Beijing Taifang Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chaoliang Du, Hongfeng Guo
  • Patent number: 11930344
    Abstract: An audio device according to an embodiment set forth in the present document comprises: a housing comprising a first surface, a second surface that faces the first surface, and side surfaces that surround the space between the first surface and the second surface; a vibration element disposed on the first surface; a microphone which acquires sound generated by the vibration of an external object by the vibration element; a printed circuit board disposed inside the housing; a processor disposed on the printed circuit board; and a communication circuit which is electrically connected to the processor, and receives a first audio signal from an external electronic device, wherein the processor, when the vibration element is attached to an external object, generates a second audio signal such that the vibration element vibrates the external object, causes the microphone to acquire a third audio signal generated by the vibration of the external object, corrects the first audio signal on the basis of the deviation b
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Oanjin Kim
  • Patent number: 11879906
    Abstract: A modified version of a MEMS self-test procedure is presented that can be used to detect the amplitude and frequency of an external vibration from an ambient environment. The method implements processing circuitry that correlates an output sense signal, s(t), with a plurality of periodic signal portions and a plurality of shifted periodic signal portions to generate a plurality of correlation values. A frequency associated with the external vibration is determined based on the plurality of correlation values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventor: Aurelio Pellegrini
  • Patent number: 11802772
    Abstract: An error estimation device includes an error prediction unit and a determination unit. The error prediction unit is configured to predict a bias error occurring in an inertial sensor mounted in a vehicle. The determination unit is configured to determine whether the bias error needs to be repredicted by the error prediction unit based on a reflection distance image acquired by an optical sensor in a rolling shutter mode and an outside light image acquired by an external camera in a global shutter mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryusuke Ohata, Kiyoto Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11774246
    Abstract: A method comprising: digitally processing orientation measurements provided by each of first and second inertial measurement units, the first and second units being arranged on first and second body members of a person, respectively, according to a predetermined unit arrangement, and the first and second body members being connected by a joint; the measurements are digitally processed such that the computing device at least: computes a length vector of a segment of the first body member based on a first orientation measurement of the first unit; defines a joint axis plane of the joint based on a second orientation measurement of the second unit; and computes a heading rotation value for making the first orientation measurement to be contained within the joint axis plane defined; and the method further comprising digitally modifying the first orientation measurement or the second orientation measurement by applying a rotation at least based on the heading rotation value computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SWORD HEALTH, S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Henrique Oliveira Santos, Luís Ungaro Pinto Coelho, Marta Maria Ramalho Ferreira, Ana Clara Ferreira Matos, Pablo Peñas, Virgílio António Ferro Bento
  • Patent number: 11726108
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a signal conditioning system for improving low-frequency measurement performance of an acceleration sensor. The signal conditioning system includes: a charge integration circuit, a high-pass filter circuit, a lead-lag network, an anti-aliasing filter circuit, and a gain adjustment circuit. An input terminal of the charge integration circuit is connected to the acceleration sensor, an output terminal of the charge integration circuit is connected to an input terminal of the high-pass filter circuit, an output terminal of the high-pass filter circuit is connected to an input terminal of the lead-lag network, an output terminal of the lead-lag network is connected to an input terminal of the anti-aliasing filter circuit, and an output terminal of the anti-aliasing filter circuit is connected to an input terminal of the gain adjustment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Shanghai University
    Inventors: Huayan Pu, Peng Jiang, Jiheng Ding, Yi Sun, Min Wang, Yan Peng, Jun Luo, Shaorong Xie
  • Patent number: 11680798
    Abstract: A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope may include a suspended spring-mass system, and processing circuitry configured to receive a drive sense signal and a proof mass sense signal generated by the spring-mass system. The processing circuitry may be configured to derive a drive velocity in-phase signal from a drive displacement in-phase signal and to derive a drive velocity quadrature signal from a drive displacement quadrature signal. A compensated in-phase signal and a compensated quadrature signal may be determined based upon at least the drive displacement in-phase signal, the drive displacement quadrature signal, the drive velocity in-phase signal, the drive velocity quadrature signal, the sense displacement in-phase signal, and the sense displacement quadrature signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventor: Vito Avantaggiati
  • Patent number: 11635285
    Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring device, in particular for dielectric or metallic target objects, said device comprising a sensor with a resonance chamber and a resonance structure. The resonance structure has an element consisting of a dielectric material which has a narrowing at the edge, the resonance frequency of the resonance chamber being dependent on the distance between the element and a target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: CRUISE MUNICH GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Trummer
  • Patent number: 11621900
    Abstract: In various embodiments, an IoT device may provide selective reporting of collected data measurements. The IoT device may report the data via a network connection to an aggregator device. The IoT device may detect when the network connection has been interrupted, during which messages containing measurements may be cached. Later, when the network connection has been restored, the IoT device may “replay” the cached messages. The IoT device may selectively report cached messages based on an entropy analysis which may detect which measurements exhibit a higher entropy. The entropy analysis may determine which measurements show a higher rate of change or which have a value outside of a set of thresholds. The IoT device may select measurements based on a history of measurements obtained by the IoT device. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Nolan, Mark Kelly, Michael Nolan, John Brady
  • Patent number: 11614329
    Abstract: A method of monitoring at least first and second inertial measurement units, the first inertial measurement unit and the second inertial measurement unit being connected to the same electronic processor circuit and being arranged to determine both a specific force vector in an accelerometer measurement reference frame and also rotation data concerning turning of the accelerometer measurement reference frame relative to an inertial reference frame; the electronic processor circuit performs the steps of projecting the specific force vectors into an inertial reference frame by using the rotation data; comparing the two specific force vectors as projected into said reference frame with each other in order to determine a difference between them; and monitoring variation in this difference over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE
    Inventors: Philippe Elie, Etienne Brunstein, Fabrice Delhaye
  • Patent number: 11573245
    Abstract: A sensor may be automatically calibrated during manufacture by providing a sensor processing unit having an integrated sensor, performing a check to determine if the integrated sensor has been previously calibrated upon a reset. When it has been determined the integrated sensor has not been previously calibrated, an automated calibration pattern may be imparted to the sensor so that a calibration parameter is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventors: Joe Youssef, Karthik Katingari, Sebastian Riccardi, Hemabh Shekhar
  • Patent number: 11493532
    Abstract: A method produces a micromechanical sensor element having a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein electrode wall surfaces of the first and the second electrodes are situated opposite one another in a first direction and form a capacitance, wherein one of the first electrode or the second electrode is movable in a second direction, in response to a variable to be detected, and a second one of the first electrode and the second electrode is fixed. The method includes producing a cavity in a semiconductor substrate, the cavity being closed by a doped semiconductor layer; producing the first and the second electrodes in the semiconductor layer, including modifying the electrode wall surface of the first electrode in order to have a smaller extent in the second direction than the electrode wall surface of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Erhard Landgraf, Stephan Gerhard Albert, Steffen Bieselt, Sebastian Pregl, Matthias Rose
  • Patent number: 11493534
    Abstract: A self-calibration method for an accelerometer having a proof mass separated by a gap from a drive electrode and a sense electrode includes initializing the accelerometer to resonate, applying a first bias voltage to the sense electrode and a second bias voltage to the drive electrode to obtain a first scale factor, measuring a first acceleration over a first time interval, swapping the first bias voltage on the sense electrode with the second bias voltage previously on the drive electrode and the second bias voltage on the drive electrode with the first bias voltage previously on the sense electrode so that a bias voltage on the sense electrode is set to the second bias voltage and a bias voltage on the drive electrode is set to the second bias voltage to obtain a second scale factor, measuring a second acceleration over a second time interval, and calculating a true acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Logan D. Sorenson, Lian X. Huang, Matthew J. Pelliccione, Raviv Perahia, Hung Nguyen, David T. Chang
  • Patent number: 11453362
    Abstract: This detection device is a device for detecting the movement of a human body. The detection device has: a substrate having flexibility; an electric element provided on the substrate and having an electrical characteristic that changes with the movement of the human body; and a semiconductor element that is provided on the substrate, detects a change in the electrical characteristic of the electric element, and outputs a detection value corresponding to the detected result. The substrate is a flexible substrate or a fabric member including conductive fibers, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: POSH WELLNESS LABORATORY, INC.
    Inventor: Satoru Nebuya
  • Patent number: 11401160
    Abstract: The invention discloses a MEMS sensor detection device and a MEMS sensor system, wherein the MEMS sensor detection device comprises: a readout circuit used for analog signal processing of the output signal of the MEMS sensor to generate detection voltage; a cancellation voltage generation circuit used for generating a gravity cancellation voltage according to the detection voltage, wherein the gravity cancellation voltage and the gravity acceleration are in a positive proportional relationship; a selection circuit used for selecting the detection voltage output in a feedback phase and selecting the gravity cancellation voltage output in a gravity cancellation phase, wherein in one detection period, the feedback phase is located after the gravity cancellation phase; and a feedback circuit used for generating a feedback voltage according to the output voltage of the selection circuit, wherein the feedback voltage is in a positive proportional relationship with the output voltage of the selection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Zongwei Li, Kedu Han, Jing Liu, Fangfang Feng, Changchun Yang
  • Patent number: 11320305
    Abstract: A self-diagnosis method for a vibration sensor attached to vibrating equipment includes measuring vibration data of the vibrating equipment by the vibration sensor, integrating the vibration data, and diagnosing whether or not the vibration sensor is abnormal by comparing an integrated value of the vibration data with a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Naiki
  • Patent number: 11287442
    Abstract: An in-situ test calibration system and method are disclosed where a perpetual out-of-band electrostatic force induced excitation is used to dither the proof-mass of a MEMS based accelerometer where the amount of deflection change is proportional to sensitivity changes. The supplier of the accelerometer would exercise the accelerometer in a calibration station to determine initial sensitivity values. After the calibration and before removing the accelerometer from the calibration station, the supplier would start the dither and calibrate the acceleration equivalent force (FG) to drive voltage transfer function (FG/V). After installation of the accelerometer into a system or sometime later in the field, any changes in the FG/V transfer function due to changes in the sensitivity are observable and can be used for re-calibrating the accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley S. Smith, Christopher C. Painter, See-Ho Tsang
  • Patent number: 11268975
    Abstract: A MEMS accelerometer includes at least one proof mass and two or more drive electrodes associated with each proof mass. Self-test signals are applied to the drive electrodes. The self-test signals have a signal pattern that includes different duty cycles being applied to the drive electrodes simultaneously, which in turn imparts an electrostatic force on the proof mass. The response of the proof mass to the electrostatic force is measured to determine a sensitivity of the MEMS accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Michele Folz, Giacomo Laghi
  • Patent number: 11268998
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided, comprising: a plurality of terminals for coupling the apparatus to a sensing bridge; a switching circuitry that is coupled to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and a processing circuitry that is configured to: cause the switching circuitry to couple the plurality of terminals to a voltage source, a ground source, and the processing circuitry in accordance with a first connection profile; detect a failure of the sensing bridge or a connection between the sensing bridge and any of the plurality of terminals; select a second connection profile based on a type of the failure; and cause the switching circuitry to couple the plurality of terminals to the voltage source, the ground source, and the processing circuitry in accordance with the second connection profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Cedric Gillet, Andrea Foletto, Christophe Lutz, Andreas P. Friedrich
  • Patent number: 11186479
    Abstract: An exemplary microelectromechanical device includes a MEMS layer, portions of which respond to an external force in order to measure the external force. A substrate layer is located below the MEMS layer and an anchor couples the substrate layer and MEMS layer to each other. A plurality of temperature sensors are located within the substrate layer to identify a temperature gradient being experienced by the MEMS device. Compensation is performed or operations of the MEMS device are modified based on temperature gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: David deKoninck, Varun Subramaniam Kumar, Matthew Julian Thompson, Vadim Tsinker, Logeeswaran Veerayah Jayaraman, Sarah Nitzan, Houri Johari-Galle, Jongwoo Shin, Le Jin
  • Patent number: 11181441
    Abstract: A sensor system that detects a vibration of a rotating part with a high accuracy even in a case in which a sensor is additionally attached is provided. The invention is directed to a sensor system includes a board that is installed in a rotating part of a cut processing machine; a plurality of acceleration sensors mounted on the board, and a signal processing unit (arithmetic operation). The signal processing unit detects a translational acceleration accompanying moving of the rotating part and a centrifugal acceleration accompanying rotation of the rotating part on the basis of acceleration data detected by each of the acceleration sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Watanabe, Hiroaki Hasegawa, Hisanori Matsumoto, Daisuke Ryuzaki
  • Patent number: 11162824
    Abstract: A biosensor screening system and method is disclosed that assesses functional integrity/capacity of biosensor samples and identifies the biosensor samples that may potentially cause failure such as shutdown of biosensor during normal use. Features of the disclosed biosensor screening system and method may include connecting to a biosensor to a biosensor screening test apparatus, conducting a biosensor screening test using the biosensor screening apparatus on the biosensor connected to the biosensor screening test apparatus, collecting data attributes from the biosensor after completing the biosensor test, scaling the collected data attributes, and obtaining a screening test score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Vital Connect, Inc.
    Inventors: Nandakumar Selvaraj, Anuj Sareen, Zachary Bernal, Ashwin Upadhya
  • Patent number: 11150264
    Abstract: An optomechanical device comprising an assembly, one or more laser devices configured to generate a first optical signal and a second optical signal, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to modulate the second optical signal and output the first optical signal and the second optical signal to the assembly. A first element of a first beam structure shifts the first spatial frequency of the assembly by approximately 180 degrees and a second element of a second beam structure shifts the second spatial frequency of the assembly by approximately 180 degrees such that a first optical resonance is generated, which is probed by the first optical signal interacting with the assembly, and a second optical resonance is generated, which is probed by the second optical signal interacting with the assembly, where the first optical resonance and the second optical resonance are spectrally separated by a minimum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Krueger, Joshua Dorr, Steven Tin, Chad Fertig, Arthur Savchenko
  • Patent number: 11125579
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ronald Joseph Lipka, Diego Emilio Serrano
  • Patent number: 11119116
    Abstract: This disclosure is related to devices, systems, and techniques for determining, using an electro-opto-mechanical accelerometer system, a frequency value in order to determine an acceleration value. For example, an accelerometer system includes a light-emitting device configured to emit an optical signal and a circuit. The circuit is configured to modulate, using a modulating device, the optical signal to produce a modulated optical signal, receive, using a photoreceiver, the modulated optical signal, convert, using the photoreceiver, the modulated optical signal into an electrical signal, process the electrical signal to obtain a processed electrical signal, and transmit the processed electrical signal to the modulating device, where the modulating device is configured to modulate the optical signal based on the processed electrical signal. Additionally, the circuit is configured to determine, based on the processed electrical signal, a frequency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Fertig, Arthur Savchenko, Joshua Dorr, Neil Krueger, Steven Tin
  • Patent number: 11073531
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEMS) accelerometer has a proof mass and a fixed electrode. The fixed electrode is located relative to the proof mass such that a capacitance formed by the fixed electrode and the proof mass changes in response to a linear acceleration along a sense axis of the accelerometer. The MEMS accelerometer is exposed to heat sources that produce a z-axis thermal gradient in MEMS accelerometer and an in-plane thermal gradient in the X-Y plane of the MEMS accelerometer. The z-axis thermal gradient is sensed with a plurality of thermistors located relative to anchoring regions of a CMOS layer of the MEMS accelerometer. The configuration of the thermistors within the CMOS layer measures the z-axis thermal gradient while rejecting other lateral thermal gradients. Compensation is performed at the accelerometer based on the z-axis thermal gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: David deKoninck, Varun Subramaniam Kumar, Matthew Julian Thompson, Vadim Tsinker, Logeeswaran Veerayah Jayaraman, Sarah Nitzan, Houri Johari-Galle, Jongwoo Shin, Le Jin
  • Patent number: 10879908
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for estimating the g-sensitivity of a quartz oscillator, which includes rotating the quartz oscillator successively around each of a plurality of axes constituting a full-rank system, measuring a frequency of the quartz oscillator at a predetermined rate as a function of time during rotation, and estimating an integral g-sensitivity vector while the quartz oscillator is rotated. Estimation can be performed utilizing a data fitting and estimation model, e.g., a Least Square Method (LSM) in one example, using the frequency measurements obtained while the quartz oscillator is in rotation around the axes. The method and system are especially useful for measuring g-sensitivity of quartz oscillators that are incorporated in high-precision systems, such as navigation receivers, which operate in environments that are subjected to vibrational effects and other mechanical forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Isaakovich Zhodzishsky, Vladimir Victorovich Beloglazov, Danila Svyatoslavovich Milyutin, Roman Valerievich Kurynin, Vadim Borisovish Kuzmitchev, Sergey Viktorovich Rogachkov
  • Patent number: 10866261
    Abstract: An accelerometer sensor having electrodes forming capacitors of capacitance that vary as a function of distances between the electrodes, a control unit being arranged to perform an operation of measuring the capacitances and a control operation that comprises selectively: a fine control stage in which a first voltage is applied between one of the stationary electrodes and the movable electrode, while the other stationary electrode is at the same potential as the movable electrode; and an extended control stage in which a second voltage is applied between one of the stationary electrodes and the movable electrode, the other stationary electrode being at the same potential as the movable electrode, and the second voltage being greater in absolute value than the first voltage. A method using such a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE
    Inventors: Vincent Ragot, Damien Carre, Philippe Ullah, Alain Bouteilloux, Nicolas Bigourie
  • Patent number: 10782131
    Abstract: A quadrature ADC feedback compensation system and method for MEMS gyroscope is disclosed. In an embodiment, a MEMS gyroscope comprises an analog processing chain including a drive circuit for generating an analog drive signal and a sense circuit that is configured to generate an analog rate signal and an analog quadrature signal in response to a change in capacitance output by the MEMS gyroscope. A compensation circuit coupled to the sense circuit is configured to null the analog quadrature signal using the analog drive signal and a compensation value, and to adaptively compensate, in a digital processing chain, a quadrature-induced rate offset of a digital rate signal over temperature using a digital quadrature signal, the compensation value and temperature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory B. Arndt, Christopher C. Painter
  • Patent number: 10717436
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an area ahead of a vehicle, the vehicle including a first sensor oriented in the direction of the area and a second sensor oriented in the direction of the area, the second sensor having a greater vertical detection angle than the first sensor, in a step of associating, an item of distance information detected by the first sensor is associated with an object detected by the second sensor in the area. In a step of tracking, a position of the object is tracked while using the second sensor when the object leaves the detection angle of the first sensor due to a pitch angle of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Ludwig Foltin
  • Patent number: 10677812
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating temperature compensated acceleration data in analog and digital format from a torque balance accelerometer (TBA). During manufacture of the TBA, a calibration process is used for measuring a TBA scale factor and offset. After collecting scale and offset data, said data is loaded into the memory of the TBA. Field operation of the device includes: sensing a current temperature, retrieving the closest scale and offset correction factors from memory of the TBA, and performing linear interpolation to generate a temperature-compensated output for the TBA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Physics Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William Goodman
  • Patent number: 10611303
    Abstract: A portable device communicates with a vehicle, and the portable device includes: a motion sensor; a control unit configured to determine whether or not abnormality has occurred in the motion sensor, based on an output from the motion sensor; and an output unit configured to perform an output representing abnormality in the motion sensor, when the control unit determines that abnormality has occurred in the motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Funayama, Shigeki Nishiyama, Toru Yoshihara, Masashi Komeya
  • Patent number: 10611545
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided and include a modem control unit that is configured to receive a force signal from a force sensor representing an amount of impact force applied to a container. The modem is configured to determine based on the force signal, a bias value, a shock intensity of the force signal, and a shock severity of the force signal in response to a determination that the shock intensity is greater than a shock intensity threshold. The modem control unit is configured to determine an average shock severity based on a plurality of shock severity values and an absolute value indicator based on the bias value and the shock severity value, an average absolute value indicator based on the average shock severity and the bias value, and a presence of excessive mechanical shock based on the average absolute value indicator and based on the absolute value indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologie—Transportation Solutions ApS
    Inventors: Jens Henrik Agersbæk, Shekib Habbassy, Lissa Rose D'Arcy, Richard Ulfarsson, Flemming Steffensen
  • Patent number: 10578642
    Abstract: A device for testing an inertial sensor for a vehicle, which includes at least two attachment points, having at least one first oscillation body to which the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened, and having at least one first excitation module assigned to the first oscillation body for accelerating the first oscillation body in at least one direction. At least one second oscillation body is spaced apart from the first oscillation body, to which at least one second excitation module is assigned for accelerating the second oscillation body, and that the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened with a first attachment point to the first oscillation body and with a second attachment point to the second oscillation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH, SPEKTRA SCHWINGUNSTECHNIK UND AKUSTIK GMBH
    Inventors: Herbert Oechsner, Martin Brucke, Matthias Woog, Michael Baus, Rainer Schreiber
  • Patent number: 10531213
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system comprising: a MEMS capacitive transducer comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; integrator circuitry; and test circuitry. The MEMS capacitive transducer forms part of a negative feedback path of the integrator circuitry, and the test circuitry is operable to selectively apply one or more current sources to an input of the integrator circuitry based on a signal at an output of the integrator so as to generate a periodic signal at the output of the integrator circuitry. A frequency of the periodic signal is at least partially dependent upon a capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer. The system is further operative to determine a parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal and to estimate the capacitance of the MEMS capacitive transducer based on the parameter indicative of the frequency of the periodic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Wilson
  • Patent number: 10520313
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising at least one mass element, a drive actuator and sense electrodes. The at least one mass element is configured to be driven by the drive actuator into oscillating movement with a drive oscillation frequency ?D, and the sense electrodes are configured to produce a sense signal from the oscillating movement of the at least one mass element. The gyroscope control circuit comprises an amplitude detection unit which detects a sense signal amplitude at the frequency 2?D. This amplitude yields a measure of drive oscillation amplitude. Amplitude detection at the frequency ?D yields a measure of angular rotation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimmo Törmälehto
  • Patent number: 10495664
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method for dynamic self-calibration of an accelerometer system. The method includes forcing a proof-mass associated with a sensor of the accelerometer system in a first direction to a first predetermined position and obtaining a first measurement associated with the sensor in the first predetermined position via at least one force/detection element of the sensor. The method also includes forcing the proof-mass to a second predetermined position and obtaining a second measurement associated with the sensor in the second predetermined position via the at least one force/detection element of the sensor. The method further includes calibrating the accelerometer system based on the first and second measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert E. Stewart, Michael D. Bulatowicz
  • Patent number: 10465661
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring the vibrational state of a wind turbine comprising detecting a plurality of acceleration values that represent accelerations which a component of the wind turbine is subject to at different respective points in time within a specified time interval, storing the acceleration values in an acceleration data set; generating a sum frequency distribution on the basis of the acceleration data set, comparing a first sum frequency value of the sum frequency distribution with a second sum frequency value of a threshold sum frequency distribution for at least one acceleration value, and outputting a warning signal if the second sum frequency value is greater than the first sum frequency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: INNOGY SE
    Inventors: Jan-Bernd Franke, Sebastian Kulse
  • Patent number: 10436671
    Abstract: A shock-resistance testing apparatus includes a support base, a first rotating component and a controller provided on the support base. A second rotating component is coupled to one side of the first rotating component. A testing board is placed on the first rotating component. A falling board is placed on the testing board. The controller controls the first rotating component to drive the second rotating component rotating from one side of the testing board to another side of the testing board. The controller controls the second rotating component to lift the testing board. The controller controls the second rotating component to move away from the testing board so that the testing board falls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kang-Xian Yang, Ke-Rui Zeng, Kun-Jia Hsieh, I-Cheng Huang, Wen-Hsien Huang
  • Patent number: 10274510
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device including a MEMS sensor configured to generate a first differential capacitance representing a change in capacitance from a first original sensing capacitance value and a second differential capacitance representing a change in capacitance from a second original sensing capacitance value, with the first and second original sensing capacitance values being mismatched. A compensation circuit is configured to generate outputs for compensating the first and second differential capacitances for the mismatch. A capacitance to voltage converter receives the first and second differential capacitances and the outputs of the compensation circuit as input and generates an output voltage as a function thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Milad Alwardi, Deyou Fang
  • Patent number: 10241128
    Abstract: A closed loop method of controlling a capacitive accelerometer uses two servo loops. A Vcrit servo loop uses an output signal (S2) modulated by a sine wave signal (S1). The Vcrit control signal adjusts the magnitude of the PWM drive signals applied to the fixed capacitor electrodes of the accelerometer, thereby optimising open loop gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Alan Richard Malvern, Kiran Harish
  • Patent number: 10240991
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus comprising at least one sensing capacitor and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensing capacitor indicative of a change of charge of the sensing capacitor, and wherein the controller is configured to determine an amount of force applied to the sensing capacitor, an acceleration of the sensing capacitor, a torsion of the sensing capacitor, a vibration of the sensing capacitor or a pulling force applied to the sensing capacitor based on the change of charge of the at least one sensing capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Kai Gossner
  • Patent number: 10228414
    Abstract: Sensor devices and methods are provided where a test signal is applied to a capacitive sensor. Furthermore, a bias voltage is applied to the capacitive sensor via a high impedance component. A path for applying the test signal excludes the high impedance component. Using this testing signal, in some implementations a capacity imbalance of the capacitive sensor may be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Cesare Buffa, Richard Gaggl
  • Patent number: 10119834
    Abstract: A suspended spring-mass system is suspended from a plurality of the anchoring points. A source voltage is provided from one of anchoring points to the suspended spring-mass system. The other anchoring points have measurement nodes which measure the voltage at those anchoring points. If a voltage other than the source voltage is received at one of the measurement nodes, an error is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adolfo Giambastiani, Jaakko Ruohio
  • Patent number: 10073136
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide an integrated circuit having a magnetic sensing element having differential first and second outputs and an input, the input to receive current and first and second switches coupled to a respective one of the differential first and second outputs. A first voltage source is coupled between the first and second switches, the first and second switches having a first state in which the first voltage source is coupled across the differential first and second outputs, and an IC output can output a voltage corresponding to the first voltage source when the first and second switches are in the first state for monitoring operation of a signal path from the magnetic sensing element to the IC output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Shaun D. Milano, Georges El Bacha, Michael C. Doogue, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10054607
    Abstract: A portable device such as a key fob includes a piezoelectric component, such as a vibrator or buzzer, and an accelerometer. Self-testing of the piezoelectric component in the portable device may be achieved by applying a test electrical signal to the piezoelectric component and determining whether a vibration is detected by the accelerometer. If a vibration is detected by the accelerometer, then a determination is made as to whether the vibration detected by the accelerometer matches the test electric signal applied to the piezoelectric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Martin Unsal, Kenneth Louis Herman, Shao-Po Ma
  • Patent number: 10054442
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing a navigation solution of a device within a platform (such as for example person, vehicle or vessel), wherein the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the device can be tilted to any orientation including vertical or near vertical orientations, while still providing a seamless navigation solution. This method can enhance navigation solutions utilizing measurements from sensors (such as, for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, etc.), whether in the presence or in the absence of absolute navigational information (such as, for example, GNSS or WiFi positioning).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacques Georgy, Zainab Syed
  • Patent number: 10008659
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor includes a substrate, a first electrode on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Wan Park, Jung Hwan Bang, Sin Ae Jang, Jong Seon Jeong, Dong Keun Lee, Kyoung Jong Yoo
  • Patent number: 10003348
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using an amplifier-based noise shaping circuit. The amplifier-based noise shaping circuit generates a noise shaping signal. A comparator of the ADC has a first input terminal coupled to an output terminal of a capacitive data acquisition converter that captures an analog input, a second input terminal receiving the noise shaping signal, and an output terminal for observation of the digital representation of the analog input. The amplifier-based noise shaping circuit uses an amplifier to amplify a residual voltage obtained from the capacitive data acquisition converter and provides a switched capacitor network between the amplifier and the comparator for sampling the amplified residual voltage and generating the noise shaping signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Chun-Cheng Liu