Patents Assigned to VTI Technologies Oy
  • Patent number: 8922098
    Abstract: A device (100) harvests energy from vibration and/or strain and utilizes both capacitive (102a, 102b) and piezoelectric elements (105). The principle of operation is out-of-plane capacitive harvester, where the bias voltage for the capacitive element is generated with a piezoelectric element (105). The device utilizes a thin dielectric film (104) between the capacitor plates (102a, 102b) maximizing the harvested energy and enabling the harvester operation in semi-contact mode so that short circuits are prevented. For example when utilized in a wheel or the like, the capacitor is closed and opened at every strike or every turn of a wheel being thus independent of the harvester's mechanical resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: VTI Technologies Oy, Toyota Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Anna-Maija Karkkainen, Jukka Kyynarainen, Leif Roschier, Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 8794047
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the precise measuring operation of a micromechanical rotation rate sensor, including at least one deflectively suspended seismic mass, at least one drive device for driving the seismic mass, and at least one first and one second trimming electrode element, which are jointly assigned directly or indirectly to the seismic mass, a first electrical trimming voltage (UTO1, UTLO1, UTRO1) being set between the first trimming electrode element and the seismic mass, and a second electrical trimming voltage (UTO2, UTLO2, UTRO2) being set between the second trimming electrode element and the seismic mass, the first and the second electrical trimming voltages being set at least as a function of a quadrature parameter (UT) and a resonance parameter (Uf).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignees: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG, VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Stefan Günthner, Roland Hilser, Ramnath Sivaraman, Bernhard Schmid, Petri Klemetti
  • Publication number: 20120326565
    Abstract: The invention embodies a harvester (12) to convert energy from mechanical domain to electrical domain. The harvester comprises at least one inertial body (6), at least one beam (7, 9), a support (8) to said at least one beam (7, 9) and transducer means (10, 16), wherein said at least one beam (7, 9) configures the inertial body (6) into a pendulum structure being suspended from said support (8) so that the beam (7, 9) is allowed to bend according to the kinetic state changes of the inertial body (6), and is configured to interact with at least one transducer means (10) that is/are configured to produce change in the electrical state of said transducer means (10, 16) responsively to the kinetic state of the beam (7, 9). The invention also shows harvester module, matrix and a harvester system comprising at least one embodied harvester. The invention also shows a tire and a foot wear that comprises at least one harvester embodied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Heikki Kuisma, Katsutoshi Narita
  • Publication number: 20120235905
    Abstract: The invention shows a method to control a pointing device with an angular, rate sensor, that comprises generating an ensemble of orthogonal unit vector associated signals by at least one angular rate sensor to represent angular rates in a dimensional space for each mutually orthogonal unit vector direction of said dimensional space, amplifying the at least one of said signal non-linearly for determination of cursor on a screen for (x,y) coordinates of the screen, applying a decision criterion to determine the state of the pointing device as based on said unit vector associated signals. The invention also shows a pointer utilising the method and a system comprising such a pointer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Ulf MERIHEINÜ, Ossi KAUPPINEN, Pekka KOSTIAINEN, Sten STOCKMANN, Anssi BLOMQVIST
  • Publication number: 20120222483
    Abstract: The invention presents a spring structure (501), which has at least two masses (Ma, Mb) coupled in a first direction as opposite phase oscillators by means of springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to them (Ma, Mb), via a loop (L, E) between said springs (Sh1, Sh2) connected to their coupling points, wherein oblique springs (Sl45, Sr45) are connected from said coupling points of the loop (L) to the anchors (A) of the base such that the longitudinal motion of the loop (L) is arranged to occur perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to said first direction, to thus attenuate opposite phase oscillation other than that of the masses (Ma, Mb). The invention also presents the use of a spring structure in a resonator and/or in a resonator array as well as in a sensor or a sensor comprising system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Anssi BLOMQVIST, Jaakko RUOHIO
  • Publication number: 20120206017
    Abstract: A device (100) harvests energy from vibration and/or strain and utilises both capacitive (102a, 102b) and piezo-electric elements (105). The principle of operation is out-of-plane capacitive harvester, where the bias voltage for the capacitive element is generated with a piezoelectric element (105). The device utilizes a thin dielectric film (104) between the capacitor plates (102a, 102b) maximizing the harvested energy and enabling the harvester operation in semi-contact mode so that short circuits are prevented. For example when utilised in a wheel or the like, the capacitor is closed and opened at every strike or every turn of a wheel being thus independent of the harvester's mechanical resonance frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Anna-Maija Karkkainen, Jukka Kyynarainen, Leif Roschier, Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 8229700
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and a device for measuring the progress of a moving person. The method calculating at least one of the following quantities describing the progress of the moving person: speed, step rate, step count, step length, distance and way of progress, based on values of a vertical acceleration of a body of the moving person measured by an acceleration sensor over a measured time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Ulf Meriheinä
  • Publication number: 20120119312
    Abstract: The invention relates to microelectromechanical components, like microelectromechanical gauges used in measuring e.g. acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity, or other physical quantities. The microelectromechanical component, according to the invention, comprises a microelectromechanical chip part, sealed by means of a cover part, and an electronic circuit part, suitably bonded to each other. The aim of the invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical component, and to provide a microelectromechanical component, which is applicable for use particularly in small microelectromechanical sensor solutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventor: Heikki KUISMA
  • Publication number: 20120118062
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the precise measuring operation of a micromechanical rotation rate sensor, including at least one deflectively suspended seismic mass, at least one drive device for driving the seismic mass, and at least one first and one second trimming electrode element, which are jointly assigned directly or indirectly to the seismic mass, a first electrical trimming voltage (UTO1, UTLO1, UTRO1) being set between the first trimming electrode element and the seismic mass, and a second electrical trimming voltage (UTO2, UTLO2, UTRO2) being set between the second trimming electrode element and the seismic mass, the first and the second electrical trimming voltages being set at least as a function of a quadrature parameter (UT) and a resonance parameter (Uf).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicants: VTI Technologies OY, Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Stefan Günthner, Roland Hilser, Ramnath Sivaraman, Bernhard Schmid, Petri Klemetti
  • Patent number: 8176779
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to measuring devices used in measuring angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micro-mechanical sensors of angular velocity. The sensor of angular velocity according to an embodiment of the invention is adapted to measure angular velocity in relation to two or three axes, and at the least two seismic masses (34-36, 52-53, 71-75) of the sensor of angular velocity are adapted to be activated into primary motion vibration by a common mode. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small size vibrating micro-mechanical sensors of angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Anssi Blomqvist
  • Publication number: 20120091854
    Abstract: The invention relates to design of micromechanical resonators and, more precisely, to the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators. The invention provides an improved design structure for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator including a movable mass structure and a spring structure. The spring structure includes a spring element. The spring element is anchored from one end and connected to a plurality of electrode fingers on another end. The plurality of electrode fingers are operatively connected together at the other end of the spring element. The improved structure is frequency robust to manufacturing variations and enables reliable frequency referencing with good performance, particularly in small size solutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventor: Ville KAAJAKARI
  • Publication number: 20120085167
    Abstract: The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in the measuring of angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micromechanical sensors of angular velocity. In a sensor of angular velocity according to the invention, a mass is supported to the frame of the sensor component by means of an asymmetrical spring structure (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24) in such a way, that the coupling from one mode of motion to another, conveyed by the spring (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24), cancels or alleviates the coupling caused by the non-ideality due to the skewness in the springs or in their support. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small vibrating micromechanical solutions for sensors of angular velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Petri KLEMETTI, Kaisa NERA, Antti LIPSANEN, Anssi BLOMQVIST, Altti TORKKELI
  • Publication number: 20120085168
    Abstract: The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in the measuring of angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micromechanical sensors of angular velocity. In a sensor of angular velocity according to the invention, a mass is supported to the frame of the sensor component by means of an asymmetrical spring structure (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24) in such a way, that the coupling from one mode of motion to another, conveyed by the spring (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24), cancels or alleviates the coupling caused by the non-ideality due to the skewness in the springs or in their support. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small vibrating micromechanical solutions for sensors of angular velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Petri KLEMETTI, Kaisa NERA, Antti LIPSANEN, Anssi BLOMQVIST, Altti TORKKELI
  • Patent number: 8124435
    Abstract: The invention relates to microelectromechanical components, like microelectromechanical gauges used in measuring e.g. acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity, or other physical quantities. The microelectromechanical component, according to the invention, comprises a microelectromechanical chip part, sealed by means of a cover part, and an electronic circuit part, suitably bonded to each other. The aim of the invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical component, and to provide a microelectromechanical component, which is applicable for use particularly in small microelectromechanical sensor solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 8104343
    Abstract: The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in the measuring of angular velocity and, more precisely, to vibrating micromechanical sensors of angular velocity. In a sensor of angular velocity according to the invention, a mass is supported to the frame of the sensor component by means of an asymmetrical spring structure (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24) in such a way, that the coupling from one mode of motion to another, conveyed by the spring (1), (2), (3), (4), (22), (24), cancels or alleviates the coupling caused by the non-ideality due to the skewness in the springs or in their support. The structure of the sensor of angular velocity according to the invention enables reliable measuring with good performance, particularly in small vibrating micromechanical solutions for sensors of angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Petri Klemetti, Kaisa Nera, Antti Lipsanen, Anssi Blomqvist, Altti Torkkeli
  • Patent number: 8102224
    Abstract: The invention relates to design of micromechanical resonators and, more precisely, to the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators. The invention provides an improved design structure for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator in which the width of the spring elements (3), (23-24), (27-30) is greater than the width of the electrode fingers (5-9), (25-26), (31-34), said widths specifically dimensioned so that the sensitivity of the resonant frequency change with respect to dimensional manufacturing variations d(??0/?0)/d? approaches zero. The improved structure is frequency robust to manufacturing variations and enables reliable frequency referencing with good performance, particularly in small size solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Ville Kaajakari
  • Publication number: 20110210800
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an improved structure for a microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonator. According to a first aspect of the invention, the resonator structure in accordance with the invention has a characteristic frequency of oscillation in combination with a given mechanical amplitude, whereby to set said mechanical amplitude, in the resonator structure, by way anchoring at an anchor point located at a given point of the resonator structure substrate, a first element is adapted oscillatory and a second element is adapted oscillatory in such a manner that at least one of said first element and of said second element are arranged to oscillate synchronously with regard to said anchor point, whereby the location of said anchor point is selected to be substantially within the joint projection defined by the dimensions of said first and said second element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventor: VILLE KAAJAKARI
  • Publication number: 20110184693
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and a device for measuring the progress of a moving person. The method calculating at least one of the following quantities describing the progress of the moving person: speed, step rate, step count, step length, distance and way of progress, based on values of a vertical acceleration of a body of the moving person measured by an acceleration sensor over a measured time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: VTI TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventor: Ulf MERIHEINÄ
  • Patent number: 7982291
    Abstract: The invention relates to microelectromechanical components, like microelectromechanical gauges used in measuring e.g. acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity, or other physical quantities. The microelectromechanical component, according to the invention, comprises a microelectromechanical chip part, sealed by means of a cover part, and an electronic circuit part, suitably bonded to each other. The aim of the invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical component, and to provide a microelectromechanical component, which is applicable for use particularly in small microelectromechanical sensor solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 7962309
    Abstract: The invention relates to measuring devices to be used in physical measuring, and more particularly, to a method and a device for measuring the progress of a moving person. In the solution according to the invention the quantities describing the progress of the moving person can be calculated based on vertical acceleration values of the body measured by means of an acceleration sensor, and on the measured time. The invention aims at providing a solution, better and simpler than prior solutions, for measuring the progress of a moving person, which solution is applicable for use in a multitude of measuring solutions for ways of locomotion of various types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: VTI Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Ulf Meriheinä