Patents by Inventor Axel Franke

Axel Franke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9829357
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical sensor module includes a sensing mechanism for measuring an acceleration, pressure, air humidity or the like, a control mechanism for controlling the sensing mechanism, an energy supply mechanism for supplying the sensor module with energy, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting signals of the sensing mechanism. At least three of the mechanisms are integrated at the chip level in at least one chip in each case. A corresponding method is implemented to produce the microelectromechanical sensor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Tjalf Pirk, Thomas Wagner, Ando Feyh, Georg Bischopink, Axel Franke
  • Patent number: 9791275
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a selected yaw rate sensor includes: determining a scaling function between a yaw rate sensitivity and a test signal sensitivity of a yaw rate sensor selected for carrying out a test and denoted as first sampling yaw rate sensor is determined in a first method step, the scaling function being determined from a measured first sample yaw rate sensitivity and from a measured first sample test signal sensitivity of the sampling yaw rate sensor; calculating a production yaw rate sensitivity for a yaw rate sensor denoted as production yaw rate sensor from a measured production test signal sensitivity of the production yaw rate sensor and the scaling function; and subsequently calibrating the production yaw rate sensor with the aid of the production yaw rate sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Axel Franke, Mirko Hattass
  • Publication number: 20170248629
    Abstract: A method for operating a micromechanical z-accelerometer. The method includes applying a test signal to an electrode in order to induce a defined displacement of a rocker of the z-accelerometer during operation of the z-accelerometer; detecting the displacement of the rocker and converting the displacement into an acceleration value; and evaluating the acquired acceleration value by determining a difference between the acquired acceleration value and an initial acceleration value acquired in a manufacturing process, a difference between the acquired acceleration value and the initial acceleration value being compared to a defined threshold value and assessed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Kay Hammer, Axel Franke, Sebastian Guenther
  • Patent number: 9689676
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 9593949
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 9593948
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Publication number: 20160109236
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 9266720
    Abstract: A component has at least one MEMS element and at least one cap made of a semiconductor material. The cap, in addition to its mechanical function as a terminus of a cavity and protection of the micromechanical structure, is provided with an electrical functionality. The micromechanical structure of the MEMS element of the component is situated in a cavity between a carrier and the cap, and includes at least one structural element which is deflectable out of the component plane within the cavity. The cap includes at least one section extending over the entire thickness of the cap, which is electrically insulated from the adjoining semiconductor material in such a way that it may be electrically contacted independently from the remaining sections of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Axel Franke, Jens Frey, Heribert Weber, Frank Fischer, Patrick Wellner, Mirko Hattass, Daniel Christoph Meisel
  • Patent number: 9261363
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor includes a drive mass element which is situated above a surface of a substrate and is drivable to vibrate by a drive device along a first axis extending along the surface, having a detection mass element, which is deflectable under the influence of a Coriolis force along a second axis perpendicular to the surface, and having a detection device by which the deflection of the detection mass element along the second axis is detectable. Due to the arrangement of the second axis perpendicular to the surface, the yaw rate sensor may be integrated into a chip together with additional yaw rate sensors suitable for detection of rotations about axes of rotation in other directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Axel Franke, Marco Quander, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Publication number: 20150276408
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 9086302
    Abstract: A measuring element for recording a deflection includes a region which is situated on a semi-conductor substrate and an electrode for influencing a conductivity of the region, the electrode being mounted deflectably in relation to the region, in such a way that an overlap region is formed between the electrode and the region, the overlap region having a dimension that is variable with a deflection of the electrode. A change in the output signal of the measuring element is a function of the conductivity of the region and is controllable by a change in the dimension of the overlap region, the change in the dimension of the overlap region having a non-linear relationship with the deflection of the electrode so that a change in the output signal of the measuring element has a non-linear relationship with the deflection of the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Axel Franke
  • Patent number: 9081027
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, where the movable substructures are excitable into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, where deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force are detectable, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 9040336
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a cap, for a hybrid vertically integrated component having a MEMS component a relatively large cavern volume having a low cavern internal pressure, and a reliable overload protection for the micromechanical structure of the MEMS component. A cap structure is produced in a flat cap substrate in a multistep anisotropic etching, and includes at least one mounting frame having at least one mounting surface and a stop structure, on the cap inner side, having at least one stop surface, the surface of the cap substrate being masked for the multistep anisotropic etching with at least two masking layers made of different materials, and the layouts of the masking layers and the number and duration of the etching steps being selected so that the mounting surface, the stop surface, and the cap inner side are situated at different surface levels of the cap structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Axel Franke, Jens Frey, Heribert Weber, Frank Fischer, Patrick Wellner
  • Patent number: 8993356
    Abstract: A method for constructing an electrical circuit that includes at least one semiconductor chip encapsulated with a potting compound is disclosed. The method includes applying a galvanic layer arrangement for forming an electrochemical element on an element of the electrical circuit including the at least one semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Tjalf Pirk, Juergen Butz, Axel Franke, Frieder Haag, Heribert Weber, Arnim Hoechst, Sonja Knies
  • Publication number: 20140326070
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 8833135
    Abstract: A sensor system having a substrate and a mass which is movably suspended relative to the substrate is described, the sensor system including detection arrangement for detecting a deflection of the seismic mass relative to the substrate along a deflection direction, the detection arrangement including a first measuring electrode affixed to the substrate and a second measuring electrode affixed to the substrate, and a first overlap, which is perpendicular to the deflection direction, between the first measuring electrode and the seismic mass along the deflection direction is greater than a second overlap, which is perpendicular to the deflection direction, between the second measuring electrode and the seismic mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Franke, Mirko Hattass, Alexander Buhmann, Marian Keck
  • Patent number: 8826735
    Abstract: A device is provided for resonantly driving a micromechanical system, which includes at least one seismic mass supported by spring vibrations, at least one drive for driving the vibration of the seismic mass and at least one element that is motionally coupled to the seismic mass. Furthermore, the device includes at least one detection element for detecting a relational parameter, that changes with the vibration of the seismic mass, between the motionally coupled element and the detection element, the detection element being equipped to cause an interruption of the vibration drive when a predetermined value of the relational parameter is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Franke, Frank Freund, Daniel Christoph Meisel
  • Patent number: 8796791
    Abstract: Measures are proposed by which the design freedom is significantly increased in the case of the implementation of the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element of a component, which includes a carrier for the MEMS element and a cap for the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element, the MEMS element being mounted on the carrier via a standoff structure. The MEMS element is implemented in a layered structure, and the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element extends over at least two functional layers of this layered structure, which are separated from one another by at least one intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Franke, Patrick Wellner, Lars Tebje
  • Publication number: 20140116108
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a selected yaw rate sensor includes: determining a scaling function between a yaw rate sensitivity and a test signal sensitivity of a yaw rate sensor selected for carrying out a test and denoted as first sampling yaw rate sensor is determined in a first method step, the scaling function being determined from a measured first sample yaw rate sensitivity and from a measured first sample test signal sensitivity of the sampling yaw rate sensor; calculating a production yaw rate sensitivity for a yaw rate sensor denoted as production yaw rate sensor from a measured production test signal sensitivity of the production yaw rate sensor and the scaling function; and subsequently calibrating the production yaw rate sensor with the aid of the production yaw rate sensitivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Axel FRANKE, Mirko HATTASS
  • Publication number: 20140117475
    Abstract: A component has at least one MEMS element and at least one cap made of a semiconductor material. The cap, in addition to its mechanical function as a terminus of a cavity and protection of the micromechanical structure, is provided with an electrical functionality. The micromechanical structure of the MEMS element of the component is situated in a cavity between a carrier and the cap, and includes at least one structural element which is deflectable out of the component plane within the cavity. The cap includes at least one section extending over the entire thickness of the cap, which is electrically insulated from the adjoining semiconductor material in such a way that it may be electrically contacted independently from the remaining sections of the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Axel FRANKE, Jens FREY, Heribert WEBER, Frank FISCHER, Patrick WELLNER, Mirko HATTASS, Daniel Christoph MEISEL