Patents by Inventor Johannes Classen

Johannes Classen 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).

  • Publication number: 20110153251
    Abstract: A method for compensating for the quadrature of a micromechanical structure, the micromechanical structure having a substrate having a main extension plane, a seismic mass that is attached by spring elements to the substrate, and first and second compensation electrodes anchored to the substrate; in response to application of a first quadrature voltage between the first compensation electrode and the seismic mass, a first compensation force being produced on the seismic mass and, in response to application of a second quadrature voltage between the second compensation electrode and the seismic mass, a second compensation force being produced on the seismic mass and, in addition, the second quadrature voltage being adjusted as a function of the first quadrature voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Christoph Gauger
  • Publication number: 20110140692
    Abstract: A method for determining the sensitivity of a sensor provides the following steps: a) first and second deflection voltages are applied to first and second electrode systems of the sensor, respectively, and first and second electrostatic forces are exerted on an elastically suspended seismic mass of the sensor by the first and second electrode systems, respectively, and a restoring force is exerted on the mass as a result of the elasticity of the mass, and a force equilibrium is established among the first and second electrostatic forces and the restoring force, and the mass assumes a deflection position characteristic of the force equilibrium, and an output signal characteristic of the force equilibrium and of the deflection position is measured; and b) the sensitivity of the sensor is computed on the basis of the first and second deflection voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Arnd Kaelberer, Hans-Joerg Faisst, Axel Franke, Mirko Hattass, Holger Rank, Robert Sattler, Alexander Buhmann, Ramona Maas, Marian Keck
  • Publication number: 20110088469
    Abstract: A method and system are provided including a rotation-rate sensor having a substrate, a bearing, a vibrating structure suspended on the bearing by springs in a rotatable manner for performing a planar driving vibration motion, and drive means for producing the planar driving vibration motion of the vibrating structure. The rotation-rate sensor has first evaluation means for detecting a rotation in a first axis of rotation and second evaluation means for detecting a rotation in a second axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Sebastian Gracki, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Kersten Kehr, Christian Gerhardt
  • Publication number: 20110083506
    Abstract: A micromechanical structure includes: a substrate; a seismic mass movable relative to the substrate along a first direction parallel to a main plane of extension of the substrate; a first electrode structure is connected to the substrate; and a second electrode structure connected to the substrate. The seismic mass includes a counterelectrode structure having finger electrodes situated between first finger electrodes of the first electrode structure and second finger electrodes of the second electrode structure, along the first direction. The first electrode structure is fastened to the substrate by a first anchoring element in a central region of the micromechanical structure, and the second electrode structure is anchored to the substrate by a second anchoring element situated in the central region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Christian Bierhoff
  • Publication number: 20110079863
    Abstract: A micromechanical structure which includes a substrate having a main plane of extension, and a seismic mass which is movable relative to the substrate. The micromechanical structure includes a fixed electrode which is connected to the substrate, and a counterelectrode which is connected to the seismic mass. The fixed electrode has a first fixed electrode region and a second fixed electrode region which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first fixed electrode region. The counterelectrode is partially situated between the first and the second fixed electrode region, perpendicular to the main plane of extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Christian Bierhoff
  • Publication number: 20110079079
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor having a substrate which has a main plane of extension, and a Coriolis element is proposed. The Coriolis element is excitable to a vibration along a third direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension. A Coriolis deflection of the Coriolis element along a first direction which is parallel to the main plane of extension may be detected using a detection arrangement. The detection arrangement includes a Coriolis electrode which is connected to the Coriolis element, and a corresponding counterelectrode. Both the Coriolis electrode and the counterelectrode may be excited to a vibration along the third direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Torsten Ohms, Daniel Cgristoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer
  • Publication number: 20110056295
    Abstract: A micromechanical system includes a first movable element, which is connected to a substrate via a first spring element, and a second movable element, which is connected to the substrate via a second spring element. The first movable element and the second movable element are movable in relation to the substrate independent of one another. Furthermore, the first movable element and the second movable element are situated one above the other in at least some sections in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Publication number: 20110056297
    Abstract: A micromechanical system for detecting an acceleration includes a substrate, a rocker-like mass structure having a first lever arm and a diametrically opposed second lever arm, the lever arms being situated tiltably at a distance to the substrate and about an axis of rotation to the substrate, and first and second electrodes being provided on the substrate. Each electrode is diametrically opposed to a lever arm and each lever arm includes a section extending from the axis of rotation which is located between the electrodes above an intermediate space. The two sections have different masses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventor: Johannes CLASSEN
  • Publication number: 20110023600
    Abstract: A micromechanical yaw-rate sensor comprising a first yaw-rate sensor element, which outputs a first sensor signal, which contains information about a rotation around a first rotational axis, a second yaw-rate sensor element, which outputs a second sensor signal, which contains information about a rotation around a second rotational axis, which is perpendicular to the first rotational axis, a drive, which drives the first yaw-rate sensor element, and a coupling link, which mechanically couples the first yaw-rate sensor element and the second yaw-rate sensor element to one another, so that driving of the first yaw-rate sensor element also causes driving of the second yaw-rate sensor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Martin WREDE, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Carsten Geckeler, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Jens Frey, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Thorsten Balslink
  • Patent number: 7878061
    Abstract: A micromechanical system includes a substrate, a first planar electrode, a second planar electrode, and a third planar electrode. The second planar electrode is movably positioned at a distance above the first planar electrode and the third planar electrode is positioned at a distance above the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Arnd Kaelberer, Patrick Wellner, Dietrich Schubert, Lars Tebje
  • Publication number: 20100326188
    Abstract: A rate-of-rotation sensor having a substrate and a first Coriolis element are provided, an excitation arrangement being provided for the excitation of vibrations of the first Coriolis element in a first direction, a first detection arrangement being provided for detecting a first deflection of the first Coriolis element in a third direction running generally perpendicular to the first direction; characterized by the first Coriolis element being developed as balancing rocker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Sebastian Gracki
  • Publication number: 20100192690
    Abstract: A micromechanical structure including a substrate having a main plane of extension, and including a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass including a grid structure made of intersecting first mass lines and the first seismic mass being flexibly secured with the aid of first bending-spring elements, and moreover, a first line width of the first mass lines parallel to the main plane of extension being between 20 and 50 percent of a further first line width of the first bending-spring elements parallel to the main plane of extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Christoph Gauger
  • Publication number: 20100181944
    Abstract: A micromechanical component includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being moveable relative to the second electrode in a main direction of movement, and the first electrode and/or the second electrode being configured such that a movement of the first electrode parallel to the main direction of movement results in a modification of the average distance in a region of overlap of the projection of the first electrode with the projection of the second electrode, both perpendicular to the main direction of movement and in a main plane of extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Wolfram Bauer, Johannes Classen
  • Publication number: 20100175473
    Abstract: A sensor system having a substrate, that has a main plane of extension, and a seismic mass, the seismic mass being developed movably about a torsional axis that is parallel to the main plane of extension; and the seismic mass having an asymmetrical mass distribution with respect to the torsional axis; and furthermore an area of the seismic mass facing the substrate is developed symmetrically with respect to the torsional axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Johannes CLASSEN
  • Patent number: 7730783
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a seismic mass which is suspended on springs above a substrate and is deflectable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. In order to reduce deflections of the seismic mass along the surface of the substrate because of interference accelerations, which lead to a falsification of the measurements of the deflection of the seismic mass perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, the springs include two bending bars which are interconnected via crosspieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Markus Heitz, Lars Tebje, Fouad Bennini
  • Publication number: 20100122576
    Abstract: A rotation rate sensor includes: a mounting device; a first drive frame having a drive, which is designed to set the first drive frame into a first oscillatory motion along an axis of oscillation relative to the mounting device; a first stator electrode; a first actuator electrode coupled to the first drive frame in such a way that in a rotary motion of the rotation rate sensor due to a Coriolis force, the first actuator electrode being displaceable in a first deflection direction relative to the first stator electrode; and an evaluation device configured to determine a voltage applied between the first stator electrode and the first actuator electrode, and to specify information regarding the rotary motion of the rotation rate sensor while taking the determined voltage value into account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer
  • Publication number: 20100122578
    Abstract: A micromechanical component for detecting an acceleration. The component includes a conductive layer having a first and a second electrode and a rotatable flywheel mass in the form of a rocker having a first and a second lever arm. The first lever arm is situated opposite the first electrode, and the second lever arm is situated opposite the second electrode. The first lever arm has a first hole structure having a number of first cut-outs, and the second lever arm has a second hole structure having a number of second cut-outs. The first and the second lever arm have different masses. The component is characterized by the fact that the outer dimensions of the first and second lever arms correspond, and the first hole structure of the first lever arm differs from the second hole structure of the second lever arm. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing such a micromechanical component is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventor: Johannes CLASSEN
  • Publication number: 20100107762
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor is described that has a base substrate, a first electrode structure situated in stationary fashion relative to the base substrate, a sensor element having a first electrode area, and a spring device having at least one spring element. Via the spring element, the sensor element is coupled to the base substrate so that the sensor element is deflected relative to the base substrate as the result of an acceleration acting on the sensor element, thus changing the distance between the first electrode structure and the first electrode area. The sensor element and the first electrode structure are situated at least partially one over the other and are formed from a common functional layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Arnd Kaelberer, Patrick Wellner, Dietrich Schubert, Lars Tebje
  • Publication number: 20100058863
    Abstract: A device and manufacturing method for a rotation sensor device includes a holding device, an oscillating mass, and a spring, via which the oscillating mass is connected to the holding device. The spring is designed so that the oscillating mass can be set into an oscillating movement around an oscillation axis with respect to the holding device with the aid of a drive. The steps include: producing a layer sequence having a first layer made of semiconductor material and/or metal and a second layer made of semiconductor material and/or a metal, a boundary surface of the first layer, at least partially being covered by an insulating layer; structuring the spring out of the first layer; and structuring at least one oscillating mass subunit of the oscillating mass, which can be set into the oscillating movement around the oscillation axis with the aid of the drive, out of the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Johannes CLASSEN
  • Publication number: 20100043549
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a substrate, a rocker mass, a z spring connected to the rocker mass, which allows the rocker mass to rotate about an axis, and at least one additional spring system connected to the substrate and the rocker mass. The additional spring system allows the rocker mass to deflect in an x or y direction oriented parallel or perpendicular to the axis. The z spring or the additional spring system allows the rocker mass to deflect in a y or x direction oriented parallel or perpendicular to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Arnd Kaelberer, Lars Tebje