Abstract: Mirror control circuitry operates to control a movable mirror. The mirror control circuitry includes drive circuitry for providing a drive signal to the movable mirror, and a processor. The processor causes the drive circuitry to generate the drive signal so as to have pulses with leading edges occurring an offset period of time after a maximum opening angle of the movable mirror and trailing edges occurring an offset period of time before a zero crossing of the movable mirror. The processor may sample a mirror sense signal from the movable mirror at times at which a derivative of capacitance of the movable mirror with respect to time is zero, and then perform an action based upon the samples.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an analog to digital converter receiving an analog mirror sense signal from an oscillating mirror and generating a digital mirror sense signal therefrom, and a digital signal processing block. The digital signal processing block cooperates with the analog to digital converter to take a first sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a first time where a derivative of capacitance of the digital mirror sense signal crosses zero, take a second sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a second time between a peak of the digital mirror sense signal and the first time, and take a third sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a third time after the digital mirror sense signal has reached a minimum. Control circuitry determines an opening angle of the oscillating mirror as a function of the first, second, and third samples.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an analog to digital converter receiving an analog mirror sense signal from an oscillating mirror and generating a digital mirror sense signal therefrom, and a digital signal processing block. The digital signal processing block cooperates with the analog to digital converter to take a first sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a first time where a derivative of capacitance of the digital mirror sense signal crosses zero, take a second sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a second time between a peak of the digital mirror sense signal and the first time, and take a third sample of the digital mirror sense signal at a third time after the digital mirror sense signal has reached a minimum. Control circuitry determines an opening angle of the oscillating mirror as a function of the first, second, and third samples.

Abstract: Mirror control circuitry operates to control a movable mirror. The mirror control circuitry includes drive circuitry for providing a drive signal to the movable mirror, and a processor. The processor causes the drive circuitry to generate the drive signal so as to have pulses with leading edges occurring an offset period of time after a maximum opening angle of the movable mirror and trailing edges occurring an offset period of time before a zero crossing of the movable mirror. The processor may sample a mirror sense signal from the movable mirror at times at which a derivative of capacitance of the movable mirror with respect to time is zero, and then perform an action based upon the samples.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic device that includes a peak detection circuit configured to receive a mirror sense signal from an oscillating mirror and to generate peak information for a mirror period as a function thereof. The electronic device includes a mirror control circuit that estimates an opening angle of the oscillating mirror as a function of the peak information, generates a control signal for the oscillating mirror as a function of the estimated opening angle, and resets the peak detection circuit at an end of the mirror period.

Abstract: Described herein is a device including mirror control circuitry for controlling a movable mirror. The mirror control circuitry includes drive circuitry for providing a drive signal to the movable mirror, and a processor. The processor cause the drive circuitry to generate the drive signal so as to have pulses with leading edges occurring an offset period of time after a maximum opening angle of the movable mirror and trailing edges occurring an offset period of time before a zero crossing of the movable mirror. The processor may sample a mirror sense signal from the movable mirror at times at which a derivative of capacitance of the movable mirror with respect to time is zero, and then perform an action based upon the samples.

Abstract: The method for controlling an angular position of a MEMS mirror, includes: applying a first driving moment to the MEMS mirror to generate a rotational scanning movement of the mirror; and, at a zooming instant, applying a second driving moment to the MEMS mirror, wherein the second driving moment is equal to the first driving moment plus an extra moment. The extra moment may be a DC offset. After a transient period of time from zooming instant, a third driving moment M2=k{dot over (?)}2t is applied. The first and third driving moment are variable linearly with time. The driving moments are applied to torsional springs of the mirror.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mirror controller for an oscillating mirror. The mirror controller includes a processor configured to receive a mirror sense signal from the oscillating mirror and to determine a phase error between the mirror sense signal and a mirror drive signal. The processor determines the phase error by sampling the mirror sense signal at a first time, sampling the mirror sense signal at a second time at which the mirror sense signal is expected to be equal to the mirror sense signal as sampled at the first time, and generating the phase error as a function of a difference between the sample of the mirror sense signal at the second time and the sample of the mirror sense signal at the first time.

Abstract: Mirror control circuitry described herein is for controlling a first micro-mirror of a micro-mirror apparatus that scans across a target area in a scan pattern. The mirror control circuitry includes a processor that determines a mechanical angle of the first micro-mirror for a given instant in time during scanning of the first micro-mirror between upper and lower rotational limits, the mechanical angle being such to maintain the scan pattern as being uniform while the micro-mirror apparatus scans across the target area between the upper and lower rotational limits. The processor also generates a driving signal for the first micro-mirror as a function of the determined mechanical angle for the first micro-mirror at the given instant in time.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a feedback measuring circuit to measure a signal flowing through a movable MEMS mirror. Processing circuitry determines a time at which the signal indicates that a capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at a maximum capacitance. The processing circuitry also determines, over a window of time extending from the time at which the signal indicates that the capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at the maximum to a given time, a total change in capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror compared to the maximum capacitance. The processor further determines the capacitance at the given time as a function of the total change in capacitance, and determines an opening angle of the movable MEMS mirror as a function of the capacitance at the given time.

Abstract: Described herein is a device including mirror control circuitry for controlling a movable mirror. The mirror control circuitry includes drive circuitry for providing a drive signal to the movable mirror, and a processor. The processor cause the drive circuitry to generate the drive signal so as to have pulses with leading edges occurring an offset period of time after a maximum opening angle of the movable mirror and trailing edges occurring an offset period of time before a zero crossing of the movable mirror. The processor may sample a mirror sense signal from the movable mirror at times at which a derivative of capacitance of the movable mirror with respect to time is zero, and then perform an action based upon the samples.

Abstract: Mirror control circuitry described herein is for controlling a first micro-mirror of a micro-mirror apparatus that scans across a target area in a scan pattern. The mirror control circuitry includes a processor that determines a mechanical angle of the first micro-mirror for a given instant in time during scanning of the first micro-mirror between upper and lower rotational limits, the mechanical angle being such to maintain the scan pattern as being uniform while the micro-mirror apparatus scans across the target area between the upper and lower rotational limits. The processor also generates a driving signal for the first micro-mirror as a function of the determined mechanical angle for the first micro-mirror at the given instant in time.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mirror controller for an oscillating mirror. The mirror controller includes a processor configured to receive a mirror sense signal from the oscillating mirror and to determine a phase error between the mirror sense signal and a mirror drive signal. The processor determines the phase error by sampling the mirror sense signal at a first time, sampling the mirror sense signal at a second time at which the mirror sense signal is expected to be equal to the mirror sense signal as sampled at the first time, and generating the phase error as a function of a difference between the sample of the mirror sense signal at the second time and the sample of the mirror sense signal at the first time.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic device that includes a peak detection circuit configured to receive a mirror sense signal from an oscillating mirror and to generate peak information for a mirror period as a function thereof. The electronic device includes a mirror control circuit that estimates an opening angle of the oscillating mirror as a function of the peak information, generates a control signal for the oscillating mirror as a function of the estimated opening angle, and resets the peak detection circuit at an end of the mirror period.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a feedback measuring circuit to measure a signal flowing through a movable MEMS mirror. Processing circuitry determines a time at which the signal indicates that a capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at a maximum capacitance. The processing circuitry also determines, over a window of time extending from the time at which the signal indicates that the capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at the maximum to a given time, a total change in capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror compared to the maximum capacitance. The processor further determines the capacitance at the given time as a function of the total change in capacitance, and determines an opening angle of the movable MEMS mirror as a function of the capacitance at the given time.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a feedback measuring circuit to measure a signal flowing through a movable MEMS mirror. Processing circuitry determines a time at which the signal indicates that a capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at a maximum capacitance. The processing circuitry also determines, over a window of time extending from the time at which the signal indicates that the capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror is substantially at the maximum to a given time, a total change in capacitance of the movable MEMS mirror compared to the maximum capacitance. The processor further determines the capacitance at the given time as a function of the total change in capacitance, and determines an opening angle of the movable MEMS mirror as a function of the capacitance at the given time.

Abstract: The method for controlling an angular position of a MEMS mirror, includes: applying a first driving moment to the MEMS mirror to generate a rotational scanning movement of the mirror; and, at a zooming instant, applying a second driving moment to the MEMS mirror, wherein the second driving moment is equal to the first driving moment plus an extra moment. The extra moment may be a DC offset. After a transient period of time from zooming instant, a third driving moment M2=k{dot over (?)}2t is applied. The first and third driving moment are variable linearly with time. The driving moments are applied to torsional springs of the mirror.