Vibratory Mass Patents (Class 73/504.12)
  • Patent number: 12240570
    Abstract: A ship assistance device including a storage medium storing a computer-readable command and a processor connected to the storage medium, the processor executing the computer-readable command to: calculate a pitching amount of a ship body based on a plurality of images photographed by a camera mounted on the ship body; estimate a pitching cycle of the ship body at least based on the calculated pitching amount; predict pitching of the ship body based on the estimated pitching cycle; and control a throttle of the ship body so as to reduce the predicted pitching of the ship body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 12242051
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical mirror device has, in a die of semiconductor material: a fixed structure defining a cavity; a tiltable structure carrying a reflecting region elastically suspended above the cavity; at least a first pair of driving arms coupled to the tiltable structure and carrying respective piezoelectric material regions which may be biased to cause a rotation thereof around at least one rotation axis; elastic suspension elements coupling the tiltable structure elastically to the fixed structure and which are stiff with respect to movements out of the horizontal plane and yielding with respect to torsion; and a piezoresistive sensor configured to provide a detection signal indicative of the rotation of the tiltable structure. At least one test structure is integrated in the die to provide a calibration signal indicative of a sensitivity variation of the piezoresistive sensor in order to calibrate the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicolo′ Boni, Gianluca Mendicino, Enri Duqi, Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 12227831
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and techniques are provided for improved OVJP deposition using a shutter disposed within the OVJP print head, between the print head inlet and the nozzle outlets. An OVJP print head as disclosed includes an inlet for organic material entrained in a carrier gas, a micronozzle array outlet, and a shutter disposed in the gas flow path between the inlet and the micronozzle array outlet. The shutter allows for rapid cutoff of carrier gas flow through the print head with extremely low latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan, Innovation Partnerships
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Jeffrey A. Horowitz
  • Patent number: 12222203
    Abstract: Provided is a fully decoupled MEMS gyroscope, including an anchor point unit, a sensing unit elastically connected to the anchor point unit, and a driving unit configured to drive the sensing unit to move. The anchor point unit includes a center anchor point subunit located at a center of a rectangle and four side anchor points. The driving unit includes four driving members located on four sides of the rectangle. The sensing unit includes two X mass blocks symmetrically arranged in two avoiding intervals, two Y mass blocks symmetrically arranged in the other two avoiding intervals, four Z mass blocks respectively located at an outer side of each driving member, and four Z detection decoupling members respectively located at an outer side of each Z mass block. The X mass blocks and the Y mass blocks are respectively connected to each side anchor point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: AAC Kaitai Technologies (Wuhan) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhao Ma, Shitao Yan, Zhan Zhan, Xiao Kan, Shan Yang, Hongtao Peng, Yang Li, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan
  • Patent number: 12209864
    Abstract: A driving circuit for controlling a MEMS oscillator includes a digital conversion stage to acquire a differential sensing signal indicative of a displacement of a movable mass of the MEMS oscillator, and to convert the differential sensing signal of analog type into a digital differential signal of digital type. Processing circuitry is configured to generate a digital control signal of digital type as a function of the comparison between the digital differential signal and a differential reference signal indicative of a target amplitude of oscillation of the movable mass which causes the resonance of the MEMS oscillator. An analog conversion stage includes a ?? DAC and is configured to convert the digital control signal into a PDM control signal of analog type. A filtering stage of low-pass type, by filtering the PDM control signal, generates a control signal for controlling the amplitude of oscillation of the movable mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Donadel, Emanuele Lavelli, Stefano Polesel
  • Patent number: 12212259
    Abstract: The current document is directed to various types of oscillating resonant modules (“ORMs”), including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced ley back-and-forth oscillation of a weight or member along a path, generally a segment of a space curve. A controller controls each of one or more ORMs to produce driving oscillations according to a control curve or control pattern for the ORM that specifies the frequency of the driving oscillations with respect to time. The driving oscillations, in turn, elicit a desired vibration response in the device, appliance, or system in which the one or more ORMs are included. The desired vibration response is achieved by selecting and scaling control patterns in view of known resonance frequencies of the device, appliance, or system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Resonant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Elenga, Dan Knodle, Brian Pepin
  • Patent number: 12203755
    Abstract: A micromachined gyroscope and an electronic product are provided. The micromachined gyroscope includes a driving component, a detecting component, first connecting components, and second connecting components. The driving component includes first driving pieces, second driving pieces, and driving devices driving the first driving pieces and the second driving piece to move. The detecting component includes first detecting pieces arranged along a third direction, second detecting pieces arranged along a fourth direction, and detecting devices for detecting movement distances of the first detecting pieces and/or the second detecting pieces along a fifth direction. Each of the first connecting pieces and the second connecting pieces rotates around a center thereof, so the second detecting pieces and the first detecting pieces respectively reciprocate along the third direction and the fourth direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: AAC KAITAI TECHNOLOGIES (WUHAN) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhao Ma, Zhan Zhan, Xiao Kan, Shan Yang, Shitao Yan, Hongtao Peng, Yang Li, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan, Yan Hong
  • Patent number: 12194496
    Abstract: A resonance method for a vibration system for resonant vibration of an excitation unit having a vibrating mass includes detecting a deflection of the vibrating mass, differentiating the deflection to form a velocity of the vibrating mass; generating from the deflection and the velocity a mechanical phase position; forming from the mechanical phase position a corrected phase position by using a correction value; forming, based on the corrected phase position, an electrical angular frequency with a P-regulation; integrating the electrical angular frequency to determine an electrical phase position; forming from the electrical phase position a correction factor by using a trigonometric function; and applying the correction factor to an excitation setpoint value to generate a corrected excitation setpoint value. Also disclosed are a converter, an excitation unit having the converter, and a vibration system having the excitation unit and the vibrating mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Fritsch, Theo Richter, Martin Streubühr, Bernd Wedel
  • Patent number: 12181311
    Abstract: A first sensor signal and a second sensor signal are provided by a sensor unit to an evaluation unit. The first sensor signal is dependent on the angular position and is associated with a first detection position, and the second sensor signal is associated with a second detection position lying about the rotational axis perpendicular to the first detection position. An angular position of a rotational component is determined by the evaluation unit based on output from an atan2-function that takes the first and second sensor signals as input. A harmonic error is determined by the evaluation unit based on a periodic error signal that is superimposed on each of the sensor signals. An angular error of the angular position is determined by the evaluation unit based on the harmonic error. The angular position is updated by the evaluation unit based on the angular error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jie Zhou
  • Patent number: 12160151
    Abstract: An electronic device for controlling an LRA (Linear Resonant Actuator) includes a signal generator, a driver, a delay unit, a sensor, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The signal generator generates a digital signal. The driver drives the LRA according to the digital signal. The delay unit delays the digital signal for a predetermined time, so as to generate an estimated voltage signal. The sensor detects the current flowing through the LRA, so as to generate a sensing current signal. The DSP controls the resonant frequency or the gain value of the signal generator according to the estimated voltage signal and the sensing current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Tsung-Han Yang, Yen-Chih Wang, Ming-Jun Hsiao, Tsung-Nan Wu
  • Patent number: 12152884
    Abstract: A signal processing system for a sensor. The system comprises a digital signal processing system configured to set a drive signal frequency for the primary drive transducer, a voltage controlled oscillator configured to receive an input indicative of the resonant frequency and to generate a first periodic signal at a first multiple of the resonant frequency, and a first phase locked loop, configured to receive the first periodic signal, and to generate a second periodic signal at a second multiple of the resonant frequency. The first and second periodic signals are used to control the operation of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to sample the primary pick off signal and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to generate a drive signal waveform applied to the primary drive transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: ATLANTIC INERTIAL SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Luke Greep, Kevin Townsend, Michael Durston
  • Patent number: 12135303
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die having a surface and sensing circuitry at a sensing region of the surface. A tubular wall of a metal material has an inner sidewall around the sensing region to provide a sensing cavity that extends from the surface of the semiconductor die to an opening at a distal edge thereof. The tubular wall includes a proximal portion and a distal flange portion. The proximal portion extends longitudinally from the surface. The distal flange portion extends radially outwardly from the proximal portion a first distance and radially inwardly from the proximal portion a second distance that is less than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christlyn Faith Arias, Jeffrey Solas
  • Patent number: 12130139
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope for three-axis detection relates to the technical field of gyroscope and includes a substrate, a sensing unit elastically connected with the substrate, and a driving unit coupled with the sensing unit and driving the sensing unit to move. The substrate includes anchor point structures respectively located at four corners of the substrate and four coupling structures respectively elastically connected with the four anchor point structures. An avoiding space is formed between two adjacent coupling structures. The driving unit includes two driving pieces separately elastically connected with adjacent coupling structures. The two driving pieces are symmetrically arranged and are frame-shaped. The sensing unit includes four X and Y mass blocks, two Z mass blocks elastically connected with the driving pieces, and two decoupling mass blocks. The two decoupling mass blocks are elastically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: AAC Kaitai Technologies (Wuhan) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhao Ma, Zhan Zhan, Xiao Kan, Shan Yang, Shitao Yan, Hongtao Peng, Yang Li, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan
  • Patent number: 12117294
    Abstract: A single body multi-mode mechanical resonator includes two or more spring-mass devices, one or more anchor springs, a phase 1 parallel plate electrode and a phase 2 parallel plate electrode, a plurality of interdigitated shaped combs, a plurality of interdigitated drive combs, and a plurality of interdigitated sense combs. The spring-mass devices further include two or more lumped masses and one or more anchor springs. The coupling springs couple the motion of the two or more lumped masses. The parallel plate electrodes apply forces to the in-phase mode that yield equal in magnitude but opposite in sign frequency shifts of the anti-phase mode. The shaped combs compensate for a frequency drift of the anti-phase mode and cancels first-order displacement effects. The drive combs are aligned to the anti-phase mode, with a frequency selective excitation. The sense combs are aligned to the anti-phase mode and capable of cancelling common-mode noise effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Andrew B. Sabater
  • Patent number: 12111158
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope includes a driving mass and a driving circuit that operates to drive the driving mass in a mechanical oscillation at a resonant drive frequency. An oscillator generates a system clock that is independent of and asynchronous to the resonant drive frequency. A clock generator circuit outputs a first clock and a second clock that are derived from the system clock. The drive loop of the driving circuit including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit that is clocked by the first clock and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuit that is clocked by the second clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Deyou Fang, Chao-Ming Tsai, Milad Alwardi, Yamu Hu, David McClure
  • Patent number: 12104905
    Abstract: The invention provides a micromachined gyroscope. The micromachined gyroscope includes a driving structure, a detection structure and a connection component. The driving structure includes a first moving component and a driving component. The driving component is used to drive the movement of the first moving component. The detection structure includes a second moving component and a detection component installed in the second moving component. The detection component is used to detect the movement distance of the second moving component along the third or fourth direction. The driving component is installed inside the first moving component, and the detection component is installed inside the second moving component. Greater drive of amplitude can be achieved at the same drive voltage, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the micromachined gyroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: AAC Kaitai Technologies (Wuhan) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhao Ma, Shan Yang, Zhan Zhan, Xiao Kan, Hongtao Peng, Shitao Yan, Yang Li, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan, Yan Hong
  • Patent number: 12089941
    Abstract: According to various aspects, a sensor system is provided comprising a first substrate configured to be coupled to a user, an electric field detector to detect a user electric field and comprising a second substrate, a proof mass positioned above the second substrate, one or more electrodes coupled to the second substrate, and a control circuit coupled to the one or more electrodes, the control circuit being configured to determine a change in capacitance between the proof mass and each electrode responsive to torsional movement of the proof mass responsive to the electric field, and a controller coupled to the first substrate and being configured to receive, from the detector, information indicative of each change in capacitance between the proof mass and each electrode, and determine, based on the information, characteristics of the electric field in at least two dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
    Inventors: James A. Bickford, Jesse J. Wheeler, Stephanie Lynne Golmon
  • Patent number: 12089498
    Abstract: A vibrator includes: a base portion; a vibrating arm including an arm portion which extends from the base portion, and a weight portion which is located on a tip end side of the arm portion and which has a first main surface and a second main surface that are in a front-back relationship; and a weight film disposed at the first main surface of the weight portion. The first main surface includes a first planar surface, a second planar surface which is located closer to the second main surface than is the first planar surface and which is parallel to the first planar surface, and an inclined surface which couples the first planar surface and the second planar surface and which forms an angle of 100° or less with the first planar surface. A method for manufacturing a vibrator includes: a preparation step of preparing the above-described vibrator; and a removing step of removing a part of the weight film by emitting an energy ray to the weight film from a normal direction of the first planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiichiro Ogura
  • Patent number: 12072271
    Abstract: A viscometer (700) is provided, for determining a viscosity of a gas therein. The viscometer (700) comprises a driver (704) and a planar vibratory member (500, 600) vibratable by the driver (704), that comprises a body (502) and a vibratable portion (504) emanating from the body (502), wherein the vibratable portion (504) comprises a plurality of vibratable cantilevered projections. At least one pickoff sensor (706) is configured to detect vibrations of the vibratory member (500, 600). Meter electronics (900) comprise an interface (901) configured to send an excitation signal to the driver (704) and to receive a vibrational response from the at least one pickoff sensor (706), measure a Q and resonant frequency of the planar vibratory member (500, 600), and to determine a viscosity (923) of the gas therein using the measured Q and the measured resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: MICRO MOTION, INC.
    Inventor: George Alexander MacDonald
  • Patent number: 12050102
    Abstract: A button device includes a MEMS sensor having a MEMS strain detection structure and a deformable substrate configured to undergo deformation under the action of an external force. The MEMS strain detection structure includes a mobile element carried by the deformable substrate via at least a first and a second anchorage, the latter fixed with respect to the deformable substrate and configured to displace and generate a deformation force on the mobile element in the presence of the external force; and stator elements capacitively coupled to the mobile element. The deformation of the mobile element causes a capacitance variation between the mobile element and the stator elements. Furthermore, the MEMS sensor is configured to generate detection signals correlated to the capacitance variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gabriele Gattere, Carlo Valzasina, Enri Duqi
  • Patent number: 12038282
    Abstract: A MEMS single-axis gyroscope includes an anchor point structure, a sensing unit elastically connected with the anchor point structure, and a driving decoupling structure elastically connected with the anchor point structure and the sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a plurality of mass blocks arranged side by side and rocker connecting pieces. Each of the rocker connecting pieces is connected between corresponding two adjacent mass blocks. Connecting positions between each of the rocker connecting pieces and the corresponding two adjacent mass blocks are located on a same side of the line connecting the centers of the plurality of mass blocks. The MEMS single-axis gyroscope is able to perform differential detection, which resists interference of external electrical and mechanical noise, and improves a signal-to-noise ratio. By adjusting the rocker connecting pieces arranged between each two adjacent mass blocks, a total vector displacement of the plurality of mass blocks is zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: AAC KAITAI TECHNOLOGIES (WUHAN) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shan Yang, Hongtao Peng, Zhan Zhan, Shitao Yan, Zhao Ma, Xiao Kan, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan
  • Patent number: 12025445
    Abstract: A sensor system having a MEMS gyroscope. The sensor system includes a seismic mass for acquiring a measuring signal, a drive circuit, an acquisition circuit for reading out and demodulating the measuring signal, whereby a rate of rotation signal and a quadrature signal phase-shifted relative to the rate of rotation signal is generated, and a digital processing circuit for compensating an offset of the digitized rate of rotation signal using the digitized quadrature signal. The acquisition circuit and the digital processing circuit encompass a rate of rotation circuit, and a quadrature circuit for generating and processing the quadrature signal and generating a compensation signal for the offset compensation of the digitized rate of rotation signal. At least part of the quadrature circuit is operable in at least one other operating mode than the rate of rotation circuit, independently of the operating mode of the rate of rotation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Francesco Diazzi, Ruslan Khalilyulin, Andrea Visconti
  • Patent number: 12026313
    Abstract: A haptic device with coupled resonance at tunable frequencies includes an actuator, a first structure coupled to the actuator, a second structure coupled to the first structure and separate from the actuator, and at least one local mass coupled to the first or second structure; the first and second structure having resonance such that application by the actuator of a resonance frequency to the first structure causes the first and second structures to resonate in phase and displace the local mass. A method of forming a haptic device includes coupling an actuator to a first structure, coupling the first structure to a second structure, locating a mass on at least one of the first or second structures, and configuring the actuator to, upon activation, excite the first structure at a resonance frequency of the haptic device such that the first and second structures resonate in phase and displace the mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dongsuk Shin, Sai Sharan Injeti
  • Patent number: 12022747
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a resonator for use in quantum computing. The resonator can include a housing that is disposed along a resonator axis. The housing can have a first portion extending from a housing distal end to near a qubit location and a second portion extending from near the qubit location to a housing proximal end. The housing can define a cavity extending from a cavity proximal end to a cavity distal end along a portion of the resonator axis. The housing can include a protrusion extending axially from the housing distal end along the resonator axis to near the qubit location. A proximal portion of the protrusion can include a tapered portion. The resonator can include a qubit extending into the cavity at the qubit location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: RadiaBeam Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sergey Kutsaev, Ronald Agustsson, Kirill Taletski
  • Patent number: 12013240
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope includes an anchor point unit, a sensing unit elastically connected with the anchor point unit, and a driving unit elastically connected with the anchor point unit and the sensing unit. The anchor point unit includes four corner anchor point structures arranged at four corners of the MEMS gyroscope and four central anchor points. The sensing unit includes four first mass blocks elastically connected with the corner anchor point structures and the central anchor points to form avoiding spaces, four second mass blocks arranged within the avoiding spaces, and four decoupling mass blocks. The driving unit includes four driving pieces respectively connected with outer sides of the second mass blocks. The MEMS gyroscope realizes independent detection of angular velocities of three axes and realizes differential detection and balance of vibration moment, which immune to influence of acceleration shock and quadrature error and improves detection accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: AAC KAITAI TECHNOLOGIES (WUHAN) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhao Ma, Zhan Zhan, Xiao Kan, Shan Yang, Shitao Yan, Hongtao Peng, Yang Li, Kahkeen Lai, Veronica Tan
  • Patent number: 11988511
    Abstract: A micromechanical component for a rotation rate sensor. The micromechanical component includes two rotor masses, mirror symmetrical with respect to a first plane of symmetry aligned perpendicularly to a substrate surface and passing through the center of the two rotor masses, which may be set in rotational vibrating motion about rotational axes aligned perpendicularly to the substrate surface, and four seismic masses, mirror symmetrical with respect to the first plane of symmetry, deflectable in parallel to the first plane of symmetry using the two rotor masses set in their respective rotational vibrating motion. The first rotor mass and a first pair of the four seismic masses connected thereto are mirror symmetrical to the second rotor mass and to a second pair of the four seismic masses connected thereto with respect to a second plane of symmetry aligned perpendicularly to the substrate surface and to the first plane of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Kuehnel, Nils Felix Kuhlmann, Robert Maul, Rolf Scheben, Steffen Markisch, Thorsten Balslink, Wolfram Geiger
  • Patent number: 11977094
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical accelerometer for measuring acceleration, comprising a first proof mass and ae second proof mass. The first proof mass is adjacent to the second proof mass. A suspension structure allows the first proof mass to undergo rotation out of the device plane about a first rotation axis and the suspension structure allows the second proof mass to undergo rotation out of the device plane about a second rotation axis. The first and second rotation axes are parallel to each other and define an x-direction which is parallel to the first and the second rotation axes and a y-direction which is perpendicular to the x-direction. The y-coordinate of the first rotation axis is greater than the y-coordinate of the second rotation axis by a nonzero distance D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Matti Liukku, Ville-Pekka Rytkönen, Anssi Blomqvist
  • Patent number: 11959801
    Abstract: Shortwave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems comprise a supercontinuum laser source configured to illuminate objects and a receiver comprising a spectrometer configured to receive light reflected from the objects. In some cases, hyperspectral images can be created by raster scanning of the source/receiver across a scene. The supercontinuum laser source provides active illumination to allow collection of hyperspectral imagery during day (including overcast conditions) and night.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventors: James F. Coward, David Alan Pechner, Gregory Mitchell, Ji Li
  • Patent number: 11953323
    Abstract: A micromechanical rate-of-rotation sensor set-up, including a first rate-of-rotation sensor device capable of being driven rotationally by a driving device via a drive frame device, so as to oscillate about a first axis, and is for measuring a first outer rate of rotation about a second axis and a second outer rate of rotation about a third axis; and a second rate-of-rotation sensor device capable of being driven by the driving device via the drive frame device, so as to oscillate linearly along the second axis, and is for measuring a third outer rate of rotation about the first axis. The first rate-of-rotation sensor device is connected to the second rate-of-rotation sensor device by the drive frame device. The drive frame device includes a first and second drive frame, which may be driven by the driving device in phase opposition, along the third axis, in an oscillatory manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Andreas Lassl, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Jan-Timo Liewald, Matthias Kuehnel, Niels Bode, Nils Felix Kuhlmann, Odd-Axel Pruetz, Peter Degenfeld-Schonburg
  • Patent number: 11946743
    Abstract: Angular sensor with vibrating resonator includes a supporting structure, a first mass and a second mass which are concentric, and mechanical springs arranged symmetrically in pairs, the pairs themselves being arranged symmetrically with respect to one another. Each spring comprises a first elastic leaf and a second elastic leaf which are connected to one another by one end, the first elastic leaf of one of the springs of each pair being parallel to the second elastic leaf of the other of the springs of the same pair. The four elastic leaves of at least one pair comprise two adjacent pairs of leaves making an angle of approximately 45° between them. The sensor is not provided with electrostatic springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE
    Inventors: Alain Jeanroy, Philippe Onfroy
  • Patent number: 11932531
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip structure including a MEMS actuator. The MEMS actuator includes an anchor having a first plurality of branches extending outward from a central region of the anchor. The first plurality of branches respectively include a first plurality of fingers. A proof mass surrounds the anchor and includes a second plurality of branches extending inward from an interior sidewall of the proof mass. The second plurality of branches respectively include a second plurality of fingers interleaved with the first plurality of fingers as viewed in a top-view. One or more curved cantilevers are coupled between the proof mass and a frame wrapping around the proof mass. The one or more curved cantilevers have curved outer surfaces having one or more inflection points as viewed in the top-view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ting-Jung Chen
  • Patent number: 11927444
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chip-level resonant acousto-optic coupling solid-state wave gyroscope based on MEMS technology. A surface acoustic progressive wave mode sensitive structure and a micro-ring resonant cavity optical detection structure are combined in the gyroscope. Through acousto-optic effect, mechanical strain of the device crystal caused by wave vibration of a primary surface acoustic wave and a secondary surface acoustic wave caused by Coriolis force is converted into a variation in the refractive index of an optical waveguide etched on the device, so that the optical signal transmitted in the waveguide diffracts, thereby generating frequency modulation. Meanwhile, a micro-ring resonant cavity using the resonance principle peels off the frequency change introduced by the primary surface acoustic wave, and obtains an output signal containing external angular velocity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Honglong Chang, Lu Tian, Qiang Shen
  • Patent number: 11920931
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope which comprises one or more Coriolis masses driven by a drive transducer and a force-feedback system. The force-feedback circuit comprises first and second sideband modulators and the self-test circuit comprises first and second sideband demodulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Heikki Kuisma
  • Patent number: 11867509
    Abstract: A MEMS gyroscope includes a driven mass that moves in response to a drive force. A drive amplitude sense electrode is included as a feature of the drive mass and extends in a direction perpendicular to the drive direction. A change in capacitance is measured based on the relative location of the drive amplitude sense electrode to a known fixed position, which in turn is used to accurately determine a location of the driven mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Damiano Milani, Luca Coronato
  • Patent number: 11846509
    Abstract: A three-axis rotation rate sensor including a substrate and a double rotor. The double rotor includes a first rotor and a second rotor which are elastically connected to one another via a first coupling element so that the two rotors are excitable to rotary oscillations in phase opposition. The first rotor includes a first seismic mass and a second seismic mass that are deflectably supported with respect to the first rotor, and the second rotor includes a third seismic mass and a fourth seismic mass that are deflectably supported with respect to the second rotor. The first mass is connected to the third mass via a first rocker element so that upon a lateral deflection of the first mass, the third mass is deflected in a direction opposite the lateral deflection of the first mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Jochen Reinmuth
  • Patent number: 11846508
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope comprising first, second, third and fourth Coriolis masses, arranged in that order on an x-axis. In the primary oscillation mode, the Coriolis masses are configured to oscillate so that the second and third Coriolis masses move in linear translation along the x-axis away from a center point when the first and fourth Coriolis masses move in linear translation along the x-axis towards the first center point, and vice versa. When the gyroscope undergoes rotation about a y-axis which is perpendicular to the x-axis, the Coriolis masses are configured to oscillate so that the first, second, third and fourth Coriolis masses undergo vertical motion in a z-direction, wherein the first and third Coriolis masses move up when the second and fourth Coriolis masses move down, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Anssi Blomqvist, Ville-Pekka Rytkönen
  • Patent number: 11841228
    Abstract: The subject disclosure provides exemplary 3-axis (e.g., GX, GY, and GZ) linear and angular momentum balanced vibratory rate gyroscope architectures with fully-coupled sense modes. Embodiments can employ balanced drive and/or balanced sense components to reduce induced vibrations and/or part to part coupling. Embodiments can comprise two inner frame gyroscopes for GY sense mode and an outer frame or saddle gyroscope for GX sense mode and drive system coupling, drive shuttles coupled to the two inner frame gyroscopes or outer frame gyroscope, and four GZ proof masses coupled to the inner frame gyroscopes for GZ sense mode. Components can be removed from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a single axis or two axis gyroscope and/or can be configured such that a number of proof-masses can be reduced in half from an exemplary overall architecture to fabricate a half-gyroscope. Other embodiments can employ a stress isolation frame to reduce package induced stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Doruk Senkal, Robert Hennessy, Houri Johari-Galle, Joe Seeger
  • Patent number: 11844284
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing and resultant device are directed to an inverted wide-base double magnetic tunnel junction device having both high-efficiency and high-retention arrays. The method includes a method of manufacturing, on a common stack, a high-efficiency array and a high-retention array for an inverted wide-base double magnetic tunnel junction device. The method comprises, for the high-efficiency array and the high-retention array, forming a first magnetic tunnel junction stack (MTJ2), forming a spin conducting layer on the MTJ2, and forming a second magnetic tunnel junction stack (MTJ1) on the spin conducting layer. The first magnetic tunnel junction stack for the high-retention array has a high-retention critical dimension (CD) (HRCD) that is larger than a high-efficiency CD (HECD) of the first magnetic tunnel junction stack for the high-efficiency array. The second magnetic tunnel junction stack (MTJ1) is shorted for the high-retention array and is not shorted for the high-efficiency array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pouya Hashemi, Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman
  • Patent number: 11834326
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a first detection element. The first detection element includes a base body, a first support member fixed to the base body, a conductive first movable member, and a first conductive part fixed to the base body. The first movable member includes first, second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts. In a second direction crossing a first direction from the base body toward the first movable member, the third movable part is between the first and second movable parts. In the second direction, the fourth movable part is between the first and third movable parts. In the second direction, the fifth movable part is between the third and second movable parts. The first movable part is supported by the first support member. The second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts are separated from the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kei Masunishi, Yasushi Tomizawa, Etsuji Ogawa, Ryunosuke Gando, Shiori Kaji, Hiroki Hiraga, Fumito Miyazaki, Daiki Ono
  • Patent number: 11837983
    Abstract: The current document is directed to various types of oscillating resonant modules (“ORMs”), including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by back-and-forth oscillation of a weight or member along a path, generally a segment of a space curve. A controller controls each of one or more ORMs to produce driving oscillations according to a control curve or control pattern for the ORM that specifies the frequency of the driving oscillations with respect to time. The driving oscillations, in turn, elicit a desired vibration response in the device, appliance, or system in which the one or more ORMs are included. The desired vibration response is achieved by selecting and scaling control patterns in view of known resonance frequencies of the device, appliance, or system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Resonant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Elenga, Dan Knodle, Brian Pepin
  • Patent number: 11815354
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the angular rate sensor comprises a substrate and a rotating structure anchored to the substrate. The angular rate sensor also includes a drive mass anchored to the substrate and an element coupling the drive mass and the rotating structure. The angular rate sensor further includes an actuator for driving the drive mass into oscillation along a first axis in plane to the substrate and for driving the rotating structure into rotational oscillation around a second axis normal to the substrate; a first transducer to sense the motion of the rotating structure in response to a Coriolis force in a sense mode; and a second transducer to sense the motion of the sensor during a drive mode. In a second aspect the angular rate sensor comprises a substrate and two shear masses which are parallel to the substrate and anchored to the substrate via flexible elements. In further embodiments, a dynamically balanced 3-axis gyroscope architecture is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Doruk Senkal, Robert Hennessy, Houri Johari-Galle, Joseph Seeger
  • Patent number: 11808574
    Abstract: A multi-axis MEMS gyroscope includes a micromechanical detection structure having a substrate, a driving-mass arrangement, a driven-mass arrangement with a central window, and a sensing-mass arrangement which undergoes sensing movements in the presence of angular velocities about a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis. A sensing-electrode arrangement is fixed with respect to the substrate and is set underneath the sensing-mass arrangement. An anchorage assembly is set within the central window for constraining the driven-mass arrangement to the substrate at anchorage elements. The anchorage assembly includes a rigid structure suspended above the substrate that is elastically coupled to the driven mass by elastic connection elements at a central portion, and is coupled to the anchorage elements by elastic decoupling elements at end portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Gabriele Gattere, Carlo Valzasina, Luca Giuseppe Falorni
  • Patent number: 11808573
    Abstract: The MEMS gyroscope has a mobile mass carried by a supporting structure to move in a driving direction and in a first sensing direction, perpendicular to each other. A driving structure governs movement of the mobile mass in the driving direction at a driving frequency. A movement sensing structure is coupled to the mobile mass and detects the movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction. A quadrature-injection structure is coupled to the mobile mass and causes a first and a second movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction in a first calibration half-period and, respectively, a second calibration half-period. The movement-sensing structure supplies a sensing signal having an amplitude switching between a first and a second value that depend upon the movement of the mobile mass as a result of an external angular velocity and of the first and second quadrature movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Luca Guerinoni, Luca Giuseppe Falorni, Matteo Fabio Brunetto
  • Patent number: 11802768
    Abstract: A MEMS multiaxial angular rate sensor includes a substrate and a MEMS wafer layer correspondingly deposited and parallel to each other, and a plurality of anchors coupled to the MEMS wafer layer and fixing the MEMS wafer layer onto the substrate. The MEMS wafer layer includes at least two drive-sensing structures, a third driving ring and two pendulum masses. Each of the drive-sensing structures includes a driving ring, a plurality of driving comb pair structures and a plurality of sensing proof masses respectively coupled to the corresponding driving ring. A third driving ring is coupled to and deposited between the two driving rings of the two drive-sensing structures. In a driving mode, those driving comb pair structures drive the corresponding driving rings to perform periodical rotation motions, and the two driving rings in periodical rotation motions further actuate the third driving ring to perform periodical rotation motion together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: MIRAMEMS SENSING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Li-Tien Tseng
  • Patent number: 11796319
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a base body including a first surface including first and second base body regions, a first structure body provided in the first base body region, a second structure body provided in the second base body region, and a control device. The first structure body includes a first movable member configured to vibrate. The vibration of the first movable member includes first and second components. The second structure body includes a second movable member configured to vibrate. The control device includes a controller configured to perform a processing operation. The processing operation includes outputting a second rotation angle, The second rotation angle is obtained by correcting a first rotation angle based on a resonance frequency of the second movable member. The first rotation angle of the first movable member is obtained based on the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumito Miyazaki, Yasushi Tomizawa, Ryunosuke Gando, Hiroki Hiraga, Kei Masunishi, Shiori Kaji, Daiki Ono, Etsuji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11788840
    Abstract: One example includes a radar image interface system. The system includes an image processor configured to receive synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data associated with a region of interest and to generate a radar image of the region of interest based on the SAR image data. The image processor can be further configured to divide the radar image into a plurality of sequential units corresponding to respective zones of the region of interest. The system also includes a display system configured to display zoomed sequential units corresponding to respective zoomed versions of the sequential units of the radar image to a user. The system further includes an input interface configured to facilitate sequentially indexing through each of the zoomed versions of the sequential units on the display system in response to an indexing input provided by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: George Attila Pavlath
  • Patent number: 11768221
    Abstract: A micromechanical sensor, including a micromechanical chip having a first micromechanical structure, a first evaluation chip, having a first application-specific integrated circuit, and a second evaluation chip having a second application-specific integrated circuit. The first evaluation chip and the micromechanical chip are situated in a stacked manner, the micromechanical chip being directly electrically conductively connected with the first evaluation chip and the first evaluation chip being directly electrically conductively connected with the second evaluation chip. The first application-specific integrated circuit primarily includes analog circuit elements and the second application-specific circuit primarily includes digital circuit elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andrea Visconti, Artjom Kosov, Jochen Hahn, Johannes Classen, Timo Giesselmann
  • Patent number: 11754452
    Abstract: Resonating sensors for use in high-pressure and high-temperature environments are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor with a double-ended tuning fork piezoelectric resonator that includes a first tine and a second tine. These tines are spaced apart from one another so as to form a slot between the first and second tines. The width of the slot from the first tine to the second tine varies along the lengths of the first and second tines. Various other resonators, devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Didier Pohl, Florian Risser, Jacques Sellin, Patrice Ligneul, Kamran Danaie, Mihir Patel, Boris Valkov
  • Patent number: 11754395
    Abstract: A mechanical coupling device coupling in movement two elements able to move in translation along a first direction, configured to impose thereon movements in phase opposition, the coupling device including two arms rotationally articulated about a second out-of-plane direction, each arm to be connected to one of the movable elements, a coupling element to which the two arms are connected by elements having high rigidity in a third direction, the coupling element being configured to move in translation along the third direction, first and second devices for suspending the coupling element configured to guide the coupling element in translation along the third direction and to limit rotational movement thereof about the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Loïc Joet, Patrice Rey
  • Patent number: 11740088
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical gyroscope includes: the support structure; a sensing mass, coupled to the support structure with degrees of freedom along a driving direction and a sensing direction perpendicular to each other; and a calibration structure facing the sensing mass and separated from the sensing mass by a gap having an average width, the calibration structure being movable with respect to the sensing mass so that displacements of the calibration structure cause variations in the average width of the gap. A calibration actuator controls a relative position of the calibration structure with respect to the sensing mass and the average width of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luca Guerinoni, Luca Giuseppe Falorni