| US 7,481,111 B2 | ||
| Micro-electro-mechanical sensor with force feedback loop | ||
| Carlo Caminada, Rho (Italy); Ernesto Lasalandra, San Donato Milanese (Italy); and Luciano Prandi, Bellinzago Novarese (Italy) | ||
| Assigned to STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (Italy) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 22, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/843,579. | ||
| Application 11/843579 is a division of application No. 11/195363, filed on Aug. 02, 2005, granted, now 7,275,433. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 04425600 (EP), filed on Aug. 03, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0289382 A1, Dec. 20, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01P 15/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 73—514.18 [73/504.12; 73/503.3] | 7 Claims |
| 1. A method for determining characteristics of a rotating system, comprising the steps of:
maintaining a first mass in oscillation at a resonance frequency along a first axis;
coupling a second mass to the first mass via a mechanical means;
determining feedback voltages via an analog force feedback loop, the analog force feedback loop acting on the second mass,
comprising the steps of:
receiving reading currents indicative of a velocity of the second mass along a second axis,
converting the reading currents to reading voltages, the reading voltages indicative of a displacement of the second mass
relative to a rest position along the second axis, and
filtering the reading voltages to generate the feedback voltages; and
applying the feedback voltages to the second mass, the feedback voltages tending to restore the second mass to the rest position.
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