Apparatus and method for controlling a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10333443-B2
Application number	US-201715470157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Dec 6, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus and method for adjusting an amplitude of a drive signal applied to a device are presented. The method of driving a device includes providing a drive signal to drive the device, monitoring a gradient value of the response signal; and changing an amplitude level of the drive signal based on the gradient value. The monitoring of the gradient value includes sensing an electrical parameter of the response signal and calculating the gradient value based on the electrical parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of driving a device adapted to provide a response signal, the method comprising
providing a drive signal to drive the device; wherein the drive signal comprises an amplitude;

wherein the amplitude of the drive signal is variable between a first level, a second level and a third level; the third level having an absolute value greater than an absolute value of the second level;
changing the amplitude of the drive signal from the first level to the third level, and monitoring a gradient of the response signal to obtain a first gradient value;
calculating a second gradient value of the response signal when the amplitude of the drive signal is at the third level;
calculating a final gradient value based on the first gradient value; and
changing the amplitude of the drive signal from the third level to the second level upon identifying that the second gradient value has reached the final gradient value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the response signal evolves asymptotically towards a response level.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein calculating the final gradient value comprises calculating a coefficient based on the second level and the third level.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the final gradient value is defined by a product of the first gradient value with the coefficient.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein monitoring the gradient value comprises sensing an electrical parameter of the response signal; and calculating the gradient value based on the electrical parameter.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the response signal comprises a feedback component.

7. A controller for use with a driver for proving a drive signal to a device, wherein the device is adapted to provide a response signal; the controller comprising
a gradient calculator; and
a selector coupled to the gradient calculator, for selecting an amplitude level of the drive signal; wherein the selector is adapted to select the amplitude level between a first level, a second level and a third level; the third level having an absolute value greater than the absolute value of the second level;
wherein the gradient calculator is adapted to calculate a first gradient value of the response signal upon a change of amplitude of the drive signal from the first level to the third level; a second gradient value of the response signal when the amplitude of the drive signal is at the third level; and a final gradient value based on the first gradient value, wherein the controller is adapted to change the amplitude of the drive signal from the third level to the second level using the selector upon identifying that the second gradient value has reached the final gradient value.

8. The controller as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the response signal evolves asymptotically towards a response level.

9. The controller as claimed in claim 7 , comprising a comparator coupled to the gradient calculator and to the selector, the comparator being adapted to compare the second gradient value of the response signal with the final gradient value and to provide a control signal to the selector based on the comparison.

10. The controller as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the gradient calculator is adapted to calculate the final gradient value by calculating a coefficient based on the second level and the third level.

11. The controller as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the final gradient value is defined by a product of the first gradient value with the coefficient.

12. The controller as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the response signal comprises a feedback component.

13. The controller as claimed in claim 7 comprising a drive level calculator coupled to the selector, the drive level calculator being adapted to calculate the third level based on the second level.

14. A control system for use with a device adapted to provide a response signal, the control system comprising
a driver adapted to provide a drive signal to the device; wherein the drive signal comprises an amplitude;
a sensor adapted to sense an electrical parameter of the response signal; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and to the driver, the controller comprising
a gradient calculator; and
a selector coupled to the gradient calculator, for selecting an amplitude level of the drive signal; wherein the selector is adapted to select the amplitude level between a first level, a second level and a third level; the third level having an absolute value greater than the absolute value of the second level;
wherein the gradient calculator is adapted to calculate a first gradient value of the response signal upon a change of amplitude of the drive signal from the first level to the third level; a second gradient value of the response signal when the amplitude of the drive signal is at the third level; and a final gradient value based on the first gradient value, wherein the controller is adapted to change the amplitude of the drive signal from the third level to the second level using the selector upon identifying that the second gradient value has reached the final gradient value.

15. The control system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the response signal evolves asymptotically towards a response level.

16. The control system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the device comprises a resonance frequency, the control system comprising a frequency controller adapted to adjust the drive signal to drive the device at the resonance frequency.

17. The control system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the driver is a current driver to provide a current signal, and wherein the sensor is a voltage sensor to sense a voltage across the oscillating device.

18. A system comprising
a device adapted to provide a response signal, and a control system, the control system comprising
a driver adapted to provide a drive signal to the device; wherein the drive signal comprises an amplitude;
a sensor adapted to sense an electrical parameter of the response signal; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and to the driver, the controller comprising
a gradient calculator; and
a selector coupled to the gradient calculator, for selecting an amplitude level of the drive signal; wherein the selector is adapted to select the amplitude level between a first level, a second level and a third level; the third level having an absolute value greater than the absolute value of the second level;
wherein the gradient calculator is adapted to calculate a first gradient value of the response signal upon a change of amplitude of the drive signal from the first level to the third level; a second gradient value of the response signal when the amplitude of the drive signal is at the third level; and a final gradient value based on the first gradient value, wherein the controller is adapted to change the amplitude of the drive signal from the third level to the second level using the selector upon identifying that the second gradient value has reached the final gradient value.

Assignees

• Dialog Semiconductor Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Eke David
• Nguyen Krzysztof

Classifications

• F04B1/00 Primary

  Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders (machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder F04B3/00) · CPC title

• H02K7/061

  using rotary unbalanced masses (for generating mechanical vibrations in general B06B1/16) · CPC title

• G05F1/00

  Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems · CPC title

• H02P7/2855 Primary

  whereby the speed is regulated by measuring the motor speed and comparing it with a given physical value · CPC title

• H04R1/22

  for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only  {(circuit for combining transducers having different responses H04R3/00; for hearing aids H04R25/407)} · CPC title