Sensor Device and Method for Operating a Sensor Device Having at Least One Seismic Mass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356599-A1
Application number	US-201515116924-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Feb 5, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensor drive includes at least one first seismic mass and an operating apparatus. The operating apparatus is configured to put the first seismic mass into oscillatory motion such that (i) a projection of the oscillatory motion of the first seismic mass onto a first spatial direction is a first harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass at a first frequency, and (ii) a projection of the oscillatory motion of the first seismic mass onto a second spatial direction oriented at an angle to the first spatial direction is a second harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass at a second frequency not equal to the first frequency. A method includes operating such a sensor device having at least one seismic mass.

First claim

1 . A sensor device, comprising:
at least one first seismic mass and an operating apparatus configured to set at least the first seismic mass in an oscillating motion such that:
(i) a projection of the oscillating motion of the first seismic mass onto a first spatial direction is a first harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass with a first frequency in the first spatial direction; and
(ii) a projection of the oscillating motion of the first seismic mass onto a second spatial direction oriented at an angle with respect to the first spatial direction is a second harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass with a second frequency which is unequal to the first frequency in the second spatial direction.

2 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one second seismic mass; the operating apparatus further configured to set the second seismic mass in an oscillating motion such that:
(i) a projection of the oscillating motion of the second seismic mass onto the first spatial direction is asymmetrical with respect to the first harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass; and
(ii) a projection of the oscillating motion of the second seismic mass onto the second spatial direction is asymmetrical with respect to the second harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass.

3 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising a coupling structure that connects the first seismic mass to the second seismic mass.

4 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the operating apparatus is further configured to:
determine at least a first variable relating to at least one of:
a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the first frequency in a third spatial direction oriented at a respective angle with respect to each of the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction; and
a periodic deflection of the second seismic mass with the first frequency in the third spatial direction; and
define and output at least one information item relating to (i) a rotational motion of the sensor device about the second spatial direction or (ii) a component of a magnetic field which is oriented in the second spatial direction, with reference to the at least one first variable which is determined.

5 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the operating apparatus is further configured to:
determine at least one second variable relating to at least one of:
a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the second frequency in a third spatial direction oriented at respective angles with respect to each of the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction; and
a periodic deflection of the second seismic mass with the second frequency in the third spatial direction; and
define and output at least one information item relating to (i) a rotational motion of the sensor device about the first spatial direction or (ii) a component of a magnetic field which is oriented in the first spatial direction, with reference to the at least one second variable which is determined.

6 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the operating apparatus is further configured to:
determine at least one of:
at least one third variable relating to a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the first frequency in the second spatial direction
a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the second frequency in the first spatial direction;
a periodic deflection of the second seismic mass with the first frequency in the second spatial direction; and
a periodic deflection of the second seismic mass with the second frequency in the first spatial direction and
define and output at least one information item relating to (i) a rotational motion of the sensor device about a third spatial direction oriented at respective angles with respect to each of the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction, or (i) a component of a magnetic field which is oriented in the third spatial direction, with reference to the at least one third variable which is determined.

7 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the operating apparatus includes at least one of:
at least one first electrode spaced along the first spatial direction and disposed on at least one of the first seismic mass and the second seismic mass; at least one second electrode spaced along the second spatial direction and disposed on at least one of the first seismic mass and the second seismic mass; and at least one third electrode spaced along a third spatial direction oriented at a respective angle with respect to each of the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction, and disposed on at least one of the first seismic mass and the second seismic mass.

8 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one first seismic mass consists of a single first seismic mass; the at least one second seismic mass consists of a single second seismic mass; and the sensor device comprises only the single first seismic mass and the single second seismic mass as seismic masses.

9 . The sensor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is configured to operate as a rotational rate sensor component, a rotational rate sensor, a component for a Lorentz-force-based magnetic field sensor, or a Lorentz-force-based magnetic field sensor.

10 . A method for operating a sensor device having at least one first seismic mass comprising:
setting at least one first seismic mass into an oscillating motion such that:
a projection of the oscillating motion of the first seismic mass onto a first spatial direction produces a first harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass with a first frequency in the first spatial direction;
a projection of the oscillating motion of the first seismic mass onto a second spatial direction oriented at an angle with respect to the first spatial direction produces a second harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass with a second frequency which is unequal to the first frequency in the second spatial direction.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
setting at least one second seismic mass into an oscillating motion such that:
a projection of the oscillating motion of the second seismic mass onto the first spatial direction oscillates asymmetrically with respect to the first harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass; and
a projection of the oscillating motion of the second seismic mass onto the second spatial direction oscillates asymmetrically with respect to the second harmonic oscillation of the first seismic mass.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:
determining at least one first variable relating to at least one of:
a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the first frequency in a third spatial direction oriented at respective angles with respect to each of the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction; and
a periodic deflection of the second seismic mass with the first frequency in the third spatial direction; and

defining at least one information item relating to (i) a rotational motion of the sensor device about the second spatial direction or (ii) a component of a magnetic field oriented in the second spatial direction, with reference to the at least one first variable which is determined.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising
determining at least one second variable relating to at least one of:
a periodic deflection of the first seismic mass with the second frequency in a third spatial direction orient

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Maul Robert
• Hattass Mirko
• Scheben Rolf

Classifications

• G01C19/574 Primary

  the devices having two sensing masses in anti-phase motion · CPC title

• G01C19/5747

  each sensing mass being connected to a driving mass, e.g. driving frames · CPC title

• G01C19/5719

  using planar vibrating masses driven in a translation vibration along an axis · CPC title

• G01D21/02

  Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title