Control of multi-temperature micro-oven for MEMS devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257993-B2
Application number	US-201113878572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2011
Priority date	Oct 11, 2010
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed are microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices and methods of using the same. In some embodiments, a MEMS device comprises a micro-oven comprising a MEMS oscillator configured to generate a reference signal. The device further comprises a control unit comprising at least one input node configured to receive a parameter set, where the parameter set comprises at least a first parameter indicative of a sensed ambient temperature, and where the control system is configured to (i) based on the parameter set, select from a plurality of pre-characterized operation temperatures an operation temperature for the MEMS oscillator, and (ii) generate a temperature-setting signal indicating the selected operation temperature. The device still further comprises a temperature control system communicatively coupled to the control unit and configured to (i) receive the temperature-setting signal and (ii) maintain the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a micro-oven comprising a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillator configured to generate a reference signal;
a control unit comprising at least one input node configured to receive a parameter set, wherein the parameter set comprises at least a first parameter indicative of a sensed ambient temperature and a second parameter indicative of a power consumption of the device, and wherein the control system is configured to (i) based on the parameter set and at least one predefined relationship between the sensed ambient temperature and the power consumption, select from a plurality of pre-characterized operation temperatures an operation temperature for the MEMS oscillator, and (ii) generate a temperature-setting signal indicating the selected operation temperature; and
a temperature control system communicatively coupled to the control unit and configured to (i) receive the temperature-setting signal and (ii) maintain the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the control system maintains a plurality of predefined relationships; and
the parameter set further comprises a third parameter indicative of a particular predefined relationship in the plurality of predefined relationships; and
the particular predefined relationship is selected from a plurality of predefined relationships as the at least one predefined relationship based on the third parameter.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-characterized operation temperatures are pre-characterized based on ambient temperatures within a particular period of time.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature comprises maintaining the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature for a predetermined period of time.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the parameter set further comprises a fourth parameter indicating a predetermined window in which the reference signal need not be stable; and
the control unit is further configured to postpone selecting the operation temperature based on the fourth parameter.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to generate, based on the parameter set, a compensation parameter, the device further comprising:
a compensation unit communicatively coupled to the control unit and configured to (i) receive the compensation parameter from the control unit, and (ii) based on the reference signal and the compensation parameter, generate an output signal.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature control system comprises:
a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the MEMS oscillator; and
a heating-cooling source configured to maintain the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein:
the temperature sensor is communicatively coupled to the control unit; and
the control unit is further configured to supply current to the temperature sensor, wherein the current varies based on the parameter set.

9. A method comprising:
a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillator generating a reference signal;
receiving a parameter set, wherein the parameter set comprises at least a first parameter indicative of a sensed ambient temperature and a second parameter indicative of a power consumption of the device;
based on the parameter set and at least one predefined relationship between the sensed ambient temperature and the power consumption, selecting from a plurality of pre-characterized operation temperatures an operation temperature for the MEMS oscillator;
generating a temperature-setting signal indicating the selected operation temperature; and
based on the temperature-setting signal, maintaining the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature, thereby generating an output signal having a desired frequency.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the control system maintains a plurality of predefined relationships; and
the parameter set further comprises a third parameter indicative of a particular predefined relationship in the plurality of predefined relationships; and
the particular predefined relationship is selected from a plurality of predefined relationships as the at least one predefined relationship based on the third parameter.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pre-characterized operation temperatures are pre-characterized based on ambient temperatures within a particular period of time.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein maintaining the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature comprises maintaining the MEMS oscillator at the selected operation temperature for a predetermined period of time.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the parameter set further comprises a fourth parameter indicating a predetermined window in which the reference signal need not be stable; and
selecting the operation temperature comprises postponing the selection of the operation temperature based on the fourth parameter.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating, based on the parameter set, a compensation parameter, wherein generating the output signal comprises generating the output signal based on the reference signal and the compensation parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the output signal has substantially a predetermined frequency.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
supplying a varying current to a temperature sensor; and
using the temperature sensor to sense a temperature in the MEMS oscillator.

Assignees

• Munaga Satyakiran N
• Catthoor Francky
• Imec
• Univ Leuven Kath

Inventors

• Munaga Satyakiran N
• Catthoor Francky

Classifications

• H03H9/08

  Holders with means for regulating temperature · CPC title

• H03L1/04 Primary

  Constructional details for maintaining temperature constant · CPC title

• H03H9/02448

  of temperature influence · CPC title