MEMS Sensor Clock Phase Alignment for Offset Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multifunction MEMS sensor devices face challenges with variable output offsets due to interactions between sensors, such as shared power, thermal, electromagnetic, and mechanical coupling, leading to stochastic changes in offsets that traditional trimming methods cannot effectively compensate for, resulting in accuracy issues.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction sensing device is designed with a reset mechanism that aligns the relative periodic phases of clock signals in MEMS sensors with a MEMS gyroscope's clock signal, phase-locked to mechanical oscillation or its sub-harmonic, to reduce multimodal offsets and ensure consistent performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional trimming methods are used to compensate for sensor offsets, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to stochastic offset variations from sensor interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The reset mechanism performs preliminary action by resetting the clock signals of multiple sensors to a common reference phase before measurements are taken. This pre-alignment of clock phases eliminates stochastic offset variations that would otherwise occur during sensor operations, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex real-time compensation algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
A common reference clock signal serves as an intermediary between multiple sensor clocks. The reset mechanism uses this intermediary reference to synchronize all sensor clocks to the same phase, eliminating phase-related offset variations. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system by providing a centralized synchronization point rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer synchronization between sensors
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple MEMS sensors are integrated in a multifunction device, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to variable output offsets from sensor interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The reset mechanism provides a universal solution for synchronizing multiple different types of MEMS sensors (gyroscopes, accelerometers, pressure sensors) to a common clock reference. This universal synchronization approach ensures that regardless of sensor type or function, all sensors operate with consistent clock phases, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision across diverse multifunctional sensor integrations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temporal parameter of clock signals by resetting their phases to a common reference point. This parameter change (phase alignment) directly addresses the offset consistency issue by ensuring that all sensors sample and process data at synchronized time points, eliminating phase-induced variations in output offsets across different sensor types
3Measurement precision
If clock signals in multiple sensors operate independently, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to multimodal offsets from phase misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The reset mechanism extracts the clock synchronization function from the individual sensor operations and consolidates it into a separate, dedicated mechanism. By taking out the phase alignment function and placing it in a common reset mechanism that references a master clock, the system achieves precise clock synchronization without requiring complex synchronization logic within each sensor, thereby improving measurement precision while keeping individual sensor designs relatively simple
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the likelihood of multimodal offsets, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of multifunction sensor devices by maintaining consistent relative phase alignment between clocks, thereby minimizing errors caused by varying output offsets.
Implementation Method 1
a first clock signal in the MEMS gyroscope, the first clock signal being phase aligned to at least a sub-harmonic of the mechanical oscillation
Implementation Method 2
setting relative periodic phase alignment between a second clock signal in the second sensor to the first clock signal
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for improved multifunction sensing. In these embodiments a multifunction sensing device (100) includes a microelectromechanical (MEMS) gyroscope (110) and at least a second sensor (112). The MEMS gyroscope (110) is configured to generate a first clock signal, and the second sensor includes a second clock signal. The multifunction sensing device further includes a reset mechanism (114), the reset mechanism (114) configured to generate a reset signal to set the relative periodic phase alignment of the second clock signal to the first clock signal. Consistently setting the relative periodic phase alignment of the clocks for the other sensor devices (112) to the clock of the MEMS gyroscope (110) can improve the performance of the devices by reducing the probability that varying output offsets will occur in the multiple sensing devices.