Three-axis motion sensor
US6504385B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 31, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01P2015/084
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) motion sensor is disclosed for detecting movement in three dimensions of a semiconductor wafer structure. The MEMS device has top, middle, and bottom layers, with a mover attached to the middle layer by a flexure that allows the mover to move in three dimensions relative to the layers. The mover has mover electrodes that create a capacitance with counter electrodes positioned on an adjacent layer. The capacitance changes as the mover moves. A capacitance detector receives signals from the electrodes and detects movement of the mover based on the change in capacitances. The MEMS device processes the detected capacitances to determine the nature of the movement of the mover. The mover and counter electrodes comprise x-y electrodes for detecting movement in an x-y plane parallel to the middle layer and z electrodes for detecting movement in a direction orthogonal to the x-y plane.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.