A device for testing an inertial sensor for a vehicle, which includes at least two attachment points, having at least one first oscillation body to which the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened, and having at least one first excitation module assigned to the first oscillation body for accelerating the first oscillation body in at least one direction. At least one second oscillation body is spaced apart from the first oscillation body, to which at least one second excitation module is assigned for accelerating the second oscillation body, and that the inertial sensor is fastenable/is fastened with a first attachment point to the first oscillation body and with a second attachment point to the second oscillation body.

A sensor system includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, processing circuitry, measurement circuitry, stimulus circuitry and memory. The system is configured to provide an output responsive to physical displacement within the MEMS sensor to the measurement circuitry. The stimulus circuitry is configured to provide a stimulus signal to the MEMS sensor to cause a physical displacement within the MEMS sensor. The measurement circuitry is configured to process the output from the MEMS sensor and provide it to the processing circuitry, which is configured to generate stimulus signals and provide them to the stimulus circuitry for provision to the MEMS sensor. Output from the measurement circuitry corresponding to the physical displacement occurring in the MEMS sensor is monitored and used to calculate MEMS sensor characteristics. Methods for monitoring and calibrating MEMS sensors are also provided.

A sensor system includes a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, processing circuitry, measurement circuitry, stimulus circuitry and memory. The system is configured to provide an output responsive to physical displacement within the MEMS sensor to the measurement circuitry. The stimulus circuitry is configured to provide a stimulus signal to the MEMS sensor to cause a physical displacement within the MEMS sensor. The measurement circuitry is configured to process the output from the MEMS sensor and provide it to the processing circuitry, which is configured to generate stimulus signals and provide them to the stimulus circuitry for provision to the MEMS sensor. Output from the measurement circuitry corresponding to the physical displacement occurring in the MEMS sensor is monitored and used to calculate MEMS sensor characteristics. Methods for monitoring and calibrating MEMS sensors are also provided.

An inertial sensor such as a MEMS accelerometer or gyroscope has a proof mass that is driven by a self-test signal, with the response of the proof mass to the self-test signal being used to determine whether the sensor is within specification. The self-test signal is provided as a non-periodic self-test pattern that does not correlate with noise such as environmental vibrations that are also experienced by the proof mass during the self-test procedure. The sense output signal corresponding to the proof mass is correlated with the non-periodic self-test signal, such that an output correlation value corresponds only to the proof mass response to the applied self-test signal.

The invention relates to an acceleration sensor (400) comprising an excitation mass (420) having excitation electrodes (430), which excitation mass is movably mounted over a substrate (410) along a movement axis (x) and comprising detection electrodes (440) which are permanently connected to the substrate (410) and allocated to the excitation electrodes (430). A first group of pairings (450) of excitation electrode (430) and allocated detection electrodes (440) is suitable for deflecting the excitation mass (420) along the movement axis (x) in a first direction (460). A second group of pairings (450) of excitation electrodes (430) and allocated detection electrodes (440) is suitable for deflecting the excitation mass (420) along the movement axis (x) in a second direction (465), which is opposite the first direction (460). The number of pairings (450) in the first group is equal to the number of pairings (450) in the second group. The averaged distance between excitation electrodes (430) and detection electrodes (440) of the pairings (450) of the first group corresponds to the averaged distance between excitation electrodes (430) and detection electrodes (440) of the pairings (450) of the second group.

A motion detecting device includes an accelerometer configured to generate gravitational acceleration readings associated respectively with consecutive time segments, an angular acceleration sensor and configured to generate angular acceleration readings, and a processor operable in one of a standby mode and an active mode. When operated in the standby mode, the processor activates the accelerometer, deactivates the angular acceleration sensor, and determines whether the user is in a substantial moving state. When determined that the user is in the substantial moving state, the processor switches to the active mode to activate both the accelerometer and said angular acceleration sensor, in order to determine the motion of the user.

A motion detecting device includes an accelerometer configured to generate gravitational acceleration readings associated respectively with consecutive time segments, an angular acceleration sensor and configured to generate angular acceleration readings, and a processor operable in one of a standby mode and an active mode. When operated in the standby mode, the processor activates the accelerometer, deactivates the angular acceleration sensor, and determines whether the user is in a substantial moving state. When determined that the user is in the substantial moving state, the processor switches to the active mode to activate both the accelerometer and said angular acceleration sensor, in order to determine the motion of the user.

An electronics system has a board with a thermal interface having an exposed surface. A thermoelectric device is placed against the thermal interface to heat the board. Heat transfers through the board from a first region where the thermal interface is located to a second region where an electronics device is mounted. The electronics device has a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the electronics device. The temperature of the electronics device is used to calibrate an accelerometer and a gyroscope in the electronics device. Calibration data includes a temperature and a corresponding acceleration offset and a corresponding angle offset. A field computer simultaneously senses a temperature, an acceleration and an angle from the temperature sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope and adjusts the measured data with the offset data at the same temperature. The field computer provides corrected data to a controlled system.

A method for determining sensor calibration parameters includes: obtaining a plurality of sets of sensor measurement values, in a sensor coordinate system, of a sensor of a user equipment; and determining the sensor calibration parameters, based on a first portion of the plurality of sets of sensor measurement values corresponding to first times at which the user equipment is at rest and based on a second portion of the plurality of sets of sensor measurement values at least some of which correspond to second times at which the user equipment is in motion, such that application of the sensor calibration parameters to a selected set of the plurality of sets of sensor measurement values yields a calibrated set of calibrated sensor measurement values in a reference coordinate system.

In a method for calibrating a sensor installed in a vehicle, a triggering signal for the calibration is automatically generated subsequent to the vehicle production process, during which calibration sensor signals are calibrated as a function of the inclination of the ground on which the vehicle is located.