A physical quantity sensor includes a physical quantity sensor element including a lid joined to a substrate to define a housing space in the inside and a physical quantity sensor element piece housed in the housing space and a circuit element bonded to the outer surface of the lid via an adhesive material. In the lid, an electrode is provided to extend from an inner wall of a through-hole, which pierces through the lid from the housing space to a surface on the opposite side of the side of the physical quantity sensor element piece and is sealed by a sealing member, to a peripheral edge of the through-hole at the surface on the opposite side. In a sectional view, thickness of a region at the peripheral edge of the electrode is smaller at the opposite side of the side of an opening of the through-hole than the opening side.

A micromechanical sensor. The sensor includes a substrate, a cap element situated on the substrate, at least one seismic mass that is deflectable orthogonal to the cap element, an internal pressure that is lower by a defined amount relative to the surrounding environment prevailing inside a cavity, and a compensating element designed to provide a homogenization of a temperature gradient field in the cavity during operation of the micromechanical sensor.

The invention relates to the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes. The MEMS gyroscope of the present invention drives oscillation of at least one proof mass in a primary drive mode at a first frequency and in a secondary drive mode at a second frequency, different to the first frequency. The primary drive mode and secondary drive mode are orthogonal. Sense circuitry measures oscillation of the at least one proof mass in a sense mode, which is orthogonal to the primary drive mode and the secondary drive mode, in order to determine the angular rate of rotation of the MEMS gyroscope about sense axes parallel to the movement of the at least one proof mass in the primary and secondary drive modes.

The invention relates to the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes. The MEMS gyroscope of the present invention drives oscillation of at least one proof mass in a primary drive mode at a first frequency and in a secondary drive mode at a second frequency, different to the first frequency. The primary drive mode and secondary drive mode are orthogonal. Sense circuitry measures oscillation of the at least one proof mass in a sense mode, which is orthogonal to the primary drive mode and the secondary drive mode, in order to determine the angular rate of rotation of the MEMS gyroscope about sense axes parallel to the movement of the at least one proof mass in the primary and secondary drive modes.

An inertial measurement unit includes: an inertial sensor module having a first inertial sensor and having an outer shape molded with a first resin; a component part; a second resin molding the inertial sensor module and the component part; and a metal provided between the first resin of the inertial sensor module and the second resin.

A physical quantity sensor includes a substrate, a movable body that faces the substrate, a fixed portion that is fixed to the substrate, and a support beam that couples the movable body to the fixed portion. The movable body is displaceable with the support beam as a rotation axis, and includes, in a plan view, a first mass that is located on one side of a second direction with respect to the rotation axis, and a second mass that is located on the other side. Each of the first mass and the second mass has a plurality of through-holes which penetrate through the movable body and each of which has a square shape as an opening shape. When damping is indicated by C, and a minimum value of the damping is indicated by Cmin, C≤1.5≤Cmin.

A rotation-rate sensor having a substrate, the substrate having a main-extension-plane, and the rotation-rate sensor includes at least one first and one second mass-element which are oscillate-able, and a first main-extension-direction of the substrate points from the first mass-element to the second mass-element, and a coupling-structure is situated in the first main-extension-direction between the first and second mass-element, in which a first coupling-region of the coupling-structure is situated in a first function-layer, and a first mass-region of the first mass-element is situated in the first function-layer and a second mass-region of the first mass-element is situated in a second function-layer, the first function-layer being situated in an extension-direction perpendicular to the main-extension-plane between the substrate and the second function-layer, a second main-extension-direction being situated perpendicular to the first main-extension-direction, and the first coupling-region having a greater extension in the first main-extension-direction than in the second main-extension-direction.

A rotation-rate sensor having a substrate, the substrate having a main-extension-plane, and the rotation-rate sensor includes at least one first and one second mass-element which are oscillate-able, and a first main-extension-direction of the substrate points from the first mass-element to the second mass-element, and a coupling-structure is situated in the first main-extension-direction between the first and second mass-element, in which a first coupling-region of the coupling-structure is situated in a first function-layer, and a first mass-region of the first mass-element is situated in the first function-layer and a second mass-region of the first mass-element is situated in a second function-layer, the first function-layer being situated in an extension-direction perpendicular to the main-extension-plane between the substrate and the second function-layer, a second main-extension-direction being situated perpendicular to the first main-extension-direction, and the first coupling-region having a greater extension in the first main-extension-direction than in the second main-extension-direction.

In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving an indication that a vehicle has begun accelerating from a stationary state. A computing system sets, in response to having received the indication that the vehicle has begun accelerating from the stationary state, an orientation value generated using a gyroscope to a default orientation value. The computing system repeatedly updates the orientation value generated using the gyroscope, based on changes in gyroscope orientation that occurred after the computing system set the orientation value to the default orientation value. The computing system determines that the updated orientation value satisfies criteria that indicates that the vehicle is likely to encounter or has encountered a dangerous situation. The computing system outputs a signal to cause the vehicle to employ a safety measure.

In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving an indication that a vehicle has begun accelerating from a stationary state. A computing system sets, in response to having received the indication that the vehicle has begun accelerating from the stationary state, an orientation value generated using a gyroscope to a default orientation value. The computing system repeatedly updates the orientation value generated using the gyroscope, based on changes in gyroscope orientation that occurred after the computing system set the orientation value to the default orientation value. The computing system determines that the updated orientation value satisfies criteria that indicates that the vehicle is likely to encounter or has encountered a dangerous situation. The computing system outputs a signal to cause the vehicle to employ a safety measure.