The MEMS gyroscope has a mobile mass carried by a supporting structure to move in a driving direction and in a first sensing direction, perpendicular to each other. A driving structure governs movement of the mobile mass in the driving direction at a driving frequency. A movement sensing structure is coupled to the mobile mass and detects the movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction. A quadrature-injection structure is coupled to the mobile mass and causes a first and a second movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction in a first calibration half-period and, respectively, a second calibration half-period. The movement-sensing structure supplies a sensing signal having an amplitude switching between a first and a second value that depend upon the movement of the mobile mass as a result of an external angular velocity and of the first and second quadrature movements. The first and second values of the sensing signal are subtracted from each other and compared with a stored difference value to supply information of variation of the scale factor.

The MEMS gyroscope has a mobile mass carried by a supporting structure to move in a driving direction and in a first sensing direction, perpendicular to each other. A driving structure governs movement of the mobile mass in the driving direction at a driving frequency. A movement sensing structure is coupled to the mobile mass and detects the movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction. A quadrature-injection structure is coupled to the mobile mass and causes a first and a second movement of the mobile mass in the sensing direction in a first calibration half-period and, respectively, a second calibration half-period. The movement-sensing structure supplies a sensing signal having an amplitude switching between a first and a second value that depend upon the movement of the mobile mass as a result of an external angular velocity and of the first and second quadrature movements. The first and second values of the sensing signal are subtracted from each other and compared with a stored difference value to supply information of variation of the scale factor.

This disclosure describes a multiaxis gyroscope comprising a first proof mass quartet centered around a first quartet center point and a second proof mass quartet centered around a second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of each proof mass in the first proof mass quartet in relation to the first quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the corresponding proof mass in the second proof mass quartet in relation to the second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of the first and second proof masses in each proof mass quartet in relation to the corresponding quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the third and fourth proof masses in the same proof mass quartet in relation to the same quartet center point.

A controller applies a predetermined voltage to a fixed part detection excitation electrode to vibrate a movable part in a second direction and simultaneously applies a predetermined voltage to a fixed part drive electrode to vibrate the movable part in a first direction. The controller acquires, of the movable part, a first resonance frequency along the first direction and a second resonance frequency along the second direction. The controller controls a drive spring adjustment part to adjust a spring constant of the drive spring, such that the first resonance frequency is maintained constant, and controls a detection spring adjustment part to adjust a spring constant of the detection spring such that the second resonance frequency is maintained constant. The controller detects the angular velocity based on a result of synchronously detecting signal from the fixed part detection electrode with the first resonance frequency.

An angular rate sensor includes first, second, third, and fourth proof masses spaced apart from a surface of a substrate, each of the first, second, third, and fourth proof masses being configured to move along first and second transverse axes parallel to the surface of the substrate. A first coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the first and second proof masses. A second coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the second and third proof masses. A third coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the third and fourth proof masses. A fourth coupling structure is interposed between and interconnects the fourth and first proof masses. The first, second, third, and fourth coupling structures are configured to constrain an in-phase motion of adjacent ones of the first, second, third, and fourth proof masses along the first and second transverse axes.

Provided is a vibrator device including a vibrator structure body. When the A axis, the B axis, and the C axis are three axes orthogonal to each other, the vibrator structure body includes a vibrator element and a support substrate that is aligned with the vibrator element along the C axis. The vibrator element includes vibrating arms configured to flexurally vibrate along a plane parallel to the A axis and the B axis and along the A axis. The support substrate includes a base that supports the vibrator element, a support that supports the base, and a beam that couples the base and the support. A relationship f0<f1 is satisfied in which f0 is a resonance frequency of a vibration of the vibrator structure body along the B axis and f1 is a drive frequency of the vibrator element.

A sensor system includes first and second MEMS structures and a processing circuit. The first and second MEMS structures are configured to produce first and second output signals, respectively, in response to a physical stimulus. A method performed by the processing circuit entails receiving the first and second output signals and detecting a defective one of the first and second MEMS structures from the first and second output signals by determining that the first and second output signals are uncorrelated to one another. The method further entails utilizing only the first or the second output signal from a non-defective one of the MEMS structures to produce a processed output signal when one of the MEMS structures is determined to be defective and utilizing the first and second output signals from both of the MEMS structures to produce the processed output signal when neither of the MEMS structures is defective.

The disclosure describes a z-axis gyroscope where a proof mass is suspended from a peripheral suspender and a central suspender. The peripheral suspender forms a truncated triangle around the proof mass, and the central suspender extends through the truncated corner of the triangle formed by the peripheral suspender. The proof mass is driven into a primary oscillation mode by one or more piezoelectric drive transducers located on the peripheral suspender. One or more piezoelectric sense transducers located on the base of the peripheral suspender are configured to detect the secondary oscillation mode of the proof mass.

The disclosure describes a z-axis gyroscope where a proof mass is suspended from a peripheral suspender and a central suspender. The peripheral suspender forms a truncated triangle around the proof mass, and the central suspender extends through the truncated corner of the triangle formed by the peripheral suspender. The proof mass is driven into a primary oscillation mode by one or more piezoelectric drive transducers located on the peripheral suspender. One or more piezoelectric sense transducers located on the base of the peripheral suspender are configured to detect the secondary oscillation mode of the proof mass.

Provided is a vibrator device including a vibrator structure body. When the A axis, the B axis, and the C axis are three axes orthogonal to each other, the vibrator structure body includes a vibrator element and a support substrate that is aligned with the vibrator element along the C axis. The vibrator element includes vibrating arms configured to flexurally vibrate along a plane parallel to the A axis and the B axis and along the A axis. The support substrate includes a base that supports the vibrator element, a support that supports the base, and a beam that couples the base and the support. A relationship f0<f1 is satisfied in which f0 is a resonance frequency of a vibration of the vibrator structure body along the B axis and f1 is a drive frequency of the vibrator element.