Patent ID: 6691572
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: G01P

Abstract:
In an accelerometer of the type having a micromechanical pendulum, capacitive pick off and a control loop reset by electrostatic forces and which, in a sequential time sequence, applies a resetting voltage between the pendulum and a first or a second electrode that are fixed relative to the pendulum and are aligned at respectively defined distances from opposite surfaces of said pendulum, the improvement comprising:a) voltage levels of pulses which act sequentially on said first and second electrodes being such that no charge difference flows when an identical force acts on both sides of said pendulum; and b) said voltage pulses responsive to an acceleration being proportional in duration to the voltage difference between said first and second electrodes so that the difference between pulse durations corresponds to said acceleration whereby said control loop detects a charge difference flowing via said pendulum as a control variable and influences electrostatic resetting forces on said pendulum.