Patent ID: 8607631
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: G01P

Abstract:
1. An inertial sensor comprising: (a) a differential thermocouple including first and second metal traces, a single polycrystalline silicon poly trace, a first contact element electrically coupling a first end of the first metal trace to a first end of the single poly trace to form a first thermocouple junction, and a second contact element electrically coupling a first end of the second metal trace to a second end of the single poly trace to form a second thermocouple junction, the differential thermocouple producing a differential voltage between second ends of the first and second metal traces; (b) a heating device aligned with respect to the first and second thermopile junctions; and (c) a region proximate to a heater and the poly trace enclosing a mass of gas that is heated by the heater and is located symmetrically with respect to the first and second thermocouple junctions while the differential thermocouple has a predetermined initial orientation and a predetermined initial acceleration that result in balanced thermal coupling between the heated gas mass and the first and second thermocouple junctions so as to cause a predetermined initial value of the differential voltage; (d) whereby a change in the predetermined initial orientation or the predetermined initial acceleration shifts the location of the heated gas mass relative to the first and second thermocouple junctions so as to cause a corresponding change in the differential voltage.