Patent ID: 7941723
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: G01R,H03B

Abstract:
1. A method for assuring reliability of a clock generator that includes an array of MEMS resonators comprising: operating a plurality of MEMS resonators in the array of MEMS resonators at start-up of the clock generator to generate a test output from each of the plurality of MEMS resonators; analyzing the test output of the plurality of MEMS resonators to determine which of the plurality of operated MEMS resonators meet a test criteria; selecting a MEMS resonator from the plurality of operated MEMS resonators that meets the test criteria and coupling an output of the selected MEMS resonator that meets the test criteria to an output of the clock generator to generate an output clock signal; repeatedly analyzing the output of the selected MEMS resonator to determine whether the output of the selected MEMS resonator continues to meet the test criteria; replacing the selected MEMS resonator with a replacement MEMS resonator when the output of the selected MEMS resonator no longer meets the test criteria by selecting the replacement MEMS resonator from the non-selected MEMS resonators that were determined to meet the test criteria, operating the replacement MEMS resonator, and coupling the output of the replacement MEMS resonator to the output of the clock generator.