Patent ID: 7839227

Claim:
An oscillating circuit, comprising: an analog oscillation element; at least one analog-to-digital conversion device, wherein the oscillating element includes a mechanical oscillator, the oscillating circuit further comprising an electrical drive circuit that interacts with the mechanical oscillator, the electrical drive circuit including the analog-to-digital conversion device, wherein the drive circuit includes: a device configured to measure an oscillation amplitude of the mechanical oscillator; at least one analog-to-digital conversion device configured to digitize the oscillation amplitude; a digital amplitude controller configured to control the oscillation amplitude; at least one digital-to-analog conversion device configured to generate a driving signal; and a device configured to drive the mechanical oscillator a device configured to induce an oscillation from a resting position of the mechanical oscillator; and a finite state machine configured to activate the device configured to induce the oscillation as a function of an oscillation amplitude.