Patent ID: 8258886

Claim:
An oscillating circuit for determining a resonant frequency of an electro-mechanical oscillating device and for driving the electro-mechanical oscillating device at the determined resonant frequency, the oscillating circuit comprising: a driving circuit configured to receive at least one reference signal and further configured to provide a driving signal related to the at least one reference signal to the electro-mechanical oscillating device, wherein the driving circuit determines a resonant frequency by measuring a parameter related to the resonant frequency of the electro-mechanical oscillating device; a start-up, impetus injection circuit operably coupled to the electro-mechanical oscillating device, wherein the start-up, impetus injection circuit is configured to selectively provide a start-up excitation signal to the electro-mechanical oscillation device, and wherein the start-up, impetus injection circuit is activated upon start-up of the oscillating circuit to drive the electro-mechanical oscillation device; and an excitation signal generating circuit including: a DC voltage source; and an energy storage device operatively coupled to the DC voltage source in a first condition and operatively coupled to the start-up switch in a second condition; and a start-up switch configured to selectively couple the excitation signal generating circuit to the electro-mechanical oscillating device, wherein in the first condition, the DC voltage source charges the energy storage device, and, in the second condition, the energy storage device drives the electro-mechanical oscillating device to a position related to a point of maximum amplitude.