How Tiny Sensors Stay Steady When Their Mounts Shake
This patent describes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor design that uses special springs and a stable internal mass to keep its measuring parts steady, even when the sensor's attachment points are vibrating or moving.
Original patent title: “Anchoring structure for a sensor insensitive to anchor movement”
This patent describes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor design that uses special springs and a stable internal mass to keep its measuring parts steady, even when the sensor's attachment points are vibrating or moving. Granted to InvenSense in 2020 with 23 claims and 3 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2038.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent details a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor designed to isolate its sensitive measuring components from unwanted external movements. It achieves this by suspending a "spring-mass system" from "anchoring components" within a MEMS layer (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). A crucial element is a "rigid mass" connected to the anchoring component by "anchoring springs." The actual "sense mass," which detects forces like acceleration, is then coupled to this rigid mass. The key innovation is that this rigid mass remains "substantially stationary" (Claim 1) even if the anchoring component moves, especially in an out-of-plane direction (Claim 2). This stability is maintained because the anchoring spring is "torsionally compliant" (Claim 3), meaning it can twist to absorb the unwanted movement without transmitting it to the rigid mass or the sense mass. For example, in a car's airbag system, this design would ensure the sensor accurately detects a crash impact without being confused by normal road vibrations.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Sensors where the rigid mass moves significantly in response to anchor movement, specifically if its movement is not at least an order of magnitude less than the anchor's movement (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 6).
- Sensors where the anchoring spring is not designed to be torsionally compliant to out-of-plane movements of the anchoring component (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 3).
- Sensors that achieve stability through external damping mechanisms rather than through an internal, isolated spring-mass system as described.
- Sensors where the sense mass is directly connected to the anchoring component without the intermediate rigid mass and anchoring spring system.
- Sensors where the rigid mass moves substantially in response to the sensed inertial force, if its movement is not at least an order of magnitude less than the sense mass's movement (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 7).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in creating an internal isolation stage using a "rigid mass" and "torsionally compliant anchoring springs." This setup ensures the sensitive "sense mass" remains "substantially stationary" relative to the MEMS layer, even when the sensor's attachment points are moving or vibrating, effectively filtering out unwanted mechanical noise.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Smartphone accelerometers and gyroscopes
Automotive airbag deployment sensors
Wearable fitness trackers and smartwatches
Drone flight stabilization systems
Industrial machinery vibration monitoring
Augmented and virtual reality headsets
Why it matters
The bigger picture
MEMS sensors are essential components in countless modern devices, from consumer electronics to automotive safety systems. Their accuracy can be severely compromised by vibrations or movements of the larger device they are integrated into. This invention aims to significantly improve the reliability and precision of these tiny sensors by effectively isolating their sensitive measuring elements from external disturbances, leading to more accurate data for motion tracking, navigation, and environmental sensing.
Filed
February 20, 2018
Granted
May 19, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
InvenSense, the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more → and now part of TDK, is a leading developer and manufacturer of MEMS inertial sensors. Other major companies like Bosch Sensortec, STMicroelectronics, and Analog Devices also continuously innovate in MEMS sensor design, focusing on improved stability, noise reduction, and accuracy for a wide range of applications.
Market impact
This type of innovation directly contributes to the development of more robust and accurate MEMS sensors, which are fundamental for the miniaturization and enhanced performance of modern electronic devices. It allows products to function reliably in noisy or vibrating environments, thereby improving the quality and capability of products across consumer electronics, automotive safety, and industrial automation sectors.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent details a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor designed to isolate its sensitive measuring components from unwanted external movements. It achieves this by suspending a "spring-mass system" from "anchoring components" within a MEMS layer (Claim 1). A crucial element is a "rigid mass" connected to the anchoring component by "anchoring springs." The actual "sense mass," which detects forces like acceleration, is then coupled to this rigid mass. The key innovation is that this rigid mass remains "substantially stationary" (Claim 1) even if the anchoring component moves, especially in an out-of-plane direction (Claim 2). This stability is maintained because the anchoring spring is "torsionally compliant" (Claim 3), meaning it can twist to absorb the unwanted movement without transmitting it to the rigid mass or the sense mass. For example, in a car's airbag system, this design would ensure the sensor accurately detects a crash impact without being confused by normal road vibrations.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in creating an internal isolation stage using a "rigid mass" and "torsionally compliant anchoring springs." This setup ensures the sensitive "sense mass" remains "substantially stationary" relative to the MEMS layer, even when the sensor's attachment points are moving or vibrating, effectively filtering out unwanted mechanical noise.
What it does not cover
- Sensors where the rigid mass moves significantly in response to anchor movement, specifically if its movement is not at least an order of magnitude less than the anchor's movement (Claim 6).
- Sensors where the anchoring spring is not designed to be torsionally compliant to out-of-plane movements of the anchoring component (Claim 3).
- Sensors that achieve stability through external damping mechanisms rather than through an internal, isolated spring-mass system as described.
- Sensors where the sense mass is directly connected to the anchoring component without the intermediate rigid mass and anchoring spring system.
- Sensors where the rigid mass moves substantially in response to the sensed inertial force, if its movement is not at least an order of magnitude less than the sense mass's movement (Claim 7).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
12/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$59K – $187K
Midpoint $117K · 11.4 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gafforelli, G., Ruohio, J., & Coronato, L. (2020). How Tiny Sensors Stay Steady When Their Mounts Shake (U.S. Patent No. 10,655,963). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10655963/anchoring-structure-for-a-sensor-insensitive-to-anchor-movement
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Tiny Sensors Stay Steady When Their Mounts Shake cover?
This patent describes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor design that uses special springs and a stable internal mass to keep its measuring parts steady, even when the sensor's attachment points are vibrating or moving.
Who owns patent US 10655963?
InvenSense owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on February 20, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10655963 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
MEMS sensors are essential components in countless modern devices, from consumer electronics to automotive safety systems. Their accuracy can be severely compromised by vibrations or movements of the larger device they are integrated into. This invention aims to significantly improve the reliability and precision of these tiny sensors by effectively isolating their sensitive measuring elements from external disturbances, leading to more accurate data for motion tracking, navigation, and environmental sensing.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Sensors where the rigid mass moves significantly in response to anchor movement, specifically if its movement is not at least an order of magnitude less than the anchor's movement (Claim 6).
Patent monitoring