Eric G Oettinger

US Patent:

6342984, Jan 29, 2002

Filed:

Sep 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/162657

Inventors:

Hakam D. Hussein - Rochester MN
Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN
Eugene F. Plutowski - Rochester MN

Assignee:

Western Digital Technologies, INC - Lake Forest CA

International Classification:

G11B 1518

US Classification:

360 69, 360 75, 318432, 318433

Abstract:

A disk drive is connectable to a power supply having a fixed DC voltage. The disk drive includes a voice coil motor and a spindle motor. A DC to DC voltage converter converts the fixed DC voltage to an increased DC voltage greater than the fixed DC voltage. A voice coil motor driver has switching elements which are controllable to supply the increased DC voltage to the voice coil motor. A spindle motor driver has switching elements which are controllable to supply the increased DC voltage to the spindle motor. The increased VCM voltage allows faster access times and more efficient VCM operation. The increased spindle motor voltage allows for more efficient spindle motor operation.

US Patent:

6708082, Mar 16, 2004

Filed:

Jun 3, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/162482

Inventors:

Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN
Mark D. Heminger - Rochester MN
Mark W. Heaton - Irving TX

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G05B 1500

US Classification:

700275, 359223, 359224, 359225, 333262

Abstract:

A method of adjusting a MEMS mirror control system is provided to calibrate a MEMS mirror control system to a particular MEMS mirror in a fashion that optimizes MEMS mirror control loop performance. This calibration is implemented by measuring the gain and resonant frequency of the particular MEMS mirror, and adjusting one or more of the parameters used in the implementation of a PID controller, a state estimator, and a feed forward component used to perform seeks.

US Patent:

6714338, Mar 30, 2004

Filed:

May 16, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/146758

Inventors:

Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN
Mark D. Heminger - Rochester MN
Mark D. Hagen - Rochester MN

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G02B 2600

US Classification:

359291, 359223

Abstract:

A technique that reduces or eliminates the non-linearities associated with the internal feedback sensor used in a micro-electro-mechanical mirror assembly. Using the relatively linear response of the mirror positioning motor, associated driver electronics, and the mirror itself, a calibration is performed that compensates for the internal feedback sensor non-linearity. An expected position can then be calculated simply by multiplying the gain of the system by the output, due to the good inherent linearity in the system. The calibration will compare measured versus expected position criteria for a predefined set of constant outputs. The data will form a look-up table that will be used to correct for the sensor non-linearities.

US Patent:

6847754, Jan 25, 2005

Filed:

May 20, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/151787

Inventors:

Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN, US
Mark D. Heminger - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G02B 612
G02B 626

US Classification:

385 18, 359566, 385147

Abstract:

A method of moving a MEM system mirror in a well defined trajectory that allows longer seeks to be used to reach a target position as compared with known methods that employ small step sizes due to lack of well defined seek trajectories. One method uses the same seek trajectory (scaled in amplitude for seek length) for both axes (x-axis and y-axis) associated with the MEM mirror. This forces both axes to take the same length of time and to use the same “shape” to perform the move, and results in a straight line path between two points. Multiple straight line moves can be employed to provide a more complex trajectory. Another method uses a different trajectory with the same length, but a different shape, for each axis to force the MEM mirror along substantially any desired path such as an arc and/or straight line, among others.

US Patent:

6915080, Jul 5, 2005

Filed:

Aug 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/940763

Inventors:

Mark David Heminger - Rochester MN, US
Eric Gregory Oettinger - Rochester MN, US
Mark David Hagen - Rochester MN, US
Karl Kirk Northrup - Rochester MN, US

International Classification:

H04B010/00

US Classification:

398129, 398121

Abstract:

Optical wireless links automatically align themselves using feedback information that is transmitted over the light beams being aligned. Each link performs an acquisition routine in which its light beam is swept through a pre-defined pattern while transmitting its beam alignment information. When a link receives beam alignment information from a remote link, it updates its transmission to include the alignment information received from the remote link. At some point during the acquisition routine, the remote link will receive its own alignment information “echoed back” from the first link and will re-align its beam accordingly. At some point, each link will have received its own alignment information echoed back from the other link and will have aligned itself to that position. Data communication can begin at that point, or a more refined alignment step can then be performed. The alignment information can be based upon position, sample number, or time transmitted.

US Patent:

6968258, Nov 22, 2005

Filed:

May 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/160399

Inventors:

Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G01M001/38

US Classification:

700275, 700 29, 700 30, 700 41, 700 42, 700 45, 700 56, 700 59, 359298, 359295, 359291, 359221, 359222, 359223, 359224, 359225, 359226, 359230

Abstract:

A system and method of using residual feedback in a control loop in a manner that substantially eliminates the steady state error in the predicted states that results from the mismatch in gain between the plant and the model. The control effort used by the estimator to predict the next position is modified to compensate for this difference in gain. By integrating the residual, and modifying the apparent control effort accordingly, the residual is driven to have a mean value of zero. When the residual goes to zero, by definition, the steady state error in the position state goes to zero; and to the extent that the model matches the plant, the velocity state also approaches zero such that the steady state error in the predicted states are substantially eliminated, allowing for improved control.

US Patent:

7039321, May 2, 2006

Filed:

Apr 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/118789

Inventors:

Eric G. Oettinger - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H04B 10/00

US Classification:

398129, 398122

Abstract:

A method that allows an optical wireless communication link between transmitting and receiving stations to be established and used reliably without the need for position sensing capabilities. A small random nudge of the center of the acquisition spiral is used to prevent a link from being established before proper alignment is attained or to correct the alignment of an established link which does not have sufficient alignment to maintain a high bandwidth link.

US Patent:

7133617, Nov 7, 2006

Filed:

Jan 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/056688

Inventors:

Eric Gregory Oettinger - Rochester MN, US
Mark David Heminger - Rochester MN, US

Assignee:

Texas Instruments Incorporated - Dallas TX

International Classification:

H04B 10/00

US Classification:

398123, 398118, 398122

Abstract:

In an optical wireless network, where light beams are transmitted over-the-air, reflections of the transmitted light beams may cause a receiver of an optical wireless device to detect and subsequently lock onto the signal that it transmitted. By doing so, the network is effectively broken. A method and apparatus to detect the reception of reflected signals using minimal additional hardware and data is presented. Should a reflected signal be detected, the receiver is prevented from locking onto the signal, allowing the receiver to detect and subsequently lock onto light beams originating from other optical wireless devices.