Author: claimsbot

1. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
a notification unit configured to transmit a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the notification destination information stored in the storage unit;
a receiving unit configured to receive from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information in the storage unit; and
a time information notification unit configured to transmit a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit when the source exists on a network in a predetermined range, and transmit a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit when the source does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, a period of time indicated by the second time information being shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.
2. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the first time information indicates that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is an indefinite period of time, and
wherein the second time information indicates that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is a predetermined period of time.
3. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit exists on the network in a predetermined range.
4. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determination unit determines whether a subnetwork to which a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit belongs and a subnetwork to which the information-processing apparatus belongs are the same on the basis of an IP address of the source, an IP address of the information-processing apparatus, and a subnet mask.
5. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network in a predetermined range is a network in which any apparatus connected to the network can receive a piece of information indicating that the information-processing apparatus has been started.
6. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
a notification unit configured to transmit a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the notification destination information stored in the storage unit;
a receiving unit configured to receive from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information in the storage unit; and
a time information notification unit configured to transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination exists on a network in a predetermined range, and transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, a period of time indicated by the second time information being shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.
7. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the first time information indicates that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is an indefinite period of time, and
wherein the second time information indicates that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is a predetermined period of time.
8. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether a notification destination that should be registered in response to a registration request received by the receiving unit exists on the network in a predetermined range.
9. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit determines whether a subnetwork to which a notification destination that should be registered in response to a registration request received by the receiving unit belongs and a subnetwork to which the information-processing apparatus belongs are the same on the basis of an IP address of the notification destination, an IP address of the information-processing apparatus, and a subnet mask.
10. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the network in a predetermined range is a network in which any apparatus connected to the network can receive a piece of information indicating that the information-processing apparatus has been started.
11. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
a notification unit configured to transmit a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the notification destination information stored in the storage unit;
a receiving unit configured to receive from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information in the storage unit; and
a time information notification unit configured to transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit a piece of time information indicating that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is a predetermined period of time when the source does not exist on a network in a predetermined range, and configured not to transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit the time information indicating that a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information is a predetermined period of time when the source exists on the network in a predetermined range.
12. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
a notification unit configured to transmit a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the notification destination information stored in the storage unit;
a receiving unit configured to receive from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information in the storage unit; and
a time information notification unit configured to transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit a piece of time information indicating that a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request is a predetermined period of time when the notification destination does not exist on a network in a predetermined range, and configured not to transmit to a source of a registration request received by the receiving unit the time information indicating that a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request is a predetermined period of time when the notification destination exists on the network in a predetermined range.
13. An information-processing method performed in an information-processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
storing a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
transmitting a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the stored notification destination information;
receiving from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information;
transmitting a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a received registration request when the source exists on a network in a predetermined range; and
transmitting a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a received registration request when the source does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, and
wherein a period of time indicated by the second time information is shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.
14. An information-processing method performed in an information-processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
storing a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
transmitting a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the stored notification destination information;
receiving from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information;
transmitting to a source of a received registration request a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination exists on a network in a predetermined range; and
transmitting to a source of a received registration request a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, and
wherein a period of time indicated by the second time information is shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.
15. A computer readable program causing a computer to perform an information-processing method including the steps of:
storing a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
transmitting a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the stored notification destination information;
receiving from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information;
transmitting a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a received registration request when the source exists on a network in a predetermined range; and
transmitting a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of notification destination information to a source of a received registration request when the source does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, and
wherein a period of time indicated by the second time information is shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.
16. A computer readable program causing a computer to perform an information-processing method including the steps of:
storing a piece of notification destination information on a notification destination to which a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus is to be transmitted;
transmitting a piece of information on the information-processing apparatus to a notification destination indicated by the stored notification destination information;
receiving from an external apparatus a registration request requesting registration of a piece of information on the external apparatus as a piece of notification destination information;
transmitting to a source of a received registration request a piece of first time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination exists on a network in a predetermined range; and
transmitting to a source of a received registration request a piece of second time information that denotes a valid period of registration of a piece of information on a notification destination that should be registered in response to the registration request when the notification destination does not exist on the network in a predetermined range, and
wherein a period of time indicated by the second time information is shorter than a period of time indicated by the first time information.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A surface inspecting device for inspecting a machined surface of a workpiece on the basis of a digital image of the surface of the workpiece, characterized by comprising:
estimation image generating means that generates one-dimensional power spectral images in a direction perpendicular to a direction of a machining work on the basis of the digital image and arranging the one-dimensional power spectral images in parallel along the direction of the machining work to generate an estimation image; and
estimating means that estimates the surface on the basis of pixel values of respective pixels of the estimation image.
2. A surface inspecting device for inspecting a polished inner surface of a bore formed in a cylinder block by a cutting work on the basis of a digital image of the inner surface of the bore, characterized by comprising:
estimation image generating means that generates one-dimensional power spectral images in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the cutting work on the basis of the digital image and arranging the one-dimensional power spectral images in parallel along the direction of the cutting work to generate an estimation image; and
estimating means that estimates polishing residue on the inner surface of the bore on the basis of pixel values of respective pixels of the estimation image.
3. A surface inspecting device for inspecting a machined surface of a workpiece on the basis of a digital image of the surface of the workpiece, characterized by comprising:
estimation image generating means that generates an image obtained by successively generating and parallel arranging one-dimensional power spectral images along a predetermined direction on the basis of the digital image to generate an image, rotates the predetermined direction with respect to the digital image every predetermined angle to generate the image at each rotational angle, and selects an image containing a largest number of spectral signals as an estimation image from respective images; and
estimating means that estimates the surface on the basis of pixel values of respective pixels of the estimation image selected by the estimation image generating means.
4. The surface inspecting device according to claim 1, wherein pixels having pixel values exceeding a predetermined pixel value in the estimation image are color-coded together with respective pixels of the one-dimensional spectral image containing the pixels.
5. The surface inspecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:
an eddy current inspecting sensor that scans the surface of the workpiece; and
inspecting range determining means that specifies a defect site of the workpiece on the basis of an output of the eddy current inspecting sensor and determines an inspecting range containing the defect site, wherein the surface of the workpiece is scanned by a sensor head for irradiating the surface with a laser beam, a digital image of the surface is generated on the basis of reflection light of the laser beam, and the digital image of the inspection range is subjected to image processing for detecting a defect on the surface.
6. The surface inspecting device according to claim 5, wherein the surface of the workpiece is a polished inner surface of a bore formed in a cylinder block by a cutting work, and image processing range determining means that specifies a defect site on the basis of an output of the eddy current inspecting sensor and determines an image processing range containing the defect site, wherein the image processing range is subjected to the image processing to detect a defect on the inner surface.
7. The surface inspecting device according to claim 5, wherein the sensor head is provided with the eddy current inspecting sensor.
8. The surface inspecting device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a sensor head for scanning the inner surface of the bore of the cylinder block while irradiating the inner surface with light, and outputting a detection signal corresponding to a light amount of reflection light of the light; and
detecting means that detects a flaw on the inner surface on the basis of the detection signal, wherein the detecting means changes a determining threshold value for the detection signal for determining the flaw in accordance with an intersecting angle between a scan direction at a scan position of the sensor head and a direction of the cutting work.
9. The surface inspecting device according to claim 8, wherein the detecting means has noise compressing means that lowers a voltage value of a voltage range corresponding to noise with respect to the detection signal to compress the noise, and the noise compressing means changes the voltage range in accordance with the intersection angle between the scan direction at the scan position of the sensor head and the direction of the cutting work.
10. The surface inspecting device according to claim 8, characterized by comprising:
storage means that stores the determining threshold value corresponding to the intersection angle between the scan direction at the scan position of the sensor head and the direction of the cutting work in association with the scan position; and
DA conversion means that outputs an analog signal of a voltage value representing the determining threshold value, wherein the detecting means has a comparator for comparing the analog signal output from the DA conversion means with the detection signal.
11. A surface inspecting device, characterized by comprising:
a sensor head for scanning an inner surface of a bore formed in a cylinder block by a cutting work while irradiating the inner surface with light, and outputting a detection signal corresponding to a light amount of reflection light of the light; and
detecting means that detects a flaw on the inner surface on the basis of the detection signal, wherein the detecting means changes a determining threshold value for the detection signal for determining the flaw in accordance with an intersecting angle between a scan direction at a scan position of the sensor head and a direction of the cutting work.
12. The surface inspecting device according to claim 11, wherein the detecting means has noise compression means for lowering a voltage value of a voltage range corresponding to noise to subject the detection signal to noise compression, and the noise compression means changes the voltage range in accordance with an intersection angle between the scan direction and the cutting work direction at the scan position of the sensor head.
13. The surface inspecting device according to claim 11, further comprising:
storage means that stores the determining threshold value corresponding to the intersection angle between the scan direction at the scan position of the sensor head and the direction of the cutting work in association with the scan position; and
DA conversion means that outputs an analog signal of a voltage value representing the determining threshold value, wherein the detecting means has a comparator for comparing the analog signal output from the DA conversion means with the detection signal.
14. The surface inspecting device according to claim 2, wherein pixels having pixel values exceeding a predetermined pixel value in the estimation image are color-coded together with respective pixels of the one-dimensional spectral image containing the pixels.
15. The surface inspecting device according to claim 3, wherein pixels having pixel values exceeding a predetermined pixel value in the estimation image are color-coded together with respective pixels of the one-dimensional spectral image containing the pixels.
16. The surface inspecting device according to claim 9, characterized by comprising:
storage means that stores the determining threshold value corresponding to the intersection angle between the scan direction at the scan position of the sensor head and the direction of the cutting work in association with the scan position; and
DA conversion means that outputs an analog signal of a voltage value representing the determining threshold value, wherein the detecting means has a comparator for comparing the analog signal output from the DA conversion means with the detection signal.
17. The surface inspecting device according to claim 12, further comprising:
storage means that stores the determining threshold value corresponding to the intersection angle between the scan direction at the scan position of the sensor head and the direction of the cutting work in association with the scan position; and
DA conversion means that outputs an analog signal of a voltage value representing the determining threshold value, wherein the detecting means has a comparator for comparing the analog signal output from the DA conversion means with the detection signal.

1. An endoventricular injection catheter with integrated echocardiographic capability, comprising:
an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into a heart, the imaging core being arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy at the distal end to provide electrical signals representing echocardiographic images to enable cardiac visualization; and
an injector carried on the elongated body with the imaging core, the injector being arranged to inject a therapeutic agent into tissue of the heart visualized by the imaging core.
2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the elongated body includes a telescoping section to permit longitudinal positioning of the imaging core.
3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the imaging core is a mechanically rotating imaging core.
4. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a deflection system that causes the elongated body distal end to deflect in a desired direction.
5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the deflection system includes a steerable guide sheath.
6. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the deflection system includes a deflection section sheath, a steering ring, at least one steering wire, and a deflection control knob.
7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the elongated body includes a guide wire lumen for receiving a guide wire.
8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the guide wire lumen is at the distal end of the elongated body of the catheter.
9. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the guide wire lumen extends along the elongated body of the catheter proximal to the distal end.
10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the elongated body includes an imaging core lumen and an outer circumferential surface, and wherein the imaging core lumen and the outer surface define a substantially uniform wall thickness of the elongated body over a portion of the elongated body circumference.
11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the imaging core comprises a plurality of transducers.
12. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a cannula lumen and wherein the injector includes a cannula received by the cannula lumen and an injection needle within the cannula.
13. The catheter of claim 12, wherein the cannula is formed of a super-elastic material.
14. The catheter of claim 12, further comprising an injection system including the injector, the injection system including a proximal handle, the injection handle including injection controls for extending the cannula, advancing the injection needle, limiting advancement of the injection needle beyond the cannula, and torquing the cannula.
15. The catheter of claim 12, wherein the injection needle includes an end stop that limits advancement of the injection needle within the cannula.
16. The catheter of claim 12, further comprising an injection system including the injector, the injection system further including a reservoir within the cannula and a plunger that forces therapeutic agent into the needle.
17. The catheter of claim 12 wherein the injector comprises a pair of injection needles.
18. The catheter of claim 17 wherein the injector further comprises a fiber optic bundle and an ultraviolet light source for photocrosslinking an injected bioabsorbable polymer solution.
19. A method of providing image-guided transendocardial injection of a therapeutic agent into a left ventricular wall of a heart, comprising:
providing an endoventricular injection catheter having integrated echocardiographic capability, comprising an elongated body having a distal end and an imaging core arranged to be inserted into a heart, the imaging core being arranged to transmit ultrasonic energy and to receive reflected ultrasonic energy at the distal end to provide electrical signals representing echocardiographic images to enable cardiac visualization and an injector carried on the elongated body with the imaging core, the injector being arranged to inject a therapeutic agent into tissue of the heart visualized by the imaging core;
delivering the endoventricular injection catheter into the left ventricle of the heart;
visualizing the left ventricular wall of the heart using the imaging core;
identifying infarct regions of the left ventricle; and
injecting a therapeutic agent into the visualized infarcted regions of the left ventricle using the injector.
20. The method of claim 19, including the further step of injecting a bioabsorbable agent with the injector to prevent back flow of the therapeutic agent.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A system for generating a timing signal, the system comprising:
a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator that includes at least one non-active element and at least one active element, wherein, in operation, wherein the at least one non-active element vibrates and the at least one active element is configured to oscillate in a first resonant mode;
at least one drive electrode configured to receive a first time-varying signal that causes the at least one active element to oscillate;
at least one sense electrode configured to conduct a second time-varying signal in response to the oscillations of the at least one active element; and
at least one resonator electrode shield configured to reduce an interfering signal associated with the at least one non-active element, the at least one drive electrode, or the at least one sense electrode, and wherein the interfering signal is a spurious resonance current conducted by the at least one sense electrode and is related to the vibrations of the at least one non-active element.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-active element comprises a support element or a flexure element.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-active element vibrates in response to the oscillations of the at least on active element.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-active element is a support element, and the first time-varying signal received by the at least one drive electrode causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein a voltage is applied to the MEMS resonator, and the interfering signal is the current induced in the support element and alters the voltage level of the MEMS resonator.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the at least one sense electrode and is related to the induced current.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interfering signal is a feed-through signal conducted by the at least one sense electrode and is capacitively coupled directly from the at least one drive electrode independently of the oscillations of the at least one active element.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interfering signal is a current conducted by the at least one sense electrode caused by the at least one active element oscillating in a second resonant mode that is different from the first resonant mode.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one resonator electrode shield is disposed to cover a portion of the at least one active element that prevents the least one active element from oscillating in a resonant mode that is different from the first resonant mode.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the resonator electrode shield comprises a conductive material.
11. A system for generating a timing signal, the system comprising:
a tuning fork-configured micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator that includes a support element coupled to one end of a first active element and to one end of a second active element;
a first drive electrode disposed on an outer side of the first active element and configured to receive a first time-varying signal that causes the first active element to oscillate;
a second drive electrode disposed on an outer side of the second active element and configured to receive a second time-varying signal that causes the second active element to oscillate;
a sense electrode disposed on an inner side of the first active element and an inner side of the second active element and configured to conduct a third time-varying signal in response to the oscillations of the first active element and the second active element; and
a first resonator electrode shield disposed between the support element and the sense electrode and configured to reduce an interfering signal associated with the support element.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the support element vibrates in response to the oscillations of the first active element and the second active element, and the interfering signal is a spurious resonance current conducted by the sense electrode and is related to the vibrations of the support element.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first time-varying signal received by the first drive electrode or the second time-varying signal received by the second drive electrode causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the sense electrode and is related to the time-varying current induced in the support element.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first resonator electrode shield comprises a conductive material.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the first drive electrode and the second drive electrode comprises one or more drive electrodes, and the sense electrode comprises one or more sense electrodes.
17. A system for generating a timing signal, the system comprising:
a quad-configured micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator that includes a support element coupled to an isolating spring, which is coupled to one end of a first active element and to one end of a second active element;
a first electrode pair that includes a first electrode disposed on an inner side of the first active element and on one side of the support element, and a second electrode disposed on an outer side of the first active element, wherein either the first electrode or the second electrode is configured to receive a first time-varying signal that causes the first active element to oscillate, and the other electrode is configured to conduct a second time-varying signal in response to the oscillations of the first active element;
a second electrode pair that includes a third electrode disposed on an inner side of the second active element and the other side of the support element, and a fourth electrode disposed on an outer side of the second active element, wherein one electrode is configured to receive a third time-varying signal that causes the second active element to oscillate, and the other electrode is configured to conduct a fourth time-varying signal in response to the oscillations of the second active element; and
a first resonator electrode shield disposed between the first electrode and the support element and configured to reduce an interfering signal associated with either the support element or the isolating spring.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first electrode is a sense electrode, the second electrode is a drive electrode, the third electrode is a drive electrode and the fourth electrode is a sense electrode.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the isolating spring or the support element vibrates in response to the oscillations of the first active element or the second active element, and the interfering signal is a spurious resonance current conducted by the first electrode and is related to the vibrations of the isolating spring or the support element.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the third time-varying signal received by the third electrode causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein a voltage is applied to the MEMS resonator, and the interfering signal is the current induced in the support element and alters the voltage level of the MEMS resonator.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the first electrode and is related to the induced current.
23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first electrode is a sense electrode, the second electrode is a drive electrode, the third electrode is a sense electrode and the fourth electrode is a drive electrode.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the isolating spring or the support element vibrates in response to the oscillations of the first active element or the second active element, and the interfering signal is a spurious resonance current conducted by the first electrode and is related to the vibrations of the isolating spring or the support element.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first time-varying signal received by the second electrode andor the third time-varying signal received by the fourth electrode causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the first electrode and is related to the induced current.
27. The system of claim 17, wherein the first electrode is a drive electrode, the second electrode is a sense electrode, the third electrode is a drive electrode and the fourth electrode is a sense electrode.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first time-varying signal received by the first electrode andor the third time-varying signal received by the third electrode causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein a voltage is applied to the MEMS resonator, and the interfering signal is the current induced in the support element and alters the voltage level of the MEMS resonator.
30. The system of claim 28, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the second electrode and is related to the induced current.
31. The system of claim 17, wherein the first resonator electrode shield comprises a conductive material.
32. A system for generating a timing signal, the system comprising:
a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator that includes a first active element, a second active element, and at least one non-active element, wherein, in operation, the first active element and the second active element are configured to oscillate;
a first electrode pair differentially coupled to the first active element and configured to receive a first time-varying signal that causes the first active element and the second active element to oscillate, wherein the first electrode pair includes a first drive electrode disposed on one side of the first active element, and a second drive electrode disposed on the other side of the first active element;
a second electrode pair differentially coupled to the second active element and configured to conduct a second time-varying signal in response to the oscillations of the first active element and the second active element, wherein the second electrode pair includes a first sense electrode disposed on one side of the second active element, and a second sense electrode disposed on the other side of the second active element; and
a first resonator electrode shield configured to reduce an interfering signal associated with either the first electrode pair, the second electrode pair, or the at least one non-active element.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one non-active element vibrates, and the interfering signal is a spurious resonance current conducted by the second electrode pair and is related to the vibrations of the at least one non-active element.
34. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one non-active element comprises a support element or a flexure element.
35. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one non-active element vibrates in response to the oscillations of the first active element or the second active element or in response to the first time-varying signal received by the first electrode pair.
36. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one non-active element is a support element, and the first time-varying signal received by the first electrode pair causes a time-varying current to be induced in the support element.
37. The system of claim 36, wherein a voltage is applied to the MEMS resonator, and the interfering signal is the current induced in the support element and alters the voltage level of the MEMS resonator.
38. The system of claim 36, wherein the interfering signal is an induced sense current conducted by the second electrode pair and is related to the induced current.
39. The system of claim 32, wherein the interfering signal is a feed-through signal conducted by the second electrode pair and is capacitively coupled directly from the first electrode pair independently of the oscillations of the at least one active element.
40. The system of claim 32, wherein the system further comprises:
a third active element; and
a third electrode pair differentially coupled to the third active element and configured to receive a third time-varying signal that causes the third active element to oscillate,
wherein the interfering signal is a feed-through signal received by the first electrode pair and is capacitively coupled directly from the third electrode pair.
41. The system of claim 32, wherein the interfering signal is a current conducted by the second electrode pair and is related to a parasitic capacitance.
42. The system of claim 32, wherein the resonator electrode shield comprises a conductive material.