Actuation signal for microactuator bounce and ring suppression

1. A method of controlling positioning of a movable member of a MEMS microactuator relative to a fixed member fixed to a substrate on which the MEMS microactuator resides while suppressing bouncing and ringing of the movable member comprising:

linearly increasing an actuation signal from a first state to a second state using a first linear voltage ramp with a positive slope to urge the movable member from a first position to a second position;

holding the movable member in the second position with the actuation signal in the second state;

linearly decreasing the actuation signal from the second state to a third state using a second linear voltage ramp having a first negative slope to release the movable member to a third position;

holding the movable member in the third position with the actuation signal in the third state; and

linearly decreasing the actuation signal from the third state using a third linear ramp voltage having a second negative slope to the first state to release the movable member to the first position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second negative slope has a transition time that is not less than an inverse of one quarter of a natural mechanical frequency of the movable member in the first position as the movable member moves from the third position to the first position.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a magnitude of the positive slope and a magnitude of the second negative slope are not equal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a magnitude of the positive slope and a magnitude of the first negative slope, and a magnitude of the second negative slope are equal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the MEMS microactuator is a MEMS switch that is open when the movable member is in the first position, and closed when the movable member is in the second position.

6. A system for controlling positioning of a movable member of a MEMS microactuator to reduce bouncing and ringing comprising:

MEMS microactuator having a movable member relative to a fixed member fixed to a substrate on which the MEMS microactuator resides; and

control circuitry in communication with the MEMS microactuator and adapted to:

linearly increase an actuation signal from a first state to a second state using a first linear voltage ramp having a positive slope to urge the movable member from a first position to a second position;

hold the movable member in the second position with the actuation signal in the second state;

linearly decrease the actuation signal from the second state to a third state using a second linear voltage ramp having a first negative slope to release the movable member to a third position;

hold the movable member in the third position with the actuation signal in the third state; and

linearly decrease the actuation signal from the third state using a third linear voltage ramp having a second negative slope to the first state to release the movable member to the first position.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein a magnitude of the positive slope and a magnitude of the second negative slope are not equal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein a magnitude of the positive slope and a magnitude of the first negative slope and a magnitude of the second negative slope are equal.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein a magnitude of the first negative slope and a magnitude of the second negative slope are predetermined to reduce ringing as the movable member moves from the second position to the third position and then from the third position to the first position.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the second negative slope has a transition time that is not less than an inverse of one quarter of a natural mechanical frequency of the movable member in the first position as the movable member moves from the third position to the first position.

11. The system of claim 6 wherein the MEMS microactuator is a MEMS switch that is open when the movable member is in the first position, and closed when the movable member is in the second position.

12. A control circuit for controlling positioning of a movable member of a MEMS microactuator relative to a fixed member fixed to a substrate on which the MEMS microactuator resides while suppressing bouncing and ringing of the movable member, the control circuit comprising;

an output adapted to:

linearly increase an actuation signal from a first state to a second state using a first linear voltage ramp having a positive slope to urge the movable member from a first position to a second position;

hold the movable member in the second position with the actuation signal in the second state;

linearly decrease the actuation signal from the second state to a third state using a second linear voltage ramp having a first negative slope to release the movable member to a third position;

hold the movable member in the third position with the actuation signal in the third state; and

linearly decrease the actuation signal from the third state to the first state using a third linear voltage ramp having a second negative slope to release the movable member to the first position.

13. The control circuit of claim 12 wherein a magnitude of the first negative slope and a magnitude of the second negative slope are predetermined to reduce ringing as the movable member moves from the second position to the third position, and then from the third position to the first position.

14. The control circuit of claim 13 wherein the second negative slope has a transition time that is not less than an inverse of one quarter of a natural mechanical frequency of the movable member in the first position as the movable member moves from the third position to the first position.

15. The control circuit of claim 12 wherein the MEMS microactuator is a MEMS switch that is open when the movable member is in the first position, and closed when the movable member is in the second position.

16. A method of controlling positioning of a movable member of a MEMS microactuator relative to a fixed member fixed to a substrate on which the MEMS microactuator resides while suppressing ringing of the movable member comprising:

linearly increasing an actuation signal from a first state to a second state using a first linear voltage ramp having a positive slope to urge the movable member from a first position to a second position;

holding the movable member in the second position with the actuation signal in the second state;

linearly decreasing the actuation signal from the second state to a third state using a second linear voltage ramp having a first negative slope to release the movable member to a third position;

holding the movable member in the third position with the actuation signal in the third state; and

linearly decreasing the actuation signal from the third state to the first state using a third linear voltage ramp having a second negative slope to release the movable member to the first position.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first negative slope has a transition time that is not less than an inverse of one quarter of a natural mechanical frequency of the movable member in the third position as the movable member moves from the second position to the third position.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the second negative slope is predetermined to reduce ringing as the movable member moves from the third position to the first position.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the second negative slope has a transition time that is not less than an inverse of one quarter of a natural mechanical frequency of the movable member in the first position as the movable member moves from the third position to the first position.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the second negative slope has a magnitude that is less than the first negative slope.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the first negative slope and the second negative slope are equal.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the MEMS microactuator is a MEMS switch that is open when the movable member is in the first position, firmly closed in the second position, and softly closed in the third position.