Low power always-on microphone using power reduction techniques
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955993
An audio activity detector device is disclosed. The audio activity detector device comprises a closed loop feedback regulating circuit that supplies an input signal representative of a time-varying voltage signal to a quantizer circuit, wherein the quantizer circuit, as a function of the input signal, converts the input signal to a quantizer discrete-time signal; a first circuit that, as a function of the discrete-time signal, determines a key quantizer statistic value for the quantizer…
Modification to rough polysilicon using ion implantation and silicide
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952267
A modification to rough polysilicon using ion implantation and silicide is provided herein. A method can comprise depositing a hard mask on a single crystal silicon, patterning the hard mask, and depositing metal on the single crystal silicon. The method also can comprise forming silicide based on causing the metal to react with exposed silicon of the single crystal silicon. Further, the method can comprise removing unreacted metal and stripping the hard mask from the single crystal…
Systems and methods for providing getters in microelectromechanical systems
Granted: April 2, 2024
Patent Number:
11945713
Systems and methods are provided that provide a getter in a micromechanical system. In some embodiments, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) is bonded to a substrate. The MEMS and the substrate have a first cavity and a second cavity therebetween. A first getter is provided on the substrate in the first cavity and integrated with an electrode. A second getter is provided in the first cavity over a passivation layer on the substrate. In some embodiments, the first cavity is a gyroscope…
Method for tuning the resonant frequency of a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11938515
The teachings of the present disclosure enable the manufacture of one or more piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) having a resonant frequency of a specific target value and/or substantially matched resonant frequencies. In accordance with the present disclosure, a flexible membrane of a PMUT is modified to impart a desired parameter profile for stiffness and/or mass to tune its resonant frequency to a target value. The desired parameter profile is achieved by…
Sensor output digitizer
Granted: March 19, 2024
Patent Number:
11933648
The described technology is generally directed towards a sensor output digitizer. The sensor output digitizer can comprise a multiplexer stage, a multi-stage analog to digital converter, and a digital output combiner. The multiplexer stage can be configured to sequentially select sensor outputs from one or more sensors, resulting in a stream of selected sensor outputs. The multi-stage analog to digital converter can be coupled with the multiplexer stage, and can be configured to convert…
HW programmable signal path event-based DSP for sensor mixed signal devices
Granted: March 12, 2024
Patent Number:
11928507
A hardware-programmable digital signal path component for processing events from sensor mixed signal devices. A system includes a mixed signal component and a reconfigurable signal path component. The mixed signal component includes a group of sensor devices and generates one or more events from among the group of sensor devices. The signal path component receives the event(s), and includes a control unit component and a digital signal processor (DSP) component. The control unit…
Sensor with dimple features and improved out-of-plane stiction
Granted: March 5, 2024
Patent Number:
11919769
A method includes fusion bonding a handle wafer to a first side of a device wafer. The method further includes depositing a first mask on a second side of the device wafer, wherein the second side is planar. A plurality of dimple features is formed on an exposed portion on the second side of the device wafer. The first mask is removed from the second side of the device wafer. A second mask is deposited on the second side of the device wafer that corresponds to a standoff. An exposed…
Round robin sensor device for processing sensor data
Granted: February 27, 2024
Patent Number:
11913788
A round robin sensor device for processing sensor data is provided herein. The sensor device includes a multiplexer stage configured to sequentially select sensor outputs from one or more sensors continuously. Continuously and sequentially selecting sensor outputs results in a stream of selected sensor outputs. The sensor device also includes a charge-to-voltage converter operatively coupled to the multiplexer stage and configured to convert a charge from a first sensor of the one or…
MEMS tab removal process
Granted: February 20, 2024
Patent Number:
11905170
A method includes tab dicing a region of a tab region disposed between a first die and a second die. The tab region structurally connects the first die to the second die each including a MEMS device eutecticly bonded to a CMOS device. The tab region includes a handle wafer layer disposed over a fusion bond oxide layer that is disposed on an ACT layer. The tab region is positioned above a CMOS tab region that with the first and second die form a cavity therein. The tab dicing cuts through…
Machine learning glitch prediction
Granted: January 30, 2024
Patent Number:
11888455
Disclosed embodiments provide glitch prediction based on machine learning algorithms in mixed analog and digital systems, particularly directed to digital microelectromechanical (MEMS) multipath acoustic sensors or microphones, which allow seamless, low latency gain changes without audible artifacts or interruptions in the audio output signal.
Motion sensor with sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter having resistive continuous-time digital-to-analog converter feedback for improved bias instability
Granted: January 23, 2024
Patent Number:
11881874
A motion sensor with sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having improved bias instability is presented herein. Differential outputs of a differential amplifier of the sigma-delta ADC are electrically coupled, via respective capacitances, to differential inputs of the differential amplifier. To minimize bias instability corresponding to flicker noise that has been injected into the differential inputs, the differential inputs are electrically coupled, via respective pairs of…
Inertial sensor sensing of vibration frequency
Granted: January 23, 2024
Patent Number:
11879906
A modified version of a MEMS self-test procedure is presented that can be used to detect the amplitude and frequency of an external vibration from an ambient environment. The method implements processing circuitry that correlates an output sense signal, s(t), with a plurality of periodic signal portions and a plurality of shifted periodic signal portions to generate a plurality of correlation values. A frequency associated with the external vibration is determined based on the plurality…
Robust method for gyroscope drive amplitude measurement
Granted: January 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11867509
A MEMS gyroscope includes a driven mass that moves in response to a drive force. A drive amplitude sense electrode is included as a feature of the drive mass and extends in a direction perpendicular to the drive direction. A change in capacitance is measured based on the relative location of the drive amplitude sense electrode to a known fixed position, which in turn is used to accurately determine a location of the driven mass.
Integrated piezoelectric microelectromechanical ultrasound transducer (PMUT) on integrated circuit (IC) for fingerprint sensing
Granted: December 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11847851
Microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices and associated methods are disclosed. Piezoelectric MEMS transducers (PMUTs) suitable for integration with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit (IC), as well as PMUT arrays having high fill factor for fingerprint sensing, are described.
Low stress overtravel stop
Granted: December 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11846648
A microelectromechanical system device is described. The microelectromechanical system device can comprise: a proof mass coupled to an anchor via a spring, wherein the proof mass moves in response to an imposition of an external load to the proof mass, and an overtravel stop comprising a first portion and a second portion.
Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer with a patterned membrane structure
Granted: December 12, 2023
Patent Number:
11844282
A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) device includes a substrate having an opening therethrough and a membrane attached to the substrate over the opening. An actuating structure layer on a surface of the membrane includes a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the membrane and an upper electrode layer. The actuating structure layer is patterned to selectively remove portions of the actuating structure from portions of the membrane to form a central portion…
Drive and sense balanced, fully-coupled 3-axis gyroscope
Granted: December 12, 2023
Patent Number:
11841228
The subject disclosure provides exemplary 3-axis (e.g., GX, GY, and GZ) linear and angular momentum balanced vibratory rate gyroscope architectures with fully-coupled sense modes. Embodiments can employ balanced drive and/or balanced sense components to reduce induced vibrations and/or part to part coupling. Embodiments can comprise two inner frame gyroscopes for GY sense mode and an outer frame or saddle gyroscope for GX sense mode and drive system coupling, drive shuttles coupled to…
Applying a positive feedback voltage to an electromechanical sensor utilizing a voltage-to-voltage converter to facilitate a reduction of charge flow in such sensor representing spring softening
Granted: December 5, 2023
Patent Number:
11835538
Reducing a sensitivity of an electromechanical sensor is presented herein. The electromechanical sensor comprises a sensitivity with respect to a variation of a mechanical-to-electrical gain of a sense element of the electromechanical sensor; and a voltage-to-voltage converter component that minimizes the sensitivity by coupling, via a defined feedback capacitance, a positive feedback voltage to a sense electrode of the sense element—the sense element electrically coupled to an input…
Semiconductor package with built-in vibration isolation, thermal stability, and connector decoupling
Granted: December 5, 2023
Patent Number:
11834328
A semiconductor package with design features, including an isolation structure for internal components and a flexible electrical connection, that minimizes errors due to environmental temperature, shock, and vibration effects. The semiconductor package may include a base having a first portion surrounded by a second portion. A connector assembly may be attached to the first portion. The connector assembly may extend through an opening in the base. A lid attached may be attached to, at…
Programmable ultrasonic transceiver
Granted: November 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11819879
An ultrasonic transceiver system includes a transmitter block, a receiver block, a state machine, and a computing unit. The transmitter block contains circuitry configured to drive an ultrasound transducer. The receiver block contains circuitry configured to receive signals from the ultrasound transducer and convert the signals into digital data. The state machine is coupled to the transmitter and receiver blocks and contains circuitry configured to act as a controller for those blocks.…
