MOTION DETERMINATION
Granted: December 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120323520
Described herein are systems and methods that can employ a motion detection algorithm to determine whether a sensor has experienced a motion event or a no motion event. The sensor can be any sensor that can be used to identify and/or characterize motion. Upon receiving a signal from the sensor, moments of the signal can be calculated. Then, the moments can be compared to determine whether the signal is Gaussian. If the signal is a Gaussian signal, the algorithm determines that the signal…
METHOD OF PREVENTING STICTION OF MEMS DEVICES
Granted: December 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120313189
A method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing stiction in MEMS devices. The method comprises patterning a CMOS wafer to expose Titanium-Nitride (TiN) surface for a MEMS stop and patterning the TiN to form a plurality of stop pads on the top metal aluminum surface of the CMOS wafer. The method is applied for a moveable MEMS structure bonded to a CMOS wafer. The TiN surface and/or plurality of stop pads minimize stiction between the MEMS structure and the CMOS wafer. Further, the TiN…
EXTENSION-MODE ANGULAR VELOCITY SENSOR
Granted: November 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120291549
An angular velocity sensor including a drive extension mode. In one aspect, an angular rate sensor includes a base and at least three masses disposed substantially in a plane parallel to the base, the masses having a center of mass. At least one actuator drives the masses in an extension mode, such that in the extension mode the masses move in the plane simultaneously away or simultaneously towards the center of mass. At least one transducer senses at least one Coriolis force resulting…
INTEGRATED MOTION PROCESSING UNIT (MPU) WITH MEMS INERTIAL SENSING AND EMBEDDED DIGITAL ELECTRONICS
Granted: October 4, 2012
Application Number:
20120253738
A module operable to be mounted onto a surface of a board. The module includes a linear accelerometer to provide a first measurement output corresponding to a measurement of linear acceleration in at least one axis, and a first rotation sensor operable to provide a second measurement output corresponding to a measurement of rotation about at least one axis. The accelerometer and the first rotation sensor are formed on a first substrate. The module further includes an application specific…
HIGH-VOLTAGE MEMS APPARATUS AND METHOD
Granted: September 27, 2012
Application Number:
20120242400
A high-voltage MEMS system compatible with low-voltage semiconductor process technology is disclosed. The system comprises a MEMS device coupled to a high-voltage bias generator employing an extended-voltage isolation residing in a semiconductor technology substrate. The system avoids the use of high-voltage transistors so that special high-voltage processing steps are not required of the semiconductor technology, thereby reducing process cost and complexity. MEMS testing capability is…
WAFER LEVEL PACKAGING OF MEMS DEVICES
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120235251
A MEMS device is disclosed. The MEMS device comprises a MEMS substrate and a CMOS substrate having a front surface, a back surface and one or more metallization layers. The front surface being bonded to the MEMS substrate. The MEMS device includes one or more conductive features on the back surface of the CMOS substrate and electrical connections between the one or more metallization layers and the one or more conductive features.
WAFER LEVEL PACKAGING OF MEMS DEVICES
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120235297
A MEMS device is disclosed. The MEMS device comprises a MEMS substrate and a CMOS substrate having a front surface, a back surface and one or more metallization layers. The front surface being bonded to the MEMS substrate. The MEMS device includes one or more conductive features on the back surface of the CMOS substrate and electrical connections between the one or more metallization layers and the one or more conductive features.
DRIVE SYSTEM FOR MICROMACHINED MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS
Granted: September 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120235670
Described herein are systems, devices, and methods that provide a stable magnetometer. The magnetometer includes a drive element that facilitates flow of a drive current through a node and a sense element operable to detect a magnetic field operating on the drive current. To reduce offset in the detection of the magnetic field, a voltage detector, electrically coupled to the drive element through the node, determines a variation between a node voltage and a target voltage. The voltage…
LOW INERTIA FRAME FOR DETECTING CORIOLIS ACCELERATION
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120216612
A sensing frame is disclosed. The sensing frame includes a first rail and a second rail. The first and second rails are constrained to move along a first axis parallel to the first and second rails. The frame includes a base and at least two guiding arms for ensuring that the first rail and the second rail move in anti-phase fashion along the first axis. First and second guiding arms are flexibly coupled to the first rail and second rail. The first guiding arm is flexibly suspended to…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING A MEMS STRUCTURE AS A TIMING SOURCE
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120200362
A system and method is disclosed that provides a technique for generating an accurate time base for MEMS sensors and actuators which has a vibrating MEMS structure. The accurate clock is generated from the MEMS oscillations and converted to the usable range by means of a frequency translation circuit.
HIGH FIDELITY REMOTE CONTOLLER DEVICE FOR DIGITAL LIVING ROOM
Granted: August 9, 2012
Application Number:
20120200497
Described herein is an intelligent remote controlling device. The device can include a six-axis motion sensor to accurately track three dimensional hand motions. For example, the sensors can include a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope. The remote control device can also include a processing unit integrated with the motion sensors in a single module. The processing unit can convert data regarding the hand motion to data regarding a cursor motion for a cursor that will be…
MICROMACHINED RESONANT MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120176128
A micromachined magnetic field sensor comprising is disclosed. The micromachined magnetic field comprises a substrate; a drive subsystem, the drive subsystem comprises a plurality of beams, and at least one anchor connected to the substrate; a mechanism for providing an electrical current through the drive subsystem along a first axis; and Lorentz force acting on the drive subsystem along a second axis in response to a magnetic field along a third axis. The micromachined magnetic field…
MICROMACHINED RESONANT MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS
Granted: July 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120176129
A micromachined magnetic field sensor is disclosed. The micromachined magnetic field sensor comprises a substrate; and a drive subsystem partially supported by the substrate with a plurality of beams, and at least one anchor; a mechanism for providing an electrical current through the drive subsystem along a first axis; and Lorentz force acting on the drive subsystem along a second axis in response to a magnetic field vector along a third axis. The micromachined magnetic field sensor…
ANCHOR-TILT CANCELLING ACCELEROMETER
Granted: May 24, 2012
Application Number:
20120125104
Described herein is an accelerometer that can be sensitive to acceleration, but not anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. The accelerometer can employ a set of electrodes and/or transducers that can register motion of the proof mass and support structure and employ and output-cancelling mechanism so that the accelerometer can distinguish between acceleration and anchor motion due to sources other than acceleration. For example, the effects of anchor motion can be…
MEMS DEVICE WITH IMPROVED SPRING SYSTEM
Granted: May 24, 2012
Application Number:
20120125101
A system and method in accordance with an embodiment reduces the cross-axis sensitivity of a gyroscope. This is achieved by building a gyroscope using a mechanical transducer that comprises a spring system that is less sensitive to fabrication imperfection and optimized to minimize the response to the rotations other than the intended input rotation axis. The longitudinal axes of the first and second flexible elements are parallel to each other and parallel to the first direction
METHOD OF FABRICATION OF AI/GE BONDING IN A WAFER PACKAGING ENVIRONMENT AND A PRODUCT PRODUCED THEREFROM
Granted: April 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120094435
A method of bonding of germanium to aluminum between two substrates to create a robust electrical and mechanical contact is disclosed. An aluminum-germanium bond has the following unique combination of attributes: (1) it can form a hermetic seal; (2) it can be used to create an electrically conductive path between two substrates; (3) it can be patterned so that this conduction path is localized; (4) the bond can be made with the aluminum that is available as standard foundry CMOS…
INTEGRATED MEMS DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE
Granted: April 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120086446
An integrated MEMS device is disclosed. The system comprises a MEMS resonator; and a MEMS device coupled to a MEMS resonator. The MEMS resonator and MEMS device are fabricated on a common substrate so that certain characteristics of the MEM resonator and MEMS device track each other as operating conditions vary.
DEDUCED RECKONING NAVIGATION WITHOUT A CONSTRAINT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORIENTATION OF A SENSOR PLATFORM AND A DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF AN OBJECT
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120072166
Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing deduced reckoning navigation without a constraint relationship between orientation of a sensor platform and a direction of travel of an object are described herein. A sensor fusion component can be configured to receive data from sensors of a sensor platform coupled to a pedestrian; and generate world coordinate information based on the data. Further, a gait recognition component can be configured to record one or more walking patterns of…
MICROMACHINED MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS
Granted: January 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120007598
A micromachined magnetic field sensor integrated with electronics is disclosed. The magnetic field sensors utilize Hall-effect sensing mechanisms to achieve 3-axis sensing. A Z axis sensor can be fabricated either on a device layer or on a conventional IC substrate with the design of conventional horizontal Hall plates. An X and Y axis sensor are constructed on the device layer. In some embodiments, a magnetic flux concentrator is applied to enhance the performance of the magnetic field…
MICROMACHINED OFFSET REDUCTION STRUCTURES FOR MAGNETIC FIELD SENSING
Granted: January 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120007597
A micromachined magnetic field sensor integrated with electronics is disclosed. The magnetic field sensors utilize Hall-effect sensing mechanisms to achieve 3-axis sensing. A Z axis sensor can be fabricated either on a device layer or on a conventional IC substrate with the design of conventional horizontal Hall plates. An X and Y axis sensor are constructed on the device layer. In some embodiments, a magnetic flux concentrator is applied to enhance the performance of the magnetic field…
