USING PRESSURE SENSORS IN A SECURITY SYSTEM
Granted: March 21, 2019
Application Number:
20190088098
A security system for a building comprises a pressure sensor and a computer system communicatively coupled with the pressure system. The pressure sensor coupled to a movable portion of a window in the building. The computer system is configured to: receive a first pressure measurement from the pressure sensor; compare the first pressure measurement to a reference pressure measurement; and based on the comparison, detect that the movable portion of the window has moved.
METHODS OF ATTITUDE AND MISALIGNMENT ESTIMATION FOR CONSTRAINT FREE PORTABLE NAVIGATION
Granted: March 21, 2019
Application Number:
20190086211
The present disclosure relates to methods of enhancing a navigation solution about a device and a platform, wherein the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the navigation solution is provided even in the absence of normal navigational information updates (such as, for example, GNSS). More specifically, the present method comprises utilizing measurements from sensors (e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers etc.) within the…
HALF-BRIDGE CIRCUIT FOR A SENSOR
Granted: February 28, 2019
Application Number:
20190063957
A circuit includes a sensor and a half-bridge circuit. The sensor includes a first sensor capacitor and a second sensor capacitor, where capacitances of the first sensor capacitor and the second sensor capacitor change in opposing directions responsive to receiving a physical signal. The sensor generates a plurality of sensor signals according to the physical signal, the plurality of signals including a common mode injection and a plurality of differential signals. The half-bridge…
AN ULTRASONIC SENSING DEVICE
Granted: February 7, 2019
Application Number:
20190043920
An electronic device comprises a CMOS substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers is provided having a transmit/receive surface. A contact surface is piezoelectrically associated with the plurality of ultrasonic transducers and is formed on the first surface of the CMOS substrate. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers is disposed on the second surface of the CMOS substrate, with the transmit/receive side…
MUSIC DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION
Granted: January 31, 2019
Application Number:
20190035401
A sensor processing unit comprises a microphone and a sensor processor. The sensor processor is coupled with the microphone. The sensor processor is configured to operate the microphone to capture an audio sample from an environment in which the microphone is disposed. The sensor processor is configured to perform music activity detection on the audio sample to detect for music within the audio sample. Responsive to detection of music within the audio sample, the sensor processor is…
ELECTROSTATIC OFFSET CORRECTION
Granted: January 24, 2019
Application Number:
20190025056
A MEMS sensor has a proof mass, a sense electrode, and a shield. At least a portion of the proof mass and shield may form a capacitor that causes an offset movement of the proof mass. A series of test values may be provided in order to minimize the offset movement or compensate for the offset movement. In some embodiments, the shield voltage may be modified to reduce the offset movement. Residual offsets due to other factors may also be determined and utilized for compensation to reduce…
DEFECTIVE ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DETECTION IN AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: January 17, 2019
Application Number:
20190018123
In a method for detection of defective ultrasonic transducers in an in ultrasonic sensing device, an ultrasonic signal is generated at an ultrasonic sensing device comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. A reflected ultrasonic signal corresponding to the ultrasonic signal is received at at least one ultrasonic transducer of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers. It is determined whether performance the at least one ultrasonic transducer is degraded based at least in part on…
IMAGE GENERATION IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: January 3, 2019
Application Number:
20190005300
A method for generating a composite image having an increased image pixel density by an array of ultrasonic transducers having a given spatial density is provided. The method comprises capturing a first set of pixels at an ultrasonic sensor using a first beamforming pattern, wherein the first beamforming pattern comprises a first pattern of ultrasonic transducers of the ultrasonic sensor. The method further comprises capturing a second set of pixels at the ultrasonic sensor using a…
INCITING USER ACTION FOR MOTION SENSOR CALIBRATION
Granted: December 6, 2018
Application Number:
20180345128
In a method of motion sensor calibration, a motion with which to calibrate a motion sensor is determined. The motion sensor is controlled by a sensor processor and the motion sensor is comprised within a user interface that is coupled with a gaming engine. The sensor processor and the gaming engine coordinate regarding the motion. The sensor processor monitors the motion sensor for evidence of the motion made as a user input via the user interface in response to game content implemented…
IMAGE GENERATION IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: December 6, 2018
Application Number:
20180349663
A method for generating an image is provided. The method comprises capturing a first set of image pixels by an ultrasonic sensor comprising an array of ultrasonic transducers using a first beamforming pattern, wherein the first beamforming pattern comprises a first pattern of transmit signals routed to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers of the ultrasonic sensor. The method further comprises capturing a second set of image pixels at the ultrasonic sensor using a second beamforming…
OUT-OF-PLANE SENSING GYROSCOPE ROBUST TO EXTERNAL ACCELERATION AND ROTATION
Granted: October 4, 2018
Application Number:
20180283867
A gyroscope includes drive portions, lever arms, and proof masses located in a device plane. The lever arms are caused to rotate about an anchoring point based on anti-phase movement of the drive portions along a first axis in the device plane, and are coupled to the proof masses to cause the proof masses to move in anti-phase along an axis perpendicular to the first axis in the device plane. In response to a Coriolis force applied to the proof masses, the lever arm rotates out of plane…
INFERRING AMBIENT ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE
Granted: September 27, 2018
Application Number:
20180273374
In a method of inferring ambient atmospheric temperature, an acoustic signal is emitted from a speaker. A first sample of the acoustic signal is captured with a first microphone spaced a first distance from the speaker. A second sample of the acoustic signal is captured with a second microphone spaced a second distance from the speaker. The second distance is greater than the first distance, and a difference between the first distance and the second distance is a known third distance. A…
ELECTRODE LAYER PARTITIONING
Granted: August 23, 2018
Application Number:
20180238927
A MEMS sensor includes a proof mass that is suspended over a substrate. A sense electrode is located on a top surface of the substrate parallel to the proof mass, and forms a capacitor with the proof mass. The sense electrodes have a plurality of slots that provide improved performance for the MEMS sensor. A measured value sensed by the MEMS sensor is determined based on the movement of the proof mass relative to the slotted sense electrode.
ELECTRONIC IMAGE STABILIZATION
Granted: August 2, 2018
Application Number:
20180220073
In a method of electronic image stabilization, a processor buffers image data into a memory buffer, the image data being obtained by the processor from an image sensor disposed in an electronic device. The processor obtains motion data from a motion sensor disposed in the electronic device, wherein the motion data corresponds with a time of capture of the image data. The processor analyzes the motion data to determine a stabilization correction to apply to the image data. The processor…
OFFSET REJECTION ELECTRODES
Granted: July 12, 2018
Application Number:
20180196082
A MEMS sensor that comprises a sensing reference plane, at least one anchor coupled to the sensing reference plane, wherein the sensing reference plane is divided by a first and a second axis forming four quadrants on the sensing reference plane, at least one proof mass coupled to the at least one anchor, wherein one of the at least one proof mass moves under an external excitation, and a pattern of sensing elements on the sensing reference plane to detect motion normal of the at least…
CMOS-MEMS-CMOS PLATFORM
Granted: January 11, 2018
Application Number:
20180009654
A sensor chip includes a first substrate with a first surface and a second surface including at least one CMOS circuit, a first MEMS substrate with a first surface and a second surface on opposing sides of the first MEMS substrate, a second substrate, a second MEMS substrate, and a third substrate including at least one CMOS circuit. The first surface of the first substrate is attached to a packaging substrate and the second surface of the first substrate is attached to the first surface…
MEMS SENSOR WITH HIGH VOLTAGE SWITCH
Granted: January 4, 2018
Application Number:
20180002162
A system and/or method for utilizing MEMS switching technology to operate MEMS sensors. As a non-limiting example, a MEMS switch may be utilized to control DC and/or AC bias applied to MEMS sensor structures. Also for example, one or more MEMS switches may be utilized to provide drive signals to MEMS sensors (e.g., to provide a drive signal to a MEMS gyroscope).
SUPPLEMENTAL SENSOR MODES AND SYSTEMS FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS
Granted: November 16, 2017
Application Number:
20170326591
A Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) device is provided. The PMUT includes a substrate and an edge support structure connected to the substrate. A membrane is connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, where the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane comprises a piezoelectric layer and first and second electrodes coupled to opposing sides of the piezoelectric…
ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER WITH A NON-UNIFORM MEMBRANE
Granted: November 16, 2017
Application Number:
20170326594
A Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) device includes a substrate, an edge support structure connected to the substrate, and a membrane connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies, the membrane having non-uniform stiffness. The membrane includes a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to opposing sides…
RECEIVE OPERATION OF AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR
Granted: November 16, 2017
Application Number:
20170326593
An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers including a plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers, wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers of the plurality of sub-arrays of ultrasonic transducers is independently controllable, and wherein a sub-array of ultrasonic transducers has an associated receive channel. A plurality of shift registers is configured to select a receive pattern of ultrasonic transducers of the two-dimensional array of…
