Systems and methods differential pressure sensing
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10921208
A pressure sensor of a mobile device may be corrected by receiving reference pressure information from an associated device. The correction using differential pressure measurements may be influenced by one or more determined condition characteristics.
Method for open-loop compensation of a MEMS gyroscope
Granted: February 16, 2021
Patent Number:
10921124
A circuit comprising a microelectromechanical (MEMS) gyroscope and a gain circuit coupled with the MEMS gyroscope. The gain circuit is configured to receive a digitized drive signal based at least in part on a digitized drive voltage amplitude of the MEMS gyroscope. The gain circuit is also configured to determine a percentage change in quality factor of the MEMS gyroscope based at least in part on the digitized drive signal and a stored trim value of the MEMS gyroscope. The gain circuit…
Method and system for magnetometer calibration
Granted: February 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10914793
Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically calibrating a magnetometer during user activity. A portable device associated with a user provides magnetic field measurements during user activity, which are converted to a frequency domain and frequency component(s) that correspond to the user activity are distinguished. A criterion is defined for the distinguished frequency components such that magnetometer bias is estimated by satisfying a condition for the criterion. Accordingly,…
Drive and sense balanced, semi-coupled 3-axis gyroscope
Granted: February 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10914584
In a first aspect, the angular rate sensor comprises a substrate and a rotating structure anchored to the substrate. The angular rate sensor also includes a drive mass anchored to the substrate and an element coupling the drive mass and the rotating structure. The angular rate sensor further includes an actuator for driving the drive mass into oscillation along a first axis in plane to the substrate and for driving the rotating structure into rotational oscillation around a second axis…
Integrated temperature sensor in microphone package
Granted: February 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10911850
Various embodiments provide for an integrated temperature sensor and microphone package where the temperature sensor is located in, over, or near an acoustic port associated with the microphone. This placement of the temperature sensor near the acoustic port enables the temperature sensor to more accurately determine the ambient air temperature and reduces heat island interference cause by heat associated with the integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the temperature sensor can be a…
Actuator layer patterning with topography
Granted: February 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10906802
Provided herein is a method including fusion bonding a handle wafer to a first side of a device wafer. Standoffs are formed on a second side of the device wafer. A first hardmask is deposited on the second side. A second hardmask is deposited on the first hardmask. A surface of the second hardmask is planarized. A photoresist is deposited on the second hardmask, wherein the photoresist includes a MEMS device pattern. The MEMS device pattern is etched into the second hardmask. The MEMS…
Circuit board cooling
Granted: January 12, 2021
Patent Number:
10893628
A circuit board cooling system comprises a cooling unit comprising fans, pressures sensors that measure air pressure at their locations, and a sensor processing unit coupled with the pressure sensors. The cooling unit operates according to an operating configuration and generates air flow to cool a portion of a circuit board. The pressure sensors comprise a first pressure sensor located between the portion of the circuit board and the cooling unit; and a second pressure sensor located…
Low power always-on microphone using power reduction techniques
Granted: January 12, 2021
Patent Number:
10892772
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…
Live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared sensor
Granted: January 12, 2021
Patent Number:
10891461
Facilitating live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared (IR) sensor is presented herein. A fingerprint sensor can comprise a first substrate comprising the IR sensor, and a second substrate comprising an ultrasonic transducer. The second substrate is attached to a top portion of the first substrate, and a temperature output of the IR sensor facilitates a determination that a fingerprint output of the ultrasonic transducer corresponds to a finger. The IR…
MEMS sensor with compensation of residual voltage
Granted: December 29, 2020
Patent Number:
10877063
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor, such as an accelerometer, has one more proof masses that respond to movement of the sensor, the movement of which is measured based on a distance between the one or more proof masses and on one or more sense electrodes. The accelerometer also has a plurality of auxiliary electrodes and a signal generator configured to apply an auxiliary signal having a first harmonic frequency to the plurality of auxiliary electrodes. Circuitry receives a sensed…
Image generation in an electronic device using ultrasonic transducers
Granted: December 8, 2020
Patent Number:
10860831
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…
Adaptive analog to digital converter (ADC) multipath digital microphones
Granted: December 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10855308
Exemplary multipath digital microphone described herein can comprise exemplary embodiments of adaptive ADC range multipath digital microphones, which allow low power to be achieved for amplifiers or gain stages, as well as for exemplary adaptive ADCs in exemplary multipath digital microphone arrangements described herein, while still providing a high DR digital microphone systems. Further non-limiting embodiments can comprise an exemplary glitch removal component configured to minimize…
Sensor with low power with closed-loop-force-feedback loop
Granted: December 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10852135
A device includes a proof mass of a sensor, capacitive elements, an electrode circuitry, a time multiplexing circuitry, a sense circuitry, and a force feedback circuitry. The proof mass moves from a first position to a second position responsive to an external actuation. The capacitive elements change capacitive charge in response thereto. The electrode circuitry coupled to the capacitive elements generates a charge signal. The time multiplexing circuitry pass the charge signal during a…
Methods for CMOS-MEMS integrated devices with multiple sealed cavities maintained at various pressures
Granted: December 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10850973
A Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure comprises a MEMS wafer. A MEMS wafer includes a handle wafer with cavities bonded to a device wafer through a dielectric layer disposed between the handle and device wafers. The MEMS wafer also includes a moveable portion of the device wafer suspended over a cavity in the handle wafer. Four methods are described to create two or more enclosures having multiple gas pressure or compositions on a single substrate including, each enclosure…
Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with a non-uniform contact layer
Granted: November 24, 2020
Patent Number:
10846502
A sensor device comprising a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a non-uniform contact layer overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and a sensor processor is described. The sensor device is configured to: transmit ultrasonic signals using the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers for reflection from an object in contact with the non-uniform contact layer,…
Fault detection of a system using a test input comprising a linear combination of inputs of the system
Granted: November 17, 2020
Patent Number:
10837999
Facilitating fault detection of a system using a test input including a linear combination of inputs of the system is presented herein. A test signal component generates, via a test procedure, a test input signal including a first linear combination of at least two input signals of the system, and applies the test input signal to the system during a phase of respective phases of the test procedure; and a fault detection component detects a fault of the system based on a test output…
Method and system for characterization of on foot motion with multiple sensor assemblies
Granted: November 17, 2020
Patent Number:
10837794
Systems and methods are disclosed for characterizing on foot motion of a user with a portable device by obtaining parameters sufficient to characterize the on foot motion of the user from multiple sensor assemblies. Each additional sensor assembly may be independent of each other. The characterization of on foot motion is provided by synthesizing the parameters from the sensor assemblies. Characterization of on foot motion may include detecting a step, estimating step length, or both.
MEMS gap control structures
Granted: November 10, 2020
Patent Number:
10829367
Provided herein is an apparatus including a cavity in a first side of a first silicon wafer, and an oxide layer on the first side and in the cavity. A first side of a second silicon wafer is bonded to the first side of the first silicon wafer. A gap control structure is on a second side of the second silicon wafer, and a MEMS structure in the second silicon wafer. A eutectic bond is bonding the second side of the second silicon wafer to a third silicon wafer. A lower cavity is between…
Low-power high-precision sensing circuit
Granted: November 10, 2020
Patent Number:
10833698
A modulator system for converting a current-varying sensor output to a digital representation is disclosed. The modulator system includes a resonator with a first resonator input and a second resonator input. The first resonator input carries a constant reference current and the second resonator input carries a varying input current. In response to a digital output, the resonator generates a complementary voltage output based on a difference between the constant reference current and the…
System and method for detecting non-meaningful motion
Granted: November 10, 2020
Patent Number:
10830606
This disclosure relates to detecting non-meaningful motion with a portable device. In one aspect, a suitable method includes detecting motion with a portable device by obtaining inertial sensor data representing motion of the portable device, wherein the inertial sensor data includes accelerometer data and gyroscope data, processing the accelerometer data, processing the gyroscope data and identifying non-meaningful motion of the portable device based, at least in part, on the processed…
