Substance sensing with tracers
Granted: August 20, 2019
Patent Number:
10383967
Emission of a scented substance, which is mixed with a tracer substance, is controlled based on an amount of the tracer substance sensed during the emission of the scented substance. The scented substance can be mixed with the tracer substance in a known defined ratio. When the mixture of the scented substance and tracer substance is being emitted by a device, a substance sensor component can sense the amount of the tracer substance being emitted. An emission management component can…
MEMS accelerometer with proof masses moving in an anti-phase direction
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10371715
A sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate and a mechanical structure. The mechanical structure includes at least two proof masses including a first proof mass and a second proof mass. The mechanical structure also includes a flexible coupling between the at least two proof masses and the substrate. The at least two proof masses move in an anti-phase direction normal to the plane of the substrate in response to acceleration of the sensor normal to the plane and move in…
Method and apparatus for determination of misalignment between device and pedestrian
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10371516
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining the misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian can carry, hold, or use the device in different orientations in a constrained or unconstrained manner, and wherein the device comprises a sensor assembly. The sensors in the device may be for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, barometer among others. The sensors have a corresponding frame for the sensors' axes. The…
System and method for sensor calibration
Granted: July 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10359297
A method and system to determine orientation of a device is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of sensors. A first signal indicative of an orientation of the device is generated using at least a first subset of sensors, with at least one sensor. A second signal indicative of the orientation of the device is generated using at least a second subset of sensors, with at least one sensor. The first signal and the second signal is compared to determine if indicated orientation is…
Yaw rate gyroscope robust to linear and angular acceleration
Granted: July 23, 2019
Patent Number:
10359284
A gyroscope includes four drive masses and four sense masses. Each drive mass is adjacent to two other drive masses and opposite the fourth drive mass, and each sense mass is adjacent to two other sense masses and opposite the fourth sense mass. Each drive mass may oscillate in a manner that is perpendicular to its adjacent drive mass and parallel and anti-phase to its opposite mass. The sense motion of the each sense mass may be coupled in a manner that prevents motion due to linear…
Integrated package containing MEMS acoustic sensor and pressure sensor
Granted: July 16, 2019
Patent Number:
10351419
Integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) acoustic sensor devices are disclosed. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a MEMS acoustic sensor element and a pressure sensor within the back cavity associated with the MEMS acoustic sensor element. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a port adapted to receive acoustic waves or pressure. Methods of fabrication are also disclosed.
System and method for wireless positioning in wireless network-enabled environments
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10349286
A system and method for providing wireless positioning and an accuracy measure thereof, using a probabilistic approach alone or in combination with other models, is provided, for wireless-network-enabled areas. Further means of ranking “base-stations” in a wireless network area according to position discrimination significance and using this ranking to provide an accuracy measure of positioning is provided. Further means of determining the locations of “base-stations” of a…
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone bias voltage
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10349170
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and related bias voltage techniques are described. Exemplary MEMS sensors, such as exemplary MEMS acoustic sensors or microphones described herein can employ one or more bias voltage generators and single-ended or differential amplifier arrangements. Various embodiments are described that can effectively increase the bias voltage available to the sensor element without resorting to high breakdown voltage semiconductor processes. In addition,…
Integrated package containing MEMS acoustic sensor and environmental sensor and methodology for fabricating same
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10343897
An integrated package of at least one environmental sensor and at least one MEMS acoustic sensor is disclosed. The package contains a shared port that exposes both sensors to the environment, wherein the environmental sensor measures characteristics of the environment and the acoustic sensor measures sound waves. The port exposes the environmental sensor to an air flow and the acoustic sensor to sound waves. An example of the acoustic sensor is a microphone and an example of the…
Technique and system of positioning a mobile terminal indoors
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10341982
The technique and the system may be used for indoor positioning, where signals of navigation satellites are not available. In accordance with the technique patterns identifying location of the mobile terminal in a specific position may be detected, on the basis of data acquired from at least one inertial and non-inertial sensors in the process of movement of at least one mobile terminal; the path of movement of the above mobile terminal may be detected and saved in the local coordinate…
Method and apparatus for fast magnetometer calibration
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10337884
A method and apparatus for fast magnetometer calibration with little space coverage is described herein. The present method and apparatus is capable of performing both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) calibration for a magnetometer (magnetic sensor) and calculating calibration parameters. The present method and apparatus does not need the user to be involved in the calibration process and there are no required specific movements that the user should perform. The present method…
Two-dimensional array of CMOS control elements
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325915
An electronic device includes a plurality of CMOS control elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, where each CMOS control element of the plurality of CMOS control elements includes semiconductor devices. The plurality of CMOS control elements each including a PMOS semiconductor device portion comprising a high voltage PMOS device and a low voltage PMOS device and an NMOS semiconductor device portion comprising a high voltage NMOS device and a low voltage NMOS device. The plurality…
Two-dimensional array of CMOS control elements
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10315222
An electronic device includes a plurality of CMOS control elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, where each CMOS control element of the plurality of CMOS control elements includes two semiconductor devices. The plurality of CMOS control elements include a first subset of CMOS control elements, each CMOS control element of the first subset of CMOS control elements including a semiconductor device of a first class and a semiconductor device of a second class, and a second subset of…
Systems and methods for motion detection
Granted: June 4, 2019
Patent Number:
10309983
Systems and methods are disclosed for characterizing motion of a device by taking the difference between pairs of sensor signal samples and comparing an expected higher order moment for the differences determined from an observed first order moment for the differences and/or an observed second order moment for the differences and the observed higher order moment for the differences. A determination of whether the device is experiencing motion may be made based on a comparison of the…
MEMS gap control structures
Granted: June 4, 2019
Patent Number:
10308507
Provided herein is a method including forming a cavity in a first side of a first silicon wafer. An oxide layer is formed on the first side and in the cavity. The first side of the first silicon wafer is bonded to a first side of a second silicon wafer, and a gap control structure is deposited on a second side of the second silicon wafer. A MEMS structure is formed in the second silicon wafer. The second side of the second silicon wafer is eutecticly bonded to the third silicon wafer,…
Dual cavity pressure structures
Granted: June 4, 2019
Patent Number:
10308503
An apparatus includes a cavity within a substrate. A MEMS structure is within the cavity, wherein the cavity includes the MEMS structure. A trench is connected to the cavity, wherein the trench is not directly opposite the MEMS structure. An oxide layer lines the trench and the cavity. A seal layer seals the trench and traps a predetermined pressure within the cavity and the trench.
Method and apparatus for speed or velocity estimation using optical sensor
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10302669
Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating speed and/or velocity for a portable device using an optical sensor. The optical sensor may capture a plurality of samples to be processed to estimate speed. The speed or velocity may be estimated based on a determined context and/or usage of the portable device. The estimated speed or velocity may be used to supplement other navigational solutions or may be used independently.
Method and system for enhanced navigation with multiple sensors assemblies
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10302435
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for providing and enhanced navigation solution of a device within a platform (such as for example person, vehicle, or vessel of any type), wherein the device is within the platform and may be strapped or non-strapped to the platform, wherein in case of non-strapped the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, wherein the enhancement of the navigation solution is through multiple sensor…
Compensating circuit for a microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonator
Granted: May 28, 2019
Patent Number:
10302432
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…
Aluminum nitride (AlN) devices with infrared absorption structural layer
Granted: May 21, 2019
Patent Number:
10294097
A micro-electro-mechanical system device is disclosed. The micro-mechanical system device comprises a first silicon substrate comprising: a handle layer comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second surface comprises a cavity; an insulating layer deposited over the second surface of the handle layer; a device layer having a third surface bonded to the insulating layer and a fourth surface; a piezoelectric layer deposited over the fourth surface of the device layer; a metal…
