Adaptive buffering of data received from a sensor
Granted: November 20, 2018
Patent Number:
10133690
In a method of adaptive buffering in a mobile device having a host processor and a sensor processor coupled with the host processor, the sensor processor is used to buffer data received from a sensor that is operated by the sensor processor. The data is buffered by the sensor processor into a circular data buffer. Responsive to the sensor processor detecting triggering data within the received data: a first adaptive data buffering action is initiated with respect to the data received…
Method and system for estimating uncertainty for offline map information aided enhanced portable navigation
Granted: November 13, 2018
Patent Number:
10126134
The navigation solution of a portable device may be enhanced using map information. Sensor data for the portable device may be used to derive navigation solutions at a plurality of epochs over a first period of time. Position information for the device may be estimated at a time subsequent to the first period of time using the navigation solutions. Map information for an area encompassing a current location of the portable device may also be obtained. Multiple hypotheses regarding…
Microelectromechanical microphone with differential capacitive sensing
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10123131
Microelectromechanical microphones include structures that permit differential capacitive sensing. In certain structures, a movable plate is disposed between a rigid plate and a substrate. A first capacitor is formed between the movable plate and the substrate and a second capacitor is formed between the movable plate and the rigid plate. Respective bias voltages can be applied to the rigid plate and the substrate, and a differential capacitive signal can be probed in response to…
Microphone package with an integrated digital signal processor
Granted: November 6, 2018
Patent Number:
10123112
Systems and techniques for providing improved beam forming functionality and/or improve noise cancellation functionality in a microphone package are presented. In an implementation, a device includes a first microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, a second MEMS sensor, and a digital signal processor. The first MEMS sensor is contained in a first back cavity within the device. The second MEMS sensor is contained in a second back cavity within the device. The digital signal processor…
CMOS-MEMS-CMOS platform
Granted: October 9, 2018
Patent Number:
10093533
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…
Music detection and identification
Granted: October 2, 2018
Patent Number:
10089987
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…
Two frequency gyroscope compensation system and method
Granted: October 2, 2018
Patent Number:
10088315
A gyroscope is driven at a drive frequency and senses a Coriolis force caused by rotation of the gyroscope. The response of the gyroscope to a given Coriolis force may change due to changes in the gyroscope over time. A plurality of test frequencies are applied to the gyroscope, and the response of the gyroscope to those test frequencies is analyzed in order to track changes in the response of the gyroscope. Operational parameters of the gyroscope may be altered in order to compensate…
Method and apparatus for real-time positioning and navigation of a moving platform
Granted: September 25, 2018
Patent Number:
10082583
A navigation module for providing a real-time INS/GNSS navigation solution for a moving object comprising a receiver for receiving absolute navigational information from an external source and an assembly of self-container sensors for generating navigational information. The module also contains a processor coupled to receive the output information from the receiver and sensor assembly, and integrate the output information in real-time to produce an overall navigation solution. The…
Two different conductive bump stops on CMOS-MEMS bonded structure
Granted: September 25, 2018
Patent Number:
10081539
Provided herein is a method including forming a micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) wafer including a first MEMS device and a second MEMS device. A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (“CMOS”) wafer is formed including a first electrically conductive via and a second electrically conductive via. A layer stack including a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a bond layer is deposited over the first electrically conductive via and the second electrically…
Systems and methods for detecting and handling a magnetic anomaly
Granted: September 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10072956
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting when a magnetic anomaly may impact the quality of data being output by a magnetometer. A plurality of detection algorithms may be performed in parallel on the sensor data. Further, indication of a anomaly from one or a combination of the detection algorithms may cause the magnetometer data to have a reduced contribution in any sensor fusion operation or may be omitted from a sensor fusion operation as desired.
Release chemical protection for integrated complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) devices
Granted: September 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10071906
Systems and methods that protect CMOS layers from exposure to a release chemical are provided. The release chemical is utilized to release a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device integrated with the CMOS wafer. Sidewalls of passivation openings created in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer expose a dielectric layer of the CMOS wafer that can be damaged on contact with the release chemical. In one aspect, to protect the CMOS wafer and prevent exposure of the…
Method and apparatus for handling vertical orientations of devices for constraint free portable navigation
Granted: August 21, 2018
Patent Number:
10054442
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing a navigation solution of a device within a platform (such as for example person, vehicle or vessel), wherein the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the device can be tilted to any orientation including vertical or near vertical orientations, while still providing a seamless navigation solution. This method can enhance navigation solutions utilizing measurements…
Phase and amplitude adjustment for sensors
Granted: August 14, 2018
Patent Number:
10050613
A device includes a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor and a PWM modifier circuitry. The MEMS sensor may include a drive circuitry and a sense circuitry. The MEMS sensor is configured to sense motion. A carrier signal is used in the sense circuitry and the drive circuitry. The PWM modifier circuitry is configured to generate a PWM modifier signal for modifying a portion of a PWM signal and to form a modified PWM signal to compensate for changes in the carrier signal.
Microelectromechanical microphone having a stationary inner region
Granted: August 7, 2018
Patent Number:
10045126
A microelectromechanical microphone has a stationary region or another type of mechanically supported region that can mitigate or avoid mechanical instabilities in the microelectromechanical microphone. The stationary region can be formed in a diaphragm of the microelectromechanical microphone by rigidly attaching, via a rigid dielectric member, an inner portion of the diaphragm to a backplate of the microelectromechanical microphone. The rigid dielectric member can extend between the…
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone bias voltage
Granted: August 7, 2018
Patent Number:
10045121
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,…
CMOS-MEMS integrated device with selective bond pad protection
Granted: July 31, 2018
Patent Number:
10035702
A method and system for preparing a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises providing a passivation layer over a patterned top metal on the semiconductor wafer, etching the passivation layer to open a bond pad in the semiconductor wafer using a first mask, depositing a protection layer on the semiconductor wafer, patterning the protective layer using a second mask, and etching the passivation layer to open other electrodes in the semiconductor wafer…
Including control data in a serial audio stream
Granted: July 24, 2018
Patent Number:
10031877
Including control data in a serial audio stream is presented herein. A device can include a clock component that is configured to send, via a clock pin of the device, a bit clock signal directed to a slave device. A frame component can send, via a frame pin of the device, a frame clock signal directed to the slave device. A control component can receive, via a data pin of the device during a first portion of a phase of a period of the frame clock signal, slave data from the slave device…
Method and system for using offline map information aided enhanced portable navigation
Granted: July 10, 2018
Patent Number:
10018474
The navigation solution of a portable device may be enhanced using map information. Sensor data for the portable device may be used to derive navigation solutions at a plurality of epochs over a first period of time. Position information for the device may be estimated at a time subsequent to the first period of time using the navigation solutions. Map information for an area encompassing a current location of the portable device may also be obtained. Multiple hypotheses regarding…
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor having a leakage path to a cavity
Granted: June 26, 2018
Patent Number:
10006824
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensors having a leakage path are described. Provided implementations can comprise a MEMS pressure sensor system associated with a back cavity and a membrane that separates the back cavity and an ambient atmosphere. A pressure of the ambient atmosphere is determined based on a parameter associated with movement of the membrane.
Mode-tuning sense interface
Granted: June 19, 2018
Patent Number:
10001387
A MEMS capacitive sensing interface includes a sense capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, and having associated therewith a first electrostatic force. Further included in the MEMS capacitive sensing interface is a feedback capacitor having a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the feedback capacitor having associated therewith a second electrostatic force. The second and the fourth terminals are coupled to a common mass, and a net electrostatic force includes the…
