Deformable membrane and a compensating structure thereof
Granted: June 8, 2021
Patent Number:
11027967
A sensor includes a substrate, an electrode, a deformable membrane, and a compensating structure. The substrate includes a first side and a second side. The first side is opposite to the second side. The substrate comprises a cavity on the first side. The electrode is positioned at a bottom of the cavity on the first side of the substrate. The deformable membrane is positioned on the first side of the substrate. The deformable membrane encloses the cavity and deforms responsive to…
Activity classification in a multi-axis activity monitor device
Granted: June 8, 2021
Patent Number:
11026600
An activity classification device is disclosed. The activity classification device comprises one or more motion sensors and a memory configured to receive signals from the one or more motion sensors. The device further includes a processor in communication with the memory. Finally, the device includes a classification algorithm executed by the processor, the classification algorithm for identifying activities that a user is engaged in. The memory may also record a user's activity log,…
Defective ultrasonic transducer detection in an ultrasonic sensor
Granted: May 25, 2021
Patent Number:
11016186
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…
Flipchip package
Granted: May 18, 2021
Patent Number:
11012790
A system and method for the manufacture of flipchip microelectromechanical system devices. A method comprises forming a cavity from a first surface of a rigid back through to a second surface of the rigid back, depositing an anisotropic conductive film over the first surface of the multilayer rigid back to conform to a contour of a microelectromechanical system device, positioning the a microelectromechanical system device over the cavity formed in the multilayered rigid back, and…
Proof mass offset compensation
Granted: May 18, 2021
Patent Number:
11009350
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor comprises MEMS components located within a MEMS layer and located relative to one or more electrodes. A plurality of proof masses are located within the MEMS layer and are not electrically coupled to each other within the MEMS layer. Both the first proof mass and the second proof mass move relative to at least a common electrode of the one or more electrodes, such that the relative position of each of the proof masses relative to the electrode may…
Air flow disturbance determination in a cooling system
Granted: May 11, 2021
Patent Number:
11006550
A circuit board cooling system includes a circuit board with a processor disposed thereon, a cooling unit operating according to an operating configuration to generate air flow to cool a portion of the circuit board, and a plurality of pressure sensors that are coupled with a sensor processing unit and configured to measure air pressure data at their respective locations. The pressure sensors include a first pressure sensor located between the processor and the cooling unit and a second…
In-plane sensor misalignment measuring device using capacitive sensing
Granted: May 11, 2021
Patent Number:
11002527
The present disclosure relates to measuring misalignment between layers of a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, a device includes a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; one or more first electrodes embedded in the first conductive layer; one or more second electrodes embedded in the second conductive layer; a sensing circuit connected to the one or more first electrodes; and a plurality of time-varying signal sources connected to the one or more second electrodes,…
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope calibration
Granted: May 4, 2021
Patent Number:
10996075
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes and related measurement and calibration techniques are described. Various embodiments facilitate phase estimation of an ideal phase for a demodulator mixer associated with an exemplary MEMS gyroscope using quadrature tuning, which can improve offset performance over life time for exemplary MEMS gyroscopes. Exemplary embodiments can comprise adjusting a quadrature component of an exemplary MEMS gyroscope sense signal, measuring a change in…
Darkfield contamination detection
Granted: May 4, 2021
Patent Number:
10997388
In a method for evaluating a darkfield image for contamination, it is determined whether an object is interacting with a fingerprint sensor. Provided an object is not interacting with the fingerprint sensor, a darkfield candidate image is captured at a fingerprint sensor. The darkfield candidate image is evaluated for contamination. Based on the evaluating, it is determined whether the darkfield candidate image includes contamination.
System and method for mems sensor system synchronization
Granted: May 4, 2021
Patent Number:
10996086
Various aspects of this disclosure comprise systems and methods for synchronizing sensor data acquisition and/or output. For example, various aspects of this disclosure provide for achieving a desired level of timing accuracy in a MEMS sensor system, even in an implementation in which timer drift is substantial.
MEMS device with reduced electric charge, cavity volume and stiction
Granted: April 27, 2021
Patent Number:
10988372
A method includes forming a first mask on a first portion of a first surface of a substrate, forming a second mask on the first mask and further forming the second mask on a second portion of the first surface of the substrate, and etching an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate and removing the second mask. According to some embodiments, an exposed portion of the first surface of the substrate is etched and the first mask is removed. An oxide layer is formed on the…
Darkfield modeling
Granted: April 20, 2021
Patent Number:
10984209
In a method for modeling a darkfield candidate image at a sensor, a plurality of darkfield images of the sensor is captured, wherein each darkfield image of the plurality of darkfield images is associated with a different operational condition of the sensor. An operational condition of the sensor is determined. A darkfield candidate image comprising a combination of the plurality of darkfield images is modeled based at least in part on the operational condition of the sensor, wherein a…
Environmentally protected sensing device
Granted: March 30, 2021
Patent Number:
10964613
A device includes a die comprising a sensor. The device also includes a substrate that is coupled to the die via the electrical coupling. The device further includes a packaging container. The packaging container and the substrate form a housing for the die. The packaging container comprises an opening that exposes at least a portion of the die to an environment external to the housing. The exposed surfaces of the die, interior of the housing, the electrical coupling, and the substrate…
Method and device for electronic image stabilization of a captured image
Granted: March 23, 2021
Patent Number:
10958838
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…
3D stack configuration for 6-axis motion sensor
Granted: March 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10941033
A method includes fusion bonding a first side of a MEMS wafer to a second side of a first handle wafer. A TSV is formed from a first side of the first handle wafer to the second side of the first handle wafer and into the first MEMS wafer. A dielectric layer is formed on the first side of the first handle wafer. A tungsten via is formed in the dielectric layer. Electrodes are formed on the dielectric layer. A second MEMS wafer is eutecticly bonded with a first eutectic bond to the…
Inciting user action for motion sensor calibration
Granted: March 9, 2021
Patent Number:
10940384
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…
Gas sensing method with chemical and thermal conductivity sensing
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10935509
The present invention relates to methods for detecting gases in an environment using chemical and thermal sensing. In one embodiment, a method includes exposing a chemiresistor embedded within a sensor pixel to a gas in an environment; setting a heater embedded within the sensor pixel to a sensing temperature, the sensing temperature being greater than room temperature; measuring an electrical resistance of the chemiresistor in response to setting the heater to the sensing temperature;…
Segmented image acquisition
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10936843
In a method of segmented image acquisition at a sensor, a plurality of segments of an image are concurrently captured, wherein pixels of each segment of the plurality of segments are captured according to a pixel capture sequence. The pixel capture sequence for at least one segment of the plurality of segments is a non-progressive sequence for controlling a timing difference between pixel capture for proximate pixels of adjacent segments. The image including the plurality of segments is…
Darkfield tracking
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10936841
In a method for darkfield tracking at a sensor, it is determined whether an object is interacting with the sensor. Provided an object is not interacting with the sensor, a determination that a darkfield candidate image can be captured at the sensor is made. It is determined whether to capture a darkfield candidate image at the sensor based at least in part on the determination that a darkfield candidate image can be captured at the sensor. Responsive to making a determination to capture…
Systems and methods for interfacing a sensor and a processor
Granted: March 2, 2021
Patent Number:
10936310
Systems and methods are disclosed for abstracting a source of sensor data by translating data sink processor communications from a hardware-independent format to a hardware-dependent format and by translating data source portion communications from a hardware-dependent format to a hardware-independent format.
