Austriamicrosystems Ag

Wolfson Microelectronics Limited

Ams Ag

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Ams International Ag

Knowles Electronics, Inc.

Colin Steele

Thomas Froehlich

John Laurence Pennock

Mark Niederberger

John Paul Lesso

Jens Hofrichter

David Paul Singleton

Josef Janisch

Goran Stojanovic

Thomas Christen

Rene Scheuner

Simon Mueller

Frank Perske

Gerhard Oberhoffner

Richard Forsyth

Siegfried Rossmann

Douglas James Wallace MacFarlane

Anderson Singulani

Erik Jan Lous

Marcel Urban

Anderson Pires Singulani

Catherine A Hearne

Jochen Kraft

Lukas Perktold

Catalin Lazar

Duy-Dong Pham

Thomas Fröhlich

René Blattmann

An integrated optical transducer for detecting dynamic pressure changes comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, die having a MEMS diaphragm with a first side exposed to the dynamic pressure changes and a second side, and an application-specific integrated circuit, ASIC, die having an optical interferometer assembly. The interferometer assembly comprises a beam splitting element for receiving a source beam from a light source and for splitting the source beam into a probe beam in a first beam path and a reference beam in a second beam path, a beam combining element for combining the probe beam with the reference beam to a superposition beam, and a detector configured to generate an electronic interference signal depending on the superposition beam. The MEMS die is arranged with respect to the ASIC die such that a gap is formed between the second side of the diaphragm and the ASIC die, with the gap defining a cavity and having a gap height. The first beam path of the probe beam comprises coupling into the cavity, reflection off of a deflection point or a deflection surface () of the diaphragm and coupling out of the cavity.

Integrated optical transducer and method for detecting dynamic pressure changes

A sensor includes a substrate; and a corrugated diaphragm offset from the substrate. The corrugated diaphragm is configured to deflect responsive to a sound wave impinging on the corrugated diaphragm. A cavity is defined between the corrugated diaphragm and the substrate, the corrugated diaphragm forming a top surface of the cavity and the substrate forming a bottom surface of the cavity. A pressure in the cavity is lower than a pressure outside of the cavity.

Sensors with corrugated diaphragms

An integrated optical transducer for detecting dynamic pressure changes comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, die having a MEMS diaphragm with a first side exposed to the dynamic pressure changes and a second side. The transducer further comprises an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC, die having an evaluation circuit configured to detect a deflection of the MEMS diaphragm, in particular of the second side of the MEMS diaphragm. The MEMS die is arranged with respect to the ASIC die such that a gap with a gap height is formed between the second side of the diaphragm and a first surface of the ASIC die and the MEMS diaphragm, the ASIC die and a suspension structure of the MEMS die delineate a back volume of the integrated optical transducer.

Integrated optical transducer and method for fabricating an integrated optical transducer

A micro-electro-mechanical system, MEMS, microphone assembly comprises an enclosure defining a first cavity, and a MEMS microphone arranged inside the first cavity. The microphone comprises a first die with bonding structures and a MEMS diaphragm, and a second die having an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC. The second die is bonded to the bonding structures such that a gap is formed between a first side of the diaphragm and the second die, with the gap defining a second cavity. The first side of the diaphragm is interfacing with the second cavity and a second side of the diaphragm is interfacing with the environment via an acoustic inlet port of the enclosure. The bonding structures are arranged such that pressure ventilation openings are formed that connect the first cavity and the second cavity.

MEMS microphone assembly and method for fabricating a MEMS microphone assembly

An arrangement () to calibrate a capacitive sensor interface () includes a capacitive sensor () having a capacitance (cmem, cmemsp, cmemsm) and a charge storing circuit () having a changeable capacitance (cdum, cdump, cdumm). A test circuit () applies a test signal (vtst) to the capacitive sensor () and the charge storing circuit (). An amplifier circuit () has a first input connection (E) coupled to the capacitive sensor () and a second input connection (E) coupled to the charge storing circuit (). The amplifier circuit () provides an output signal (Vout) in dependence on a first input signal (&#x394;Verr) applied to the first input connection (E) and a second input signal (&#x394;Verr) applied to the second input connection (E). A control circuit () is configured to trim the capacitance (cdum, cdump, cdumm) of the charge storing circuit () such that the level of the output signal (Vout) tends to the level of zero.

Arrangement to calibrate a capacitive sensor interface

A MEMS sensor () comprises a MEMS transducer () being coupled to a MEMS interface circuit (). The MEMS interface circuit () comprises a bias voltage generator (), a differential amplifier (), a capacitor () and a feedback control circuit (). The bias voltage generator () generates a bias voltage (Vbias) for operating the MEMS transducer. The variable capacitor () is connected to one of the input nodes (I) of the differential amplifier (). At least one of the output nodes (A, A) of the differential amplifier is coupled to a base terminal (T) of an output filter () of the bias voltage generator (). Any disturbing signal from the bias voltage generator () is a common-mode signal that is divided equally on the input nodes (I, I) of the differential amplifier () and is therefore rejected.

MEMS sensor

A signal processing arrangement has a signal input for connecting a capacitive sensor. An amplifier circuit is coupled between the signal input and a feedback point. A loop filter is coupled downstream to the feedback point. A quantizer is connected downstream to the loop filter and provides a multi-bit output word. The multi-bit output word consists of one or more higher significance bits and one or more lower significance bits. A first feedback path is coupled between a quantizer and the feedback point for providing a first feedback signal to the feedback point being representative of the one or more lower significance bits. A second feedback path is coupled to the quantizer for providing a second feedback signal to the signal input being representative of the one or more higher significance bits.

Signal processing arrangement, sensor arrangement and signal processing method

A method of testing a capacitive transducer circuit, for example a MEMS capacitive transducer, by applying a test signal via one or more capacitors provided in the transducer circuit.

Apparatus and method for testing a capacitive transducer and/or associated electronic circuitry

A capacitive transducer circuit comprises a capacitive transducer having first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are biased by respective first and second bias voltages. An amplifier is connected to receive a first analog signal on an input terminal, the first analog signal being generated by the capacitive transducer, and to generate a second analog signal on an output terminal. A digital feedback circuit is connected between the output terminal of the amplifier and the input terminal of the amplifier. The digital feedback circuit is configured to provide one of said first or second bias voltages. The output of a voltage source which provides the other bias voltage for the capacitive transducer may be filtered by a low pass filter. The low pass filter may comprise a switched capacitor filter circuit.

Capacitive transducer circuit and method

An apparatus comprising a capacitive transducer, for example a MEMS microphone. A first voltage generator is connected to receive a first voltage (VDD*) and generate a second voltage (V) for biasing the capacitive transducer. A control circuit is adapted to, in use, control the first voltage (VDD*) based on a calibration value, wherein a different calibration value would lead to a different first voltage level and the calibration value is set such that an input signal of known amplitude produces an output signal of predetermined amplitude.

Apparatus and method for biasing a transducer

A controller includes a control circuit. The control circuit includes a forward path that includes an input and an output, a feedback path coupled to the output and to the input, and a sensor that is between the input and the output. The sensor generates a sensor signal based on an input signal applied to the input. The forward path generates an output signal based on the sensor signal. The output signal is sent along the feedback path to the input of the forward path. The controller also includes a detector that obtains an intermediate signal from the forward path between the input and the output. The detector generates a control signal using the intermediate signal. The forward path includes a control device that limits the output signal to a predetermined value. The detector controls the control device using the control signal.

Control system including a control circuit and sensor, and method for operation of the control system

A sensor system and method of operating such a sensor system for measuring an angle of rotation with an arrangement of at least four magnetic sensors (), at least four signal modulators (), each one connected to one of the magnetic sensors () and having at least two control states, whereby, in a first state (+), a signal received from a sensor () is output by the signal modulators () and, in a second state (&#x2212;), the inverse of the signal received from the sensor () is output by the signal modulators (), a means () for adding the signals output by the signal modulators () and a diametrically magnetized magnetic source (). The sensor system further comprises a data output () and a control circuit () with at least one control input (), allowing to switch the control circuit () into at least two different modes. In a normal mode of operation, the signal modulators () are configured in such a way that a signal corresponding to the angular position of the diametrically magnetized magnetic source () is output to the data output. In an alignment mode of operation, the signal modulators () are configured in such a way that a signal corresponding to the average magnetic field strength detected by the sensors () is output to the data output ().

Magnetic rotary encoder and method for iteratively aligning magnet relative to magnetic sensors

A driver apparatus is provided for controlling a light source array comprising at least first and second light sources, the light source array used for illuminating a scan region on a target object, wherein light reflected from said target object is captured by a detector. The driver apparatus comprises a single integrated circuit comprising processing means for processing image data received from the detector, a switching array comprising at least first and second switches for switching the respective first and second light sources, and a current source for controlling the flow of current through the light sources. In this way the LED switching circuitry that controls an LED array is 15 placed on the same integrated circuit (i.e. monolithic circuit) as the analogue processing circuitry that processes the image data, with the current source controlling the flow of current through the LEDs in the LED array.

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Colin Steele