Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Intel Corporation

Lv Sensors, Inc.

Novasensor Inc.

Schlumberger Industries

Transparent Networks, Inc.

Janusz Bryzek

Steven Saeed Nasiri

David W Burns

Dmitry Vasily Bakin

Cheng-Chung Huang

Alex Harwit

Randall Brian Sprague

Sean S Cahill

Curtis A Ray

Zbigniew Sufleta

James Higgins Smith

Joseph R Mallon, Jr

Kurt Edward Petersen

Phillip W Barth

James B Starr

Elizabeth Logan

Brian Lee Bircumshaw

Michael Malaga

Shad Roundy

David L Brown

Jeffery E Ramsey

Dinesh Solanki

The devices presented herein are capacitive sensors with single crystal silicon on all key stress points. Isolating trenches are formed by trench and refill forming dielectrically isolated conductive silicon electrodes for drive, sense and guards. For pressure sensing devices according to the invention, the pressure port is opposed to the electrical wire bond pads for ease of packaging. Dual-axis accelerometers measuring in plane acceleration and out of plane acceleration are also described. A third axis in plane is easy to achieve by duplicating and rotating the accelerometer 90 degrees about its out of plane axis Creating resonant structures, angular rate sensors, bolometers, and many other structures are possible with this process technology. Key advantages are hermeticity, vertical vias, vertical and horizontal gap capability, single crystal materials, wafer level packaging, small size, high performance and low cost.

Capacitive micro-electro-mechanical sensors with single crystal silicon electrodes

The present invention provides a tire pressure sensor system that has multiple functions and is integrated into a small package. The system includes one or more Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS)-based sensors, including a MEMS-based pressure sensor; a MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter; and a microcontroller, where the microcontroller processes the data generated by at least one of the MEMS-based sensors, controls at least one of the MEMS-based sensors, and controls the encoding and timing of transmission of data from the wireless signal transmitter. Preferably, the MEMS-based sensors, MEMS-oscillator-based wireless signal transmitter, and microcontroller are integrated onto one or more chips in one or more packages. The system also preferably includes a MEMS-based motion sensor, a low frequency (LF) receiver, an IC-based voltage sensor, a voltage regulator, a temperature sensor and a polarization voltage generator. Thus, the disclosed tire pressure sensor system is high in functionality, yet small in size.

Integrated tire pressure sensor system

A method of powering one or more electronic devices in a tire monitoring system using a tire pressure based energy scavenger is provided. With this method, a tire is rotated on a surface to generate pressure changes within the tire. These pressure changes are then converted into electrical energy with a transducer and the energy is stored. The electrical energy or stored electrical energy can then be used to power one or more electronic devices in a tire monitoring system, such as a tire pressure sensor, temperature sensor, acceleration profile sensor, and/or a tire wear monitor. A tire monitoring system with a tire pressure based energy scavenger is also provided.

Power generation utilizing tire pressure changes

A method of controllably attenuating a beam of light coupled into a port includes directing the beam of light against a mirror, and controlling an orientation of the mirror such that a predetermined fraction of the beam of light is coupled into the port. The predetermined fraction is less than a maximum fraction corresponding to optimal coupling of the beam of light into the port. The method may be implemented with a variable optical attenuator including a first port, a second port, a mirror located to direct light output by the first port to the second port, and a controller coupled to the mirror to align it such that the predetermined fraction of light is coupled into the second port. The method may also be implemented with an optical switch.

Variable optical attenuator

Methods of calibrating and operating optical switches as well as optical switches in which the orientations of mirrors are measured and controlled using control light beams and position sensing detectors are described. The present invention may provide high resolution control of a plurality of mirrors in an optical switch and thus allow the optical switch to cross-connect a large number of input and output ports with a low insertion loss.

Optical system for calibration and control of an optical fiber switch

An optical fiber switch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a first plurality of ports, a second plurality of ports, a first plurality of mirrors disposed on a first surface, and a second plurality of mirrors disposed on a second surface. Each one of the first plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct light output from a corresponding one of the first plurality of ports to any one of the second plurality of mirrors. Each one of the second plurality of mirrors is individually controllable to direct to a corresponding one of the second plurality of ports light incident on it from any one of the first plurality of mirrors. Advantageously, optical fiber switches in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may couple more than a thousand input ports to more than a thousand output ports with an insertion loss of less than about 3 decibels.

Optical configuration for optical fiber switch

An optical switching fabric enables an optical signal entering the device on any one of multiple input ports to be directed to any one of multiple output ports. The present optical switching fabrics include sensing and monitoring devices that permit precise initial calibration and continuous switch connection status monitoring and control. Light entering the switching fabric on an input port is reflected by one of a first set of individually controllable mirrors to one of a second set of individually controllable mirrors and then to a corresponding output port. The switching fabrics include control lasers and position sensing devices which provide output signals corresponding to the orientations of the mirrors. In addition, a subset of the input ports and output ports can be attached to monitor light sources and detectors for recalibration and control. Further, sensors for detecting the intensity of input signals, of signals that have been reflected by a mirror in the first set and by a mirror in the second set, and of signals backscattered from the output ports may be included.

System architecture of optical switching fabric

A three piece housing, designed to house semiconductor chips is molded using a polymer material. The chip sits on a metal base. Electrical leads pass through a molded housing to provide electrical contact between the semiconductor chip and external circuitry.

Pressure sensor with transducer mounted on a metal base

A hermetic media interface for a sensor package is disclosed. Preferably, the hermetic media interface is incorporated into a pressure sensor package for interfacing directly to fluid and/or gaseous media. In one embodiment, the pressure sensor package includes a semiconductor die and a pressure port that are housed in a pre-molded plastic package. A eutectic solder is coupled between the semiconductor die and the pressure port to solder the same to the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die may be metallized to enhance solderability. In an alternative embodiment, the pressure port is made from one or more plastic materials and the pressure port is attached to the semiconductor die with an adhesive. An integral stress-isolation region may optionally be incorporated on the semiconductor die.

Hermetic packaging for semiconductor pressure sensors

A chip-scale sensor package is described. In one embodiment, the chip-scale sensor package includes a semiconductor substrate having a sensor region, and a semiconductor cap having a recess. The semiconductor cap is bonded to the semiconductor substrate with a thermocompression bond to form a cavity therebetween. The semiconductor substrate is bonded to the semiconductor cap using different types of materials. The semiconductor substrate and/or the semiconductor cap may optionally include a semiconductor device such as an electronically trimmable integrated circuit fabricated thereon. In addition, the semiconductor substrate may optionally include an integral stress isolation flexible region for isolation of the sensor region.

Chip-scale packaged pressure sensor

A rigid encapsulation package for semiconductor sensors, actuators, and devices is described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor pressure sensor includes a sensor element having a deformable diaphragm for measurement of pressure, and a cap that includes a recess. The cap is attached to the sensor element to form a cavity therebetween. The pressure sensor further includes a leadframe, interconnecting bond wires, a pressure port that is coupled to the sensor element, and a nominally rigid material formed over the sensor element, cap, leadframe, and bond wires. The material may include one or more of the following: epoxy, RTV, resins, and gel. The sensor element may include a built-in stress isolation flexible region. A second pressure port may optionally be attached to the housing for providing differential or gage pressure measurements.

Rigid encapsulation package for semiconductor devices

A semiconductor pressure sensor compatible with fluid and gaseous media applications is described. The semiconductor pressure sensor includes a sensor capsule having a semiconductor die and a silicon cap that is bonded to the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die includes a diaphragm that incorporates piezoresistive sensors thereon, and a stress isolation mechanism for isolating the diaphragm from packaging and mounting stresses. The silicon cap includes a cavity for allowing the diaphragm to deflect. The semiconductor pressure sensor further includes a pressure port that is hermetically attached to the semiconductor die. The sensor capsule and pressure port may be incorporated into a plastic housing. In one embodiment, the silicon cap is bonded to the semiconductor die to form an integral pressure reference. In an alternative embodiment, a second pressure port is provided for allowing gage or differential pressure measurements. A technique for incorporating the piezoresistive sensors is also described. An ASIC may be optionally attached to the silicon cap, and/or active electronic circuitry may be fabricated on the semiconductor die or silicon cap. Additional coatings may be optionally applied to the pressure port and semiconductor die for enhancing chemical resistance.

Compensated semiconductor pressure sensor

A stress-isolated integrated circuit includes a semiconductor die (24) having first and second surfaces (28, 32) and a semi-circumferential trench (44) formed into the first surface of the die to define a stress-isolated region (48). At least some of the active IC components are located in the stress-isolated region. A cavity (46) is formed into the second surface of the die, the cavity being sized so that the trench opens into the cavity to create a cantilevered stress-isolated region extending from the remainder of the die. The second surface of the die is secured to a lead frame (36), the lead frame having bond wires (42) secured to bond pads (26) on the die. A molding compound (54) encapsulates the die, the cap, the bond wires and a portion of the lead frame to create a molded IC device (20). The invention helps to improve performance characteristics and component variables of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits by isolating critical portions of the integrated circuits from detrimental packaging and molding stresses.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Janusz Bryzek