Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.

Joseph R VanDeWeert

Alexander A Ned

Louis DeRosa

Anthony D Kurtz

Adam M Hurst

Robert Gardner

Wolf S Landmann

Sorin Stefanescu

Richard Martin

Scott J Goodman

Boaz Kochman

Andrew V Bemis

Haig Norian

Lou DeRosa

Leo Geras

Steve Kleiber

Timothy A Nunn

Tonghuo Shang

Nora Kurtz, Legal Representative

Vikram Patil

Steve Carter

The disclosed technology relates to a field serviceable pressure scanner suitable for high-pressure sensing applications and replacement of large pressure transmitter panels. The pressure scanner includes a housing having a mounting plate comprising a plurality of through-hole bores extending from a front to back side for mating with corresponding transducer ports of the pressure sensors, and a plurality of input ports disposed on the front side of the mounting plate and in communication with the corresponding plurality of through-hole bores. The pressure scanner assembly includes two or more field-replaceable (swappable) pressure sensors seal mounted to the back side of the mounting plate, each pressure sensor comprising one or more sensor ports, each of the one or more sensor port in communication with corresponding through-hole bores in the mounting plate, and a multi-channel data acquisition system configured to receive pressure signals from the two or more field-replaceable pressure sensors.

Field serviceable, small form-factor pressure scanner

A method for fabricating silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor devices, wherein the piezoresistive pattern is defined within a blanket doped layer after fusion bonding. This new method of fabricating SOI semiconductor devices is more suitable for simpler large scale fabrication as it provides the flexibility to select the device pattern/type at the latest stages of fabrication.

Methods of fabricating silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor devices using blanket fusion bonding

A pressure scanner assembly having at least one replaceable sensor plate, wherein each of the replaceable sensor plates has at least one pressure sensor adapted to transmit a signal substantially indicative of a sensed pressure condition. A memory chip, which stores correction coefficients for each of the pressure sensor to compensate for thermal errors, may be installed on each of the replaceable sensor plates. The signals from the pressure sensors are multiplexed and may be outputted in analog or digital form. The pressure scanner assemblies described herein have sensor plates that can be interchanged with other sensor plates of the same or different pressure range without disrupting the electronic configuration of the pressure scanner assembly or having to recalibrate and/or update the memory chip installed thereon.

Pressure scanner assemblies having replaceable sensor plates

The present invention provides a self-heated pressure sensor assembly and method of utilizing the same. The self-heated pressure sensor assembly regulates and maintains the temperature of the pressure sensor, regardless of the external temperature environment, without an external heater as in prior art embodiments. Exemplary embodiments of the pressure sensor assembly incorporate a resistance heater that is built into the sensing chip of the pressure sensor assembly. The pressure sensor assembly also utilizes the resistance of the pressure sensing elements to monitor the temperature of the assembly, which works alongside the resistance heater to maintain a stable temperature within the pressure sensor assembly.

Self-heated pressure sensor assemblies

Systems and methods are disclosed for a switched, multiple range sensor system including multiple transducers. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving and measuring at a first transducer and a second transducer, a pressure to generate a respective first and second pressure signal; amplifying the first and second pressure signals with corresponding first and second fixed-gain amplifier to generate first and second amplified pressure signals; selecting for monitoring, the first or second amplified pressure signal; converting the selected amplified pressure signal to an intermediate digital pressure signal; measuring, at a thermal sensor associated with the selected amplified pressure signal, a temperature; compensating, based on the measured temperature, the intermediate digital pressure signal to generate a compensated digital pressure output signal; and outputting the compensated digital pressure output signal.

Systems and methods for switched multi-transducer pressure sensors and compensation thereof

This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a sensor having a Helmholtz resonator. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a sensing element; a header coupled to the sensing element; a housing coupled to the header; an adapter coupled to the housing; a screen disposed in an opening of the housing, wherein a first cavity is disposed between the screen and the sensing element and a second cavity is disposed between the adapter and the sensing element, and the screen in combination with the first cavity and the second cavity form a Helmholtz resonator.

Pressure sensor having a Helmholtz resonator

This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a sensor having a front seal. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a sensing element; a header coupled to the sensing element; a housing coupled to the header; a screen joined to an adaptor and coupled to the housing, wherein a first gap separates the adaptor and the sensing element and a second gap separates the adaptor and the header; and wherein a stress applied at a front surface of the adaptor is transferred to the housing, and the first gap is used to isolate the sensing element from the stress and the second gap is used to isolate the header from the stress.

Pressure sensor having an adapter joined with a screen for dimensional tolerance control

Systems and methods are disclosed for a pressure sensor device. The pressure sensor device includes a header that defines an interior cavity including one or more tether connecting regions. The header further defines an outer portion in communication with the interior cavity; the outer portion includes a plurality of through bores in communication with an exterior portion of the header for insertion of header pins through the header. The pressure sensor device includes a pressure sensor chip disposed within the interior cavity of the header. One or more anchoring tethers are attached to the corresponding one or more tether connecting regions. The pressure sensor chip is free to move within the interior cavity of the header, and the one or more anchoring tethers are in communication with the pressure sensor chip and are configured to limit movement of the pressure sensor chip within the header.

Low-stress floating-chip pressure sensors

This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a sensor having a Helmholtz resonator. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a sensing element; a header coupled to the sensing element; a housing coupled to the header; an adaptor coupled to the housing; a screen disposed in an opening of the housing, wherein a first cavity is disposed between the screen and the sensing element and a second cavity is disposed between the adaptor and the sensing element, and the screen in combination with the first cavity and the second cavity form a Helmholtz resonator.

Pressure sensor having a helmholtz resonator

This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a sensor having a front seal. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a sensing element; a header coupled to the sensing element; a housing coupled to the header; a screen joined to an adaptor and coupled to the housing, wherein a first gap separates the adapter and the sensing element and a second gap separates the adapter and the header; and wherein a stress applied at a front surface of the adapter is transferred to the housing, and the first gap is used to isolate the sensing element from the stress and the second gap is used to isolate the header from the stress.

Pressure sensor having a front seal

There is disclosed a high temperature pressure sensing system which includes a SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride Wheatstone bridge including piezoresistors. The bridge provides an output which is applied to an analog to digital converter also fabricated using SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride materials. The output of the analog to digital converter is applied to microprocessor, which microprocessor processes the data or output of the bridge to produce a digital output indicative of bridge value. The microprocessor also receives an output from another analog to digital converter indicative of the temperature of the bridge as monitored by a span resistor coupled to the bridge. The microprocessor has a separate memory coupled thereto which is also fabricated from SOI, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride materials and which memory stores various data indicative of the microprocessor also enabling the microprocessor test and system test to be performed.

Growing community of inventors

Maywood, NJ, United States of America

Joseph R VanDeWeert