Sonion A/s

Epcos Pte Ltd

Lars Jørn Stenberg

Jens Kristian Poulsen

Aart Zeger Van Halteren

Igor Mucha

Per Flemming Høvesten

Matthias Müllenborn

Carsten Fallesen

Jozef Johannes Gerardus Bosch

Per F Høvesten

The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising a condenser microphone transducer comprising adjacently positioned diaphragm and back-plate members having an air gap there between. Moreover, the assembly comprises a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a preamplifier comprising a first signal input terminal for receipt of electrical signals generated by the condenser microphone transducer. The first signal input terminal is operatively coupled to an input stage of the preamplifier, said input stage comprising a thick-oxide transistor. The present invention further relates to a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a thick-oxide transistor-based preamplifier.

Deep sub-micron MOS preamplifier with thick-oxide input stage transistor

A MEMS microphone comprising a MEMS transducer having a back plate and a diaphragm as well as controllable bias voltage generator providing a DC bias voltage between the back plate and the diaphragm. The microphone also has an amplifier with a controllable gain, and a memory for storing information for determining a bias voltage to be provided by the bias voltage generator and the gain of the amplifier.

Calibrated microelectromechanical microphone

A condenser microphone is provided having a transducer element. A diaphragm has an electrically conductive portion. A back-plate has an electrically conductive portion. A DC bias voltage element is operatively coupled to the diaphragm and the back-plate. A collapse detection element is adapted to determine a physical parameter value related to a separation between the diaphragm and the back-plate. A collapse control element is adapted to control the DC bias voltage element based on the determined physical parameter value.

Detection and control of diaphragm collapse in condenser microphones

The present invention provides a miniature MEMS microphone comprising a single-ended transducer element connected to an amplifier providing a differential electrical output at terminals arranged at a substantially plane exterior surface. The differential or balanced output signal provides a miniature microphone exhibiting a high dynamic range and a reduced susceptibility to EMI. The microphone is adapted for surface mounting thus the extra output terminal required is still suitable for low cost mass production. In preferred embodiments the transducer element and amplifier are silicon-based. The microphone may have a plurality of separate single-ended transducer elements connected to separate amplifiers providing separate differential outputs. The microphones according to the invention are advantageous for applications within for example hearing aids and mobile equipment.

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Roskilde, Denmark

Lars Jørn Stenberg