Invensense, Inc.

Tdk Corporation

Other

Peter George Hartwell

Martin Lim

Fang Liu

Omid Oliaei

Xiaoyue Jiang

Mamdouh Yanni

Yushi Yang

Brian H Kim

Mei-Lin Chan

Mozafar Maghsoudnia

Jia Gao

A MEMS device, comprising a plurality of stacked layers, includes a plurality of solder couplings that mechanically fasten and electrically couple the MEMS device to an external component. The plurality of solder couplings is connected atop a portion of an upper surface that extends past an edge surface of a MEMS layer to form a shelf and are electrically connected via the shelf to receive signals generated by the MEMS device. These signals are provided to the external component via the solder couplings.

MEMS electrical and physical connection via solder couplings

In a method for multipath reflection correction of acoustic signals received at an ultrasonic sensor, acoustic signals are received at the ultrasonic sensor over a time of flight range. Characteristics of multipath reflection signals of received acoustic signals are determined, wherein the characteristics of the multipath reflection signals of the received acoustic signals comprise a relationship of primary signal contributions to multipath reflection signal contributions for the acoustic signals received at the ultrasonic sensor at a plurality of times of flight for a plurality of locations of the ultrasonic sensor. The characteristics of the multipath reflection signals of received acoustic signals are compared to the received acoustic signals. The primary signal contribution and the multipath reflection signal contribution of the received acoustic signals is determined at a plurality of times of flight of the time range based on the characteristics of the multipath reflection signals of received acoustic signals.

Acoustic multipath correction

In a method for multipath reflection correction of acoustic signals received at an ultrasonic sensor, characteristics of multipath reflection signals of the ultrasonic sensor are accessed, wherein the characteristics of the multipath reflection signals include a relationship of primary signal contributions to multipath reflection signal contributions for acoustic signals received at the ultrasonic sensor at a plurality of times of flight for a plurality of locations of the ultrasonic sensor. Acoustic signals are received at the ultrasonic sensor over a time of flight range while a target is interacting with the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the acoustic signals include a primary signal contribution and a multipath reflection signal contribution. The characteristics of the multipath reflection signals are compared to received acoustic signals. The primary signal contribution of the received acoustic signals is determined at a plurality of times of flight of the time of flight range based on the characteristics of the multipath reflection signals.

Multipath reflection correction

An exemplary microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device comprises a plurality of stacked layers, including at least one layer that includes micromechanical components that respond to a force to be measured. Two of the layers may include respective first and second external electrical connection points. A plurality of conductive paths may be disposed in a continuous manner over an external surface of each of the plurality of layers between the first and second external electrical connection points.

On-chip signal path with electrical and physical connection

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor has a capacitance that varies based on a sensed force. A charge signal representing that capacitance is provide at an input node of an amplifier of a sense circuit. The sense circuit includes a filter and analog-to-digital converter. Feedback from the filter and the analog-to-digital converter is also received at the input node of the amplifier. The sense circuit outputs a digital signal that is representative of the sensed force.

Method and device for band-pass sensor data acquisition

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; and in response to a difference between the electrical resistance of the chemiresistor and a reference electrical resistance being less than a threshold, supplying a fixed power input to the heater embedded within the sensor pixel and measuring a temperature of the sensor pixel relative to a reference temperature.

Gas sensing method with chemical and thermal conductivity sensing

Facilitating live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared (IR) sensor is presented herein. A fingerprint sensor can comprise a first substrate comprising the IR sensor, and a second substrate comprising an ultrasonic transducer. The second substrate is attached to a top portion of the first substrate, and a temperature output of the IR sensor facilitates a determination that a fingerprint output of the ultrasonic transducer corresponds to a finger. The IR sensor can comprise polysilicon comprising a thermopile and an array of photonic crystals thermally coupled to the thermopile.

Live fingerprint detection utilizing an integrated ultrasound and infrared sensor

A modulator system for converting a current-varying sensor output to a digital representation is disclosed. The modulator system includes a resonator with a first resonator input and a second resonator input. The first resonator input carries a constant reference current and the second resonator input carries a varying input current. In response to a digital output, the resonator generates a complementary voltage output based on a difference between the constant reference current and the varying input current during a conversion time. The resonator resonates near or at zero frequency. An accumulated digital output is based on the accumulation of the digital output generated at each sampling clock cycle of the conversion time and represents a digital word proportional to the varying input current.

Low-power high-precision sensing circuit

The present invention relates to systems and 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; and in response to a difference between the electrical resistance of the chemiresistor and a reference electrical resistance being less than a threshold, supplying a fixed power input to the heater embedded within the sensor pixel and measuring a temperature of the sensor pixel relative to a reference temperature.

Gas sensing device with chemical and thermal conductivity sensing

Emission of a scented substance, which is mixed with a tracer substance, is controlled based on an amount of the tracer substance sensed during the emission of the scented substance. The scented substance can be mixed with the tracer substance in a known defined ratio. When the mixture of the scented substance and tracer substance is being emitted by a device, a substance sensor component can sense the amount of the tracer substance being emitted. An emission management component can control the emission of the mixture of substances based on the amount of the tracer substance detected to facilitate controlling the amount of the scented substance being emitted. The emission management component also can control emission of the scented substance in a defined area based on the tracer substance and environmental conditions in the defined area. The tracer substance can be safe, colorless, and/or odorless with respect to people.

Substance sensing with tracers

Integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) acoustic sensor devices are disclosed. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a MEMS acoustic sensor element and a pressure sensor within the back cavity associated with the MEMS acoustic sensor element. Integrated MEMS acoustic sensor devices can comprise a port adapted to receive acoustic waves or pressure. Methods of fabrication are also disclosed.

Integrated package containing MEMS acoustic sensor and pressure sensor

Techniques provided for using hardware and software to modify a mobile device to improve the safety and awareness of a user to their environmental surroundings. One embodiment of the invention is to update mobile device applications to include live video using the built in rear camera of area ahead of the user as background image. Rear camera would normally be viewing ground, so an embodiment includes a custom case or other attachment to the mobile device with a mirror to allow rear camera to view area ahead. The case or attachment positions the mirror relative to the camera and has an adjustable angle to achieve the correct field of view for the way (or posture) the user is holding the mobile device.

Heads down intelligent display and processing

Various embodiments provide for an acoustically configurable microphone device that can adjust various parameters affecting sensitivity, acoustic overload point, signal to noise ratio, sample rate, and other parametric choices that affect the performance and function of the acoustic sensor based on commands received via acoustic communications. An acoustic analysis engine can analyze acoustic communications received to determine whether or not the acoustic communication contains a command associated with configuring the microphone. If the acoustic communication is determined to contain a configuration command, a controller on the microphone can implement the configuration command. The acoustic communications can be at ultrasonic frequencies in some embodiments so that the acoustic communications are outside the range of human hearing.

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Peter George Hartwell