The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 13, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2000
Shiva Prakash, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi, Fremont, CA (US);
Randolph S. Gluck, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven H. Hovey, Goleta, CA (US);
Shiva Prakash, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Srinivasan K. Ganapathi, Fremont, CA (US);
Randolph S. Gluck, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven H. Hovey, Goleta, CA (US);
Fidelica Microsystems, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a pressure sensing device that includes at least one TMR sensor, and preferably an array of TMR sensors, with each TMR sensor having an insulating spacer layer interposed between a pinned and a free ferromagnetic layer. In an unbiased state, the magnetization vector of each of the ferromagnetic layers is preferably parallel to each other. Upon application of a small voltage, the magnetization vectors remain unchanged. Upon application of stress, the magnetization vector of the free magnetic layer will rotate, thus causing a corresponding and proportionally related change in the resistance of the sensor. This change in resistance can be sensed and used to calculate the stress applied thereto.