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:
Oct. 14, 2014
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2009
Charles Gordon Smith, Cambridge, GB;
Richard L. Knipe, McKinney, TX (US);
Vikram Joshi, Mountain View, CA (US);
Roberto Gaddi, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Anartz Unamuno, Roermond, NL;
Robertus Petrus Van Kampen, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Charles Gordon Smith, Cambridge, GB;
Richard L. Knipe, McKinney, TX (US);
Vikram Joshi, Mountain View, CA (US);
Roberto Gaddi, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Anartz Unamuno, Roermond, NL;
Robertus Petrus Van Kampen, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Cavendish Kinetics Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein generally include using a large number of small MEMS devices to replace the function of an individual larger MEMS device or digital variable capacitor. The large number of smaller MEMS devices perform the same function as the larger device, but because of the smaller size, they can be encapsulated in a cavity using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible processes. Signal averaging over a large number of the smaller devices allows the accuracy of the array of smaller devices to be equivalent to the larger device. The process is exemplified by considering the use of a MEMS based accelerometer switch array with an integrated analog to digital conversion of the inertial response. The process is also exemplified by considering the use of a MEMS based device structure where the MEMS devices operate in parallel as a digital variable capacitor.