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:
Jan. 17, 2017
Filed:
Jan. 09, 2014
Farrokh Mohamadi, Irvine, CA (US);
Farrokh Mohamadi, Irvine, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A tunneling accelerometer that can be implemented as a MEMS micro sensor provides differential sensing that minimizes large forces resulting from undesired environmental effects. Used as a seismic sensor, for example, the accelerometer exhibits maximum sensitivity for small seismic waves and suppresses very large seismic activities occurring at shallower depths. In one embodiment, detected current decreases from its maximum for stronger forces and is maximized for small vibrations. In another embodiment, separation of columns of top and bottom tunneling tip pairs, one column from the next, increases gradually so that the tunneling accelerometer suppresses sensitivity to large accelerations such as large seismic activity. A manufacturing process for the accelerometer provides reduced complexity for better yield.