Abstract: An overpressure-protected, differential pressure sensor (37) is formed by depositing diaphragm material (24) over a cavity (23) formed and filled with sacrificial material (22) into a front surface of a substrate. The sacrificial material (22) is then removed to create a free diaphragm. The floor of the cavity (23) defines a first pressure stop to limit the deflection of the diaphragm in response to pressure applied to the top of the diaphragm. A port (33) is created to allow pressure to be applied to the bottom side of the diaphragm (24). An optional second pressure stop, which limits the deflection of the diaphragm in response to pressure applied to the bottom side of the diaphragm, is formed by bonding a cap (35) to standoffs (34) placed around the top of the diaphragm. The standoffs are spaced to allow pressure to be applied to the top of the diaphragm.

Abstract: This invention provides mechanisms that detect the large dynamic range of radiant intensities in the natural environment, that use novel strategies to calculate an approximation of visual properties of objects, and that represent a scene with an image having a specific dynamic range that is optimal for display media such as photography, television and printing.Photographs and other images are made according to the foregoing mechanisms from lightness fields produced from multiple comparisons between information associated with a different segmental areas of an image field. Different comparisons involve different groups of segmental areas, and different groupings have at least one spatial parameter different from other groupings of areas. Comparisons advantageously are made in succession with an ordered sequence of the spatial parameter and employing results of prior comparisons.