Abstract: Environmental conditions affecting a sensor having a thermal coefficient are compensated by applying an adaptive filter to an environmental condition reference signal. The resulting adaptive cancellation signal may be used to provide feedback control to a first heating element.

Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises a polysilicon sensing membrane. The pressure sensor further includes one or more polysilicon electrodes disposed over a silicon substrate. The sensor also includes one or more polysilicon routing layers that electrically connects electrodes of the one or more polysilicon electrodes to one another, wherein the polysilicon sensing membrane deforms responsive to a stimuli and changes a capacitance between the polysilicon sensing membrane and the one or more polysilicon electrodes. The sensor also includes one or more vacuum cavities positioned between the polysilicon sensing membrane and the one or more polysilicon electrodes.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a passivation layer on a substrate; depositing and patterning a first polysilicon layer on the passivation layer; depositing and patterning a first oxide layer on the first polysilicon layer forming a patterned first oxide layer; depositing and patterning a second polysilicon layer on the patterned first oxide layer. A portion of the second polysilicon layer directly contacts a portion of the first polysilicon layer. A portion of the patterned second polysilicon layer corresponds to a bottom electrode. A second oxide layer is deposited on the patterned second polysilicon layer and on an exposed portion of the patterned first oxide layer. A portion of the second oxide layer corresponding to a sensing cavity is etched, exposing the bottom electrode. Another substrate is bonded to the second oxide layer enclosing the sensing cavity. A top electrode is disposed within the another substrate and positioned over the bottom electrode.

Abstract: Selective self-assembled monolayer patterning with sacrificial layer for devices is provided herein. A sensor device can include a handle layer and a device layer that comprises a first side and a second side. First portions of the first side are operatively connected to defined portions of the handle layer. At least one area of the second side comprises an anti-stiction area formed with an anti-stiction coating. The device can also include a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) wafer operatively connected to second portions of the second side of the device layer. The CMOS wafer comprises at least one bump stop. The anti-stiction area faces the at least one bump stop.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide flexible performance, high dynamic range, microelectromechanical (MEMS) multipath digital microphones, which allow seamless, low latency transitions between audio signal paths without audible artifacts over interruptions in the audio output signal. Disclosed embodiments facilitate performance and power saving mode transitions maintaining high dynamic range capability.

Abstract: A MEMS sensor includes a through hole to allow communication with an external environment, such as to send or receive acoustic signals or to be exposed to the ambient environment. In addition to the information that is being measured, light energy may also enter the environment of the sensor via the through hole, causing short-term or long-term effects on measurements or system components. A light mitigating structure is formed on or attached to a lid of the MEMS die to absorb or selectively reflect the received light in a manner that limits effects on the measurements or interest and system components.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device comprises a controller and a differential piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer with a membrane later, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a top electrode layer comprising a first electrode with a positive voltage to displacement coefficient and a second electrode with a negative voltage to displacement coefficient. During a first period, the controller electrically decouples a first output of a first driver from the first electrode, electrically decouples a second output of a second driver from the second electrode, and electrically couples the first and second electrodes to equalize charge between them. During a second period, the controller electrically decouples the first and second electrodes, electrically couples the first output with the first electrode, and electrically couples the second output with the second electrode; where waveforms on the first and second outputs during the second time period are out of phase with one another.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide flexible performance, high dynamic range, microelectromechanical (MEMS) multipath digital microphones, which allow seamless, low latency transitions between audio signal paths without audible artifacts over interruptions in the audio output signal. Disclosed embodiments facilitate performance and power saving mode transitions maintaining high dynamic range capability.

Abstract: In a method of revising an unstable location fingerprint database for an area, a plurality of initial location fingerprint databases, comprising at least a stable location fingerprint database and an unstable location fingerprint database, are accessed. Signal measurement data is collected together with motion-based data from each of a plurality of portable devices transiting a portion of the area of the unstable location fingerprint database. Reference positions associated with locations in the unstable location fingerprint database are determined by using the stable location fingerprint database to process the collected signal measurement data and the motion-based data into the reference positions. The reference positions and the signal measurement data are employed to revise unstable data in the unstable location fingerprint database.

Abstract: A gas sensor includes a plurality of sensing resistors that vary in resistance based on ambient temperature and the presence of certain gases, such as CO2 and H2O. The responses of each of the sensing resistors vary based on a base temperature of each of the sensing resistors. The base temperatures for each of the sensing resistors and configurations of the sensing resistors are selected to emphasize a response to a gas of interest (e.g., CO2) while de-emphasizing or canceling contributions from ambient temperature and gases that are not of interest (e.g., H2O).

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) test structure includes a plurality of capacitors formed from sense electrodes and capacitive plates having a predetermined geometry and size associated with a related MEMS device such as a MEMS sensor. Based on the predetermined relationships between the capacitors of the test structure, and between the test structure and the MEMS devices, an effect of fringing fields on the sensed capacitances of the MEMS devices may be eliminated, and the capacitive gap of the MEMS device may be accurately measured.

Abstract: An alternate venting path can be employed in a sensor device for pressure equalization. A sensor component of the device can comprise a diaphragm component and/or backplate component disposed over an acoustic port of the device. The diaphragm component can be formed with no holes to prevent liquid or particles from entering a back cavity of the device, or gap between the diaphragm component and backplate component. A venting port can be formed in the device to create an alternate venting path to the back cavity for pressure equalization for the diaphragm component. A venting component, comprising a filter, membrane, and/or hydrophobic coating, can be associated with the venting port to inhibit liquid and particles from entering the back cavity via the venting port, without degrading performance of the device. The venting component can be designed to achieve a desired low frequency corner of the sensor frequency response.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning appliance includes a sonic transducer and a processor coupled with a housing. The sonic transducer transmits sonic signals toward a surface within its ringdown distance and receives corresponding returned signals. Following cessation of the sonic signals, the processor samples the ringdown signal generated by the sonic transducer during an early portion before the corresponding returned signals have reflected back to the sonic transducer, and during a later portion which includes the corresponding returned signals. The processor utilizes the sampled early portion to estimate a void ringdown signal of which represents performance of the sonic transducer in absence of returned signals being received. The processor compares the estimated void ringdown signal to the later portion of the ringdown signal and generates a metric based on the comparison. The processor utilizes the metric to determine a type of the surface, out of a plurality of surface types.

Abstract: A wearable system for cardiovascular monitoring including an ultrasonic sensor module, a data storage unit, a processing unit, and a connection cable assembly for communicatively coupling the ultrasonic sensor module to the processing unit is described. The ultrasonic sensor module includes at least one array of ultrasonic transducers and at least one pre-amplification device coupled to the at least one array of ultrasonic transducers, the ultrasonic sensor module for placement on a human body proximate a blood vessel for performing cardiovascular monitoring.

Abstract: In a method of automatic alignment of a transversal ultrasound array, a plurality of instances of an ultrasonic scanning operation directed towards a target using an array of ultrasonic transducers is performed, wherein each instance of the plurality of instances of the ultrasonic scanning operation comprises a different sub-array of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers, and wherein each instance of the ultrasonic scanning operation transmits an ultrasonic signal and receives at least one reflected ultrasonic signal. At least one property is determined for each of the at least one reflected ultrasonic signal of each instance of the ultrasonic scanning operation. An ultrasonic transducer of the array of ultrasonic transducers is selected as exhibiting alignment with the target based at least in part on the at least one property for each of the at least one reflected ultrasonic signal of each instance of the ultrasonic scanning operation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensing system including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for placement on a human body proximate a blood vessel, a hardware controller for controlling operation of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and a digital processing module for processing the reflected ultrasonic signals. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers includes a first subset of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the ultrasonic transducers of the first subset are arranged linearly and a second subset of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the ultrasonic transducers of the second subset are arranged linearly, wherein the first subset of ultrasonic transducers is positioned parallel to the second subset of ultrasonic transducers at a fixed separation distance.

Abstract: In a method for operating a fingerprint sensor including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, receiving a plurality of images corresponding to different subsets of the ultrasonic transducers of the fingerprint sensor are received, wherein the plurality of images are non-adjacent. For each image of the plurality of images, it is determined whether the image of the plurality of images is indicative of a fingerprint. Provided a number of images of the plurality of images that are indicative of a fingerprint satisfies a threshold, it is determined whether the images of the plurality of images that are indicative of a fingerprint are collectively indicative of a fingerprint. Provided the plurality of images are collectively indicative of a fingerprint, it is determined that the plurality of images include a fingerprint.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an incremental analog to digital converter incorporating noise shaping and residual error quantization. In one embodiment, a circuit includes an incremental analog to digital converter, comprising a loop filter that filters an analog input signal in response to receiving a reset signal, resulting in a filtered analog input signal, and a successive approximation register (SAR) quantizer, coupled with the filtered analog input signal, that converts the filtered analog input signal to an intermediate digitized output of a first resolution based on a reference voltage, wherein the SAR quantizer comprises a feedback loop that shapes quantization noise generated by the SAR quantizer as a result of converting the filtered analog input signal; and a digital filter, coupled with the intermediate digitized output, that generates a digitized output signal of a second resolution, greater than the first resolution, by digitally filtering the intermediate digitized output.

Abstract: A modification to rough polysilicon using ion implantation and silicide is provided herein. A method can comprise depositing a hard mask on a single crystal silicon, patterning the hard mask, and depositing metal on the single crystal silicon. The method also can comprise forming silicide based on causing the metal to react with exposed silicon of the single crystal silicon. Further, the method can comprise removing unreacted metal and stripping the hard mask from the single crystal silicon. Another method can comprise forming a MEMS layer based on fusion bonding a handle MEMS with a device layer. The method also can comprise implanting rough polysilicon on the device layer. Implanting the rough polysilicon can comprise performing ion implantation of the rough polysilicon. Further, the method can comprise performing high temperature annealing. The high temperature can comprise a temperature in a range between around 700 and 1100 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: An audio activity detector device is disclosed. The audio activity detector device comprises a closed loop feedback regulating circuit that supplies an input signal representative of a time-varying voltage signal to a quantizer circuit, wherein the quantizer circuit, as a function of the input signal, converts the input signal to a quantizer discrete-time signal; a first circuit that, as a function of the discrete-time signal, determines a key quantizer statistic value for the quantizer discrete-time signal; and a second circuit that, as a function of the key quantizer statistic value, determines a signal statistic value for the input signal and a gain control value.