Patents Assigned to Knowles Electronics, LLC
  • Patent number: 11659311
    Abstract: A one-piece sound port adapter for a microphone assembly includes a body member configured to be fitted over a sound port of the microphone assembly. The body member includes an acoustic channel defined in part by a cavity having a sound inlet and a sound outlet, where the sound outlet is acoustically coupled to the sound port. A wall portion of the body member extends into the cavity and configured to modify an acoustic property of the acoustic channel. When mounted, the one-piece sound port adapter converts the microphone assembly from a top or bottom port microphone assembly to a side-port microphone assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Lynch, Alexander Grossman, Ben Vondersaar, Matthew Manley
  • Patent number: 11659337
    Abstract: A balanced armature (BA) receiver and specifically a nickel-iron (Ni—Fe) alloy armature having improved robustness and performance receivers, as well as motors and receivers including such armatures are disclosed. The Ni—Fe armature has a nickel content of 45% or less by weight, 5% or less additive and impurities by weight, and the balance Fe. The armature can be configured as a U-reed, an E-reed or in some other configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Charles King, Chris Monti
  • Patent number: 11653143
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a housing having an external-device interface and a sound port to an interior to the housing. A transducer and an electrical circuit are disposed within the housing. The transducer is acoustically coupled to the sound port while the electrical circuit is electrically coupled to the transducer and the external-device interface. A cavity is formed in a portion of the sensor assembly. In some embodiments, the portion is a base of the housing of the sensor assembly. In other embodiments, the portion is a sound port adapter coupled to the sensor assembly. In any case, the cavity is acoustically coupled to the interior of the housing via the sound port and includes a wall portion structured to modify an acoustic property of the sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Bradt, Usha Murthy, Ben Vondersaar
  • Patent number: 11649161
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) diaphragm assembly comprises a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm. A plurality of pillars connects the first and second diaphragms, wherein the plurality of pillars has a higher distribution density at a geometric center of the MEMS diaphragm assembly than at an outer periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Vahid Naderyan, Mohammad Mohammadi, Xin Song
  • Patent number: 11617042
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer for generating electrical signals in response to acoustic signals, comprises a first diaphragm having a first corrugation formed therein. A second diaphragm has a second corrugation formed therein, and is spaced apart from the first diaphragm such that a cavity having a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is formed therebetween. A back plate is disposed between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. One or more posts extend from at least one of the first diaphragm or the second diaphragm towards the other through the back plate. The one or more posts prevent each of the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm from contacting the back plate due to movement of the first diaphragm and/or the second diaphragm towards the back plate. Each of the first corrugation and the second corrugation protrude outwardly from the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm, respectively, away from the back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC.
    Inventors: Michael Kuntzman, Michael Pedersen, Sung Bok Lee, Bing Yu, Vahid Naderyan, Peter Loeppert
  • Patent number: 11609091
    Abstract: A MEMS device can include a substrate having a first side and a second side, the substrate including an aperture extending from the first side through the substrate to the second side. The device can include a support structure coupled to the substrate the first side. The device can include a resilient structure coupled to the support structure. The device can include a rigid movable plate coupled to the support structure via the resilient structure and positioned over the aperture. The device can include a proof mass coupled to the movable plate, the proof mass extending into the aperture. The device can include an electrode located on an opposite side of the movable plate from the proof mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Ken Deng, Michael Pedersen, Jeremy Johnson, Kevin Meneou
  • Patent number: 11598821
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method of detecting leakage current from a DC bias voltage circuit of an integrated circuit for a capacitive microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer. A test signal with a predetermined frequency and level is superimposed on a first DC bias voltage generated by the DC bias voltage circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC.
    Inventors: Tore Sejr Jørgensen, Allan Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11600435
    Abstract: Coil bobbins for balanced armature receivers are disclosed. The balanced armature receiver bobbin includes a coil support member, at least two flanges, and a shoulder. The coil support member has an armature passage extending between a first end and a second end thereof. The flanges extending radially from the coil support member such that the first flange extends from the coil support member proximate the first end and the second flange extends from the coil support member proximate the second end. The shoulder extends from the first flange, with the first flange located between the shoulder and the coil support member. The shoulder has a plurality of conductive coil pads disposed on a bottom portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Scheleski, Yahui Zhang, Matthew Manley
  • Patent number: 11591210
    Abstract: A transducer assembly can include a base. The transducer assembly can include a stress isolation standoff located on the base. The transducer assembly can include a MEMS die disposed on the stress isolation standoff. The transducer assembly can include a die attach adhesive disposed between the MEMS die and the base. The die attach adhesive can bond the MEMS die to the base. The stress isolation standoff can be embedded in the die attach adhesive between the base and the MEMS die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Pachla
  • Patent number: 11582558
    Abstract: An acoustic receiver includes a first receiver subassembly having bottom housing plate with at least a portion of a motor fastened thereto, and a second receiver subassembly having a closed-ended housing wall with at least one open end that is fastened to the bottom housing plate. A method of making and assembling the components is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Shehab Albahri, Paul Dayton, Thomas Miller
  • Patent number: 11575996
    Abstract: A diaphragm for use in a transducer, the diaphragm including a flexible layer configured to deflect in response to changes in a differential pressure. The flexible layer includes a lattice grid. The lattice grid includes a first plurality of substantially elongate openings oriented along an axis and a second plurality of substantially elongate openings extending generally parallel to the axis. The second plurality of openings is substantially offset from the first plurality of openings in a direction substantially parallel to the axis. The first plurality of openings and the second plurality of openings define a first plurality of spaced apart grid beams extending between and substantially parallel to the axis and a second plurality of spaced apart grid beams extending substantially perpendicular to the axis. The second plurality of grid beams is configured to connect adjacent ones of the first plurality of grid beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Mohsin Nawaz, Shubham Shubham
  • Patent number: 11570551
    Abstract: Sound-producing acoustic receivers are disclosed. The acoustic receiver includes a receiver housing with a first internal volume and a second internal volume, a first diaphragm separating the first internal volume into a first front volume and a first back volume such that the first front volume has a first sound outlet port, a second diaphragm separating the second internal volume into a second front volume and a second back volume such that the second front volume has a second sound outlet port, a motor disposed at least partially inside the housing such that the motor including an armature mechanically coupled to both the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm, an acoustic seal between the first front volume and the second back volume such that the acoustic seal accommodates the mechanical coupling of the armature to one of the first diaphragm or the second diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: KNOWLES ELECTRONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Shehab Albahri, Yahui Zhang, Kalyan Nadella, Thomas Miller, Christopher Monti, Charles King, Jose Salazar
  • Patent number: 11562724
    Abstract: A system and method can provide nose, such as wind noise, mitigation and/or microphone blending. Some methods may include sampling a sound signal from a plurality of microphones to generate a frame comprising a plurality of time-frequency tiles of the sound signal, each time-frequency tile including respective values of at least one feature from the plurality of microphones, comparing the respective values of the at least one feature to determine whether each time-frequency tile satisfies a similarity threshold, and flagging each time-frequency tile as noise if it fails to satisfy the similarity threshold, grouping the plurality of time-frequency tiles into sets of frequency-adjacent time-frequency tiles, and for each set of frequency-adjacent time-frequency tiles in the frame: counting a number of flagged time-frequency tiles, and attenuating all of the time-frequency tiles in the each set if the number exceeds a noise bin count threshold to thereby reduce noise in the sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew D. Unruh, Thomas E. Miller, Aidan Meacham
  • Patent number: 11560303
    Abstract: An implementation of a MEMS device includes a constrained diaphragm comprising a surface, the diaphragm having a net compressive stress; and a backplate comprising a surface facing the surface of the diaphragm, the surface of the backplate having a center, and a post extending from the surface of the backplate, wherein the post is located at or near a center of the surface and limits a maximum deflection of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Peter V. Loeppert
  • Patent number: 11564039
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a balanced armature receiver diaphragm including a paddle (202) flexibly coupled to a frame (204) and spaced apart therefrom by a gap (206). The paddle comprises a material having a specific modulus kg/m3) in at least one direction and density selected to increase stiffness and reduce mass. In one implementation, at least the paddle includes a carbon fiber material. The resulting paddle has improved acoustic performance including improved frequency response and less resonance in the audio band, among other benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Miller, Christopher Monti
  • Patent number: 11564041
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit connectable to a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducer. The MEMS transducer is configured to generate a transducer audio signal in response to sound. The integrated circuit comprises a digital scrambling circuit coupled to a data communication interface. The digital scrambling circuit is configured to convert a digital audio stream, representative of the transducer audio signal, into a corresponding scrambled data stream. The integrated circuit additionally comprises a data bus interface coupled to the digital scrambling circuit and configured to output the scrambled data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Andrzej Pawlowski, Henrik Thomsen, Rene Rye Larsen
  • Patent number: 11554953
    Abstract: A first electrode of a MEMS device can be oriented lengthwise along and parallel to an axis, and can have a first end and a second end. A second electrode can be oriented lengthwise along and parallel to the axis and can have a first end and a second end. A third electrode can be oriented lengthwise along and parallel to the axis and can have a first end and a second end. The first, second, and third electrodes can each be located at least partially within an aperture of a plurality of apertures of a solid dielectric that can surround the second electrode second end and the third electrode first end. The second electrode first end and the third electrode second end can be located outside of the solid dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Peter V. Loeppert, Michael Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11554951
    Abstract: A MEMS device can include a first support layer, a second support layer, and a solid dielectric suspended between the first support layer and the second support layer. The solid dielectric can move relative to the first support layer and the second support layer and can include a plurality of apertures. The MEMS device can include a first plurality of electrodes coupled to the first support layer and the second support layer and extending through a first subset of the plurality of apertures. The MEMS device can include a second plurality of electrodes coupled to the first support layer and extending partially into a second subset of the plurality of apertures. The MEMS device can include a third plurality of electrodes coupled to the second support layer and extending partially into a third subset of the plurality of apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Peter V. Loeppert, Michael Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11553283
    Abstract: The disclosure describes devices and methods of providing a DC bias voltage in a microphone assembly. Particularly, one implementation of such a device may be implemented on an integrated circuit that includes a direct current (DC) bias circuit. The DC bias circuit may be coupled to a transducer and configured to supply a DC bias signal to the transducer. The DC bias circuit includes a multi-stage charge pump and a low pass filter (LUFF) circuit. The multi-stage charge pump includes transistors that are fabricated with deep trench isolation (DTI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Jakob Toft, Mohammad Shajaan, Mohsin Nawaz, Michael Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11536757
    Abstract: A sensor assembly including a capacitive sensor, like a microelectromechanical (MEMS) microphone, and an electrical circuit therefor are disclosed. The electrical circuit includes a first transistor having an input gate connectable to the capacitive sensor, a second transistor having an input gate coupled to an output of the first transistor, a feedforward circuit interconnecting a back-gate of the second transistor and the output of the first transistor, and a filter circuit interconnecting the output of the first transistor and the input gate of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Knowles Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Jennings, Dean Badillo