Abstract: A monolithically integrated CMOS and MEMS device. The device includes a first semiconductor substrate having a first surface region and one or more CMOS IC devices on a CMOS IC device region overlying the first surface region. The CMOS IC device region can also have a CMOS surface region. A bonding material can be provided overlying the CMOS surface region to form an interface by which a second semiconductor substrate can be joined to the CMOS surface region. The second semiconductor substrate has a second surface region coupled to the CMOS surface region by bonding the second surface region to the bonding material. The second semiconductor substrate includes one or more first air dielectric regions. One or more free standing MEMS structures can be formed within one or more portions of the processed first substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated MEMS-CMOS device uses a micro-fabrication process that realizes moving mechanical structures (MEMS) on top of a conventional CMOS structure by bonding a mechanical structural wafer on top of the CMOS and etching the mechanical layer using plasma etching processes, such as Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE). During etching of the mechanical layer, CMOS devices that are directly connected to the mechanical layer are exposed to plasma. This sometimes causes permanent damage to CMOS circuits and is termed Plasma Induced Damage (PID). Embodiments of the present invention presents methods and structures to prevent or reduce this PID and protect the underlying CMOS circuits by grounding and providing an alternate path for the CMOS circuits until the MEMS layer is completely etched.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated MEMS device and the resulting structure therefore. A control process monitor comprising a MEMS membrane cover can be provided within an integrated CMOS-MEMS package to monitor package leaking or outgassing. The MEMS membrane cover can separate an upper cavity region subject to leaking from a lower cavity subject to outgassing. Differential changes in pressure between these cavities can be detecting by monitoring the deflection of the membrane cover via a plurality of displacement sensors. An integrated MEMS device can be fabricated with a first and second MEMS device configured with a first and second MEMS cavity, respectively. The separate cavities can be formed via etching a capping structure to configure each cavity with a separate cavity volume. By utilizing an outgassing characteristic of a CMOS layer within the integrated MEMS device, the first and second MEMS cavities can be configured with different cavity pressures.

Abstract: An integrated MEMS inertial sensor device includes one or more three-axis MEMS inertial sensor devices, such as accelerometers, with dual or single proof mass configurations. These designs can be compact and can decouple the motion of each axis to minimize the measurement errors due to cross-axis sensitivity. Some embodiments include a frame to decouple the motion of two axes and to provide geometric symmetry. Some embodiments also include double-folded springs. In a specific embodiment, the three axes of an integrated MEMS accelerometer device are entirely decoupled. Thus, the actuation of each axis, through a force due to acceleration, has little or substantially no effect on the other axes.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a hand-held computer system for navigation. Embodiments of the present invention includes novel improvements to a navigation method and implementation through a device, which can include inertial and/or magnetic field sensors integrated within a hand held device. The method can include using a single-fix method or a dual-fix method. The single fix method includes monitoring travel distance or time for a pre-specified condition and updating the heading from a dead reckoning process based on a first position fix by using a map. The dual-fix method includes obtaining a second position fix and updating the heading based on the difference in displacement vectors from the dead reckoning process based on the first position fix.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining an estimated user location, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method includes receiving a map database associated with a geographic location including a plurality of map features, determining an estimated first user location within the geographic location, receiving a first plurality of physical perturbations from a plurality of physical sensors in response to physical perturbations of the computing system, determining an estimated second user location within the geographic location in response to the estimated first user location and to the first plurality of physical perturbations, determining a modified estimated second user location in response to the estimated second user location and to at least one map feature from the plurality of map features, and providing in the computer system, an indication of the modified estimated second user location with regards to the geographic location.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a multiple MEMS device. A semiconductor substrate having a first and second MEMS device, and an encapsulation wafer with a first cavity and a second cavity, which includes at least one channel, can be provided. The first MEMS can be encapsulated within the first cavity and the second MEMS device can be encapsulated within the second cavity. These devices can be encapsulated within a provided first encapsulation environment at a first air pressure, encapsulating the first MEMS device within the first cavity at the first air pressure. The second MEMS device within the second cavity can then be subjected to a provided second encapsulating environment at a second air pressure via the channel of the second cavity.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and device for determining a user position, implemented in a user handheld computing device programmed to perform the method. The method includes solving for the position of a user based on ranges, which are computed by estimating power loss between a user and a number of Wi-Fi Access Points. Embodiments of the present invention includes a method that is designed to accommodate the non-linear nature of solving a position solution using power estimates. This method includes solving a two-dimensional solution grid of position residuals, or magnitudes of error between true and computed ranges, using signal strength measurements from multiple Wi-Fi access points in order to determine local minima of the position residuals indicating a user position. Standard approaches in the area such as a Least Squares Solution overly simplify the non-linear components resulting in poor performance.

Abstract: A centrifuge screening system and method of testing MEMS devices using the system. The wafer level centrifuge screening system can include a base centrifuge system and a cassette mounting hub coupled to the base centrifuge system. The method can include applying a smooth and continuous acceleration profile to one or more MEMS components via the base centrifuge system. Each of the one or more MEMS components can have one or more MEMS devices formed thereon. The one or more MEMS components can be provided in one or more cassettes configured on the cassette mounting hub. The method can also include identifying one or more target MEMS components, which can include identifying stiction in one or more MEMS devices on the one or more MEMS components.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a hand-held computer system for navigation. Embodiments of the present invention includes novel improvements to a navigation method and implementation through a device, which can include inertial and/or magnetic field sensors integrated within a hand held device. The method can include using a single-fix method or a dual-fix method. The single fix method includes monitoring travel distance or time for a pre-specified condition and updating the heading from a dead reckoning process based on a first position fix by using a map. The dual-fix method includes obtaining a second position fix and updating the heading based on the difference in displacement vectors from the dead reckoning process based on the first position fix.

Abstract: An integrated multi-axis mechanical device and integrated circuit system. The integrated system can include a silicon substrate layer, a CMOS device region, four or more mechanical devices, and a wafer level packaging (WLP) layer. The CMOS layer can form an interface region, on which any number of CMOS and mechanical devices can be configured. The mechanical devices can include MEMS devices configured for multiple axes or for at least a first direction. The CMOS layer can be deposited on the silicon substrate and can include any number of metal layers and can be provided on any type of design rule. The integrated MEMS devices can include, but not exclusively, any combination of the following types of sensors: magnetic, pressure, humidity, temperature, chemical, biological, or inertial. Furthermore, the overlying WLP layer can be configured to hermetically seal any number of these integrated devices.

Abstract: A system comprising an integrated multi-axis MEMS inertial sensor architecture. The system can include a MEMS gyroscope having a MEMS resonator and a MEMS accelerometer overlying a CMOS IC substrate. The CMOS IC substrate can include low noise Charge Sense amplifiers to process the sensed signals, programmable gain amplifiers, a demodulator, mixer, an AGC loop circuit coupled to the MEMS gyroscope to drive MEMS resonator. The CMOS IC also includes programmable Quadrature cancellation, Analog and digital phase shifters are implemented in the architecture to ensure quadrature cancellation and demodulation to achieve optimal performance. The AGC loop acts in a way such that generated desired signal amplitude out of the drive signal maintains MEMS resonator velocity at a desired frequency and amplitude while consuming low power. The MEMS gyroscope and accelerometer can be coupled to an input multiplexer configured to operate in a time-multiplexed manner.

Abstract: An integrated MEMS inertial sensing device can include a MEMS inertial sensor with a drive loop configuration overlying a CMOS IC substrate. The CMOS IC substrate can include an AGC loop circuit coupled to the MEMS inertial sensor. The AGC loop acts in a way such that generated desired signal amplitude out of the drive signal maintains MEMS resonator velocity at a desired frequency and amplitude. A benefit of the AGC loop is that the charge pump of the HV driver inherently includes a ‘time constant’ for charging up of its output voltage. This incorporates the Low pass functionality in to the AGC loop without requiring additional circuitry.

Abstract: A system can include a MEMS gyroscope having a MEMS resonator overlying a CMOS IC substrate. The CMOS IC substrate can include an AGC loop circuit coupled to the MEMS gyroscope. The AGC loop acts in a way such that generated desired signal amplitude out of the drive signal maintains MEMS resonator velocity at a desired frequency and amplitude. A benefit of the AGC loop is that the charge pump of the HV driver inherently includes a ‘time constant’ for charging up of its output voltage. The system incorporates the Low pass functionality in to the AGC loop without requiring additional circuitry.

Abstract: A portable computing device using power consumption reduction and a method of operating therefor. The method can include the following steps: determining, in a sensor in the portable computing device, orientation changes of the portable computing device; determining, in the portable computing device, a status of a first operation of the portable computing device; determining, in the portable computing device, a status of a second operation of the portable computing device; discontinuing, in the portable computing device, the second operation in response to when the orientation changes of the portable computing device are less than a threshold, and in response to the status of the first operation and the status of the second operation; and outputting, on a display of the portable computing device, an indication to a user that the second operation has been discontinued.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a three-dimensional integrated circuit device includes providing a first substrate having a first crystal orientation, forming at least one or more PMOS devices overlying the first substrate, and forming a first dielectric layer overlying the one or more PMOS devices. The method also includes providing a second substrate having a second crystal orientation, forming at least one or more NMOS devices overlying the second substrate, and forming a second dielectric layer overlying the one or more NMOS devices. The method further includes coupling the first dielectric layer to the second dielectric layer to form a hybrid structure including the first substrate overlying the second substrate.

Abstract: A portable proximity device and method of operation thereof. The method for proximity detection implemented on a portable device can include determining an initial perturbation data, a tracking point data, and a stable position data with a physical sensor of the portable device. The initial perturbation data can include previous state data and current state data. The tracking point data can include one or more track data. An action to be performed can be determined, by a processor within the portable device, based on the initial perturbation data, the tracking point data, and the stable position data. The portable proximity device can include a physical sensor and a processor configured to perform these steps.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining geographic locations of a device includes receiving with a GPS receiver within the device, satellite signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, determining with the device, an approximate geographic location in response to the satellite signals, determining in the device, a potential GPS signal reduction condition in response to the satellite signals and to a GPS signal threshold, determining with physical perturbation sensors in the device, physical perturbations, determining with the device, an augmented geographic location in response to the approximate geographic location, the physical perturbations, and a weighting factor, determining with the device, a user display in response to the augmented geographic location, and outputting on a display of the device, the user display.

Abstract: An integrated MEMS inertial sensor device. The device includes a MEMS inertial sensor overlying a CMOS substrate. The MEMS inertial sensor includes a drive frame coupled to the surface region via at least one drive spring, a sense mass coupled to the drive frame via at least a sense spring, and a sense electrode disposed underlying the sense mass. The device also includes at least one pair of quadrature cancellation electrodes disposed within a vicinity of the sense electrode, wherein each pair includes an N-electrode and a P-electrode.

Abstract: A method for determining a user bearing, implemented on a portable device programmed to perform the method includes determining with a physical sensor of the portable device, a first geometric orientation of the portable device with respect to gravity at a first time, determining with a magnetic sensor of the portable device, a first sensed magnetic field of the portable device in response to an external magnetic field at the first time, determining with the magnetic sensor of the portable device, a second sensed magnetic field of the portable device in response to the external magnetic field at the second time, and determining with the portable device a bearing of the portable device at the second time in response to the first geometric orientation, the first sensed magnetic field, and the second sensed magnetic field.