Abstract: A method of fabricating ESD suppression device includes forming conductive pillars dispersed in a dielectric material. The gaps formed between each pillar in the device behave like spark gaps when a high voltage ESD pulse occurs. When the voltage of the pulse reaches the “trigger voltage” these gaps spark over, creating a very low resistance path. In normal operation, the leakage current and the capacitance is very low, due to the physical gaps between the conductive pillars. The proposed method for fabricating an ESD suppression device includes micromachining techniques to be on-chip with device ICs.

Abstract: A method and structure for fabricating a monolithic integrated MEMS device. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface region and forming at least one conduction material and at least one insulation material overlying at least one portion of the surface region. At least one support structure can be formed overlying at least one portion of the conduction and insulation surface regions, and at least one MEMS device can be formed overlying the support structure(s) and the conduction and insulation surface regions. In a variety of embodiments, the support structure(s) can include dielectric or oxide materials. The support structure(s) can then be removed and a cover material can be formed overlying the MEMS device(s), the conduction and insulation materials, and the substrate. In various embodiments, the removal of the support structure(s) can be accomplished via a vapor etching process.

Abstract: A method and structure for fabricating sensor(s) or electronic device(s) using vertical mounting with interconnections. The method includes providing a resulting device including at least one sensor or electronic device, formed on a die member, having contact region(s) with one or more conductive materials formed thereon. The resulting device can then be singulated within a vicinity of the contact region(s) to form one or more singulated dies, each having a singulated surface region. The singulated die(s) can be coupled to a substrate member, having a first surface region, such that the singulated surface region(s) of the singulated die(s) are coupled to a portion of the first surface region. Interconnections can be formed between the die(s) and the substrate member with conductive adhesives, solder processes, or other conductive bonding processes.

Abstract: A method and structure for a three-axis magnetic field sensing device. An IC layer having first bond pads and second bond pads can be formed overlying a substrate/SOI member with a first, second, and third magnetic sensing element coupled the IC layer. One or more conductive cables can be formed to couple the first and second bond pads of the IC layer. A portion of the substrate member and IC layer can be removed to separate the first and second magnetic sensing elements on a first substrate member from the third sensing element on a second substrate member, and the third sensing element can be coupled to the side-wall of the first substrate member.

Abstract: An rf MEMS system has a semiconductor substrate, e.g., silicon. The system also has a control module provided overlying one or more first regions of the semiconductor substrate according to a specific embodiment. The system also has a base band module provided overlying one or more second regions of the semiconductor substrate and an rf module provided overlying one or more third regions of the semiconductor substrate. The system also has one or more MEMS devices integrally coupled to at least the rf module.

Abstract: A handheld device includes a housing, a display, a MEMS magnetic field sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the MEMS magnetic field sensor is configured to sense a plurality of perturbations in magnetic fields in response to a perturbation source when the user displaces the perturbation source proximate to the handheld device, and a processor disposed within the housing and coupled to the MEMS magnetic field sensor and to the display, wherein the processor is programmed to receive the plurality of perturbations in magnetic fields, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a plurality of spatial locations in at least two-dimensions in response to the plurality of perturbations, and wherein the processor is programmed output an indication of the plurality of spatial locations on the display.

Abstract: A handheld device and methods of operation. The device includes a housing and a display. A device may include a MEMS inertial sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the MEMS inertial sensor is configured to sense a change in spatial orientation when the user reorients the handheld device. A system may include a processor disposed within the housing and coupled to the MEMS inertial sensor and to the display, wherein the processor is programmed to receive the change in spatial orientation of the handheld device, and wherein the processor is programmed output an indication of the change in spatial orientation on the display. A computer implemented method for a handheld computer system for determining spatial orientation is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for testing a device under a high gravitational force including a centrifuge with a rotating member and method of operation thereof. An operating power can be applied to a device, which can be coupled to the rotating member. The system can include a rotational control that can be coupled to the centrifuge. This rotational control can be configured to rotate the rotating member in response to a controlled number of revolutions per time period. The system can also include an analysis device for monitoring one or more signals from the device with respect to the controlled number of revolutions per time period. The analysis device can be configured to determine a stiction force associated with the DUT (Device Under Test) in response to the time-varying gravitational forces and to the one or more signals from the DUTs.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining an action for a user, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method includes receiving a first time series of physical perturbations with a first physical sensor in response to physical perturbations of the computing system, receiving a second time series of physical perturbations with a second physical sensor in response to the physical perturbations of the computing system, determining an event vector in response to the first time series of physical perturbations and in response to the second time series of physical perturbations, comparing the event vector to a first event signature to determine a first value, determining occurrence of a first event when the first value exceeds a first threshold, and determining a first action for the computing system in response to the determining in the computing system, occurrence of the first event.

Abstract: A method and structure for fabricating an inertial sensing device using tilt conversion to sense a force in the out-of-plane direction. The method can include forming anchor structure(s) coupled to portions of a surface region of a substrate member. Also, the method can include forming flexible anchor members coupled to portions of the anchor structures and frame structures, which can be formed overlying the substrate. The method can also include forming flexible frame members coupled to portions of the frame structures and movable structures, which can also be formed overlying the substrate. Forming the movable structures can include forming peripheral and central movable structures, which can be coupled to flexible structure members. Peripheral movable structures having flexible tilting members can convert a pure tilting out-of-plane motion to a pure translational out-of-plane motion. The forming of these elements can include performing an etching process on a single silicon material.

Abstract: A MEMS rate sensor device. In an embodiment, the sensor device includes a MEMS rate sensor configured overlying a CMOS substrate. The MEMS rate sensor can include a driver set, with four driver elements, and a sensor set, with six sensing elements, configured for 3-axis rotational sensing. This sensor architecture allows low damping in driving masses and high damping in sensing masses, which is ideal for a MEMS rate sensor design. Low driver damping is beneficial to MEMS rate power consumption and performance, with low driving electrical potential to achieve high oscillation amplitude.

Abstract: A multi-axis integrated MEMS inertial sensor device. The device can include an integrated 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer on a single chip, creating a 6-axis inertial sensor device. The structure is spatially with efficient use of the design area of the chip by adding the accelerometer device to the center of the gyroscope device. The design architecture can be a rectangular or square shape in geometry, which makes use of the whole chip area and maximizes the sensor size in a defined area. The MEMS is centered in the package, which is beneficial to the sensor's temperature performance. Furthermore, the electrical bonding pads of the integrated multi-axis inertial sensor device can be configured in the four corners of the rectangular chip layout. This configuration guarantees design symmetry and efficient use of the chip area.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for determining navigation/positional data, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method. The method includes receiving a plurality of signal strength measurements and user ID data from a hand-held user device, determining user navigation/position data using the plurality of signal strength measurements from the hand-held user device, and transferring the user navigation/position data to the hand-held user device in response to a request signal associated with the user ID data. The user navigation/position data can include 2-D position, 3-D position, relative position, heading, orientation, speed, bearing, and the like. Benefits of this method and system include user hardware independence, reduced computational load on user hardware, and network-level tracking of aggregated traffic patterns.

Abstract: A method and device for calibrating a magnetometer device. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method to automatically calibrate a magnetometer device in the background with only limited movement in each of the three axis (approximately 20 degrees in each direction). A device implementing the present method will never get stuck in a lock-up state. Embodiments of the present invention provide a conservative and accurate magnetometer status indicator that is essential for indoor navigation using inertial sensors. The implemented algorithm is relatively low computationally intensive and is intelligent enough to know when it has the right kind and right amount of magnetic data before it initiates a calibration.

Abstract: A wafer level centrifuge (WLC) system and method of testing MEMS devices using the system. The wafer level centrifuge (WLC) 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 two or more MEMS wafers via the base centrifuge system. Each of the two or more MEMS wafers can have one or more MEMS devices formed thereon. The two or more MEMS wafers can be provided in two or more wafer holding cassettes configured on the cassette mounting hub. The method can also include identifying one or more target MEMS wafers, which can include identifying stiction in one or more MEMS devices on the one or more MEMS wafers.

Abstract: An integrated MEMS System. CMOS and MEMS devices can be provided in order to form an integrated CMOS-MEMS system. The system can include a silicon substrate layer, a CMOS layer, MEMS and CMOS devices, and a wafer level packaging (WLP) layer. The CMOS layer can form an interface region, one which any number of CMOS MEMS devices can be configured. The integrated MEMS devices can include, but not exclusively, an 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. The present technique provides an easy to use process that relies upon conventional process technology without substantial modifications to conventional equipment and process and reduces off-chip connections, which make the mass production of smaller and thinner units possible.

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 monolithically integrated MEMS and CMOS substrates provided by an IC-foundry compatible process. The CMOS substrate is completed first using standard IC processes. A diaphragm with stress relief corrugated structure is then fabricated on top of the CMOS. Air vent holes are then etched in the CMOS substrate. Finally, the microphone device is encapsulated by a thick insulating layer at the wafer level. The monolithically integrated microphone that adopts IC foundry-compatible processes yields the highest performance, smallest form factor, and lowest cost. Using this architecture and fabrication flow, it is feasible and cost-effective to make an array of Silicon microphones for noise cancellation, beam forming, better directionality and fidelity.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated MEMS pressure sensor and CMOS substrate using IC-Foundry compatible processes. The CMOS substrate is completed first using standard IC processes. A diaphragm is then added on top of the CMOS. In one embodiment, the diaphragm is made of deposited thin films with stress relief corrugated structure. In another embodiment, the diaphragm is made of a single crystal silicon material that is layer transferred to the CMOS substrate. In an embodiment, the integrated pressure sensor is encapsulated by a thick insulating layer at the wafer level. The monolithically integrated pressure sensor that adopts IC foundry-compatible processes yields the highest performance, smallest form factor, and lowest cost.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining an intensity of user input to a computer system, performed by the computer system that is programmed to perform the method includes determining by a display, an indication of a finger position a user in response to a change in finger position relative to the computer system, wherein change in fin position is also associated with a magnitude of change, determining by a physical sensor of the computer system, the magnitude of change in response to the change in finger position, determining by the computer system, a user selection of a function to perform in response to the indication of the finger position, determining by the computer system, an input parameter associated with the function in response to the magnitude of change, and initiating performance by the computer system, of the function in response to the input parameter.