Patents by Inventor Bernard HERRERA

Bernard HERRERA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20260151795
    Abstract: A resonator-boosted ultrasonic transducer device is provided for communication of ultrasonic signals. The device employs a micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT), such as a piezoelectric MUT (pMUT) or capacitive MUT (cMUT), and a matching network in electrical communication with the MUT. The matching network employs a microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonator having a working frequency selected to increase a voltage difference across electrodes of the MUT. The matching network is connected in series between the MUT and input source circuitry for transmission of outgoing ultrasonic signals. The matching network is connected between the MUT and load impedance circuitry to increase voltage from the MUT during reception of incoming ultrasonic signals. The matching network can be selected to configure the frequency of bandwidth of the device as desired for a particular application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 4, 2026
    Inventors: Luca COLOMBO, Gabriel GIRIBALDI, Bernard HERRERA, Pietro SIMEONI, Matteo RINALDI
  • Patent number: 11716566
    Abstract: Some disclosed devices may include a display stack, a cover layer proximate a first side of the display stack and a segmented transducer array proximate a second side of the display stack. The segmented transducer array may include a plurality of separate transducer segments. Each of the separate transducer segments may include a piezoelectric layer and a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer. The separate transducer segments may include transmitter transducer segments and receiver transducer segments. In some examples, a spacing between at least a first plurality of the transmitter transducer segments may correspond to a display stack and cover layer oscillation mode frequency in a range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, from 15 kHz to 200 kHz or from 20 kHz to 400 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Bernard Herrera, Jessica Liu Strohmann, Changting Xu, Hrishikesh Vijaykumar Panchawagh, Kostadin Dimitrov Djordjev
  • Publication number: 20230142881
    Abstract: Devices for ultrasonic transmission and/or reception having a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (pMUT). The device employs a material such as lithium niobate as a piezoelectric layer in a membrane suspended over a cavity. Two activation electrodes on an upper surface of the membrane can activate one or more flexural modes of mechanical vibration in the membrane, the flexural modes of vibration including a displacement in a cross-sectional plane of the membrane. The device can be used individually or in an array. The device can be configured for use in a liquid medium or in biological tissue. A method of operating an ultrasonic transducer is provided. A method of fabrication of an ultrasonic transducer is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Matteo RINALDI, Flavius POP, Bernard HERRERA
  • Publication number: 20220312115
    Abstract: Some disclosed devices may include a display stack, a cover layer proximate a first side of the display stack and a segmented transducer array proximate a second side of the display stack. The segmented transducer array may include a plurality of separate transducer segments. Each of the separate transducer segments may include a piezoelectric layer and a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer. The separate transducer segments may include transmitter transducer segments and receiver transducer segments. In some examples, a spacing between at least a first plurality of the transmitter transducer segments may correspond to a display stack and cover layer oscillation mode frequency in a range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, from 15 kHz to 200 kHz or from 20 kHz to 400 kHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Bernard HERRERA, Jessica Liu STROHMANN, Changting XU, Hrishikesh Vijaykumar PANCHAWAGH, Kostadin Dimitrov DJORDJEV
  • Publication number: 20210196989
    Abstract: Implantable bio-heating and intrabody communication systems use arrays of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) to provide ultrasound-based diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Systems involving one or more pMUT arrays can be implanted into the body or integrating into smart ingestible pills to enable monitoring of a medical condition and/or continuous or intermittent application of hyperthermia and other treatments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Matteo RINALDI, Flavius POP, Bernard HERRERA