Patents by Inventor Bryon L. Williams

Bryon L. Williams 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).

  • Mechanically assisted restoring force support for micromachined membranes
    Patent number: 6657832
    Abstract: The present invention includes an integrated circuit switch including a membrane supported over a first conductor on a substrate, a conductive region on the membrane and connecting to the first conductor on the substrate, a pulldown electrode on the substrate and under the membrane and a pillar to support the membrane after the pulldown threshold has been reached. A voltage greater than a pulldown threshold is applied between the membrane and the pulldown electrode will pull the membrane down to make a capacitive coupling to the first conductor. The addition of the pillars increases the upward restoring force when the activation voltage is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Bryon L. Williams, Laurinda W. Ng, Darius L. Crenshaw, Jose L. Melendez