Patents by Inventor Chih-Ming Sun

Chih-Ming Sun 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: 20240118141
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a wearable device with combined sensing capabilities, which includes a wearable assembly and at least one multi-function sensor module. The wearable assembly is suitable to be worn on apart of a user's body. The wearable assembly includes at least one light-transmissible window. The multi-function sensor module is located inside the wearable assembly, for performing an image sensing function and an infrared temperature sensing function. The multi-function sensor module includes an image sensor module for sensing a physical or a biological feature of an object through the light-transmissible window by way of image sensing; and an infrared temperature sensor module for sensing temperature through the light-transmissible window by way of infrared temperature sensing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Sun, Ming-Han Tsai
  • Publication number: 20240078887
    Abstract: There is provided a smoke detector including a first light source, a second light source surface, a light sensor and a processor. The light sensor receives reflected light when the first light source and the second light source emit light, and generates a first detection signal corresponding to light emission of the first light source and a second detection signal corresponding to light emission of the second light source. The processor distinguishes smoke and floating particles according to a similarity between the first detection signal and the second detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: CHENG-NAN TSAI, GUO-ZHEN WANG, CHING-KUN CHEN, YEN-CHANG CHU, CHIH-MING SUN
  • Patent number: 11913864
    Abstract: There is provided a smoke detector including a substrate, a light source and a light sensor. The light source and the light sensor are arranged adjacently on the substrate. The substrate is arranged with an asymmetric structure to cause an illumination region of the light source to deviate toward the light sensor thereby increasing a ratio of light intensity reflected by smoke with respect to reference light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Yen-Chang Chu, Cheng-Nan Tsai, Chih-Ming Sun
  • Publication number: 20240054874
    Abstract: A smoke detector includes a substrate, an optical detection module, a base and a top cover. The substrate has a ring shape region surrounding a central detection region, and a first block structure of the central detection region is protruded from the substrate and higher than an upper surface of the ring shape region. The optical detection module is disposed inside the central detection region. The base is disposed on the substrate and around the optical detection module. The base has a second block structure. The top cover is connected to the base. A lateral wall of the top cover is partly overlapped with the second block structure to form a guiding channel. The optical detection module analyzes variation of scattering parameters resulted from gaseous matter entering the top cover through the guiding channel for determining concentration of the gaseous matter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng-Nan Tsai, Yen-Chang Chu, Chih-Ming Sun
  • Publication number: 20240047557
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first conductive material and a second conductive material disposed over the semiconductor substrate and the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device structure further includes a second dielectric layer surrounding the first conductive material and the second conductive material and an insulating structure over the semiconductor substrate. The insulating structure is disposed between the first conductive material and the second conductive material. The insulating structure comprises a material different from the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Hsuan HSIAO, Shu-Yuan KU, Chih-Chang HUNG, I-Wei YANG, Chih-Ming SUN
  • Publication number: 20240044700
    Abstract: An optical sensor assembly is provided. The optical sensor assembly includes a circuit board, an optical sensor positioned on the circuit board, and a front cover attached to the circuit board and covering the optical sensor. The front cover includes an optical element configured to guide or condense an incident light of a predetermined wavelength onto the optical sensor. The front cover is made of polypropylene or polyethylene. The predetermined wavelength is in a range from 8 micrometers to 12 micrometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: CHIH-MING SUN, PO-WEI YU
  • Patent number: 11885689
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a wearable device with combined sensing capabilities, which includes a wearable assembly and at least one multi-function sensor module. The wearable assembly is suitable to be worn on apart of a user's body. The wearable assembly includes at least one light-transmissible window. The multi-function sensor module is located inside the wearable assembly, for performing an image sensing function and an infrared temperature sensing function. The multi-function sensor module includes an image sensor module for sensing a physical or a biological feature of an object through the light-transmissible window by way of image sensing; and an infrared temperature sensor module for sensing temperature through the light-transmissible window by way of infrared temperature sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INCORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Sun, Ming-Han Tsai
  • Patent number: 11874174
    Abstract: A far infrared sensor package includes a package body and a plurality of far infrared sensor array integrated circuits. The plurality of far infrared sensor array integrated circuits are disposed on a same plane and inside the package body. Each of the far infrared sensor array integrated circuits includes a far infrared sensing element array of a same size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Sun, Sen-Huang Huang
  • Patent number: 11876013
    Abstract: Gate cutting techniques for integrated circuit devices, particularly for fin-like field effect transistor devices, are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes receiving an integrated circuit device that includes a gate structure and performing a gate cut process to separate the gate structure into a first gate structure and a second gate structure. The gate cut process includes selectively removing a portion of the gate structure, such that a residual gate dielectric layer extends between the first gate structure and the second gate structure. In some implementations, the residual gate dielectric includes a high-k dielectric material. The method further includes forming a gate isolation region between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shu-Yuan Ku, Chih-Ming Sun, Chun-Fai Cheng
  • Patent number: 11867498
    Abstract: A sprayer includes: a container arranged to contain liquid; a passage including a transparent window, a first opening, a second opening and a resonator, wherein when the liquid in the container is passed through the resonator via the first opening, the liquid is emitted as a gas via the second opening; and a detection unit disposed outside of the passage. The detection unit includes: a light source disposed to emit light through the light transparent window for illuminating the gas in the passage such that the gas will reflect the emitted light; an optical sensor disposed to detect a parameter of the reflected light through the transparent window; and a processor coupled to the optical sensor for stopping the resonator from generating the gas when the parameter of the reflected light is below a first threshold corresponding to a specific level of liquid within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Hao Wang, Yang-Ming Chou, Chien-Yi Kao, Shih-Jen Lu, Chih-Ming Sun, Hsin-Yi Lin
  • Publication number: 20230414174
    Abstract: An earbud with temperature sensing is provided, and the earbud includes a housing, a speaker and a first temperature sensor. The housing defines a first opening and a second opening. The speaker is disposed within the housing and oriented so that audio emitted by the speaker exits the housing through the first opening defined by the housing. The first temperature sensor is positioned along an interior surface of the housing and aligned with the second opening in the housing for non-contact temperature sensing. In response to the earbud being positioned for use within an ear of a user, the second opening aligns with an inner side of the tragus close to the ear canal, the cavum conchae, an inner edge of the antitragus, or the cheek close to the ear, such that the first temperature sensor detects a body temperature of the user through the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: WEI-LUN SUNG, PO-WEI YU, CHIH-MING SUN
  • Patent number: 11854361
    Abstract: There is provided a smoke detector including a light source, a reflective surface, a light sensor and a processor. The light sensor receives reflected light when the light source emits light toward the reflective surface, and generates a reference detection signal when there is no smoke. The processor receives the detection signal from the light sensor, and automatically selects a set of predetermined condition thresholds according to a profile of the detection signal to be compared with the detection signal thereby determining whether to generate an alarm according to the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Cheng-Nan Tsai, Guo-Zhen Wang, Ching-Kun Chen, Yen-Chang Chu, Chih-Ming Sun
  • Patent number: 11830926
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first metal gate stack and a second metal gate stack over the semiconductor substrate. The first metal gate stack and the second metal gate stack are electrically isolated from each other, and the first metal gate stack has a curved edge facing the second metal gate stack. The semiconductor device structure also includes a dielectric layer surrounding the first metal gate stack and the second metal gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Hsuan Hsiao, Shu-Yuan Ku, Chih-Chang Hung, I-Wei Yang, Chih-Ming Sun
  • Publication number: 20230375419
    Abstract: There is provided a force sensor including a substrate and a polymer material layer. The substrate has a circuit layout that includes a first electrode and a second electrode configured to form a capacitor therebetween. The polymer material layer covers at least on a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and is used to change capacitance of the capacitor while being pressed. The force sensor is arranged inside a stem of an earphone for detecting the user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: YEN-PO CHEN, HAO-CHE LIU, YEN-CHANG CHU, CHIH-MING SUN
  • Patent number: 11821785
    Abstract: An optical sensor assembly is provided. The optical sensor assembly includes a circuit board, an optical sensor positioned on the circuit board, and a front cover attached to the circuit board and covering the optical sensor. The front cover includes an optical element configured to guide or condense an incident light of a predetermined wavelength onto the optical sensor. The front cover is made of polypropylene or polyethylene. The predetermined wavelength is in a range from 8 micrometers to 12 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Sun, Po-Wei Yu
  • Publication number: 20230358412
    Abstract: There is provided an auto detection system including a thermal detection device and a host. The host controls an indication device to indicate a prompt message or detection results according to a slope variation of voltage values or 2D distribution of temperature values detected by the thermal detection device, wherein the voltage values include the detected voltage of a single pixel or the sum of detected voltages of multiple pixels of a thermal sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: CHIH-MING SUN, MING-HAN TSAI, CHIUNG-WEN LIN, PO-WEI YU, WEI-MING WANG, SEN-HUANG HUANG
  • Publication number: 20230332962
    Abstract: There is provided a force sensor including a substrate and a polymer material layer. The substrate has a circuit layout that includes a first electrode and a second electrode configured to form a capacitor therebetween. The polymer material layer covers at least on a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and is used to change capacitance of the capacitor while being pressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventor: CHIH-MING SUN
  • Publication number: 20230314229
    Abstract: A wearable device includes a case and a temperature sensing device. The case has a first opening. The temperature sensing device is disposed inside the case of the wearable device. The temperature sensing device includes a first substrate, a sensor chip, and a metal shielding structure. The sensor chip is disposed on the first substrate. The metal shielding structure surrounds the sensor chip, and has a second opening. The sensor chip faces towards the first opening and the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: CHIH-MING SUN, MING-HAN TSAI, CHENG-NAN TSAI
  • Patent number: 11761830
    Abstract: There is provided a force sensor including a substrate and a polymer material layer. The substrate has a circuit layout that includes a first electrode and a second electrode configured to form a capacitor therebetween. The polymer material layer covers at least on a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and is used to change capacitance of the capacitor while being pressed. The force sensor is arranged inside a stem of an earphone for detecting the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Yen-Po Chen, Hao-Che Liu, Yen-Chang Chu, Chih-Ming Sun
  • Publication number: 20230290824
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure includes forming first nanostructures and second nanostructures over a substrate. The method also includes forming a first metal gate layer surrounding the first nanostructures and over the first nanostructures and the second nanostructures. The method also includes etching back the first metal gate layer over the first nanostructures and the second nanostructures. The method also includes removing the first metal gate layer over the second nanostructures. The method also includes forming a second metal gate layer surrounding the second nanostructures and over the first nanostructures and the second nanostructures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Yao YANG, Chia-Wei CHEN, Wei-Cheng HSU, Jo-Chun HUNG, Yung-Hsiang CHAN, Hui-Chi CHEN, Yen-Ta LIN, Te-Fu YEH, Yun-Chen WU, Yen-Ju CHEN, Chih-Ming SUN