Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for transparent conductive vias in a transparent substrate. In one aspect, a transparent conductive via extends through a transparent substrate and electrically connects a topside conductor on a top surface of the transparent substrate and a bottom side conductor on a bottom surface of the transparent substrate. In another aspect, a transparent conductive via extends at least partially through a transparent substrate and is in electrical communication with a topside conductor on a top surface of the transparent substrate. In another aspect, a method of forming a transparent through-substrate via is provided.

Abstract: A touch sensor may include a digital resistive touch (DRT) sensor architecture that is substantially free of air gaps. The DRT touch sensor may include a layer of force-sensitive resistor (FSR) material on an array of row and column electrodes. The electrodes may be formed on a substantially transparent substrate. Near the intersection of each row and column, one or more thin transparent patterned conductive bridges may be situated above the FSR. The conductive bridges may be configured for electrical connection with row and column electrodes when force is applied to the conductive bridge or surface of the touch sensor. Some touch sensors may include both DRT and projected capacitive touch (PCT) functionality.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for illumination using illumination systems having a light guide. A light source is configured to inject light into a light input edge of the light guide. The light guide is configured to recirculate the injected light therein such that the light passes back and forth across the light guide one or more times. The light guide includes light-turning features that extract light out of the light guide. To promote light recirculation, the light-turning features have a per-pass light extraction efficiency of about 50% or less and one or more edges of the light guide may be reflective. The light extracted out of the light guide by the light-turning features may be used to illuminate a display.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices that capture a stereoscopic image with a device that has a first pair of imaging sensors and a second pair of imaging sensors. When a stereoscopic image is to be taken, the orientation of the device is detected and the appropriate pair of imaging sensors is selected based on the detected device orientation. A stereoscopic image pair may then be captured with the selected pair of imaging sensors.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for interposers in compact three-dimensional (3-D) device packages. In one aspect, one or more methods of fabricating an interposer using an additive process are provided. The additive process can involve depositing flowable dielectric material around a plurality of metal interconnect posts after forming the plurality of metal interconnect posts on a carrier substrate. In another aspect, an interposer including through-glass vias and one or more passive devices is provided.

Abstract: Apparatus and method to determine a distance to a second apparatus that is movable. The apparatus and method may detect a range request transmitted between a third apparatus and the second apparatus, wherein the third apparatus is geographically fixed, detect a range response transmitted between the second apparatus and the third apparatus in response to the range request, and determine the distance to the second apparatus based on the detected range request and range response at the apparatus.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for microspeaker devices. In one aspect, a microspeaker element may include a deformable dielectric membrane that spans a speaker cavity. The deformable dielectric membrane can include a piezoactuator and a dielectric layer. Upon application of a driving signal to the piezoactuator, the dielectric layer can deflect, producing sound. In some implementations, an array of microspeaker elements can be encapsulated between a glass substrate and a cover glass. Sound generated by the microspeaker elements can be emitted through a speaker grill formed in the cover glass.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass-encapsulated pressure sensors. In one aspect, a glass-encapsulated pressure sensor may include a glass substrate, an electromechanical pressure sensor, an integrated circuit device, and a cover glass. The cover glass may be bonded to the glass substrate with an adhesive, such as epoxy, glass frit, or a metal bond ring. The cover glass may have any of a number of configurations. In some configurations, the cover glass may partially define a port for the electromechanical pressure sensor at an edge of the glass-encapsulated pressure sensor. In some configurations, the cover glass may form a cavity to accommodate the integrated circuit device that is separate from a cavity that accommodates the electromechanical pressure sensor.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a touch screens configured to determine a position of a touch event by selectively redirecting light to correlated locations on a light sensor. In one aspect, the touch screen apparatus can include a light guide forming a touch interface, a light source for injecting light into the light guide, a light sensor for detecting the injected light, and a pixilated light-turning layer. The pixilated light-turning layer can include a plurality of light-turning features forming pixels. The pixels can receive incident light corresponding to the emitted light scattered by an object contacting the light guide. The pixels can redirect the incident scattered light towards the light sensor such that light selectively propagates to one or more correlated light receiving locations. A processor can map the light receiving location to an area contacted by the object, thereby determining a position of a touch event.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing electrical connections through glass substrates. In one aspect, a through-glass via including a peripheral through-glass via hole and sidewall metallization is provided. Sidewall metallization can include multiple conductive lines facilitating increased interconnect density. In another aspect, one or more methods of forming peripheral through-glass vias are provided. In some implementations, the methods include double-sided processes to form aligned via holes in a glass substrate that together form a through-glass via hole, followed by sidewall metallization and dicing through the through-glass via hole.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass packaging of integrated circuit (IC) and electromechanical systems (EMS) devices. In one aspect, fabricating a glass package includes joining a cover glass panel to a glass substrate panel, and singulating the joined panels to form individual glass packages, each including one or more encapsulated devices and one or more signal transmission pathways. In another aspect, a glass package may include a glass substrate, a cover glass and one or more devices encapsulated between the glass substrate and the cover glass.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass packaging of integrated circuit (IC) and electromechanical systems (EMS) devices. In one aspect, a glass package may include a glass substrate, a cover glass and one or more devices encapsulated between the glass substrate and the cover glass. The cover glass may be bonded to the glass substrate with an adhesive such as an epoxy, or a metal bond ring. The glass package also may include one or more signal transmission pathways between the one or more devices and the package exterior. In some implementations, a glass package including an EMS and/or IC device is configured to be directly attached to a printed circuit board (PCB) or other integration substrate by surface mount technology.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass-encapsulated microphones. In one aspect, a glass-encapsulated microphone may include a glass substrate, an electromechanical microphone device, an integrated circuit device, and a cover glass. The cover glass may be bonded to the glass substrate with an adhesive, such as epoxy, or a metal bond ring. The cover glass may have any of a number of configurations. In some configurations, the cover glass may define an aperture for the electromechanical microphone device at an edge of the glass-encapsulated microphone. In some configurations, the cover glass may define a cavity to accommodate the integrated circuit device that is separate from a cavity that accommodates the electromechanical microphone device.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for sense elements in an electromechanical microphone device. In one aspect, a piezoelectric sense element may include a glass substrate, electrode layers, piezoelectric layers, and elastic layers. The elastic layers may serve to modify the neutral plane of the piezoelectric sense element. Including an elastic layer or layers to modify the neutral plane of the piezoelectric sense element may serve to configure the sense element such that the piezoelectric layer generates a voltage in response to a sound wave or may serve to increase the sensitivity of the sense element.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for glass packaging of integrated circuit (IC) and electromechanical systems (EMS) devices. In one aspect, a glass package may include a glass substrate, a cover glass, one or more devices encapsulated between the glass substrate and the cover glass, and bond pads configured to attach to a flexible connector and in electrical communication with an encapsulated device. In some implementations, a flexible connector may be used to electrically connect a device within the glass package to an electrical component, such as an integrated circuit (IC) device or PCB, outside the glass package.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus providing electrical connections through glass substrates. In one aspect, a thin film through-glass via including a through-glass via hole and a thin conductive film that conformally coats the sidewalls of the through-glass via hole is provided. A contour of a through-glass via hole may include concave portions that overlap at a midsection of the glass, with the through-glass via hole sidewalls curved inward to form the concave portions. In another aspect, one or more methods of forming through-glass vias are provided. In some implementations, the methods include double-sided processes to form aligned via holes in a glass substrate that together form a contoured through-glass via hole, followed by deposition of a thin continuous film of a conductive material.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for illumination systems with natural and artificial light inputs. In one aspect, an apparatus can include a natural light collection system, an artificial light collection system, an illumination panel, and a control system. The illumination panel can be optically coupled to the natural light collection system and the artificial light collection system to receive natural and artificial light. The control system can be coupled to the artificial light system and can be configured to control the artificial light system.

Abstract: A separate control system may be configured for a combined sensor device. Alternatively, at least part of the control system may be included in another device, such as a processor of a mobile device. Software for handwriting, touch and fingerprint detection may be included in the control system. Low, medium and high resolution may be obtained with a single combined sensor device by scanning a subset of the sensels, or by aggregating lines or columns. Power consumption may be reduced by aggregating sensor pixels (or rows or columns) electrically using the controller, so that they perform as a low power small array until higher resolution with a larger array is needed. Power consumption may be reduced by turning off portions or all of the sensor device, turning off parts of the control system, and/or employing first-level screening at a reduced frame rate.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus implementations of a display device with a cover glass apparatus that serves as a single or multi-touch sensor, as a handwriting (or note capture) input device, and in some configurations as a fingerprint sensor. Sensor functionality and resolution can be tailored to specific locations on the cover glass apparatus. In some such implementations, the area in which the fingerprint sensing elements are located may provide not only fingerprint detection, but also handwriting and touch functionality. In some other implementations, the fingerprint sensor may be segregated into a separate, high-resolution zone that only provides fingerprint functionality.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a combined sensor device. In some implementations, the combined sensor device may enable a single touchscreen to perform additional functions such as handwriting input and fingerprint recognition. In some implementations, these multiple features allow increased security through user authentication, and allow better capture of handwriting and a more interactive approach to user interfaces. A handheld mobile device such as a cell phone with the combined sensor device can enable an array of applications, such as using the mobile device as a gateway for user authentication to enable transactions and physical access; using the handwriting input function for signature recognition and transmittal for transaction applications; and/or using the handwriting input feature to automatically capture notes and other documents of students in an academic setting or employees in a corporate setting.