Patents by Inventor Keith G. Fife

Keith G. Fife 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: 20190131422
    Abstract: A chemically sensitive sensor with a lightly doped region that affects an overlap capacitance between a gate and an electrode of the chemical sensitive sensor. The lightly doped region extends beneath and adjacent to a gate region of the chemical sensitive sensor. Modifying the gain of the chemically sensitive sensor is achieved by manipulating the lightly doped region under the electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventor: Keith G. FIFE
  • Patent number: 10272470
    Abstract: CMOS Ultrasonic Transducers and processes for making such devices are described. The processes may include forming cavities on a first wafer and bonding the first wafer to a second wafer. The second wafer may be processed to form a membrane for the cavities. Electrical access to the cavities may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Gregory L. Charvat, Nevada J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 10266401
    Abstract: Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) ultrasonic transducers (CUTs) and methods for forming CUTs are described. The CUTs may include monolithically integrated ultrasonic transducers and integrated circuits for operating in connection with the transducers. The CUTs may be used in ultrasound devices such as ultrasound imaging devices and/or high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Gregory L. Charvat, Nevada J. Sanchez
  • Patent number: 10247708
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Patent number: 10246742
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing ultrashort optical pulses are described. A high-power, solid-state, passively mode-locked laser can be manufactured in a compact module that can be incorporated into a portable instrument for biological or chemical analyses. The pulsed laser may produce sub-100-ps optical pulses at a repetition rate commensurate with electronic data-acquisition rates. The optical pulses may excite samples in reaction chambers of the instrument, and be used to generate a reference clock for operating signal-acquisition and signal-processing electronics of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Quantum-Si Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Jason W. Sickler, Lawrence C. West, Faisal R. Ahmad, Paul E. Glenn, Jack Jewell, John Glenn, Jose Camara, Jeremy Christopher Jordan, Todd Rearick, Farshid Ghasemi, Jonathan C. Schultz, Keith G. Fife
  • Publication number: 20190086525
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Nevada J. Sanchez, Andrew J. Casper
  • Patent number: 10231713
    Abstract: A time gain compensation (TGC) circuit for an ultrasound device includes a first amplifier having an integrating capacitor and a control circuit configured to generate a TGC control signal that controls an integration time of the integrating capacitor, thereby controlling a gain of the first amplifier. The integration time is an amount of time an input signal is coupled to the first amplifier before the input signal is isolated from the first amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife
  • Patent number: 10228353
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Publication number: 20190069842
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to an apparatus including an ultrasound-on-a-chip device configured to be bound to a user's wrist. The ultrasound-on-a-chip device may include a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers. The transducers may be capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) and may be configured to emit ultrasound waves having a frequency between approximately 5-20 MHz. A coupling strip may be coupled to the ultrasound-on-a-chip device to reduce the air gap between the ultrasound-on-a-chip device and the user's wrist. The ultrasound-on-a-chip device may be waterproof and may be able to perform both transverse and longitudinal ultrasound scanning without being rotated. The ultrasound-on-a-chip device may be configured to calculate pulse wave velocity through a blood vessel in a user's wrist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Gregg Fergus, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Nevada J. Sanchez, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Kailiang Chen, Christopher Thomas McNulty
  • Publication number: 20190047850
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Jaime Scott Zahorian
  • Patent number: 10196261
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Jaime Scott Zahorian
  • Publication number: 20190025511
    Abstract: An integrated device and related instruments and systems for analyzing samples in parallel are described. The integrated device may include sample wells arranged on a surface of where individual sample wells are configured to receive a sample labeled with at least one fluorescent marker configured to emit emission light in response to excitation light. The integrated device may further include photodetectors positioned in a layer of the integrated device, where one or more photodetectors are positioned to receive a photon of emission light emitted from a sample well. The integrated device further includes one or more photonic structures positioned between the sample wells and the photodetectors, where the one or more photonic structures are configured to attenuate the excitation light relative to the emission light such that a signal generated by the one or more photodetectors indicates detection of photons of emission light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Quantum-Si Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Gerard Schmid, Alexander Gondarenko, James Beach, Kyle Preston, Farshid Ghasemi, Jeremy Lackey, Jack Jewell, Keith G. Fife, Ali Kabiri
  • Patent number: 10187020
    Abstract: A variable current trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an ultrasound device is described. The TIA may be coupled to an ultrasonic transducer to amplify an output signal of the ultrasonic transducer representing an ultrasound signal received by the ultrasonic transducer. During acquisition of the ultrasound signal by the ultrasonic transducer, one or more current sources in the TIA may be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Andrew J. Casper, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Patent number: 10177139
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers formed in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafers are described, as are methods of fabricating such devices. A metallization layer of a CMOS wafer may be removed by sacrificial release to create a cavity of an ultrasonic transducer. Remaining layers may form a membrane of the ultrasonic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Susan A. Alie
  • Patent number: 10175206
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Patent number: 10175347
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Kailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston, Nevada J. Sanchez, Andrew J. Casper
  • Publication number: 20190000418
    Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston, Christopher Thomas McNulty, Jaime Scott Zahorian, Paul Francis Cristman, Matthew de Jonge, Keith G. Fife
  • Publication number: 20180376253
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound circuits that employ a differential ultrasonic transducer element, such as a differential micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) element. The differential ultrasonic transducer element may be coupled to an integrated circuit that is configured to operate the differential ultrasonic transducer element in one or more modes of operation, such as a differential receive mode, a differential transmit mode, a single-ended receive mode, and a single-ended transmit mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lutsky, Nevada J. Sanchez, Kailiang Chen, Keith G. Fife, Tyler S. Ralston
  • Publication number: 20180369862
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a membrane, a bottom electrode, and a plurality of cavities disposed between the membrane and the bottom electrode, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to an individual transducer cell. Portions of the bottom electrode corresponding to each individual transducer cell are electrically isolated from one another. Each portion of the bottom electrode corresponds to each individual transducer that cell further includes a first bottom electrode portion and a second bottom electrode portion, the first and second bottom electrode portions electrically isolated from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Joseph Lutsky, David Grosjean
  • Publication number: 20180364201
    Abstract: Micromachined ultrasonic transducers integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) substrates are described, as well as methods of fabricating such devices. Fabrication may involve two separate wafer bonding steps. Wafer bonding may be used to fabricate sealed cavities in a substrate. Wafer bonding may also be used to bond the substrate to another substrate, such as a CMOS wafer. At least the second wafer bonding may be performed at a low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Butterfly Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Rothberg, Susan A. Alie, Keith G. Fife, Nevada J. Sanchez, Tyler S. Ralston