Patents by Inventor Mei-Lin Chan
Mei-Lin Chan 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).
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Publication number: 20230203421Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to devices, systems and methods that include a stage and an actuator configured to transmit a orthogonal force to the stage, wherein the actuator is configured to receive a plurality of orthogonal acceleration signals, wherein the orthogonal acceleration signals comprise an actuator frequency signal and an actuator magnitude signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2021Publication date: June 29, 2023Applicant: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKInventors: Mei Lin CHAN, Clinton T. RUBIN
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Patent number: 11682228Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to control a transmission frequency of activated ultrasonic transducers during the imaging operation, wherein a plurality of transmission frequencies are used during the imaging operation to account for an impact of an interference pattern caused by the non-uniform thickness of the contact layer, and is configured to capture at least one fingerprint image using the plurality of transmission frequencies.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy Chau, Mei-Lin Chan
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Patent number: 11623246Abstract: A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) device may include a plurality of layers including a structural layer, a piezoelectric layer, and electrode layers located on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer. Conductive barrier layers may be located between the piezoelectric layer and the electrodes to the prevent diffusion of the piezoelectric layer into the electrode layers.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.Inventors: Emad Mehdizadeh, Bongsang Kim, Chienliu Chang, Leonardo Baldasarre, Nikhil Apte, Xiaoyue Jiang, Mei-Lin Chan
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Patent number: 11517938Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate layer having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers formed on the front surface of the substrate layer, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers generate backward waves during operation, the backward waves propagating through the substrate layer, and a plurality of substrate structures formed within the back surface of the substrate layer, the plurality of substrate structures configured to modify the backward waves during the operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Mei-Lin Chan, Nikhil Apte, Renata Melamud Berger
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Patent number: 11515465Abstract: A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) array may comprise PMUT devices with respective piezoelectric layers and electrode layers. Parasitic capacitance can be reduced when an electrode layer is not shared across PMUT devices but may expose the devices to electromagnetic interference (EMI). A conductive layer located within the structural layer or on a shared plane with the electrode layers may reduce EMI affecting the PMUT array operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.Inventors: Nikhil Apte, Chienliu Chang, Shreyas Thakar, Mei-Lin Chan
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Patent number: 11460957Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, a contact layer, a matching layer between the two-dimensional array and the contact layer, where the matching layer has a non-uniform thickness, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for imaging a plurality of pixels within the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to activate different subsets of ultrasonic transducers associated with different regions of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers at different transmission frequencies, where the different frequencies are determined such that a thickness of the matching layer at a region is substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of the first transmission frequency for the region.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Mark Jennings, Mei-Lin Chan
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Publication number: 20220067324Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to control a transmission frequency of activated ultrasonic transducers during the imaging operation, wherein a plurality of transmission frequencies are used during the imaging operation to account for an impact of an interference pattern caused by the non-uniform thickness of the contact layer, and is configured to capture at least one fingerprint image using the plurality of transmission frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy CHAU, Mei-Lin CHAN
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Publication number: 20220043993Abstract: In a method for receive beamforming using an array of ultrasonic transducers, a plurality of array positions comprising pluralities of ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers is defined. A pixel capture operation is performed at each array position of the plurality of array positions. The pixel capture operation includes transmitting ultrasonic signals using a transmit beam pattern comprising ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers, the transmit beam pattern for forming an ultrasonic beam toward a region of interest, and receiving reflected ultrasonic signals using a receive beam pattern comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer of the array of ultrasonic transducers. Received reflected ultrasonic signals are combined for a plurality of array positions overlapping the region of interest in a receive beamforming operation to generate a pixel for a reference array position of the plurality of array positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: TDK CORPORATIONInventors: Xiaoyue JIANG, Mamdouh YANNI, Mei-Lin CHAN, Cathy LEE, Peter George HARTWELL
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Publication number: 20220019754Abstract: In a method for multipath reflection correction of acoustic signals received at an ultrasonic sensor, characteristics of multipath reflection signals of the ultrasonic sensor are accessed, wherein the characteristics of the multipath reflection signals include a relationship of primary signal contributions to multipath reflection signal contributions for acoustic signals received at the ultrasonic sensor at a plurality of times of flight for a plurality of locations of the ultrasonic sensor. Acoustic signals are received at the ultrasonic sensor over a time of flight range while a target is interacting with the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the acoustic signals include a primary signal contribution and a multipath reflection signal contribution. The characteristics of the multipath reflection signals are compared to received acoustic signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Applicant: TDK CorporationInventors: Xiaoyue JIANG, Peter George HARTWELL, Mei-Lin CHAN, Mamdouh YANNI
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Patent number: 11216632Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for imaging a plurality of pixels at a plurality of positions within the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy Chau, Mei-Lin Chan, Xiaoyue Jiang
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Patent number: 11188735Abstract: In a method for determining whether a finger is a real finger at an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, a first image of a fingerprint pattern is captured at an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, wherein the first image is based on ultrasonic signals corresponding to a first time of flight range. A second image of the fingerprint pattern is captured at the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, wherein the second image is based on ultrasonic signals corresponding to a second time of flight range, the second time of flight range being delayed compared to the first time of flight range. A difference in a width of ridges of the fingerprint pattern in the first image compared to the width of ridges of the fingerprint pattern in the second image is quantified. Based on the quantification of the difference, a probability whether the finger is a real finger is determined.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2020Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Sina Akhbari, Lingtao Wang, Mei-Lin Chan, Nikhil Apte
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Patent number: 11176345Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to control a transmission frequency of activated ultrasonic transducers during the imaging operation, wherein a plurality of transmission frequencies are used during the imaging operation to account for an impact of an interference pattern caused by the non-uniform thickness of the contact layer, and is configured to capture at least one fingerprint image using the plurality of transmission frequencies.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy Chau, Mei-Lin Chan
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Publication number: 20210278927Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, a contact layer, a matching layer between the two-dimensional array and the contact layer, where the matching layer has a non-uniform thickness, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for imaging a plurality of pixels within the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to activate different subsets of ultrasonic transducers associated with different regions of the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers at different transmission frequencies, where the different frequencies are determined such that a thickness of the matching layer at a region is substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of the first transmission frequency for the region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Mark JENNINGS, Mei-Lin CHAN
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Publication number: 20210019487Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation for imaging a plurality of pixels at a plurality of positions within the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy CHAU, Mei-Lin CHAN, Xiaoyue JIANG
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Publication number: 20210019488Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers is substantially flat, a contact layer having a non-uniform thickness overlying the two-dimensional array of ultrasonic transducers, and an array controller configured to control activation of ultrasonic transducers during an imaging operation. During the imaging operation, the array controller is configured to control a transmission frequency of activated ultrasonic transducers during the imaging operation, wherein a plurality of transmission frequencies are used during the imaging operation to account for an impact of an interference pattern caused by the non-uniform thickness of the contact layer, and is configured to capture at least one fingerprint image using the plurality of transmission frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Quy CHAU, Mei-Lin CHAN
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Publication number: 20200401783Abstract: In a method for determining whether a finger is a real finger at an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, a first image of a fingerprint pattern is captured at an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, wherein the first image is based on ultrasonic signals corresponding to a first time of flight range. A second image of the fingerprint pattern is captured at the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, wherein the second image is based on ultrasonic signals corresponding to a second time of flight range, the second time of flight range being delayed compared to the first time of flight range. A difference in a width of ridges of the fingerprint pattern in the first image compared to the width of ridges of the fingerprint pattern in the second image is quantified. Based on the quantification of the difference, a probability whether the finger is a real finger is determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Sina AKHBARI, Lingtao WANG, Mei-Lin CHAN, Nikhil APTE
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Publication number: 20200367858Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device including a substrate, an edge support structure connected to the substrate, and a membrane connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, the membrane configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane includes a first piezoelectric layer having a first surface and a second surface, a second piezoelectric layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the first piezoelectric layer faces the first surface of the second piezoelectric layer, a first electrode coupled to the first surface of the first piezoelectric layer, a second electrode coupled to the second surface of the second piezoelectric layer, and a third electrode between the first piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Leonardo BALDASARRE, Mei-Lin CHAN
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Publication number: 20200134280Abstract: A fingerprint sensor is provided herein. A method for operating the fingerprint sensor can comprise selecting a pair of electrode elements from a first set of electrode elements and a second set of electrode elements of a second electrode. The first electrode is located on a first side of a piezoelectric layer; the second electrode is located on a second side of the piezoelectric layer. The first side and the second side are opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer. The method also can comprise transmitting ultrasonic signals using the pair of electrode elements based on a position of a switch element being in a first position, and receiving ultrasonic signals using the pair of electrode elements based on the position of the switch element being in a second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Nikhil Apte, Leonardo Baldasarre, Mei-Lin Chan, Ventsislav Yanchev
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Publication number: 20200061670Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate layer having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers formed on the front surface of the substrate layer, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers generate backward waves during operation, the backward waves propagating through the substrate layer, and a plurality of substrate structures formed within the back surface of the substrate layer, the plurality of substrate structures configured to modify the backward waves during the operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Applicant: InvenSense, Inc.Inventors: Mei-Lin CHAN, Nikhil APTE, Renata Melamud BERGER
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Publication number: 20190262865Abstract: A piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (PMUT) device may include a plurality of layers including a structural layer, a piezoelectric layer, and electrode layers located on opposite sides of the piezoelectric layer. Conductive barrier layers may be located between the piezoelectric layer and the electrodes to the prevent diffusion of the piezoelectric layer into the electrode layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Emad Mehdizadeh, Bongsang Kim, Chienliu Chang, Leonardo Baldasarre, Nikhil Apte, Xiaoyue Jiang, Mei-Lin Chan