Abstract: Illustrative embodiments enable a MEMS transducer to quickly recover from, acoustic overload events by quickly resetting signal processing circuitry downstream from a MEMS transducer. An acoustic overload sensor detects occurrence of an acoustic overload event, and triggers a reset circuit to operate a set of switches to rapidly drain charge from a corresponding set of capacitances within the transducer, or within the signal processing circuitry, thereby resetting the signal processing circuitry more rapidly than would occur if said transducer or circuitry were allowed to recover on its own.

Abstract: A device that includes an adaptive acoustic detection circuit and an acoustic sensor device such as a microphone is described. The device includes in addition to the sensor a circuit configured to detect when an input stimulus to the sensor satisfies an adaptive threshold, and further configured to produce a signal upon detection that causes adjustment of performance of the device, wherein the adaptive threshold is a threshold value that varies over time in accordance with detected changes to sound of an environment in which the device is located.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing a transducer module includes a test signal generator coupled to a common-mode terminal common to a plurality of transducers, and a signal processing circuit configured to receive output signal from each of said transducers and to produce an output signal. If the transducers are well matched to one another, the output signal will have little or no output amplitude. If there is a mismatch between the transducers, however, the output signal will have an amplitude proportional to the mismatch. The amplitude of the output signal may be compared to a predetermined threshold in order to produce a mismatch output signal indicating the existence of, and/or the degree of, mismatch between the transducers.

Abstract: A device that includes an adaptive acoustic detection circuit and an acoustic sensor device such as a microphone is described. The device includes in addition to the sensor a circuit configured to detect when an input stimulus to the sensor satisfies an adaptive threshold, and further configured to produce a signal upon detection that causes adjustment of performance of the device, wherein the adaptive threshold is a threshold value that varies over time in accordance with detected changes to sound of an environment in which the device is located.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing a transducer module includes a test signal generator coupled to a common-mode terminal common to a plurality of transducers, and a signal processing circuit configured to receive output signal from each of said transducers and to produce an output signal. If the transducers are well matched to one another, the output signal will have little or no output amplitude. If there is a mismatch between the transducers, however, the output signal will have an amplitude proportional to the mismatch. The amplitude of the output signal may be compared to a predetermined threshold in order to produce a mismatch output signal indicating the existence of, and/or the degree of, mismatch between the transducers.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments enable a MEMS transducer to quickly recover from, acoustic overload events by quickly resetting signal processing circuitry downstream from a MEMS transducer. An acoustic overload sensor detects occurrence of an acoustic overload event, and triggers a reset circuit to operate a set of switches to rapidly drain charge from a corresponding set of capacitances within the transducer, or within the signal processing circuitry, thereby resetting the signal processing circuitry more rapidly than would occur if said transducer or circuitry were allowed to recover on its own.

Abstract: A device that includes an adaptive acoustic detection circuit and an acoustic sensor device such as a microphone is described. The device includes in addition to the sensor a circuit configured to detect when an input stimulus to the sensor satisfies an adaptive threshold, and further configured to produce a signal upon detection that causes adjustment of performance of the device, wherein the adaptive threshold is a threshold value that varies over time in accordance with detected changes to sound of an environment in which the device is located.

Abstract: A device that includes an adaptive acoustic detection circuit and an acoustic sensor device such as a microphone is described. The device includes in addition to the sensor a circuit configured to detect when an input stimulus to the sensor satisfies an adaptive threshold, and further configured to produce a signal upon detection that causes adjustment of performance of the device, wherein the adaptive threshold is a threshold value that varies over time in accordance with detected changes to sound of an environment in which the device is located.