Abstract: The disclosure relates to microphone and other sensor assemblies having a transduction element and an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a switched-capacitor delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including a first integrator stage having a switched-capacitor circuit and a first plurality of parallel amplifiers. A logic circuit coupled to the integrator circuit is configured to selectably disable a subset of enabled amplifiers of the first integrator stage during a first phase of operation and to re-enable the subset of disabled amplifiers during a second phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a miniature microphone assembly comprising a capacitive microphone transducer comprising a microphone electrical contact or terminal, a microphone carrier comprising a carrier electrical contact or terminal formed on a first surface thereof, and an integrated circuit die comprising a die electrical terminal operatively coupled to signal amplification or signal conditioning circuitry of the integrated circuit die. The first surface of the microphone carrier comprises a first electrically conductive path surrounding the carrier electrical contact or terminal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising a condenser microphone transducer comprising adjacently positioned diaphragm and back-plate members having an air gap there between. Moreover, the assembly comprises a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a preamplifier comprising a first signal input terminal for receipt of electrical signals generated by the condenser microphone transducer. The first signal input terminal is operatively coupled to an input stage of the preamplifier, said input stage comprising a thick-oxide transistor. The present invention further relates to a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a thick-oxide transistor-based preamplifier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising an electro-acoustic transducer element comprising a diaphragm and a back plate, signal processing circuitry operatively connected to the transducer element so as to process signals generated by the transducer element, and a mode-setting circuitry for selectively setting the condenser microphone assembly in a test mode or an operational mode. The electro-acoustic sensitivity of the condenser microphone assembly, when operated in the test mode, is at least 40 dB lower than the corresponding electro-acoustic sensitivity of the assembly when operated in the operational mode. The present invention further relates to a method for determining a performance parameter of a signal processing circuitry mounted inside a housing of an assembled condenser microphone assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a miniature microphone assembly comprising a capacitive microphone transducer comprising a microphone electrical contact or terminal, a microphone carrier comprising a carrier electrical contact or terminal formed on a first surface thereof, and an integrated circuit die comprising a die electrical terminal operatively coupled to signal amplification or signal conditioning circuitry of the integrated circuit die. The first surface of the microphone carrier comprises a first electrically conductive path surrounding the carrier electrical contact or terminal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a condenser microphone assembly comprising a condenser microphone transducer comprising adjacently positioned diaphragm and back-plate members having an air gap there between. Moreover, the assembly comprises a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a preamplifier comprising a first signal input terminal for receipt of electrical signals generated by the condenser microphone transducer. The first signal input terminal is operatively coupled to an input stage of the preamplifier, said input stage comprising a thick-oxide transistor. The present invention further relates to a deep sub-micron MOS integrated circuit die comprising a thick-oxide transistor-based preamplifier.