Patents by Inventor Robert E. Higashi

Robert E. Higashi 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).

  • Patent number: 10867855
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to establishing electrical connections through silicon wafers with low resistance and high density, while at the same time maintaining processability for further fabrication. Such connections through silicon wafers enable low resistance connections from the top side of a silicon wafer to the bottom side of the silicon wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Son T. Lu, Elenita Chanhvongsak
  • Publication number: 20200365459
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to establishing electrical connections through silicon wafers with low resistance and high density, while at the same time maintaining processability for further fabrication. Such connections through silicon wafers enable low resistance connections from the top side of a silicon wafer to the bottom side of the silicon wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Son T. Lu, Elenita Chanhvongsak
  • Patent number: 10497486
    Abstract: A gas sensor that includes a heat source and a gas sensing film. The gas sensing film includes a polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film thermally connected to the heat source and a plurality of islands of gold on a surface of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film. The surface of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film is exposed between the islands of gold to allow the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film to sense gas. A first electrode that electrically connected to the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film and a second electrode is electrically connected to the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film. The resistance of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film between the first electrode and the second electrode changes when the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film is exposed to a particular type of gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso
  • Publication number: 20180164239
    Abstract: A gas sensor that includes a heat source and a gas sensing film. The gas sensing film includes a polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film thermally connected to the heat source and a plurality of islands of gold on a surface of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film. The surface of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film is exposed between the islands of gold to allow the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film to sense gas. A first electrode that electrically connected to the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film and a second electrode is electrically connected to the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film. The resistance of the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film between the first electrode and the second electrode changes when the polycrystalline tungsten trioxide film is exposed to a particular type of gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso
  • Patent number: 9574947
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes sensing device embodiments. One sensing device includes a heater layer, a resistance detector layer, constructed and arranged to indicate a temperature value based upon a correlation to a detected resistance value, an electrode layer, and a sensing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi, Peter Tobias
  • Publication number: 20140161153
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes sensing device embodiments. One sensing device includes a heater layer, a resistance detector layer, constructed and arranged to indicate a temperature value based upon a correlation to a detected resistance value, an electrode layer, and a sensing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi, Peter Tobias
  • Patent number: 8299506
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS circuitry integrated with MEMS devices includes bonding a wafer to a top surface layer having contacts formed to CMOS circuitry. A handle wafer is then removed from one of the top or bottom surfaces of the CMOS circuitry, and MEMS devices are formed in a remaining silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Peczalski, Robert E. Higashi, Gordon Alan Shaw, Thomas Keyser
  • Patent number: 8188561
    Abstract: An integrated vacuum package having an added volume on a perimeter within the perimeter of a bonding seal between two wafers. The added volume of space may be an etching of material from the inside surface of the top wafer. This wafer may have vent holes that may be sealed to maintain a vacuum within the volume between the two wafers after the pump out of gas and air. The inside surface of the top wafer may have an anti-reflective pattern. Also, an anti-reflective pattern may be on the outside surface of the top wafer. The seal between the two wafers may be ring-like and have a spacer material. Also, it may have a malleable material such as solder to compensate for any flatness variation between the two facing surfaces of the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso, Jeffrey A. Ridley
  • Patent number: 8153285
    Abstract: A fuel cell, fuel cell array and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The fuel cell can be made by forming a first aperture defined by a first aperture surface through a first electrode layer and forming a second aperture defined by a second aperture surface through a second electrode layer. A proton exchange membrane is laminated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. At least a portion of the first aperture is at least partially aligned with the second aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Khanh Q. Nguyen, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso, Tom M. Rezachek, Roland A. Wood
  • Patent number: 8076245
    Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device includes a substrate, a lower sacrificial membrane adjacent to the substrate, an upper thin film structure adjacent to the lower membrane, and a MOS material deposited on the upper thin film structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
  • Publication number: 20110279680
    Abstract: An infrared camera includes a lens to receive infrared radiation from an image to be viewed. A thermal detector is positioned to receive the infrared radiation from the lens and vary the amount of light transmitted through the thermal detector responsive to the infrared radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
  • Publication number: 20110070401
    Abstract: An integrated vacuum package having an added volume on a perimeter within the perimeter of a bonding seal between two wafers. The added volume of space may be an etching of material from the inside surface of the top wafer. This wafer may have vent holes that may be sealed to maintain a vacuum within the volume between the two wafers after the pump out of gas and air. The inside surface of the top wafer may have an anti-reflective pattern. Also, an anti-reflective pattern may be on the outside surface of the top wafer. The seal between the two wafers may be ring-like and have a spacer material. Also, it may have a malleable material such as solder to compensate for any flatness variation between the two facing surfaces of the wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso, Jeffrey A. Ridley
  • Patent number: 7875944
    Abstract: An integrated vacuum package having an added volume on a perimeter within the perimeter of a bonding seal between two wafers. The added volume of space may be an etching of material from the inside surface of the top wafer. This wafer may have vent holes that may be sealed to maintain a vacuum within the volume between the two wafers after the pump out of gas and air. The inside surface of the top wafer may have an anti-reflective pattern. Also, an anti-reflective pattern may be on the outside surface of the top wafer. The seal between the two wafers may be ring-like and have a spacer material. Also, it may have a malleable material such as solder to compensate for any flatness variation between the two facing surfaces of the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Karen M. Newstrom-Peitso, Jeffrey A. Ridley
  • Publication number: 20100140670
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS circuitry integrated with MEMS devices includes bonding a wafer to a top surface layer having contacts formed to CMOS circuitry. A handle wafer is then removed from one of the top or bottom surfaces of the CMOS circuitry, and MEMS devices are formed in a remaining silicon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Peczalski, Robert E. Higashi, Gordon Alan Shaw, Thomas Keyser
  • Patent number: 7703313
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a fluid containment structure for a micro analyzer comprising one or more shelled thermal structures in contact with a thermally isolated component of the analyzer and wherein the shelled thermal structure comprises a conformal film and also comprises three walls of a channel and the thermally isolated component forms the fourth wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Higashi
  • Patent number: 7628907
    Abstract: A gas sensor is provided for detecting one or more gases in a gas sample. The gas sensor includes a substrate, a solid electrolyte layer including lanthanum oxide for sensing carbon dioxide, a heating element thermally coupled to the solid electrolyte layer, and a controller coupled to the heating element and the solid electrolyte layer. The controller heats the heating element so that the solid electrolyte layer reaches an operating. Methods of sensing carbon dioxide and humidity are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Yuandong Gu, Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
  • Publication number: 20090283759
    Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device includes a substrate, a lower sacrificial membrane adjacent to the substrate, an upper thin film structure adjacent to the lower membrane, and a MOS material deposited on the upper thin film structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
  • Publication number: 20090279172
    Abstract: An optical instrument includes a grating. The grating includes a plurality of plates that form a single first plane. The instrument further includes a mirror surface positioned adjacent to the grating. The mirror surface is positioned in a second plane. In an embodiment, the mirror surface is made of a substrate, a silicon wafer positioned on the substrate, and a mirror etch pit surface on the silicon wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Robert E. Higashi
  • Patent number: 7613586
    Abstract: A system for determining a gas pressure or gauging a vacuum in a hermetically sealed enclosure. One or more heater structures and one or more temperature sensor structures situated on a substrate may be used in conjunction for measuring a thermal conductivity of a gas in the enclosure. Each heater has significant thermal isolation from each sensor structure. Electronics connected to each heater and sensor of their respective structures may provide processing to calculate the pressure or vacuum in the enclosure. The enclosure may contain various electronic components such as bolometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Higashi
  • Patent number: 7549206
    Abstract: A flow sensor system and a method for fabricating the same. A substrate is provided, comprising a detector wafer upon which a flow sensor is formed. One or more shells can then be configured upon the substrate whose walls form a flow channel. The flow channel is fabricated directly upon the substrate in a manner that allows the flow channel to couple heat transfer directly to the flow sensor in order to eliminate the need for two or more different types of sacrificial layers during the fabrication of the flow sensor upon the substrate and in which the shell(s) is coupled with fluidic measurement to provide for the flow sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Higashi, Son T. Lu, Jeffrey A. Ridley