Patents by Inventor Shogo Inaba

Shogo Inaba 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: 20140184018
    Abstract: An MEMS vibrator includes a substrate, a fixation section disposed above a principal surface of the substrate, a support section extending from the fixation section, and a vibrating body (an upper electrode) separated from the substrate and supported by the support section in a node part of a vibration, and the vibrating body is a 2n-fold rotationally symmetric body having 2n beams radially extending from a node part of a vibration, wherein n is a natural number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Akinori Yamada, Aritsugu Yajima
  • Patent number: 8760234
    Abstract: A MEMS vibrator includes: a substrate; a first electrode disposed above the substrate; and a second electrode disposed in a state where at least one portion of the second electrode has a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and having a beam portion capable of vibrating, in the thickness direction of the substrate, with electrostatic force and a supporting portion supporting one edge of the beam portion and disposed above the substrate, wherein a supporting side face of the supporting portion supporting the one edge has a bending portion which bends in plan view from the thickness direction of the substrate, and the one edge is supported by the supporting side face including the bending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20140145551
    Abstract: A vibrator includes: a vibrating portion; a support portion extended from the vibrating portion; and a fixing portion disposed at the support portion, wherein the support portion includes a first beam portion extending in a first direction from the vibrating portion and a second beam portion extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Masahiro Fujii
  • Publication number: 20140103778
    Abstract: A MEMS vibrator includes a wafer substrate, a fixed lower electrode (first electrode) disposed on a principal surface of the wafer substrate, a support member whose one end is fixed to the wafer substrate, and a movable upper electrode (second electrode) joined to the other end of the support member and having a region overlapping the fixed lower electrode with a gap. The support member has a reinforcing region where the thickness of the support member in a thickness direction of the wafer substrate is larger than the thickness of the movable upper electrode in the thickness direction of the wafer substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo INABA, Masahiro FUJII
  • Publication number: 20140102217
    Abstract: A sensor includes a flexible wafer substrate and an oscillator provided on a principal surface of the wafer substrate, and the oscillator deforms when an external force is applied to the wafer substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Kyo Horie
  • Patent number: 8592925
    Abstract: A functional device includes: a substrate; a functional structure formed on the substrate; a cavity in which the functional structure is disposed; and a cover which covers the cavity, wherein the cover includes a bumpy structure including rib shaped portions, or groove shaped portions, which cross a covering range covering at least the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Inaba
  • Patent number: 8552512
    Abstract: A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) device includes: a fixed electrode made of silicon and provided above a semiconductor substrate; a movable electrode made of silicon and arranged in a mechanically movable manner by having a gap from the semiconductor substrate; and a wiring layered part that is provided around the movable electrode, covers a portion of the fixed electrode and includes wiring. One of the fixed electrode and the movable electrode is implanted with an impurity ion and at least a part of the portion of the fixed electrode covered by the wiring layered part is silicidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Akira Sato, Toru Watanabe, Takeshi Mori
  • Patent number: 8525277
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a substrate, an insulating layer section formed above the substrate and having a cavity, a functional element contained in the cavity, and a fuse element contained in the cavity and electrically connected with the functional element. It is preferable that the fuse element is spaced apart from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Inaba
  • Patent number: 8432232
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a substrate, a cavity formed above the substrate, a first vibrator contained in the cavity, and a second vibrator contained in the cavity and having a natural frequency different from that of the first vibrator. The first vibrator and the second vibrator are preferably arranged along a long side of the cavity having a rectangular shape in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Inaba
  • Patent number: 8410561
    Abstract: An electronic device, including a substrate, a functional structure constituting a functional element formed on the substrate, and a cover structure forming a cavity portion in which the functional structure is disposed, is disclosed. In the electronic device, the cover structure includes a laminated structure of an interlayer insulating film and a wiring layer, the laminated structure being formed on the substrate in such a way that it surrounds the cavity portion, and the cover structure has an upside cover portion covering the cavity portion from above, the upside cover portion being formed with part of the wiring layer that is disposed above the functional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Sato, Toru Watanabe, Shogo Inaba, Takeshi Mori
  • Patent number: 8395227
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a semiconductor substrate, a MEMS including a fixed electrode and a movable electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate through an insulating layer, and a well formed in the semiconductor substrate below the fixed electrode. The well is one of an n-type well and a p-type well. The p-type well applies a positive voltage to the fixed electrode while the n-type well applies a negative voltage to the fixed electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Watanabe, Akira Sato, Shogo Inaba, Takeshi Mori
  • Publication number: 20130027146
    Abstract: A MEMS vibrator includes: a substrate; a first electrode disposed above the substrate; and a second electrode disposed in a state where at least one portion of the second electrode has a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and having a beam portion capable of vibrating, in the thickness direction of the substrate, with electrostatic force and a supporting portion supporting one edge of the beam portion and disposed above the substrate, wherein a supporting side face of the supporting portion supporting the one edge has a bending portion which bends in plan view from the thickness direction of the substrate, and the one edge is supported by the supporting side face including the bending portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo INABA
  • Patent number: 8362577
    Abstract: A resonator with a microeletromechanical system structure has a transistor with a gate electrode, a capacitor with an upper and lower electrode, a substrate, a first and second structure of the microelectromechanical system structure, a first silicon layer of the first structure and the upper electrode formed above the substrate, a second silicon layer of the second structure and the gate electrode unit formed above the substrate, and an insulating film formed above the capacitor and the transistor, the insulating film having an opening for placement of the second structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Akira Sato, Toru Watanabe, Takeshi Mori
  • Patent number: 8305152
    Abstract: An oscillator includes: a plurality of MEMS vibrators formed on a substrate; and an oscillator configuration circuit connected to the plurality of MEMS vibrators, wherein the plurality of MEMS vibrators each have a beam structure, and the respective beam structures are different, whereby their resonant frequencies are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Watanabe, Shogo Inaba, Ryuji Kihara
  • Publication number: 20120256692
    Abstract: An oscillator includes: a substrate; a reference oscillation circuit including a first MEMS oscillator disposed above the substrate, the reference oscillation circuit outputting a first oscillation signal; at least one voltage-controlled oscillation circuit including a second MEMS oscillator disposed above the substrate, the oscillation frequency of the at least one voltage-controlled oscillation circuit being controlled based on a control signal, the at least one voltage-controlled oscillation circuit outputting a second oscillation signal; a frequency division circuit dividing the frequency of the second oscillation signal and outputting a frequency division signal; and a phase-comparison circuit outputting the control signal based on a phase difference between the frequency division signal and the first oscillation signal, wherein the first MEMS oscillator and the second MEMS oscillator each have a first electrode and a second electrode, the second electrode has a movable part disposed so as to face the fi
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aritsugu YAJIMA, Shogo INABA, Ryuji KIHARA
  • Patent number: 8198957
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical-system resonator, includes: a substrate; a fixed electrode formed on the substrate; and a movable electrode, arranged facing the fixed electrode and driven by an electrostatic attracting force or an electrostatic repulsion force that acts on a gap between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. An internal surface of a support beam of the movable electrode facing the fixed electrode has an inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Akira Sato
  • Publication number: 20120127683
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate, a functional structural body formed on the substrate and a covering structure for defining a cavity part having the functional structural body disposed therein, wherein the covering structure is provided with a side wall provided on the substrate and comprising an interlayer insulating layer surrounding the cavity part and a wiring layer; a first covering layer covering an upper portion of the cavity part and having an opening penetrating through the cavity part and composed of a laminated structure including a corrosion-resistant layer; and a second covering layer for closing the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo INABA, Akira SATO
  • Publication number: 20120104519
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a semiconductor substrate, a MEMS including a fixed electrode and a movable electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate through an insulating layer, and a well formed in the semiconductor substrate below the fixed electrode. The well is one of an n-type well and a p-type well. The p-type well applies a positive voltage to the fixed electrode while the n-type well applies a negative voltage to the fixed electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru WATANABE, Akira SATO, Shogo INABA, Takeshi MORI
  • Publication number: 20120104593
    Abstract: An electronic device according to the invention includes: a substrate; an MEMS structure formed above the substrate; and a covering structure defining a cavity in which the MEMS structure is arranged, wherein the covering structure has a first covering layer covering from above the cavity and having a through-hole in communication with the cavity and a second covering layer formed above the first covering layer and closing the through-hole, the first covering layer has a first region located above at least the MEMS structure and a second region located around the first region, the first covering layer is thinner in the first region than in the second region, and a distance between the substrate and the first covering layer in the first region is longer than a distance between the substrate and the first covering layer in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoko KANEMOTO, Akira SATO, Shogo INABA
  • Patent number: 8129804
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate, a functional structural body formed on the substrate and a covering structure for defining a cavity part having the functional structural body disposed therein, wherein the covering structure is provided with a side wall provided on the substrate and comprising an interlayer insulating layer surrounding the cavity part and a wiring layer; a first covering layer covering an upper portion of the cavity part and having an opening penetrating through the cavity part and composed of a laminated structure including a corrosion-resistant layer; and a second covering layer for closing the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Inaba, Akira Sato