Patents by Inventor William Baney

William Baney 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: 20070108542
    Abstract: An MEMS device including a semiconductor substrate having an upper and lower surface, and a support structure disposed at least partially in the semiconductor substrate. The support structure includes a plurality of support members oriented to define a plurality of cells in the semiconductor substrate. A thermally isolated membrane is disposed above the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and is supported by the support structure. At least one functional component is mounted to the membrane. The plurality of cells are located substantially beneath the at least one functional component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventor: William Baney
  • Publication number: 20060283651
    Abstract: A vehicle passenger detection apparatus includes passive RF seat force sensors at each seating location and a single-point electronic control unit (ECU) for wirelessly acquiring passenger-related data from each of the sensors. A sensor-loaded surface acoustic wave (SAW) device is installed in each seating location of the vehicle, and the ECU successively interrogates the SAW devices to determine passenger presence for each of the seating locations. The SAW devices have distinguishable fundamental resonance frequencies for differentiation among the seating locations. A fluid-filled elastomeric bladder is installed in the seat bottom of each seating location, and a pelletized sensor including a capacitive pressure sensor and a SAW device is disposed in each bladder. The pressure sensor capacitively loads the respective SAW device so that when interrogated by the ECU, the SAW device emits an RF response indicative of the fluid pressure in the bladder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: William Fultz, Dennis Griffin, William Baney
  • Publication number: 20060240583
    Abstract: A technique for manufacturing silicon structures includes etching a cavity into a first side of an epitaxial wafer. A thickness of an epitaxial layer is selected, based on a desired depth of the etched cavity and a desired membrane thickness. The first side of the epitaxial wafer is then bonded to a first side of a handle wafer. After thinning the epitaxial wafer until only the epitaxial layer remains, desired circuitry is formed on a second side of the remaining epitaxial layer, which is opposite the first side of the epitaxial wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: William Baney, Dan Chilcott
  • Publication number: 20050101047
    Abstract: A process of forming a capacitive audio transducer, preferably having an all-silicon monolithic construction that includes capacitive plates defined by doped single-crystal silicon layers. The capacitive plates are defined by etching the single-crystal silicon layers, and the capacitive gap therebetween is accurately established by wafer bonding, yielding a transducer that can be produced by high-volume manufacturing practices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: John Freeman, William Baney, Timothy Betzner, Dan Chilcott, John Christenson, Timothy Vas, George Queen, Stephen Long
  • Publication number: 20050058841
    Abstract: A lead-containing glass material of the type suitable for use in a wafer bonding process, wherein the moisture resistance of the glass material is increased by the presence of a lead phosphate coating on an outer exposed surface of the material, thereby acting as a barrier to reaction of moisture with the lead of the glass material. A source of reactive phosphate ions is applied to the glass material so as to spontaneously form the desired lead phosphate coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: William Baney, Brenda Baney, Heather Hude