# US 10,313,797 B2 · Microphone, manufacturing method and control method thereof

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- Number: US 10,313,797 B2
- Document ID: US10313797B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/363,701
- Filed: 2016-11-29
- Published: 2018-03-15
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-09
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Ilseon Yoo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313797B2

## CPC

- H04R 19/02: Loudspeakers (H04R19/01 takes precedence)
- H04R 7/06: comprising a plurality of sections or layers
- H04R 7/18: at the periphery
- H04R 19/005: {using semiconductor materials}
- H04R 19/04: Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence)
- H04R 29/004: {for microphones (H04R29/007 takes precedence)}
- H04R 31/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)}
- H04R 31/003: {for diaphragms or their outer suspension}
- H04R 2201/003: Mems transducers or their use
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

A microphone, a manufacturing method and a control method of the microphone are provided. The microphone includes an insulating layer bonded to a surface of a substrate in which a sound inlet is formed and includes a plurality of sound apertures. A diaphragm is formed at a position that corresponds to the sound inlet of the substrate on an upper surface of the insulating layer. A displacement adjusting layer is disposed in a circumference of the diaphragm on the upper surface of the insulating layer and is configured to adjust hardness of the diaphragm based on an input sound. A fixing layer is disposed on the diaphragm and the displacement adjusting layer while spaced apart from the diaphragm and the displacement adjusting layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A microphone, comprising:
an insulating layer bonded to a surface of a substrate, in which a sound inlet is formed, and includes a plurality of sound apertures;
a diaphragm formed at a position that corresponds to the sound inlet of the substrate on an upper surface of the insulating layer;
a displacement adjusting layer disposed in a circumference of the diaphragm on the upper surface of the insulating layer and configured to adjust hardness of the diaphragm based on an input sound; and
a fixing layer disposed on the diaphragm and the displacement adjusting layer while spaced apart from the diaphragm and the displacement adjusting layer,
wherein the displacement adjusting layer includes:
a first adjusting layer formed adjacent to a circumference of the diaphragm;
a second adjusting layer formed along a circumference of the first adjusting layer and spaced apart from the first adjusting layer; and
a first pad coupled to the first adjusting layer and a second pad coupled to the second adjusting layer,
wherein a plurality of displacement adjusting are formed between the first adjusting layer and the second adjusting layer, and
wherein in the displacement adjusting unit, a plurality of first protruding steps that extend from the first adjusting layer to an external side are alternately disposed with a plurality of second protruding steps that extend from the second adjusting layer to an internal side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The microphone of claim 1, wherein the displacement adjusting units are formed at portions that correspond to the sound apertures of the insulating layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The microphone of claim 1, wherein the fixing layer is coupled to a sacrificial layer formed along a border of the upper surface of the insulating layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The microphone of claim 1, wherein the fixing layer includes a plurality of apertures.

### Claim 5

A method of manufacturing a microphone, comprising:
forming an insulating layer on an upper surface of a substrate;
forming a plurality of sound apertures in the insulating layer;
forming a diaphragm and a displacement adjusting layer on an upper surface of the insulating layer;
forming a sacrificial layer to cover the diaphragm and the displacement adjusting layer on the upper surface of the insulating layer;
forming a fixing layer on an upper surface of the sacrificial layer;
forming a plurality of apertures by etching the fixing layer;
exposing an electrode pad of the diaphragm by etching a portion of the sacrificial layer;
forming a sound inlet by etching a center portion of the substrate; and
removing a portion of the sacrificial layer,
wherein the forming of the displacement adjusting layer includes forming a first adjusting layer adjacent to a circumference of the diaphragm; and forming a second adjusting layer along a circumference of the first adjusting layer spaced apart from the first adjusting layer,
wherein the plurality of displacement adjusting units are formed between the first adjusting layer and the second adjusting layer, and
wherein a plurality of first protruding steps that extend from the first adjusting layer to an external side are alternately disposed with a plurality of second protruding steps that extend from the second adjusting layer to an internal side, to form the plurality of displacement adjusting units.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the forming of the diaphragm further includes forming an electrode pad extended from a side of the diaphragm and connecting the electrode pad with an external signal processing circuit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the forming of the displacement adjusting layer further includes connecting the displacement adjusting layer to an external signal processing circuit through a first pad connected with the first adjusting layer and a second pad connected with the second adjusting layer.

### Claim 8

A method of controlling a microphone, which includes a fixing layer, a diaphragm, and a plurality of displacement adjusting units formed between a displacement adjusting layer disposed in a circumference of the diaphragm, the method comprising:
comparing, by a processor, an input acoustic pressure measured based on a capacitance value, which is varied by a sound, between the diaphragm and the fixing layer with a predetermined acoustic pressure; and
increasing, by the processor, a voltage applied to the displacement adjusting unit when the input acoustic pressure is greater than the predetermined acoustic pressure as a result of the comparison,
wherein hardness of the diaphragm is adjusted based on a size of the voltage applied to the displacement adjusting unit.
