# US 10,481,027 B2 · Sensor, electronic device, microphone, blood pressure sensor, and touch panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,027 B2 - Document ID: US10481027B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/145,763 - Filed: 2018-09-28 - Published: 2019-02-07 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-04 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Yoshihiko Fuji; Michiko Hara; Kei Masunishi; Yoshihiro Higashi; Shiori Kaji; Akiko Yuzawa; Akio Hori; Tomohiko Nagata; Kazuaki Okamoto; Kenji Otsu; Shotaro Baba - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481027B2 ## CPC - G01L 9/0091: {Transmitting or indicating the displacement of liquid mediums by electrical, electromechanical, magnetic or electromagnetic means (G01L9/0008 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/6898: {Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers} - H04R 1/46: Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope (throat mountings H04R1/14) - H04R 15/00: Magnetostrictive transducers (magnetostrictive elements in general H10N30/00) - A61B 2562/0247: Pressure sensors - A61B 2562/12: Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements - H04R 2201/003: Mems transducers or their use - H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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 According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a deformable film portion, a first sensing element and a second sensing element. The first sensing element is fixed to the film portion, and includes a first magnetic layer of a first material, a first opposing magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer. The first intermediate layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer. The second sensing element is fixed to the film portion, and includes a second magnetic layer of a second material, a second opposing magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer. The second material is different from the first material. The second intermediate layer is provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor, comprising: a film portion, the film portion being deformable; a first sensing element fixed to the film portion, the first sensing element including a first magnetic layer of a first material, a first opposing magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer; and a second sensing element fixed to the film portion, the second sensing element including a second magnetic layer of a second material, a second opposing magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer, the second material being different from the first material, the second intermediate layer being provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a gauge factor of the first sensing element is different from a gauge factor of the second sensing element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a sensitivity of the first sensing element is different from a sensitivity of the second sensing element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer includes at least one of Fe, Co, or Ni with a first concentration, and the second magnetic layer includes the at least one of Fe, Co, or Ni with a second concentration different from the first concentration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer includes Fe, the second magnetic layer includes Fe, and a concentration of Fe in the second magnetic layer is different from a concentration of Fe in the first magnetic layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic layer includes at least one of Fe, Co, or Ni, and B, the second magnetic layer includes at least one of Fe, Co, or Ni, and B, and a concentration of B in the second magnetic layer is lower than a concentration of B in the first magnetic layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the first magnetic layer includes an amorphous region, and the second magnetic layer includes a crystal region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sensor according to claim 7, wherein a concentration of the amorphous region in the first magnetic layer is higher than a concentration of the crystal region in the first magnetic layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sensor according to claim 8, wherein a concentration of the crystal region in the second magnetic layer is higher than a concentration of the amorphous region in the second magnetic layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a composition ratio of Fe of the first magnetic layer is not less than 60 at. % and not more than 100 at. %, and a composition ratio of Fe of the second magnetic layer is not less than 0 at. % but less than 60 at. %. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a composition ratio of B of the first magnetic layer is not less than 10 at. % and not more than 30 at. %, and a composition ratio of B of the second magnetic layer is not less than 0 at. % but less than 10 at. %. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a first magnetization of the first magnetic layer changes according to a deformation of the film portion, and a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer changes according to the deformation of the film portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein a resistance between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer changes according to a deformation of the film portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sensor according to claim 13, wherein a sensitivity of the resistance between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer with respect to the deformation is higher than a sensitivity of the resistance between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer with respect to the deformation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first sensing element is most proximal to a first portion of an outer edge of the film portion, the second sensing element is most proximal to a second portion of the outer edge, and a difference between a first spacing and a second spacing is not more than 0.2 times the first spacing, the first spacing being between the first sensing element and the first portion, the second spacing being between the second sensing element and the second portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a processor connected to the first sensing element and the second sensing element, the processor implementing a first operation and a second operation, the first operation outputting a first output signal corresponding to a first signal obtained from the first sensing element, the second operation outputting a second output signal corresponding to a second signal obtained from the second sensing element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising: a substrate; and a cover, the film portion, first sensing element, and the second sensing element being provided between the substrate and the cover. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the second sensing element overlaps the first sensing element in a direction from the film portion toward the first sensing element. ### Claim 19 A sensor, comprising: a film portion, the film portion being deformable; a first sensing element fixed to the film portion, the first sensing element including a first magnetic layer, a first opposing magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer, the first intermediate layer being provided between the first magnetic layer and the first opposing magnetic layer; a second sensing element fixed to the film portion, the second sensing element including a second magnetic layer, a second opposing magnetic layer, and a second intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer being provided between the second magnetic layer and the second opposing magnetic layer; and a processor connected to the first sensing element and the second sensing element, the processor implementing a first operation and a second operation, the first operation outputting a first output signal corresponding to a first signal obtained from the first sensing element, the second operation outputting a second output signal corresponding to a second signal obtained from the second sensing element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The sensor according to claim 19, wherein the processor implements the first operation when a first amplitude of the first signal is wider than a second amplitude of the second signal and implements the second operation when the second amplitude is wider than the first amplitude.