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US 12,216,016 B2Granted
Frequency-modulating sensor array
AssigneeSiTime Corporation
InventorsPaul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean, Lev Goncharov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Spatially-distributed resonant MEMS sensors are coordinated to generate frequency-modulated signals indicative of regional contact forces, ambient conditions and/or environmental composition.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a surface having a region that is to receive a contact force;
- a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator mounted relative to the region, the MEMS resonator having a body that is to vibrate under application of a drive signal and an electrode to generate an output that varies in dependence on a sensed resonant frequency of vibration of the MEMS resonator, wherein the sensed resonant frequency of vibration is to vary dependent on the contact force received by the region;
- and
- circuitry to sample the output at discrete times and, dependent on the samples, to generate a digital value dependent on a change, in the sensed resonant frequency of vibration, caused by variation in the contact force, where the change corresponds to a threshold condition.
1 more element
An integrated circuit device comprising:
- a surface having a plurality of regions that are each to receive a contact force;
- for each corresponding one of the regions, a respective microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonator mounted relative to the corresponding one of the regions, each MEMS resonator having a body that is to vibrate under application of a drive signal and an electrode to generate a respective output that varies in dependence on a sensed resonant frequency of vibration of the respective MEMS resonator, wherein the sensed resonant frequency of vibration is to vary dependent on the contact force received by the corresponding one of the regions;
- and
- circuitry to sample, at discrete times, each of the outputs and, dependent on the samples, to generate, for each of the regions, a digital value dependent on a change, in the corresponding sensed resonant frequency of vibration, caused by variation in the contact force received by the corresponding one of the regions, which corresponds to a threshold condition.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.