Piezoelectric sensor with resonating microstructures
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsYindar Chuo, Zijing Zeng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor system may have a force sensor formed from a piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric film may comprise a number of tuned microstructures that are configured to resonate at a particular frequency. In accordance with the tuning of the microstructures, frequency signals corresponding to the microstructure resonance may be mechanically amplified before being processed by associated processing electronics. The processing electronics may be configured to identify a type of biological vibration detected by the force sensor.
Claims18
A sensor system for sensing a biological vibration, comprising:
- a sensor stack comprising:
- a piezoelectric film having a first side opposing a second side and comprising an array of microstructures, each microstructure of the array of microstructures formed from a respective portion of the piezoelectric film and configured to vibrate about the piezoelectric film with a respective resonant frequency tuned to resonate within a biological range of interest corresponding to the biological vibration;
- a first electrode connected to the first side of the piezoelectric film;
- and
- a second electrode connected to the second side of the piezoelectric film, the first electrode and the second electrode converting the biological vibration detected by at least one microstructure of the array of microstructures into electrical signals.
A sensor system for monitoring biological vibrations generated by a user, comprising:
- a flexible sensor detecting the biological vibrations from the user while the user is in contact with the flexible sensor, the flexible sensor comprising:
- a flexible piezoelectric film comprising an array of microstructures, each microstructure of the array of microstructures defining a respective hole of the flexible piezoelectric film and having a respective cantilevered structure formed from a respective segment of the flexible piezoelectric film, the respective cantilevered structure amplifying detected vibrations within a biological range of interest;
- and
- a first electrode and a second electrode, respectively connected to a first surface of the piezoelectric film and a second surface of the piezoelectric film, the first surface opposing the second surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.