US 12,754,043 B2 · In-situ capacitance detection for integrated circuits and MEMS sensors

Abstract

Disclosed herein are electronic sensor systems and methods of their operation. The electronic sensor systems contain a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) for measuring a physical parameter such as rotation, pressure, acceleration, or another physical parameter. The electronic sensor systems also contain an integrated circuit linked with the MEMS. The integrated circuit contains a MEMS sensing circuit that receives outputs from the MEMS through conductors, such as wire bonds or ball joints, at least partially encapsulated in a dielectric. The dielectric may experience environmentally-induced changes to its dielectric constant that may affect a capacitance between a pair of the conductors, which can affect a measurement provided by the MEMS. The integrated circuit contains a compensation circuit that measures a capacitance between a pair of the conductors and provides an adjustment to a measurement provided by the MEMS.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electronic sensor system, comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) die;
an integrated circuit die containing a MEMS sensing circuit and an environmental factor compensation circuit;
a first set of conductors configured to carry signals from the MEMS die to the MEMS sensing circuit;
a second set of conductors configured as dummy conductors and having a same construction as the first set of conductors and coupled to the environmental factor compensation circuit;
and
a dielectric at least partially encapsulating the first set of conductors and the second set of conductors;
wherein:
the environmental factor compensation circuit is configured to measure a capacitance between conductors of the second set of conductors and provide a measurement compensation value to the MEMS sensing circuit.

5 more elements

An electronic sensor system, comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) module including a pair of conductors at least partially encapsulated in a dielectric, the pair of conductors extending to an exterior surface of the MEMS module, the pair of conductors being dummy conductors;
a MEMS controller electrically connected at least with the pair of conductors and including,
a MEMS sensing circuit operable to apply an input signal to the MEMS module and receive an output signal from the MEMS module;
and
an environmental factor compensation circuit configured to measure a capacitance between the pair of conductors;
wherein,
the environmental factor compensation circuit is configured to provide a measurement compensation value to the MEMS sensing circuit based on the measured capacitance between the pair of conductors.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-situ capacitance detection for integrated circuits and MEMS sensors

Life of this patent

In-situ capacitance detection for integrated circuits and MEMS sensors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19