# US 2014/0192061 A1 · Electromechanical systems having sidewall beams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192061 A1 - Document ID: US20140192061A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/737,439 - Filed: 2013-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: Pixtronix, Inc. - Applicants: Pixtronix, Inc. - Inventors: Richard S. Payne; Nesbitt W. Hagood; Timothy J. Brosnihan; Joyce H. Wu; Mark B. Andersson; Jasper Lodewyk Steyn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192061A1 ## CPC - G06T 1/00: General purpose image data processing - B81C 1/0015: {Cantilevers (switches using MEMS H01H1/0036; electrostatic relays using micromechanics H01H59/0009; microelectro-mechanical resonators H03H9/02244)} - B81C 1/00166: {Electrodes} - G01P 15/125: by capacitive pick-up - G02B 26/001: {based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity (interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26)} - G02B 26/0841: {the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means} - B81B 2201/0235: Accelerometers - B81B 2203/0118: Cantilevers - B81B 2207/015: the micromechanical device and the control or processing electronics being integrated on the same substrate - G01P 2015/0814: {for translational movement of the mass, e.g. shuttle type} - Y10T 29/43: Electric condenser making - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01) - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for electromechanical systems having sidewalls beams. In one aspect, a device includes a substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode, and a movable shuttle monolithically integrated with the substrate, and having a first wall, a second wall, and a base. The first and second walls each have a first dimension at least four times larger than a second dimension. The first and second walls define substantially parallel vertical sides of the shuttle, and the base is positioned orthogonally to the first and second walls and forms a horizontal bottom of the shuttle, providing structural support to the first and second walls. The first wall and the first electrode define a first capacitor, and the second wall and the second electrode define a second capacitor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode; and a movable shuttle monolithically integrated with the substrate, and having a first wall, a second wall, and a base, wherein the first and second walls each have a first dimension at least four times larger than a second dimension, wherein the first and second walls define substantially parallel vertical sides of the shuttle, and the base is positioned orthogonally to the first and second walls and forms a horizontal bottom of the shuttle, and wherein the first wall and the first electrode define a first capacitor, and the second wall and the second electrode define a second capacitor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the base provides structural support to the first and second walls and limits movement of the first and second walls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first wall faces the first electrode in a first direction and the second wall faces the second electrode in a second opposite direction, to provide a differential capacitor sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes an insulator selected from the group comprising at least one of glass, fused silica, an insulating ceramic, and a polymeric insulator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a transparent section, and the movable shuttle includes a microelectromechanical (MEM) shutter element for modulating light passing through the transparent section of the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the movable shuttle includes a transducer of a component selected from a group comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a speaker, a microphone, and a pressure sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a tether beam monolithically integrated with the substrate and configured to hold the movable shuttle relative to the substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a microelectricalmechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope array monolithically integrated with the substrate and configured to measure an orientation of the device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: a display; a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising: a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising: an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising: an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor. ### Claim 13 A method of manufacturing an electromechanical device, comprising: providing a substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode; and monolithically forming a movable shuttle on the substrate, wherein forming the shuttle includes forming a first wall and a second wall, each defining a vertical side of the shuttle and each having a first dimension at least four times larger than a second dimension, and forming a base positioned orthogonally to the first and second walls and defining a horizontal bottom of the shuttle, wherein the first and second walls are coupled to the base to form a corrugated structure, wherein the first wall and the first electrode define a first capacitor, and the second wall and the second electrode define a second capacitor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein forming the first wall includes forming the first wall to face the first electrode in a first direction, and forming the second wall includes forming the second wall to face the second electrode in a second opposite direction, wherein the method further comprises configuring the first and the second capacitors to provide a differential capacitor sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein monolithically forming the movable shuttle includes providing a MEM shutter element for modulating light passing through a transparent section of the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein monolithically forming the movable shuttle includes providing a transducer of a component selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, a speaker, a microphone, and a pressure sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a tether beam monolithically integrated with the substrate and configured to hold the movable shuttle relative to the substrate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein providing the substrate includes providing an insulator selected from the group comprising at least one of glass, fused silica, an insulating ceramic, and a polymeric insulator. ### Claim 19 A display comprising: a substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode; a plurality of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) shutters disposed on the substrate and configured to modulate light; and a movable shuttle monolithically integrated with the substrate, and having a first wall, a second wall, and a base, wherein the first and second walls each have a first dimension at least four times larger than a second dimension, and wherein the first wall, the second wall, and the base are coupled to substantially define a U-shape, and wherein the first wall and the first electrode define a first capacitor, and the second wall and the second electrode define a second capacitor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, wherein the movable shuttle includes a transducer of a component selected from a group comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a speaker, a microphone, a tilt sensor, and a pressure sensor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, wherein the first and second walls define parallel vertical sides of the shuttle, the base is positioned orthogonally to the first and second walls, and the base provides support to the first and second walls and limits movement of the first and second walls. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, wherein the first wall faces the first electrode in a first direction and the second wall faces the second electrode in a second opposite direction, to provide a differential capacitor sensor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, wherein the substrate includes an insulator selected from the group comprising at least one of glass, fused silica, an insulating ceramic, and a polymeric insulator. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, further comprising a tether beam monolithically integrated with the substrate and configured to hold the movable shuttle relative to the substrate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The display of claim 19, further comprising a MEMS gyroscope array disposed on the substrate and configured to measure an orientation of the display, the MEMS gyroscope array including at least one gyroscope incorporating the movable shuttle.