# US 2021/0239559 A1 · Pressure sensing appatus with mems

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- Number: US 2021/0239559 A1
- Document ID: US20210239559A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/313,889
- Filed: 2017-07-24
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-26
- Assignees: Knowles Electronics, LLC
- Applicants: Knowles Electronics, LLC
- Inventors: Andy Unruh; Sung Bok Lee; Pete Loeppert; Wade Conklin; Michael Kuntzman; Vahid Naderyan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239559A1

## CPC

- G01L 19/0092: {Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature (G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26)}
- G01L 9/0016: {of a diaphragm}
- G01L 9/0047: {Diaphragm with non uniform thickness, e.g. with grooves, bosses or continuously varying thickness}
- H04R 19/005: {using semiconductor materials}
- H04R 19/04: Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence)
- H04R 1/2807: {Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements (for the reduction of undesired resonances or vibrations H04R1/2869)}
- H04R 31/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)}
- H04R 2499/11: Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
- H04R 2499/15: Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- 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

In accordance with one aspect, a device is provided having a transducer comprising a conductor, a diaphragm configured to move relative to the conductor, and a reference volume in communication with the external environment. The diaphragm separates the reference volume and the external environment. The device further includes a controller operably coupled to the transducer and configured to determine an air pressure of an external environment based at least in part on movement of the diaphragm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising:
a transducer comprising:
a first conductor;
a diaphragm configured to move relative to the first conductor;
a reference volume in communication with an external environment, the diaphragm separating the reference volume and the external environment; and
a controller operably coupled to the transducer and configured to determine an air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on movement of the diaphragm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine elevation based at least in part on the air pressure of the external environment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on a resonance frequency of the transducer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on the resonance frequency of the transducer and a relationship between the resonance frequency of the transducer and the air pressure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to supply an alternating voltage to the diaphragm and the first conductor to electrostatically actuate the diaphragm and cause movement of the diaphragm relative to the first conductor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to apply alternating current to the diaphragm at varying frequencies and the controller is further configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on determining a frequency of the alternating voltage at which a phase change of the voltage occurs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to supply voltage to the diaphragm and cause the diaphragm to vibrate which changes the size of the reference volume.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the diaphragm includes a second conductor and a substrate, wherein to determine the air pressure of the external environment, the controller is configured to determine an electric potential between the first conductor and the second conductor which changes over time with vibration of the diaphragm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the reference volume separates the first conductor and the second conductor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a die supporting the first conductor and the diaphragm, wherein the die defines at least a portion of the reference volume.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a lid and a base, wherein the lid and the base form a cavity, and wherein the transducer is within the cavity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, where the transducer is configured to be a microphone.

### Claim 13

A device comprising:
a transducer comprising:
a reference volume;
a first conductor and a second conductor spaced apart from each other and movable relative to each other in response to changes in an air pressure of an external environment, wherein movement of the first and second conductors relative to each other causes the reference volume to change in volume; and
a controller operably coupled to the transducer and configured to apply a voltage to at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor and determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on an electrical potential between the first conductor and the second conductor caused by the voltage.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the second conductor is movable in response to air impacting the second conductor, the controller being configured to apply constant voltage to one of the first conductor and the second conductor, the controller being further configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on the electrical potential between the first and second conductors changing in response to movement of the second conductor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to apply alternating voltage to the first and second conductors to cause movement of the first conductor, the controller being configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on the electrical potential between the first and second conductors changing in response to movement of the first conductor caused by the alternating voltage.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part by determining a resonance frequency of the transducer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part by determining a frequency at which phase change of the alternating voltage occurs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the transducer comprises a diaphragm that includes the first conductor and a back plate that includes the second conductor.

### Claim 19

A method of determining air pressure of an external environment comprising:
moving a diaphragm of a transducer and changing a size of a reference volume of the transducer, the reference volume being vented to the external environment; and
determining the air pressure of the external environment based at least in part on movement of the diaphragm of the transducer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein determining the air pressure of the external environment includes determining the air pressure based at least in part on a resonance frequency of the transducer.