SAND 9, INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150188488 | NOISE REDUCTION IN MEMS OSCILLATORS AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Mechanical resonating structures are used to generate signals having a target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may generate output signals containing multiple frequencies which may be suitably combined with one or more additional signals to generate the target frequency with low noise. The mechanical resonating structures may be used to form oscillators. | 07-02-2015 |
20150091412 | MECHANICAL RESONATING STRUCTURES INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE - Mechanical resonating structures are described, as well as related devices and methods. The mechanical resonating structures may have a compensating structure for compensating temperature variations. | 04-02-2015 |
20140306580 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A RESONATING STRUCTURE - Aspects of the subject disclosure include, for example, constructing a mechanical resonating structure by applying an active layer on a surface of a compensating structure, wherein the compensating structure comprises one or more materials having an adaptive resistance to deform that reduces a variance in a resonating frequency of the mechanical resonating structure, wherein at least the active layer and the compensating structure form a mechanical resonating structure having a plurality of layers of materials, and wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of layers of materials results in a plurality of thickness ratios therebetween. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 10-16-2014 |
20140137648 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL GYROSCOPES AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a micromechanical gyroscope and a circuit. The micromechanical gyroscope is configured to be excited in a first mode by a drive signal, and configured to be excited in a second mode by a gyroscopic effect. The circuit is coupled to the micromechanical gyroscope and configured to detect the gyroscopic effect when the micromechanical gyroscope is in the second mode. | 05-22-2014 |
20140085013 | OSCILLATORS HAVING ARBITRARY FREQUENCIES AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal. | 03-27-2014 |
20140077316 | WAFER BONDING AND RELATED METHODS AND APPARATUS - Techniques for bonding wafers together are described. The wafers may be bonded via a eutectic bond. In some instances, one wafer has an integrated circuit and a second wafer has a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) feature. The wafer with an integrated circuit may have a metal formed thereon for bonding purposes and the wafer with the MEMS feature may have a semiconductor formed thereon for bonding purposes. | 03-20-2014 |
20140062262 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF DEVICES AND MECHANICAL RESONATING STRUCTURES - Methods and apparatus for temperature control of devices and mechanical resonating structures are described. A mechanical resonating structure may include a heating element and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may sense the temperature of the mechanical resonating structure, and the heating element may be adjusted to provide a desired level of heating. Optionally, additional heating elements and/or temperature sensors may be included. | 03-06-2014 |
20130334929 | RESONATOR ELECTRODES AND RELATED METHODS AND APPARATUS - Resonator structures and electrodes are described, as well as methods for manufacturing the same. Resonator electrodes may be formed using two or more photolithographic steps and masks, with different masks being used to define different features of the electrodes. The masks may create self-aligned electrodes, which can be aligned with one or more anchors of the resonator. | 12-19-2013 |
20130313947 | INTEGRATION OF PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS WITH SUBSTRATES - Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. | 11-28-2013 |
20130307154 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WIRING FABRICATION AND RELATED METHODS AND APPARATUS - Integrated circuits having electrically conductive traces are described. The electrically conductive traces may be formed of multiple electrically conductive layers. One or more of the multiple electrically conductive layers may have a cut formed therein to form a gap in that electrically conductive layer. One or more electrical conductive layers of the electrical conductive traces may bridge the gap. | 11-21-2013 |
20130187687 | POWER-ON RESET CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF USE - The disclosed power-on reset circuit provides an indication of when and whether a supply voltage Vdd has reached a trigger voltage level Vtrig. The disclosed circuit includes a flip-flop circuit and a first comparator circuit. The circuit according to the invention has a D input node of the flip-flop circuit coupled to the supply voltage. The first comparator circuit outputs a clock signal, where the flip-flop circuit is clocked by the clock signal. A Q output node of the flip-flop circuit provides the power-on reset signal, where the power-on reset signal is in a LO state when the supply voltage is at a voltage level that is less than the trigger voltage level Vtrig. The power-on reset signal is in a HI state when the supply voltage is at a voltage level that is greater than the trigger voltage level Vtrig. | 07-25-2013 |
20130141173 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TUNING DEVICES HAVING MECHANICAL RESONATORS - Methods and apparatus for tuning devices having mechanical resonators are described. In one implementation, a mechanical resonator and a phase shifter are configured in a feedback loop, so that the phase shifter shifts the phase of the resonator output signal. The amount of phase shift induced by the phase shifter may be variable. In another implementation, an LC tuning subcircuit is coupled to a mechanical resonator. In some implementations, the LC tuning subcircuit has a variable capacitance. One or more of the apparatus described herein may be implemented as part, or all, of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). | 06-06-2013 |
20130140958 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) RESONATORS AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. | 06-06-2013 |
20130140944 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) RESONATORS AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. | 06-06-2013 |
20130140651 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) RESONATORS AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. | 06-06-2013 |
20130130502 | MICROMECHANICAL MEMBRANES AND RELATED STRUCTURES AND METHODS - Micromechanical membranes suitable for formation of mechanical resonating structures are described, as well as methods for making such membranes. The membranes may be formed by forming cavities in a substrate, and in some instances may be oxidized to provide desired mechanical properties. Mechanical resonating structures may be formed from the membrane and oxide structures. | 05-23-2013 |
20130127534 | VARIABLE PHASE AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF USE - A variable phase amplifier circuit is disclosed and its method of use in tuning devices having resonators. The variable phase amplifier receives an input differential signal pair. The input differential signal pair can be generated by a resonator device. The variable phase amplifier generates a modified differential signal pair in response to receiving the input differential signal pair. The variable phase amplifier provides a means to vary the phase of the modified differential signal pair with respect to the input differential signal pair, in an accurate and stable manner. If the modified differential signal pair with a phase shift introduced in it is fed back to the resonator device, the resonator will change its frequency of oscillation, where the new frequency of oscillation is a function of the phase of the modified differential signal pair. | 05-23-2013 |
20130106473 | POWER-ON RESET CIRCUIT AND METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
20130096825 | ELECTROMECHANICAL MAGNETOMETER AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for producing an electrical signal from an apparatus comprising an induction coil coupled to a mechanical resonator, wherein the electrical signal has an operating frequency proportional to a mechanical resonating frequency of the mechanical resonator and proportional to a change in a magnetic flux resulting from a change in orientation in the apparatus, detecting with a detection circuit a change in the electrical signal resulting from a change in the magnetic flux caused by the change in orientation in the apparatus, and determining a direction of the apparatus according to the change in the electrical signal. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093468 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING ARBITRARY FREQUENCIES - Frequency synthesizers for use with oscillators that generate an arbitrary frequency are described, as well as related devices and methods. Divider information can be generated or otherwise accessed for use in configuring a phase lock loop device that is adapted for coupling with the oscillator, where the phase lock loop device can include a plurality of integer dividers without utilizing a fractional divider, where the divider information can include frequency deviations corresponding to groups of integer divider settings for the phase lock loop device, and where each deviation of the frequency deviations can be based on a frequency differential between a standard operating frequency and an output frequency for the phase lock loop utilizing one group of integer divider settings from the groups of integer divider settings. | 04-18-2013 |
20120315866 | OSCILLATORS HAVING ARBITRARY FREQUENCIES AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal. | 12-13-2012 |
20120280594 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS (MEMS) RESONATORS AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS - Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. | 11-08-2012 |
20120268169 | DIFFERENTIAL CURRENT SIGNAL CIRCUIT - A differential current signal circuit is described which includes a voltage to differential current converter circuit that generates a differential pair of current output signals in response to receiving a voltage input signal, where the differential pair of current output signals are linearly proportional to the voltage input signal within a voltage operating range from a minimum operating voltage to a maximum operating voltage. The differential pair of current output signals are linear over a wide range of voltage input signals. A correction circuit is included which eliminates voltage offsets in the voltage operating range due to process and temperature variations. The correction circuit also provides the capability to adjust the minimum operating voltage, and eliminates variations in the minimum operating voltage due to process and temperature variations. | 10-25-2012 |
20110163819 | VARIABLE PHASE AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF USE - A variable phase amplifier circuit is disclosed and its method of use in tuning devices having resonators. The variable phase amplifier receives an input differential signal pair. The input differential signal pair can be generated by a resonator device. The variable phase amplifier generates a modified differential signal pair in response to receiving the input differential signal pair. The variable phase amplifier provides a means to vary the phase of the modified differential signal pair with respect to the input differential signal pair, in an accurate and stable manner. If the modified differential signal pair with a phase shift introduced in it is fed back to the resonator device, the resonator will change its frequency of oscillation, where the new frequency of oscillation is a function of the phase of the modified differential signal pair. | 07-07-2011 |