US 11,946,817 B2
Integrated digital force sensors and related methods of manufacture
Ali Foughi, Atherton, CA (US); Ryan Diestelhorst, Atlanta, GA (US); Dan Benjamin, Atlanta, GA (US); Julius Minglin Tsai, San Jose, CA (US); and Michael Dueweke, Campbell, CA (US)
Assigned to DecaWave, Ltd., Dublin (IE)
Filed by NEXTINPUT, INC., Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/676,477.
Application 17/676,477 is a continuation of application No. 16/485,016, granted, now 11,255,737, previously published as PCT/US2018/017564, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/456,699, filed on Feb. 9, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/469,094, filed on Mar. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0268648 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01L 1/18 (2006.01); B81B 7/02 (2006.01); B81C 1/00 (2006.01); G01L 1/14 (2006.01); G01L 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 1/18 (2013.01) [B81B 7/02 (2013.01); B81C 1/00246 (2013.01); G01L 1/14 (2013.01); G01L 1/16 (2013.01); B81B 2201/0264 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0127 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0315 (2013.01); B81B 2207/015 (2013.01); B81B 2207/07 (2013.01); B81C 2201/013 (2013.01); B81C 2203/0109 (2013.01); B81C 2203/0714 (2013.01); B81C 2203/0728 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microelectromechanical (“MEMS”) force sensor, comprising:
a sensor die operable to receive an applied force, wherein the sensor die comprises a top surface and a bottom surface opposite thereto;
a sensing element at the bottom surface of the sensor die, the sensing element operable to convert a strain to a signal that is proportional to the strain; and
circuitry at the bottom surface of the sensor die, the circuitry operable to receive the signal from the sensing element and provide an output code based on a plurality of predetermined force thresholds.