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Class 361/280 - Responsive to external condition


Subclass of Class 361 - Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Definition: Subject matter in which the capacitance varies in reaction
No. of patents: 210
Last issue date: 06/03/2008


1            
NumberTitleIssue Date
7382599Capacitive pressure sensor
A capacitive pressure sensor is provided. The capacitive pressure sensor includes a glass substrate that has a pair of surfaces facing each other. A first silicon substrate has a fixed electrode passing through the glass substrate to be exposed at one surface and a ...
06/03/2008
7369394Variable capacitor, circuit module, and communications apparatus
A variable capacitor includes a supporting substrate and a plurality of variable capacitance elements, and bias lines. The plurality of variable capacitance elements is formed on the supporting substrate, each of which is composed of a lower-laid first electrode lay...
05/06/2008
7356969Electronically shaded thin film transparent monochromatic liquid crystal display laminated window shading system
An electronically shaded glass window system is described that provides a progressively darkening window, based on either user input or detection of ambient light. This invention is appropriate for use in commercial buildings, residential buildings, public areas and...
04/15/2008
7346981Method for fabricating microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices
A process for fabricating a MEMS device comprises the steps of depositing and patterning on one side of a wafer a layer of material having a preselected electrical resistivity; bonding a substrate to the one side of the wafer using an adhesive bonding agent, the sub...
03/25/2008
7321338On-board antenna
An on-board antenna includes a radiation element provided on a dielectric substrate, a grounding conductor surrounding a periphery of an outer edge portion of the radiation element at a position spaced away outwardly from the outer edge portion, and a conductive mem...
01/22/2008
7317233Anchors for microelectromechanical systems having an SOI substrate, and method of fabricating same
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device having mechanical structures and anchors to secure the mechanical structures to...
01/08/2008
7307827Variable capacitor and method of manufacturing variable capacitor
The first movable electrode is flat, but the second movable electrode is deformed into a convex shape. A dielectric layer is placed on the facing surface of the second movable electrode. By adjusting a voltage to be applied between the first movable electrode and th...
12/11/2007
7293460Multiple-axis linear accelerometer
A three-axis accelerometer is provided for sensing acceleration in three orthogonal axes. The accelerometer includes a support substrate, fixed electrodes having fixed capacitive plates fixed to the support substrate, and a movable inertial mass having movable capac...
11/13/2007
7274079Sensor design and process
An accelerometer (305) for measuring seismic data. The accelerometer (305) includes an integrated vent hole for use during a vacuum sealing process and a balanced metal pattern for reducing cap wafer bowing. The accelerometer (305) also includes...
09/25/2007
7272974Capacitance type physical quantity sensor having sensor chip and circuit chip
A capacitance type physical quantity sensor includes a sensor chip and a circuit chip. The sensor chip includes: a support substrate; a semiconductor layer; a movable electrode; and a fixed electrode. The sensor chip is stacked on the circuit chip such that the mova...
09/25/2007
7263885Physical quantity sensor having sensor chip and circuit chip
A physical quantity sensor includes: a circuit chip; and a sensor chip disposed on the circuit chip through an adhesive layer. The sensor chip includes: a support substrate; a movable electrode; and a pair of fixed electrodes facing the movable electrode with a dete...
09/04/2007
7251121Electronically variable capacitor array
A capacitor array may include a bottom electrode, a plurality of top electrodes, at least one dielectric medium and a plurality of switching mechanisms. Each switching mechanism may separably electronically connect two or more top electrodes. The at least one dielec...
07/31/2007
7250322Method of making microsensor
A linear accelerometer is provided having a support substrate, fixed electrodes having fixed capacitive plates, and a movable inertial mass having movable capacitive plates capacitively coupled to the fixed capacitive plates. Adjacent capacitive plates vary in heigh...
07/31/2007
7236616Biometric piezo scanner
A piezoelectric thin film sensor array is used to scan and capture biometric data, for example, a fingerprint image. In one embodiment, a multi-layer structure includes a PVDF layer in between two conductor grids arranged orthogonally to one another. Urethane can be...
06/26/2007
7222528Fluid level sensor
A fluid sensor arrangement (20) includes a sleeve (32) that is adapted to be placed within a container (24). A plurality of conductors (46, 48) and a channel member (50) within the sleeve cooperate to provide a measurement of condu...
05/29/2007
7218193MEMS-based inertial switch
In one embodiment, an inertial switch of the invention includes a MEMS device manufactured using a layered wafer. The MEMS device has a movable electrode supported on a substrate layer of the wafer and a stationary electrode attached to that substrate layer. The mov...
05/15/2007
7216541Capacitive sensor for dynamical quantity
A capacitive sensor for measuring a dynamical quantity based on a change in capacitance has a semiconductor substrate having a weight supported by beams so as to undergo displacement according to the dynamical quantity. The semiconductor substrate is sandwiched betw...
05/15/2007
7211923Rotational motion based, electrostatic power source and methods thereof
A power system includes a member with two or more sections and at least one pair of electrodes. Each of the two or more sections has a stored static charge. Each of the pair of electrodes is spaced from and on substantially opposing sides of the member from the othe...
05/01/2007
7203052Method of fabricating MEMS tunable capacitor with wide tuning range
A MEMS tunable capacitor and method of fabricating the same, includes a plurality of fixed charge plates on a substrate, the plurality of fixed charge plates having a same height, being arranged in a shape of comb-teeth and being electrically connected to one anothe...
04/10/2007
7194376Circuit and method of processing multiple-axis sensor output signals
A dual-axis accelerometer and processing circuit are provided. The accelerometer has a plurality of fixed electrodes supported on a substrate and fixed capacitive plates arranged in first and second sensing axes. An inertial mass is suspended over a cavity and inclu...
03/20/2007
7184098Cyclic data signal averaging system and method for use in video display systems
A system and method for reducing periodic intensity variation in a video image includes applying input signals representing video image data to multiple circuit components by sequentially shifting the input signals through the circuit components to produce output si...
02/27/2007
7180155Method for manufacturing thin-film multilayer electronic component and thin-film multilayer electronic component
In a method for manufacturing a thin-film multilayer electronic component, dielectric thin films and thin-film internal electrodes are alternately layered on each other to form a laminate. The thin-film internal electrodes are alternately displaced in a predetermine...
02/20/2007
7161273Antistatic mechanism of an electrostatic actuator
A fixed voltage and a movable electrode are placed face to face with each other, and an insulating film is formed on the surface of the fixed electrode. The insulating film is made of a nitride film (SiN) as a main material, with oxide films (SiO2) being ...
01/09/2007
7146024Swiped aperture capacitive fingerprint sensing systems and methods
A fingerprint sensing system includes an image sensor, a rate sensor and a sensor circuit. The image sensor includes a linear array of capacitive sensors for capacitive sensing of ridge peaks and ridge valleys of a fingerprint on a swiped finger. The rate sensor sen...
12/05/2006
7137300Parylene capacitive accelerometer utilizing electrical fringing field sensing and method of making
An accelerometer device comprises a dielectric seismic mass separated by a gap from an underlying comb-shaped planar capacitor. The principle for measuring acceleration detecting capacitance change according to movement of the dielectric mass in the fringe electrica...
11/21/2006
7134340Apparatus and method for anchoring micromachined structures
Micromachined structures, such as fixed drive or sensing fingers of an inertial sensor, are anchored to a substrate using multiple anchors or elongated anchors in order to reduce the bending or twisting of the micromachined structure about the anchor point. ...
11/14/2006
7116308Backlit displays
A display device comprising: a light switching unit comprising an array of pixels each operable to vary the transmission of light therethrough; and a backlight comprising a first series of regions of organic light-emissive material having a first emission color and ...
10/03/2006
7114848Environment sensor
An environment sensor (11) for measuring the temperature and humidity can be miniaturized and can respond at high speed. The environment sensor (11) includes a temperature sensing portion (111) having a temperature-sensitive material (1) ...
10/03/2006
7099496Swiped aperture capacitive fingerprint sensing systems and methods
A fingerprint sensing system includes an image sensor, a rate sensor and a sensor circuit. The image sensor includes a linear array of capacitive sensors for capacitive sensing of ridge peaks and ridge valleys of a fingerprint on a swiped finger. The rate sensor sen...
08/29/2006
7082024Component comprising a variable capacitor
A variable capacitor having a groove portion formed in an insulating substrate, two upper portions of the substrate located on either side of the groove portion forming two lateral edges, a conductive layer covering the inside of the groove portion, a flexible condu...
07/25/2006
7081759Fluid detection cable
A fluid detection cable is described for use in detecting the presence of leaks in areas where a particular fluid is not desired. Sensing leads in the fluid detection cable have a center conductor that may be surrounded with a non-porous conductive polymer coating t...
07/25/2006
7059190Semiconductor dynamic sensor having variable capacitor formed on laminated substrate
An acceleration sensor is formed on a top surface of a laminated silicon-on-insulator substrate. The acceleration sensor is composed of first and second capacitors each including a movable electrode that moves according to acceleration imposed thereon. The first and...
06/13/2006
7054133Electronic textile touch light controller
A capacitive light/dimmer switch which uses soft or fuzzy fabrics made with electronic textiles instead of, or as an extension of, metal or plastic plates. The soft fabric material, which may be in the form of a pompom, tassel, fur, or other electronic trim element,...
05/30/2006
7042698MEMS tunable capacitor with a wide tuning range and method of fabricating the same
A MEMS tunable capacitor and method of fabricating the same, includes a plurality of fixed charge plates on a substrate, the plurality of fixed charge plates having a same height, being arranged in a shape of comb-teeth and being electrically connected to one anothe...
05/09/2006
7043061Swipe imager with multiple sensing arrays
A biometric sensing device includes sensing arrays for sensing a biological surface swiped across the sensing arrays in an arbitrary direction. This device allows for simultaneously sensing different features of a biological surface where the features have the small...
05/09/2006
7032448Capacitive humidity sensor
A capacitive humidity sensor includes a detection portion and a reference portion. The detection portion includes detection electrodes and a moisture sensitive film. The reference portion includes reference electrodes and a moisture permeation film as a capacitance ...
04/25/2006
7023684Variable position sensor employing capacitance
A variable position sensor has a stationary portion and a moveable portion. A plurality of plates are positioned on one of the members with the surfaces of the plates forming segments of a larger surface. A single plate is mounted on the other of the two members. On...
04/04/2006
6999296Voltage controlled variable capacitance device
A P type substrate is provided on a surface thereof with varactor elements. The varactor element has an N well formed on the surface of the P type substrate, and a gate insulating film is formed on the N well, with a polysilicon layer formed further thereon. On the ...
02/14/2006
6993973Contaminant deposition control baffle for a capacitive pressure transducer
The disclosed transducer includes a housing, a diaphragm, an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and a first baffle. The housing defines an interior volume. The diaphragm is disposed in the housing and divides the interior volume into a first chamber and a second c...
02/07/2006
6992878Tunable capacitor and method of fabricating the same
A tunable capacitor includes a substrate, a stationary electrode and a movable electrode supported by the substrate, piezoelectric actuators that are supported by the substrate and drive the movable electrode, and a dielectric layer interposed between the stationary...
01/31/2006
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