Directional microphone and associated packing techniques

• US 10,081,537 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innogrity Pte Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Anu Austin, Ian Rose Bihag
• Inventors: Sooriakumar, Kathirgamasundaram, Austin, Anu, Bihag, Ian Rose
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US15/354,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20170142524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 381 91, 381313, 381355, 381356, 381357, 381358, 381361, 381369, 381173, 381174, 381175, 381191, 29 2541, 29 2542, 438 51
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0264 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/11 Structural features, others than packages, for protecting a device against environmental influences
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/99 Microstructural systems or auxiliary parts thereof not provided for in B81B2207/01 - B81B2207/115
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0038 using materials for controlling the level of pressure, contaminants or moisture inside of the package, e.g. getters
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0061 suitable for fluid transfer from the MEMS out of the package or vice versa, e.g. transfer of liquid, gas, sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2876 by means of damping material, e.g. as cladding damping material for tuning desired resonances H04R1/2807, e.g. in vents H04R1/2823, H04R1/2846
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/44 Special adaptations for subaqueous use, e.g. for hydrophone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/02 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use of the electrostatic type H04R19/005

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide a packaging technique for making a directional microphone which employs mechanical structures to cancel undesired background noise to realize the directional function instead of an extra sensor required in electronic noise-cancelling techniques, thus reducing footprint and cost of a directional microphone. A directional microphone based on this technique can include an acoustic sensor and a housing enclosing the acoustic sensor. The acoustic sensor can include a sensing diaphragm, a cavity below the sensing diaphragm, and a first substrate. The directional microphone device can further includes a channel with an inlet open at an edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity. The housing can include a cover attached to a second substrate supporting the first substrate. The cover can include a first opening over the sensing diaphragm and a second opening at a side of the cover.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an acoustic sensor having

a sensing diaphragm configured to sense sound pressure,

a cavity below the sensing diaphragm, and

a first substrate;

a channel with an inlet open at an edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity; and

a housing enclosing the acoustic sensor, the housing having a cover attached to a second substrate supporting the first substrate, wherein

the cover includes a first opening over the sensing diaphragm, and a second opening at a side of the cover, the second opening being disposed adjacent to the inlet of the channel, and

the second substrate further includes a barrier wall disposed outside the housing at an edge of the second substrate and adjacent to the second opening, the barrier wall being spaced apart from the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a first distance of a first path from the second opening to the sensing diaphragm via the channel is configured to be equal to a second distance of a second path from the second opening to the sensing diaphragm via a chamber between the cover and the acoustic sensor.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple channels each having an inlet open at the edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the multiple channels extend from the cavity to the edge of the first substrate.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the multiple channels are evenly distributed from each other.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the cover includes multiple second openings at sides of the cover.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein each of first distances of first paths each from one of the second openings to the sensing diaphragm via one of the multiple channels is configured to be equal to a second distance of a second path from the same second opening to the sensing diaphragm via a chamber between the cover and the acoustic sensor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is fabricated with MEMS technology.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is a capacitive pressure sensor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is a piezoresistive pressure sensor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the channel is formed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are a same substrate made from a silicon wafer.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier wall is configured to block sound waves inside the housing from leaving the housing, and to block sound waves outside the housing from entering the housing.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor includes sidewalls attached to the sensing diaphragm and the first substrate to form the cavity.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes an opening below the cavity.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensing diaphragm is attached to the first substrate, and the cavity is positioned within the first substrate.

18. A device, comprising:

an acoustic sensor having

a sensing diaphragm configured to sense sound pressure,

a cavity below the sensing diaphragm, and

a first substrate;

a channel with an inlet open at an edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity;

a housing enclosing the acoustic sensor, the housing having a cover attached to a second substrate supporting the first substrate; and

multiple channels each having an inlet open at the edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity, wherein

the cover includes a first opening over the sensing diaphragm, and a second opening at a side of the cover, the second opening being disposed adjacent to the inlet of the channel,

the cover includes multiple second openings at sides of the cover, and

each of the multiple second openings is positioned adjacent to respective inlets of the multiple channels.

19. A device of, comprising:

an acoustic sensor having

a sensing diaphragm configured to sense sound pressure,

a cavity below the sensing diaphragm, and

a first substrate;

a channel with an inlet open at an edge of the first substrate and an outlet connected with the cavity;

a housing enclosing the acoustic sensor, the housing having a cover attached to a second substrate supporting the first substrate; and

an anechoic chip disposed over the cover and configured to absorb sound waves, wherein

the cover includes a first opening over the sensing diaphragm, and a second opening at a side of the cover, the second opening being disposed adjacent to the inlet of the channel.