MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL MODULE

• US 20070273463A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellutech LLC
• Original Assignee: Evigia Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Yazdi, Navid
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 5/62 the solid body being formed of compounded strips or plates, e.g. bimetallic strip
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0063 having electrostatic latches, i.e. the activated position is kept by electrostatic forces other than the activation force
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2037/008 Micromechanical switches operated thermally
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/24 Switches operated by change of fluid pressure, by fluid pressure waves, or by change of fluid flow wherein the change of pressure is caused by change of temperature H01H37/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/42 Switches operated by change of humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 69/01 for calibrating or setting of devices to function under predetermined conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

A MEMS module that contains at least one integrated energy storage device whose discharge is minimized and controlled, so that power is available for system operation over longer periods of time. The MEMS module includes a device electrically coupled to the energy storage device for controlling charge transfers from the energy storage device while preventing charge leakage from the energy storage device. The controlling device includes a plurality of integrated MEMS switches that define open electrical paths that prevent charge leakage from the energy storage device through the MEMS switches, and are then operable to define closed electrical paths to allow charge transfers from the energy storage device, and preferably also allow charge transfers to the energy storage device, through the MEMS switches. The charge transfer can be utilized to power electronic circuits or store data in non-volatile digital memory.

Claims

1. A micro-electro-mechanical system module comprising:

at least one integrated energy storage device; and

means electrically coupled to the energy storage device for controlling charge transfers from the energy storage device while preventing charge leakage from the energy storage device to enable the energy storage device to store energy over an extended period of time, the controlling means comprising a plurality of integrated MEMS switches, the MEMS switches defining open electrical paths that prevent charge leakage from the energy storage device through the MEMS switches and being operable to define closed electrical paths that allow charge transfers from the energy storage device through the MEMS switches.

2. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, wherein the MEMS switches comprise movable microstructures capable of physical movement between open positions that define the open electrical paths and closed positions that define the closed electrical paths.

3. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 2, wherein the movable microstructures comprise cantilevered beams.

4. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 2, wherein the movable microstructures comprise diaphragms.

5. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, wherein the MEMS switches comprise high-impedance contact paths that define the open electrical paths and whose conductivities are capable of being increased to define the closed electrical paths.

6. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the MEMS switches are adapted to define the closed electrical paths in response to at least one external input.

7. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 6, wherein the MEMS switches have different levels of sensitivity to the external input.

8. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 6, wherein the at least one external input is at least one condition chosen from the group consisting of temperature, relative humidity, chemicals, motion, shock, vibration, orientation, pressure, acceleration, and biological agents to which the MEMS switches are subjected.

9. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 6, wherein the MEMS switches comprise high-impedance contact paths that define the open electrical paths and whose conductivities increase in response to the external input to define the closed electrical paths.

10. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 6, wherein the MEMS switches comprise movable microstructures that respond to the external input by physical movement thereof between open positions that define the open electrical paths and closed positions that define the closed electrical paths.

11. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 10, wherein the movable microstructures are associated with contacts to define switches therebetween, a gap exists between each of the movable microstructures and its respective contact when in the open position thereof to substantially prevent charge leakage from the energy storage device, and each of the movable microstructures is responsive to changes in the external input so that when in the closed position thereof the moveable microstructure contacts its respective contact and thereby allows a charge transfer from the energy storage device.

12. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 11, wherein the movable microstructures comprise cantilevered beams.

13. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 11, wherein the movable microstructures comprise diaphragms.

14. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 11, further comprising means for electrically biasing the movable microstructures toward or away from their respective contacts.

15. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 11, further comprising means responsive to the MEMS switches when the movable microstructures thereof are in the closed positions and define the closed electrical paths.

16. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 15, wherein the responsive means comprises means for storing the charge transfer.

17. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 16, wherein the storing means comprises nonvolatile digital memory devices.

18. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 17, wherein the nonvolatile digital memory devices comprise MOS devices.

19. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 16, wherein the storing means comprises nonvolatile mechanical memory devices.

20. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the nonvolatile mechanical memory devices comprises:

a movable microstructure; and

at least one contact spaced apart from the movable microstructure and electrically biased relative to the movable microstructure, the movable microstructure and the contact being electrically biased relative to each other so as to define an open circuit path therebetween when spaced apart and a closed circuit path when the movable microstructure moves into contact with the contact.

21. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 20, wherein the movable microstructure or the contact is electrically coupled to at least one of the MEMS switches and the charge transfer delivered by the at least one MEMS switch from the energy storage device is sufficient to move the movable microstructure into contact with the contact and the electrical bias between the movable microstructure and the contact is sufficient to retain the movable microstructure in contact with the contact.

22. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 20, wherein the at least one of the nonvolatile mechanical memory devices is one of the MEMS switches of the controlling means, and the charge transfer from the energy storage device is sufficient to move the movable microstructure into contact with the contact and the electrical bias between the movable microstructure and the contact is sufficient to retain the movable microstructure in contact with the contact.

23. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 20, wherein the responsive means comprises means selected from the group consisting of means for resistively sensing, means for inductively sensing, and means for capacitively sensing the closed circuit path formed when the movable microstructure contacts the contact.

24. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 16, further comprising means coupled to the storing means for producing an output that correlates the charge transfer to the external input.

25. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 16, further comprising means for discharging the storing means.

26. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 25, wherein the discharging means comprises micro-electro-mechanical switches.

27. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 15, wherein the responsive means comprises electronic circuits.

28. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 27, further comprising means coupled to the electronic circuits for correlating outputs thereof to the external input.

29. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 27, wherein the electronic circuits are powered solely by the charge transfer from the energy storage device through the MEMS switches.

30. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 27, wherein the electronic circuits comprise at least one device chosen from the group consisting of timers, alarms, memory devices, and sensing devices.

31. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of capacitors, batteries, and combinations thereof.

32. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises an integrated capacitor.

33. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 1, further comprising means for charging the energy storage device.

34. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 33, further comprising:

a mechanical switch between the charging means and the energy storage device, the mechanical switch having an open position that defines an open electrical path that prevents charge delivery to the energy storage device and a closed position that defines a closed electrical path that allows charge delivery to the energy storage device; and

means for controlling the mechanical switch to selectively allow charging of the energy storage device.

35. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 34, further comprising:

an integrated circuit switch coupled to the mechanical switch and operable to selectively allow and prevent current flow to the mechanical switch; and

means for controlling the integrated circuit switch to selectively allow current flow to the mechanical switch.

36. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 33, wherein the module does not comprise a battery.

37. The micro-electro-mechanical system module according to claim 33, wherein the charging means comprises means for wirelessly delivering power to the module.