Gradient micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone with varying height assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827245-B2
Application number	US-201815960335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2018
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone assembly is provided. The assembly comprises an enclosure, a single micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer, a substrate layer, and an application housing. The single MEMS transducer is positioned within the enclosure. The substrate layer supports the single MEMS transducer. The application housing supports the substrate layer and defining at least a portion of a first transmission mechanism to enable a first side of the single MEMS transducer to receive an audio input signal and at least a portion of a second transmission mechanism to enable a second side of the single MEMS transducer to receive the audio input signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone assembly comprising:
an enclosure including a top portion and a bottom portion;
a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer positioned within the enclosure;
a substrate layer to support the MEMS transducer;
a first coupling layer extending above the bottom portion of the enclosure to surround the enclosure and being coupled to an application housing; and
a second coupling layer being positioned below the first coupling layer,
wherein the first coupling layer and the second coupling layer define a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism,
wherein the first coupling layer is positioned above the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism, and
wherein the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are separate from one another.

2. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer is positioned below the first coupling layer.

3. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling layer is a gasket that extends above the bottom portion of the enclousure to surround the enclousure and the gasket is coupled to the applicatin housing.

4. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the application housing defines a first sound aperture and a second sound aperture, and wherein each of the first sound aperture and the second sound aperture extend in a first axis to receive an audio input signal.

5. The microphone assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first transmission mechanism includes a first acoustic tube and the second transmission mechanism includes a second acoustic tube, wherein the first acoustic tube extends in the first axis and is positioned on a same plane as the first sound aperture to receive the audio input signal from the first sound aperture, and wherein the second acoustic tube extends in the first axis and is positioned on a same plane as the second sound aperture to receive the audio input signal from the second sound aperture.

6. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second coupling layer includes a wall that separates the first transmission mechanism from the second transmission mechanism.

7. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first transmission mechanism includes a first sound aperture that is formed at a first end of the application housing and a second sound aperture that is formed at a second end of the application housing.

8. The microphone assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first coupling layer is positioned between the first end of the application housing and the second end of the application housing.

9. The microphone assembly of claim 7 further comprising a first acoustic resistance element positioned about the first sound aperture and a second acoustic resistance element positioned about the second sound aperture.

10. The microphone assembly of claim 7 , wherein the substrate layer defines a first acoustic hole and a second acoustic hole and wherein the first sound aperture is perpendicular to the first acoustic hole and the second sound aperture is perpendicular to the second acoustic hole.

11. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the application housing is one of a handset housing, a headset housing, and a speaker phone housing.

12. The microphone assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling layer extends directly over the enclosure.

13. A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone assembly comprising:
an enclosure;
a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer positioned within the enclosure;
a substrate layer to support the MEMS transducer;
a first coupling layer extending directly over the enclosure and being coupled to an application housing; and
a second coupling layer being positioned below the first coupling layer,
wherein the first coupling layer and the second coupling layer define a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism,
wherein the first coupling layer is positioned above the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism, and
wherein the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are separate from one another.

14. The microphone assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first coupling layer is a gasket that extends directly over the enclousure and the gasket is coupled to an application housing.

15. The microphone assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second coupling layer includes a wall that separates the first transmission mechanism from the second transmission mechanism.

16. The microphone assembly of clsim 13 , wherein the application housing defines a first sound aperture and a second sound aperture, and wherein each of the first sound aperture and the second sound aperture extend in a first axis to receive an audio input signal.

17. The microphone assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first transmission mechanism includes a first acoustic tube and the second transmission mechanism includes a second acoustic tube, wherein the first acoustic tube extends in the first axis and is positioned on a same plane as the first sound aperture to receive the audio input signal from the first sound aperture, and wherein the second acoustic tube extends in the first axis and is positioned on a same plane as the second sound aperture to receive the audio input signal from the second sound aperture.

18. A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone assembly comprising:
an enclosure;
a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer positioned within the enclosure;
a substrate layer to support the MEMS transducer;
a first coupling layer surrounding at least a portion of the enclosure and extending over the MEMS transducer and the first coupling layer being coupled to an application housing, and
a second coupling layer being positioned below the first coupling layer,
wherein the first coupling layer and the second coupling layer define a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism,
wherein the first coupling layer is positioned above the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism, and
wherein the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism are separate from one another.

19. The microphone assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first coupling layer is a gasket that extends over the MEMS microphone and the gasket is coupled to an application housing.

20. The microphone assembly of claim 18 , wherein the second coupling layer includes a wall that separates the first transmission mechanism from the second transmission mechanism.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Reese Marc
• Baumhauer John
• Li Fengyuan
• Iraclianos Spiro

Classifications

• H04R19/005 Primary

  using semiconductor materials · CPC title

• H04R2201/003

  Mems transducers or their use · CPC title

• H04R19/04

  Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/08 Primary

  Mouthpieces; {Microphones;} Attachments therefor · CPC title

• H04R1/38

  in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone · CPC title