Integrated electronic device for monitoring mechanical stress within a solid structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464952-B2
Application number	US-201314108951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

The integrated electronic device is for detecting a local parameter related to a force observed in a given direction, within a solid structure. The device includes at least one sensor configured to detect the above-mentioned local parameter at least in the given direction through piezo-resistive effect. At least one damping element, integrated in the device, is arranged within a frame-shaped region that is disposed around the at least one sensor and belongs to a substantially planar region comprising a plane passing through the sensor and perpendicular to the given direction. Such at least one damping element is configured to damp forces acting in the planar region and substantially perpendicular to the given direction.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An integrated electronic device for detecting a local parameter related to a force observed in a given direction, within a solid structure, and comprising:
at least one sensor configured to detect the local parameter at least in the given direction through piezo-resistive effect; and
at least one damping element having a plurality of walls, integrated in the integrated electronic device, arranged within a frame-shaped region disposed around the at least one sensor;
the at least one damping element being configured to damp forces not acting in the given direction.

2. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls define a frame surrounding the at least one sensor.

3. The integrated electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the frame defines a laterally surrounding frame of the integrated electronic device.

4. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one damping element has a thickness in the given direction and is placed at a distance from the sensor, the thickness and the distance being defined so that lines joining ends of the at least one damping element and the at least one sensor form an angle corresponding to a reduced sensitivity angle of the at least one sensor.

5. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising additional damping elements positioned in different regions with respect to the frame-shaped region, said additional damping elements being positioned so as to intercept side portions of a sensitivity lobe of the at least one sensor and to damp forces applied in directions corresponding to the side portions of the sensitivity lobe.

6. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one damping element comprises elastic material.

7. The integrated electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein said elastic material has a lower stiffness than material of the solid structure to be monitored and than a semiconductor material of the at least one sensor.

8. The integrated electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein said elastic material has a Young's modulus lower than 15 GPa.

9. The integrated electronic device according to claim 6 , further comprising at least one groove within the frame-shaped region, and wherein the at least one damping element is defined by the elastic material in the at least one groove.

10. The integrated electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is manufactured on a single chip, and further comprising:
integrated operational circuitry, coupled to the at least one sensor, and comprising at least one integrated antenna and a functional surface facing outward of the single chip; and
a passivation layer coating at least said integrated operational circuitry to hermetically seal and galvanically insulate the integrated operational circuitry from a surrounding environment.

11. The integrated electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein the passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon carbide.

12. A detection and monitoring module comprising:
a detecting device for detecting a local parameter related to a force observed in a given direction, within a solid structure, and comprising
a sensor configured to detect the local parameter at least in the given direction through piezo-resistive effect, and
at least one damping element, integrated in the detecting device, arranged within a frame-shaped region disposed around the sensor,
integrated operational circuitry, coupled to the sensor, and including an integrated antenna,
the at least one damping element being configured to damp forces not acting in the given direction; and

an electromagnetic unit configured to transmit/receive signals for telecommunications and energy exchange between the integrated antenna of the detecting device and a remote antenna, the electromagnetic unit being fixedly connected to the detecting device;
wherein the integrated antenna, the electromagnetic unit and the remote antenna are operatively connected through magnetic or electromagnetic coupling in a wireless mode.

13. The detection and monitoring module according to claim 12 , further comprising an additional detecting device comprising an additional sensor configured to detect a force component acting in a plane perpendicular to the given direction.

14. The detection and monitoring module according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one damping element comprises a plurality of walls positioned within the frame-shaped region.

15. The detection and monitoring module according to claim 14 , wherein the walls define a frame surrounding the sensor.

16. The detection and monitoring module according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one damping element comprises elastic material.

17. The detection and monitoring module according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic material has a lower stiffness than material of the solid structure to be monitored and than a semiconductor material of the sensor.

18. A system for monitoring one or more parameters in a plurality of points within a solid structure, and comprising:
an internal monitoring sub-system positioned within the solid structure; and
an external control and data collection sub-system positioned outside of and remote from the solid structure;
the internal monitoring sub-system comprising a support structure passing through the plurality of points to be monitored within the solid structure, and further comprising a plurality of detection and monitoring modules, each of the plurality of detection and monitoring modules being fixed to the support structure at a respective position, and each comprising
a detecting device for detecting a local parameter related to a force observed in a given direction, within the solid structure, and comprising
a sensor configured to detect the local parameter at least in the given direction, and
at least one damping element, integrated in the detecting device, arranged within a frame-shaped region disposed around the sensor,
integrated operational circuitry, coupled to the sensor, and including an integrated antenna,
the at least one damping element being configured to damp forces not acting in the given direction, and
an electromagnetic unit configured to transmit/receive signals for telecommunications and energy exchange between the integrated antenna of the detecting device and a remote antenna, the electromagnetic unit being fixedly connected to the detecting device;
the external control and data collection sub-system comprising
an external antenna, defining the remote antenna, configured to communicate with the electromagnetic unit of the plurality of detection and monitoring modules,
a data collection, storage and processing unit configured to receive, store and process data from the plurality of detection and monitoring modules, the data being representative of parameters to be monitored, and
a power supply configured to supply power energy to the external control and data collection sub-system and remotely supply power energy to the internal monitoring sub-system, through the external antenna.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one damping element comprises a plurality of walls positioned within the frame-shaped region.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the walls define a frame surrounding the sensor.

21. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Pagani Alberto
• Ziglioli Federico Giovanni
• Murari Bruno

Classifications

• H01L27/20

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01L1/18 Primary

  using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material · CPC title

• H10N39/00

  Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive element covered by groups H10N30/00 – H10N35/00 · CPC title