Wearable device having a monolithically integrated multi-sensor device on a semiconductor substrate and method therefor

Abstract

A wearable device is provided having multiple sensors configured to detect and measure different parameters of interest. The wearable device includes at least one monolithic integrated multi-sensor (MIMS) device. The MIMS device comprises at least two sensors of different types formed on a common semiconductor substrate. For example, the MIMS device can comprise an indirect sensor and a direct sensor. The wearable device couples a first parameter to be measured directly to the direct sensor. Conversely, the wearable device can couple a second parameter to be measured to the indirect sensor indirectly. Other sensors can be added to the wearable device by stacking a sensor to the MIMS device or to another substrate coupled to the MIMS device. This supports integrating multiple sensors to reduce form factor, cost, complexity, simplify assembly, while increasing performance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A monolithically integrated multi-sensor (MIMs) comprising:
 an infrared sensor configured to measure a parameter; and   a first MEMs sensor configured to measure a first parameter; and   a second MEMs sensor configured to measure a second parameter wherein the first parameter, the second parameter and the parameter measured by the infrared sensor are different and wherein the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, and the second MEMs sensor are formed at the same time on or in a single semiconductor substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein the integrated circuit is operatively coupled to a wearable device and wherein the single semiconductor substrate is silicon. 
     
     
         3 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein at least one layer of the integrated circuit is shared in common with the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor and wherein at least a portion of the at least one layer is etched on or in the single semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein at least one layer of the integrated circuit forms a cap on at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor and wherein the at least one layer of the first integrated circuit forms a moving plate on at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein the at least one layer of the integrated circuit is configured to flex in at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor and wherein the at least one layer of the integrated circuit is configured not to flex in at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein the first or the second MEMs sensors are sealed from an external environment at a different pressure or wherein at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor is exposed to an external environment and at least one of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor is sealed from the external environment. 
     
     
         7 . The MIMS of  claim 1  further including three or more MEMs sensors formed on or in the single semiconductor substrate wherein each of the three or more MEMs sensors measure different parameters. 
     
     
         8 . The MIMs of  claim 1  wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least two of an inertial sensor, a pressure sensor, a tactile sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, a force sensor, an IR sensor, a load sensor, a magnetic sensor, a flow sensor, a light sensor, an electric field sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a chemical sensor, a gas sensor, a liquid sensor, a solids sensor, or a biological sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The MIMS of  claim 1  wherein at least one sensor of the infrared sensor, the first MEMs sensor, or the second MEMs sensor is sealed by depositing a layer using low pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, sub atmospheric chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, metallo organic chemical vapor deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, evaporating, spin-coating, electro-plating, or spray coating. 
     
     
         10 . A monolithically integrated multi-sensor (MIMs) comprising:
 an integrated circuit comprising:
 an infrared sensor configured to measure a parameter; and 
 two or more MEMs sensors wherein the infrared sensor and the two or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure different parameters and wherein the infrared sensor and the two or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in a single semiconductor substrate. 
   
     
     
         11 . The MIMS of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit is operatively coupled to a wearable device and wherein the single semiconductor substrate is silicon. 
     
     
         12 . The MIMS of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit comprises three or more MEMs sensors and wherein the infrared sensor and the three or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure a different parameter and wherein the infrared sensor and the three or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in the single semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The MIMS of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit comprises four or more MEMs sensors and wherein the infrared sensor and the four or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure different parameters and wherein the infrared sensor and the four or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in the single semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The MIMS of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit comprises five or more MEMs sensors and wherein the infrared sensor and the five or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure different parameters and wherein the infrared sensor and the five or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in tje single semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The MIMS of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit comprises six or more MEMs sensors and wherein the infrared sensor and the six or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure different parameters and wherein the infrared sensor and the six or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in the single semiconductor substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The MIMs of  claim 10  wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least two of an inertial sensor, a pressure sensor, a tactile sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, a force sensor, an IR sensor, a load sensor, a magnetic sensor, a flow sensor, a light sensor, an electric field sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a chemical sensor, a gas sensor, a liquid sensor, a solids sensor, or a biological sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The MIMs of  claim 10  wherein at least one sensor of the infrared sensor and the two or more MEMs sensors are sealed by depositing a layer using low pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, sub atmospheric chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, metallo organic chemical vapor deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, evaporating, spin-coating, electro-plating, or spray coating. 
     
     
         18 . A monolithically integrated multi-sensor (MIMs) comprising:
 an integrated circuit comprising:
 an infrared sensor configured to measure a parameter; and 
 two or more MEMs sensors wherein the infrared sensor and each of the three or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure a different parameter and wherein the infrared sensor and the three or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in a single silicon substrate. 
   
     
     
         19 . The MIMs of  claim 18  wherein the integrated circuit is operatively coupled to a wearable device and wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least two of an inertial sensor, a pressure sensor, a tactile sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, a force sensor, an IR sensor, a load sensor, a magnetic sensor, a flow sensor, a light sensor, an electric field sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a chemical sensor, a gas sensor, a liquid sensor, a solids sensor, or a biological sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The MIMs of  claim 18  wherein the integrated circuit comprises three or more MEMs sensors and wherein the infrared sensor and the three or more MEMs sensors are configured to measure different parameters and wherein the infrared sensor and the three or more MEMs sensors are formed at the same time on or in the single silicon substrate.