Distributed sensor system

Abstract

A distributed sensor system is disclosed that provides spatial and temporal data in an operating environment. The distributed sensor nodes can be coupled together to form a distributed sensor system. For example, a distributed sensor system comprises a collection of Sensor Nodes (SN) that are physically coupled and are able to collect data about the environment in a distributed manner. For example, a first sensor node and a second sensor node is formed respectively in a first region and a second region of the semiconductor substrate. A flexible interconnect is formed overlying the semiconductor substrate and couples the first sensor node to the second sensor node. A portion of the semiconductor substrate is removed by etching beneath the flexible interconnect such that the distributed sensor system has multiple degrees of freedom that support following surface contours or sudden changes of direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A distributed sensor system comprising:
 a handle layer;   a box layer overlying the handle layer;   a device layer overlying the box layer;   at least one sensor on or in a first region of the device layer;   a first flexible interconnect region wherein the first flexible interconnect region couples to the first region of the device layer and wherein the first flexible interconnect couples to a second region of the device layer; and   a second flexible interconnect region wherein the second flexible interconnect region couples to the second region of the device layer and the second flexible interconnect region couples to a third region of the device layer.   
     
     
         2 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  further including:
 the first flexible interconnect region is suspended above the first or second regions of the device layer; and 
 the second flexible interconnect region is suspended above the second or third regions of the device layer. 
 
     
     
         3 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  further including at least one sensor on or in the third region of the device layer. 
     
     
         4 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor on or in the first region is a monolithically integrated multi-sensor (MIMS) device. 
     
     
         5 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein the first flexible interconnect region includes at least one flexible joint region, wherein the first flexible interconnect region supports a change in direction of a first range, wherein the at least one flexible joint region supports a change in direction of a second range, and wherein the change in direction of the second range for the at least one flexible joint region is greater than the change in direction of the first range for the first flexible interconnect region. 
     
     
         6 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein interconnect can be formed on the device layer that is configured to couple the at least one sensor of the first region to the first flexible interconnect region. 
     
     
         7 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of trenches are configured to be formed in the device layer, wherein the plurality of trenches are configured to separate nodes of the distributed sensor system, and wherein the plurality of trenches couple through the device layer to the box layer. 
     
     
         8 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 7  wherein a first node of the distributed sensor system comprises the first region of the device layer, wherein a second node of the distributed sensor system comprises the second region of the device layer, wherein the third node of the distributed sensor system comprises the third region of the device layer, and wherein the first, second, and third nodes comprising the device layer are separated from one another by the plurality of trenches. 
     
     
         9 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  further including:
 a power source coupled to one of the first, second, or third nodes; and 
 at least one integrated circuit coupled to one of the first, second, or third nodes. 
 
     
     
         10 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein the handle layer is configured to be thinned to expose alignment keys and wherein the thinning of the handle layer can comprise mechanical processes, wet chemical etching, dry etching, or a combination of mechanical and chemical processes. 
     
     
         11 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 10  wherein the handle layer is configured to be patterned using resist and photolithography using the alignment keys. 
     
     
         12 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 11  wherein the handle layer, the box layer, and device layer is configured to be etched. 
     
     
         13 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 12  wherein the handle layer, the box layer, and the device layer is removed underlying a majority of the first flexible interconnect region. 
     
     
         14 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 12  wherein the handle layer, the box layer, and the device layer is removed underlying a majority of the second flexible interconnect region. 
     
     
         15 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 1  wherein the distributed sensor system is a wearable device configured to couple to skin to measure electric bio-potentials in one or more locations. 
     
     
         16 . A distributed sensor system comprising
 a first sensor node having at least one sensor coupled to the first sensor node;   an attachment region;   a second sensor node having at least one sensor node coupled to the second sensor node;   a first flexible interconnect region coupling the first sensor node to the attachment region; and   a second flexible interconnect region coupling the attachment region to the second sensor node wherein the first sensor node, second sensor node, and the attachment region are configured to be formed from a common substrate comprising a handle layer, a box layer, and a device layer and wherein the common substrate is configured to be separated into the first sensor node, the second sensor node, and the attachment region by thinning the handle layer to expose alignment keys, patterning the handle layer, and etching through the handle layer, box layer, and the device layer.   
     
     
         18 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 16  further including:
 the first flexible interconnect region is configured to be suspended above the device layer of the common substrate; and 
 the second flexible interconnect region is configured to be suspended above the device layer of the common substrate wherein the first or second flexible supports a change in direction of a first range and wherein a majority of the common substrate is configured to be removed underlying the first and second flexible interconnect regions when separating the common substrate into the first sensor node, second sensor node, and the attachment region. 
 
     
     
         18 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 16  further including:
 a power source coupled to at least one of the first sensor node, the second sensor node, or the attachment region and 
 at least one integrated circuit coupled to the first sensor node, the second sensor node, or the attachment region wherein interconnect is formed in or overlying the first sensor node, the second node, or the attachment region. 
 
     
     
         19 . The distributed sensor system of  claim 18  wherein the first flexible interconnect region or the second flexible interconnect region includes a flexible joint region, wherein the flexible joint region supports a change in direction of a second range, wherein the change in direction of the second range for the flexible joint region is greater than the change in direction of the first range for the first or second flexible interconnect regions, and wherein the distributed sensor system is configured as a wearable device. 
     
     
         20 . A distributed sensor system comprising:
 a first sensor node having at least one sensor coupled to the first sensor node;   a second sensor node having at least one sensor node coupled to the second sensor node;   a flexible interconnect region coupling the first sensor node to second sensor node wherein the flexible interconnect region includes a plurality of flexible joint regions and wherein the plurality of flexible joint regions allows a change in direction greater than the flexible interconnect region to support a wearable device.