IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,245,004
Granted Patent B2
US 12,245,004 · App. 17/821,548 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Event activity detection signaling

Inventors: Miro Svajda (San Jose, CA); Stefano Riva (Merate, IT)
Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
H04R3/00G10L25/18G10L25/51H04R19/04H04R2201/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,245,004
App. No.
17/821,548
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Acoustic and other activity detection signaling is provided herein. Operations of a method can include determining a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device is no longer in an initialization state and receiving a first signal that instructs the MEMS device to perform event activity detection. The method can also include receiving one or more event signals and determining that an event signal of one or more event signals satisfies a defined event characteristic. The method can also include outputting a second signal that comprises information indicative of a detection of event activity at the MEMS device being more than the defined event characteristic.

Claims (41)

1. A device comprising:

a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) microphone comprising:

a MEMS transducer; and

circuitry for activity detection, wherein the circuitry comprises:

a first node configured to transmit or receive data associated with a clock signal; and

a second node configured to operate in a first modality during a power-up stage of the device and in a second modality after completion of the power-up stage of the device, wherein the second node is configured to receive a signal that causes the device to perform the activity detection based on an activity determination.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the clock signal is lower than a normal operating frequency or has stopped at the first node.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry further comprises a third node configured to transmit one or more acoustic signals.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein, while operating in the second modality, the second node is configured as a communication interface for the activity detection.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit signals or receive signals associated with the activity detection.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the communication interface facilitates write access and read access to internal registers associated with the MEMS transducer.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the communication interface is a serial interface.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS transducer comprises a MEMS acoustic sensor that receives an acoustic signal comprising an acoustic signal frequency.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second node is a MEMS transducer selector pin.

10. The device of claim 1 , the MEMS microphone further comprises a serial interface that communicates with an external device.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the activity detection is based on an acoustic activity that comprises one of: speech, keyword, crash, explosion, gunfire, shattered glass, and an unsafe acoustical level.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the signal is a first receive signal, and wherein the device further comprises a light sensor and, while operating in the second modality, the second node is configured to transmit a transmit signal when a second signal, from the light sensor, exceeds a threshold.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the signal is a first receive signal, and wherein the device further comprises a humidity sensor and, while operating in the second modality, the second node is configured to transmit a transmit signal when a second signal, from the humidity sensor, exceeds a threshold.

14. The device of claim 1 , a voltage at the second node indicates a location of the device in a system of devices.

15. A method, comprising:

determining a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device is no longer in an initialization state;

receiving, by a MEMS microphone of the MEMS device, a first signal that instructs the MEMS device to perform acoustic activity detection;

receiving, by the MEMS microphone, one or more acoustic signals;

determining, by the MEMS microphone, that an acoustic signal of one or more acoustic signals satisfies a defined acoustic characteristic; and

outputting, by the MEMS microphone, a second signal that comprises information indicative of a detection of acoustic activity at the MEMS device being more than the defined acoustic characteristic.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

prior to the receiving the first signal and after the determining the MEMS device is no longer in the initialization state, utilizing, by the MEMS microphone, a selector node as a one wire communication interface.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the defined acoustic characteristic comprises a frequency spectrum signal level.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the receiving the first signal comprises receiving the first signal at a selector node of the MEMS microphone.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the outputting the second signal comprises outputting the second signal at a selector node of the MEMS microphone.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

stopping an external clock or lowering a frequency after receiving the first signal.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving the defined acoustic characteristic during an initializing state.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the acoustic signal is a first acoustic signal, and wherein the method further comprises:

after a delay and before receiving a clock signal, determining for a second time that a second acoustic signal of one or more acoustic signals satisfies the defined acoustic characteristic.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

after the determining for the second time, changing the defined acoustic characteristic.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving a clock start signal or clock at normal operating frequency; and

discontinuing the acoustic activity detection.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2025
From: INVENSENSE ITALY S.R.L.
To: INVENSENSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 071078/0970 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2025
From: RIVA, STAFANO
To: INVENSENSE ITALY S.R.L.
Reel/Frame 071079/0081 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: SVAJDA, MIRO; RIVA, STEFANO
To: INVENSENSE, INC.
Reel/Frame 060868/0804 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240073598A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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