Microphone system with offset apertures

1. A microphone system comprising:

a base;

a lid coupled to the base to form a package having an interior chamber, the package having an inlet aperture;

a member coupled with the base within the interior chamber, the member having a member aperture, the member including a circuit die with a circuit die aperture; and

a microphone die connected to a substrate and having a diaphragm and coupled to the member within the interior chamber, the member being between the base and the microphone die,

the member aperture and inlet aperture being laterally offset,

the member aperture, member, and base forming an acoustic path between the inlet aperture and the microphone die,

wherein acoustic signals enter the inlet aperture and travel laterally between the circuit die and the substrate and in direct, lateral and simultaneous contact with the circuit die and the substrate, through an acoustic channel, the acoustic channel formed laterally between the member aperture and the inlet aperture and positioned directly below the circuit die and further wherein, the acoustic signals travel from the acoustic channel through the circuit die aperture in a direction toward the diaphragm and contact the diaphragm.

2. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the member comprises an inactive die.

3. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the package comprises metal to protect against electromagnetic interference.

4. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the base includes a base recess that at least in part forms the acoustic path.

5. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the member includes a bottom face that is adjacent to the base, the bottom face having member recess that at least in part forms the acoustic path.

6. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the member and the microphone die are in a stacked configuration.

7. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the backplate together with the diaphragm form a variable capacitor, the backplate being between the diaphragm and the member.

8. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 wherein the member aperture has a substantially uniform inner dimension along its longitudinal axis.

9. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 further comprising pads on the base, the pads being surface mountable.

10. The microphone system as defined by claim 1 further comprising sealing material between the member and the base to seal at least a portion of the acoustic path between the inlet aperture and the member aperture.

11. A microphone system comprising:

a base forming a base aperture;

a lid coupled to the base to form a package having an interior chamber, the package having an inlet aperture;

a circuit die having active circuitry within the interior chamber, the circuit die being coupled with the base and having a circuit die aperture; and

a microphone die connected to a substrate and having a diaphragm and a backplate and coupled to the circuit die within the interior chamber and forming the interior chamber into a front volume and a back volume, the circuit die being between the base and the microphone die, the circuit die aperture being within the front volume of the chamber;

the circuit die aperture and base aperture being laterally offset, wherein acoustic signals enter the inlet aperture and travel laterally between the circuit die and the substrate and in direct, lateral and simultaneous contact with the circuit die and the substrate, through an acoustic channel, the acoustic channel formed laterally between the member aperture and the inlet aperture and positioned directly below the circuit die and further wherein, the acoustic signals travel from the acoustic channel through the circuit die aperture, in a direction toward the diaphragm and contact the diaphragm.

12. The microphone system as defined by claim 11 wherein the microphone die is coupled over the circuit die aperture.

13. The microphone system as defined by claim 11 wherein the base includes a base recess that at least in part forms the acoustic path between the base aperture and the microphone die.

14. The microphone system as defined by claim 11 wherein the circuit die includes a bottom face that is adjacent to the base, the bottom face having a circuit die recess that at least in part forms an acoustic path between the base aperture and the microphone die.

15. A microphone system comprising:

a base forming a base aperture;

a lid coupled to the base to form a package having an interior chamber, the package having an inlet aperture;

a member coupled with the base within the interior chamber, the member having a member aperture; and

a microphone die connected to a substrate and coupled to the member within the interior chamber in a stacked configuration, the microphone die being in acoustic communication with the member aperture, the member being between the base and the microphone die, the microphone die having a diaphragm and backplate that together form a variable capacitor, the backplate being between the diaphragm and the member,

the member aperture and base aperture being laterally offset, wherein acoustic signals enter the inlet aperture and travel laterally through an acoustic channel and further wherein, the acoustic channel is formed laterally between the member aperture and the inlet aperture and positioned directly below the circuit die, the acoustic signals travel from the acoustic channel through a circuit die aperture in a direction toward the diaphragm and contacting the diaphragm, further wherein the acoustic signals are in direct, lateral and simultaneous contact with the circuit die and the substrate.

16. The microphone system as defined by claim 15 wherein the member comprises a circuit die, the circuit die having the circuit die aperture.

17. The microphone system as defined by claim 15 wherein the base includes a base recess that at least in part forms the acoustic path between the base aperture and the microphone die.

18. The microphone system as defined by claim 15 wherein the member includes a bottom face that is adjacent to the base, the bottom face having a member recess that at least in part forms the acoustic path between the base aperture and the microphone die.

19. The microphone system as defined by claim 15 wherein the member aperture has a substantially uniform inner dimension along its longitudinal axis.