Multi-Element Pressure Sensor with Shared Conditioning Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure sensors are cost-sensitive due to the high number of integrated circuits required, which hinders their implementation in high-volume manufacturing and lean architecture designs, especially in consumer and medical devices that need multiple pressure sensing points.
Innovation Solution
A pressure sensor architecture that integrates multiple pressure sensing elements and a single sensor conditioning circuitry on a common substrate, reducing the need for separate integrated circuits and enabling efficient manufacturing by using a housing member with cavities and ports to house and connect the sensing elements and circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate integrated circuits are used for multiple pressure sensing elements, then each sensing element can be independently conditioned, but the cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pressure sensing elements and a single sensor conditioning circuitry on one common substrate. The housing member integrates multiple cavities that accommodate different sensing elements (e.g., MEMS pressure sensors, piezoresistive sensors) and houses the conditioning circuitry together, eliminating the need for separate integrated circuits for each sensor and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor conditioning circuitry is designed to universally condition signals from multiple different types of pressure sensing elements. The circuitry can process signals from MEMS sensors, piezoresistive sensors, and other pressure sensing technologies using the same substrate, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to various sensing element types.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate integrated circuits are used for each pressure sensing element, then each sensor can be optimized independently, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple pressure sensing elements and conditioning circuitry onto a single common substrate, reducing the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled. This consolidation lowers material costs, reduces assembly steps, and improves manufacturability for high-volume production while maintaining the ability to optimize each sensing element's performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal conditioning circuitry designed in the patent can handle multiple sensing element types, eliminating the need for separate optimized circuits for each sensor type. This multi-functional approach reduces the bill of materials and simplifies the manufacturing process, making the sensor system more cost-effective for mass production.
3Device complexity
If multiple pressure sensing elements are integrated on one substrate, then material costs and device complexity are reduced, but the housing and cavity structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing member is designed with multiple nested cavities that accommodate different pressure sensing elements and the conditioning circuitry. The cavities are arranged in a compact, space-efficient manner within the housing, allowing multiple sensors to be integrated without proportionally increasing the overall housing size. This nested arrangement manages structural complexity by organizing components efficiently within a unified housing structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure sensor includes a substrate, a first pressure sensing element, a second pressure sensing element, and sensor conditioning circuitry disposed on a first surface of the substrate. The sensor conditioning circuitry is electronically coupled to the first pressure sensing element and the second pressure sensing element, thus multiple pressure sensing elements being disposed on a single substrate can reduce material cost and improve the performance of the pressure sensor.