MEMS gyroscopes are currently a very hot business. Investigating the patent situation is essential to understanding the present business climate and anticipating future developments. The MEMS gyroscope patent landscape is heating up! The gyroscope market is driven by mobile applications, where until recently only two players, STMicroelectronics (ST) and InvenSense, were competing. Now, many companies are present. The first patent disputes to develop over the last few years (linked to Wacoh’s patents) or that are currently occurring (ST vs. InvenSense) signal the beginning of a fight for gyro and inertial combo market ownership. This report represents a link to the technical trends Yole Développement has observed in the industry. Comparisons and matching between existing product process flows (reconstituted from teardowns) and related patents are provided. In particular, a case study on InvenSense’s MPU-9150 9-axis sensor is included. As illustrated by the aforementioned disputes, (which are detailed in this report), IP is critical in this area; thus, the link between IP and market evolution is critical as well. One of this report’s most important findings is that the focus has shifted to the software side, where considerable value can be created. Indeed, an increasing number of companies with different value chain positions are developing functionalities based on MEMS gyroscopes, along with related IP. About 200 players are involved in MEMS gyroscope technologies, but the top 10 represent 63% of the patents filed! Panasonic and Murata lead the way. Both were early players in the industry, with piezo/ceramicstyle gyroscopes. Other players such as Analog Devices, Robert Bosch, ST and InvenSense developed their technologies based on silicon substrates and the capacitive detection principle. It’s important to note that these players’ MEMS portfolios are generally much larger than what’s included in this report, since many of their patents are generic publications which can apply to many types of MEMS components, and not specifically to gyros. More information on that report at http://www.i-micronews.com/reports/MEMS-Gyroscope-Patent-Investigation/1/366/

1. © 2013
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MEMS Gyroscope
Patent Investigation
Report Sample
Dow
corning
Hillcrest Labs
Domintech
Granted
17 (29%)
Pending
39 (66%)
Lapsed
2 (3%)
Unavailab
le
1 (2%)
InvenSense

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Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Context and Frame of the Survey
• Definitions & Glossary
• Objective and Methodology
• Executive Summary 18
• 1. Status of MEMS gyroscopes: market and technology trends 42
– Market trends
– Competitive landscape
– Gyroscope design and detection principle
– Technical trends in front-end and assembly
– Software trends: functionalities based on gyroscopes
• 2. MEMS Gyroscope Patent Landscape 97
– Evolution of MEMS Gyro Patent Publication Time-line
– Geographical distribution of patents filing
– Legal status of patent filings
– Top 10 IPC Classes
– Top 15 patent applicants
– Top 10 academic assignees
– Assignee collaboration network
– Top 10 inventors and last inventors
– Inventor / Assignees collaboration network and assignee citations network
– Summary of Top 15 patent assignees patent portfolio

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Table of Contents
• 3. Segmentation and patent ranking 117
– Technology segmentation and top patent assignees for each segment
– Patent ranking
• 4. MEMS gyroscope patent portfolio analysis of business leaders 131
– STMicroelectonics
• Patent filling evolution / Geographical analysis / Top inventors / Legal status / Citation analysis / Top patents
– InvenSense
• Patent filling evolution / Geographical analysis / Top inventors / Legal status / Citation analysis / Top patents
– Bosch
• Patent filling evolution / Geographical analysis / Top inventors / Legal status / Citation analysis / Top patents
• 5. Analysis: link between IP, technical trends and market trends 157
– Link between IP and market evolution
– Link between IP and reverse engineering of products currently in the market
• 6. Analysis of key patents 180
– MEMS design & process - Analysis of 14 key Patents
– Circuit & IC design – Analysis of 6 key patents
– Application / Software – Analysis of 10 key patents
• Conclusion 214
• Appendix – Presentation of Yole Developpement

4. © 2013 • 4
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What does this report include ?
What it does not…?
• Context
– After several years of specific analysis for customers, YOLE Développement started last year to publish report on the analysis of
the technical contents of patents
– This new IP report is focused on the MEMS gyroscope technologies: from MEMS design & process to IC design to applications
– YOLE has developed a specific methodology in order to make such analysis, mixing YOLE technical and business knowledge and
classical access to patent database
• It includes…
– This IP report provide an overview of « who is owning what » in terms of patents for MEMS gyroscope sensors and gyro-based
applications, plus a dedicated focus on top players which are most active in this area
– The main report objectives are
• To present the industrial and business status of MEMS gyroscopes today
• To define and provide a database of all the relevant patents with technological segmentation
• To identify the key patents and the owner of such patents
• To analyze the link between patents, technology implementation and business status
• It does not include…
– Juridical analysis of patent portfolio
– Deep link analysis (legal, juridical…) between assignees
• To summarize, our work in the frame of the new kind of reports is to analyze key patents to identify structuring concepts
from a technological or an industrial point of view, leading to business and strategic conclusions

5. © 2013 • 5
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Yole’s standard
reports
• Market analysis
• Technology analysis
A new type of reports providing a clear link
between IP situation and market evolutions
• More than a report describing a state of the art of an IP situation, this report provides a missing
link between patented technological solutions and market, technological and business trends
– YOLE has developed a unique methodology in order to define a technical segmentation of patent landscape, define which patents
are the most innovative, either to prepare the future or to be used already in production
– By mixing its technical knowledge, business understanding and patent search, Yole is able to provide unique analysis and added
value you will find in this report
– In depth technological analysis of patents provided by this report will lead to the understanding of strategic decisions and
positioning of key players within the value chain
MEMS Gyroscope Technological
evolutions
& Market evolutions
MEMS Gyroscope
IP landscape
Yole’s new IP report
• Relevant patents analysis
• Technological segmentation
• Detailed architecture to be implemented
• Key patent identification
• Links with the patents and available
products

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Introduction
• This study presents the patent landscape about MEMS gyroscopes
– The patent landscape is analyzed with a particular focus on the design, detection principles and functionalities
– A ranking of the top patents is established and the link to market and technology developments is analyzed
– Several key patents were selected based on the particular technological issues related to MEMS gyroscope
developments, at the front-end side, electronics or software
• Selection of the patents has been done both automatically and manually
– We have used search equations which are detailed in the next slides
– To be selected, the association of MEMS and gyro / angular rate sensor /… must be established
– Many other patents exist with gyroscopes but without reference to MEMS technologies (in particular for some players
or when it comes to applications). But it could not be included in the analysis because the scope would be too large
(>40 000 patent families!)
– To complete this automated selection, it has been decided to add some patents manually:
• For some important device makers that did not appear: Panasonic, Wacoh…
• For some important companies involved in software: Movea, Hillcrest Labs, Qualcomm…
– For all those patents: the selection between relevant / related / non relevant patents has been done manually

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MEMS gyro design
Raw wafers
“Generic”
MEMS
design
blocks
Specific MEMS
gyro design /
detection
principle
Gyro ASIC design
“Generic”
MEMS IC
blocks
Specific MEMS
gyro IC design
MEMS Front-end
manufacturing
“Generic”
MEMS
processes
Specific MEMS
gyro
processes
Wafer test
ASIC Front-end
manufacturing
Standard ASIC processes
Front-end
assembly
Dicing
Dicing
Back-End
Assembly
Final test
Packaged
gyroscopes
Applications
Software /
Data fusion
Applications
Other sensors
Data
RF communication
Storage
...
SCOPE of
the report
Context and Frame of the Survey
Choice to focus on the 3 most critical / hottest areas: Gyro
design & process / Gyro IC & Software

8. © 2013 • 8
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• Objective
– The aim of this study is to provide a patent survey in the field of MEMS gyroscopes: patent landscape and key patents
• Topics of the research
– MEMS gyroscope design & process
– MEMS gyroscope IC
– Applications for which the use of gyroscope is critical
• Database
– The data was extract from the Questel IP portal www.orbit.com (FamPat). The FamPat database covers more than 60 million patent documents (90+ offices)
grouped in invention-based families
• Search strategy
– Step 1 – Global search
• Search equation: ((MEMS OR MICRO_ELECTRO_MECHANICAL OR MICRO_MECHANICAL OR MICRO_MACHIN+) AND (GYRO+ OR CORIOLIS OR ANGULAR VELOCIT+ OR
YAW_RATE SENSOR? OR ((SEISMIC OR PROOF OR SUSPENDED OR MOVABLE) 0W MASS+) OR ((ROTARY OR ROTATION+ OR TURNING OR ANGULAR) 1D
(ACCELERATION? OR SPEED OR INERTIAL+ OR SENSOR? OR SENSING OR RATE? OR OSCILLATOR+ OR MOTION? OR DETECTION?)) OR (VIBRAT+ 1D (BEAM? OR
PLATE? OR SHELL? OR FORK?)) OR TUNING FORK?))/BI/CLMS AND (B81+ OR G01C+ OR G11B+ OR G01P+ OR H01+)/IC
– Step 2 – Search by key player
• Search equation: (Player)/PA.fld AND (((GYRO+)/BI OR ((ANGULAR VELOCIT+) 1D (SENSOR? OR SENSING OR DETECTION?))/BI OR ((ROTARY OR ROTATION+ OR
TURNING OR YAW_RATE) 0W (SENSOR? OR SENSING OR DETECTION?))/BI) AND (B81+ OR G01C+ OR G11B+ OR G01P+)/IC) NOT Step 1
– Notes:
• ? replaces 0 or 1 character
• + replaces 0 or n characters
• nD searches adjacent termes, regardless of the order, being separated by a maximum of n words
• nW searches adjacent terms in the order specified and being separated by a maximum of n words
• /BI searches in the title and abstract
• /CLMS searches in the claims
• /IC searches in the International Classification Codes
• /PA.fld searches in current assignees
• Data analysis
– The quantitative analysis of data was made using the Intellixir software.
• Preliminary remark: for all the evolution charts, the data corresponding to the years 2011 and 2012 may not be complete since a significant number of
patent applications filed during these years might not have been published yet
Objectives and Search Strategy
Number of selected patent families related to MEMS gyroscopes: 2508
(2061 relevant and 447 related) over a total of >4700 results

9. © 2013 • 9
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Methodology for Patent Screening,
Classification and Analysis
• The screening was performed for US, EP, WO, J translated English full text, GB, DE,
FR, CN+TW+KR translated English full text using English + French + German
keywords

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Global MEMS gyro market
2007 – 2018 market
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
2 007 2 008 2 009 2 010 2 011 2 012 2 013 2 014 2 015 2 016 2 017 2 018
Market($M)
MEMS Gyroscope - 2007 - 2018 market ($M)
(standalone gyros + combos with gyros)
Yole développement © Feb. 2013
• Dominated in the past by automotive applications, but now by consumer
– From $XXXM in 2007 to $XXB in 2018!
– Significant took off in 2010 with mobile phone adoption

11. © 2013 • 11
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Evolution of MEMS Gyro Patent Publication Time-line
• 2508 patents were filed from 1972 to 2012. 55% of patents were filed since 2003.
• Note: The data corresponding to the years 2011 and 2012 may not be complete since a significant number of patent applications
filed during these years might not have been published yet.
• The MEMS gyro market started in volume in the 90’ with automotive applications (ESC) and then in the 2000’ with consumer
applications (stabilization, gaming and then mobile)
Patent filing trends for MEMS gyro technologies (relevant and related included)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
No.ofPatentFamilies
Priority years
Note: Most patents
filed in 2011 – 2012
not published yet

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2000’s: automotive market dominates,
consumer emerges
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
197219741976197819801982198419861988199019921994199619982000200220042006200820102012
No.ofPatentFamilies
Priority years
Patent filing trends for MEMS gyro technologies (relevant and related inclued)
Market
status
Patent
status
Significant
automotive market
Panasonic, Bosch and Systron Donner dominate for Automotive
Japanese players leading OIS market, InvenSense new successful player
2004: big increase in patent activity linked to compact
silicon MEMS designs targeting consumer applications
 OIS dominate, gaming emerges in 2009
Most designs on comb-drive
structure, silicon MEMS
capacitive detection
Continuous activity for very specific
concepts targeting tactical and navigation-
grade for high end market
Applications / Software: limited to
pointing function and some
compensations in sensor fusion

13. © 2013 • 13
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TOP-15 Leading Patent Applicants
• About 200 players are involved in MEMS gyro technologies. The top 10 and the top 15 assignees respectively represents 63% and 70% of patents filed
in MEMS gyro domain
• Panasonic, Murata and Sony together account for 44%. Panasonic and Murata are historically strong players with piezo / ceramic MEMS gyroscopes.
However Sony is a surprise since its market footprint is not very large (mostly piezo gyroscopes for DSC stabilization and gaming in the past)
• The low level of ST Micro is a surprise. However we note that most ST patents are related to MEMS in general and are thus not counted here (not
specifically for gyroscopes)
• Applications-focused companies are growing in this ranking: Qualcomm and Movea
Top 15 patent assignees for MEMS gyro patents (relevant and related included)
447
472
125
89
42
51
31
57
32
26
41
27
30
27
15
37
9
14
20
47
9
29
1
17
18
2
11
6
5
13
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
PANASONIC (JP)
MURATA (JP)
SONY (JP)
BOSCH (DE)
HONEYWELL (US)
SEIKO EPSON (JP)
ADI (US)
WACOH (JP)
ST MICRO (FR/IT)
CEA (FR)
UNIV SHANGHAI (CN)
QUALCOMM (US)
DRAPER LABORATORY (US)
INVENSENSE (US)
MOVEA (FR)
No. of Patent Families
Assignee
Relevant
Related

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Detail between process flow and IP portfolio
Case study: InvenSense MPU-9150 9-axis sensor
APPARATUS AND METHODOLOGY FOR
CALIBRATION OF A GYROSCOPE AND A COMPASS
INCLUDED IN A HANDHELD DEVICE
(US20110178707) – filed in 01/2011
TEARDOWN
PATENT
Patent included
in the scope of
this report

15. © 2013 • 15
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Assignee(s) InvenSense (US)
Publication Number
(representative member)
US20100290769
Segment / Rank Application / Top ranked patent
Citing patent families 0
Rating for family 6.19
Oldest priority date of the
family
2009-05-18
Legal statut Alive: US20100290769
Title Optical image stabilization in a digital still camera or handset
What is claimed:
-An optical image stabilization system for a camera module. The stabilization
system comprises a voice coil motor (VCM), at least one digital gyroscope for
receiving signals from the VCM, and an estimator based controller to process
the signals from the digital gyroscope and a reference comparator to output a
loop error signal. The stabilization system further comprises hard coded logic
for receiving the error signal, and comparing the error signal to a reference
signal and providing a stabilized image based upon that comparison, wherein
the signal processing logic, digital gyroscope and estimator based controller
resides on the same chip.
Key words: optical image stabilization (OIS) controller
Context: Handsets and digital still cameras have been challenges to try to improve their optical performance. Methodology requires more accurate optical image
stabilization as the cameras increase in the number of pixels per image. It is desirable to provide an OIS controller for a camera module that addresses all criteria related
to improving their performance that is small in size, having increased optical image stabilization, being very robust and being low in cost.
Advantages / Prev.:
-A high bandwidth digital gyroscope is utilized to estimate the angular position sensor. This eliminates the need for a
Hall element and its associated circuitry that is typically utilized in OIS systems. This further reduces the size of the
chip.
-The control and drive electronics can be implemented primarily through signal processing logic.
-Less phase delay due to a high bandwidth gyro and a unique control loop design.
-The peak filter increases rejection gain to a frequency and also improves the stabilization for the low pass notch.
-The peak filter design increases the gain at the frequency of interest through the use of the VCM and also selectively
changing the spring constant of the VCM.
-OIS system is lower in cost and small in size. Therefore it can be placed on a single chip.
Weakness:
Based on International preliminary
examination report, the subject-matter of the
invention has been anticipated or suggested
by
US2006251410 (Citicorp North America &
Avago Technologies General IP, 2006-11-09)
Application
Top ranked patent

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More slides from the report…

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Available MEMS Reports
Trends in MEMS
Manufacturing &
Packaging
MEMS Cosim+
MEMS Manufacturing
Cost Simulation Tool
Ferro-Electric
Thin Films
MEMS
Microphone
Permanent Wafer
Bonding
Thin Wafer
Handling
Infrared Detector
Market, Applications
and Technology
Trends
Technology Trends
for Inertials MEMS
RF Filters, PAs,
Antenna Switches &
Tunability for Cellular
Handsets
Trends in MEMS
Manufacturing &
Packaging
Ferro-Electric
Thin Films
Motion Sensors for
Consumer & Mobile
applications
MEMS for Cell
Phones and
Tablets
Uncooled Infrared
Imaging: Commercial &
Military Applications
IMU & Gyro for
Defense, Aerospace
& Industrial
Status of the
CMOS Image
Sensors
New!
3-Axis Consumer
Gyroscopes
New!
Emerging Energy
Harvesting
Devices
New!
MEMS Front-End
Manufacturing
Trends
New!
MEMS Pressure
Sensor
Sensor fusion of
acceleros, gyros &
magnetometers

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