US Patent 8397579 Compact pressure-sensing device

The innovations herein include a compact sensing device that is capable of measuring the conditions (e,g, pressure, temperature) inside a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Aspects also include a cost-effective method of fabricating the sensing device. An exemplary sensing device includes a substrate, a beam, and piezo-resistive sensing elements. The beam, which is formed on the substrate, is capable of deflecting according to different pressures applied to different beam surfaces. The piezo-resistive sensing elements are coupled to the beam and detect beam deflection. The piezo-resistive sensing elements generate an electrical signal corresponding to the beam deflection.