US Patent 7999643 Providing a common environment for multiple MEMS devices

The present invention relates to providing a uniform operating environment for each of multiple devices by providing a common environment to the devices. The common environment is provided by multiple cavities, which are interconnected by at least one environmental pathway, which may be provided by at least one tunnel. The common environment may help provide uniform operating pressure, which may be a partial or near vacuum, a surrounding gas of uniform contents, such as an inert gas or mixture of inert gases, or both. The devices may include micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices, such as MEMS switches.