| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 324683000 | With phase signal processing circuit | 14 |
| 20100188106 | MULTI-CHANNEL CAPACITIVE SENSING CIRCUIT - Provided is a multi-channel capacitive sensing circuit, in which at least one capacitive sensor has the capacitance changed corresponding to the change of external environment, and generates change signals corresponding to the capacitance change, respectively. An oscillator outputs a carrier wave modulating the capacitance change signal. At least one capacitance-to-voltage converter receives the capacitance change signals modulated by means of the carrier wave and outputs voltage signals corresponding to the modulated capacitance change signals, respectively. A multiplexer receives the voltage signals, selects any one of the voltage signals and sequentially outputs them. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) receives the voltage signals outputted from the multiplexer, converts them into digital voltage signals and outputs them. Accordingly, it is possible to output the capacitance change signals each generated in the at least one capacitance sensor to one ADC using the multiplexer. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the multi-channel capacitive sensing circuit and reduce the power consumption. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20110309846 | CAPACITANCE DETECTION IN ELECTROCHEMICAL ASSAY WITH IMPROVED RESPONSE - Methods and systems are provided to determine capacitance of the electrochemical test cell. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110316566 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIGITISING IMPEDANCE - An apparatus for digitising an impedance is provided that comprises a first impedance element having a first impedance that varies with a property to be measured and a second impedance element having a second impedance. The apparatus also includes a drive signal generator for applying a first alternating drive signal to the first impedance element and a second alternating drive signal to the second impedance element. An analogue-to-digital converter, ADC, receives a resultant signal comprising the combination of the signals produced by the application of the first and second alternating drive signals to the first and second impedance elements. The first alternating drive signal is phase shifted relative to the second alternating drive signal such that the resultant signal received and sampled by the ADC sequentially relates to the sum of, and the difference between, the first and second impedances. The apparatus also comprises a signal separator that receives sample values from the ADC and generates a sum channel and a difference channel therefrom. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120112774 | Device and Method for Determining Capacitance as a Function of Voltage - A device and method of determining a capacitance of a device is provided, which in one embodiment includes connecting a first terminal of a capacitor having a known capacitance to the first terminal of the device, applying an AC voltage to the first terminal of the device and the first terminal of the capacitor, measuring a current through the capacitor, measuring a current through the device, determining a first voltage across the device as a function of time, computing a capacitance of the device as a function of time by multiplying the capacitance of the capacitor by the ratio of the current through the device to the current through the capacitor, determining a capacitance of the device as a function of voltage based on the capacitance as a function of time and the first voltage across the device as a function of time, and outputting data of the first capacitance of the device as a function of voltage. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120126836 | MICROELECTROMECHANICAL STRUCTURE (MEMS) MONITORING - A MEMS component is monitored to determine its status. Sensors are deployed to sense the MEMS component and produce detection signals that are analyzed to determine the MEMS component state. An indicator device alerts a user of the status, particularly if the MEMS component has failed. Additionally, the MEMS component monitoring system may be practiced as a design structure encoded on computer readable storage media as part of a circuit design system. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120146669 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINED MICRO-SCALE AND NANO-SCALE C-V, Q-V, AND I-V TESTING OF SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS - Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current. | 06-14-2012 |
| 20130057303 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A CLASPING OF A HAND-HELD DEVICE BY A HAND - A device for an electric hand-held device for detecting the hand-held device being clasped by a hand, has at least one transmitting electrode, which can emit an alternating electric field, and at least one receiving electrode, in which the alternating electric field can be coupled at least partially, wherein the at least one transmitting electrode and the at least one receiving electrode can be arranged on the hand-held device such that each of them is at least partially covered by the hand when the hand-held device is being clasped by the hand. When the hand-held device is being clasped by the hand, a first portion of the alternating electric field emitted by the transmitting electrode can be coupled via the hand into the receiving electrode, wherein at least the first portion of the alternating electric field is a characteristic representative of the hand-held device being clasped by the hand. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130176039 | Robust Capacitive Measurement System - A capacitive sensing circuit is disclosed, wherein the transimpedance amplifier in front of the mixer in prior art is removed respectively replaced by an amplifier with low gain and consequently high dynamic range. The mixer DC offset voltage or current together with the large amplification factor required after the mixer now would result in an inacceptable DC offset at the output of the signal chain. In order to eliminate the effect of the mixer offset, the amplifying stages after the mixer are AC coupled to the mixer output and one of the signals entering the mixer is phase modulated or amplitude modulated with a known low frequency signal. An additional mixer after the AC coupled amplifying stages is driven with the same low frequency modulating signal, resulting in the wanted DC output signal responsive to the capacitance to be measured. | 07-11-2013 |
| 20130207675 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A CAPACITIVE POSITION SENSOR AND CAPACITIVE POSITION SENSOR - A method for operating a capacitive position sensor includes providing excitation signals driving each conductive element. The excitation signals are periodic in 2π, with each set of conductive elements being provided with n different excitation signals. The different excitation signals differ in phase, wherein in a functionality check mode, the excitation signal that in a measurement mode is applied to one of the conductive elements in the functionality check mode is applied to a different one of the conductive elements. The different conductive element is the k-th conductive element counted from the one of the conductive elements, with k being an integer of 1 to n−1 and this shift of excitation signals is applied to all conductive elements. The capacitive position sensor includes a stator having a transmitter with N sets of conductive elements, each set having n conductive elements formed in a linear or circular arrangement thereon. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130249570 | Sensor and Method for Detecting an Object - The invention relates to a sensor for detecting an object. The sensor includes a probe electrode for forming a measuring capacitance with the object to be detected, a charging generator for generating an alternating charging voltage, wherein the probe electrode is charged by means of the alternating charging voltage, an amplifier for amplifying a voltage across the measuring capacitance, wherein the amplifier includes a first supply connection and a second supply connection, electronic means for processing signals outputted at an output of the amplifier to form at least one output signal and at least one sensor output for outputting the at least one output signal. According to the invention, the sensor is characterized in that a DC voltage in the form of a second supply voltage is connectable to the second supply connection, and that a first supply voltage having an AC voltage portion is connectable to the first supply connection, wherein a supply voltage generator is available for generating the DC voltage portion. The invention also relates to a method for detecting an object. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130257458 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNALS - Sinusoidal drive is used, and a coefficient table for a plurality of predetermined phases is established, wherein each predetermined phase is designated with a coefficient. A sinusoidal wave is measured at the plurality of predetermined phases of each half cycle to produce measured signals, and each of the measured signals is multiplied with the coefficient corresponding to the phase at which the signal is measured to produce a weighted measured signal. Then, the weighted measured signals are summed to produce a complete measured signal. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130257459 | Capacitive Measurement Multiplexing Circuit and Method - A capacitance measuring system, including: a calibration capacitor; first circuitry for sensing an input current at an input thereof and generating an output signal that is based upon a capacitance appearing at the input of the first circuitry; and multiplexer circuitry, coupled between the input of the first circuitry and a terminal of each of the capacitor to be measured and the calibration capacitor, for selectively coupling the terminal of each, one at a time, to the input of the first circuitry while the terminal not coupled to the input of the conversion circuitry is coupled to a ground reference; and controller circuitry for calculating a capacitance of the capacitor to be measured based upon the output signal of the first circuitry when the capacitor to be measured is coupled to the input thereof and upon the output signal of the first circuitry when the calibration capacitor is coupled to the input thereof. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20140139243 | Capacitive position encoder - The invention relates to a capacitive position encoder ( | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140167789 | MODE-TUNING SENSE INTERFACE - A MEMS capacitive sensing interface includes a sense capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, and having associated therewith a first electrostatic force. Further included in the MEMS capacitive sensing interface is a feedback capacitor having a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the feedback capacitor having associated therewith a second electrostatic force. The second and the fourth terminals are coupled to a common mass, and a net electrostatic force includes the first and second electrostatic forces acting on the common mass. Further, a capacitance measurement circuit measures the sense capacitance and couples the first terminal and the third terminal. The capacitance measurement circuit, the sense capacitor, and the feedback capacitor define a feedback loop that substantially eliminates dependence of the net electrostatic force on a position of the common mass. | 06-19-2014 |
