An apparatus includes a resistor and a circuit. The resistor may be fabricated on a die using a semiconductor process. The circuit may be fabricated on the die using the semiconductor process and may be configured to (i) generate a measurement voltage at a node of the resistor as a function of a capacitance value and a frequency of a clock signal and (ii) generate a codeword in response to the measurement voltage. The codeword generally has a plurality of possible values. A particular value of the possible values may verify that the voltage is between a plurality of threshold voltages.

A composite pane for separating an interior space from an external environment, includes an inner pane, an outer pane with an inner surface, and an intermediate layer that areally joins the inner surface of the outer pane to an outer surface of the inner pane, a capacitive sensor for detecting moisture having at least one capacitor that is connected to an electronic sensor unit, which is provided for detecting a change in capacitance of the capacitor, wherein the capacitor has at least two electrodes formed from a transparent, electrically conductive coating, which are capacitively coupled.

A capacitance to digital converter, CDC, has a first and a second reference terminal for receiving first and second reference voltages, a reference block comprising one or more reference charge stores and being coupled to the first and second reference terminals via a first switching block, a scaling block for providing at third and fourth reference terminals downscaled voltages from the first and second reference voltages depending on a scaling factor, first and second measurement terminals for connecting a capacitive sensor element, the first measurement terminal being coupled to the third and fourth reference terminals via a second switching block, and a processing block coupled to the reference block and to the second measurement terminal and being configured to determine a digital output signal based on a charge distribution between the sensor element and the reference block and based on the scaling factor, the output signal representing a capacitance value of the sensor element.

System and methods are provided for touch detection. The system includes: a sensing capacitive network configured to generate a touch-sensing signal based at least in part on a touch panel capacitance; an internal capacitive network configured to generate an input signal based at least in part on a predetermined internal capacitance; a comparative network configured to compare the touch-sensing signal with a reference signal to generate a first comparison result and compare the input signal with the reference signal to generate a second comparison result; and a signal processing component configured to generate a detection result to indicate whether a touch event occurs on the touch panel based at least in part on the first comparison result and the second comparison result.

The present invention pertains to a resonant cavity system, more specifically, a resonant system for measuring the dielectric constant of a sample and its method of use. The system and method provide for holding sample materials, which can be in solid, liquid, or powder form, and for reducing the size of the requisite cavity for measurement. The construction incorporates waveguide flange connectors to seal the electromagnetic cavity, which facilitates the measurement of low-loss materials. The design for signal input enables the use of standard calibration techniques and measurement.

A system of inspecting a focus ring is provided. The system includes a measuring device, a transfer device and an operation unit. The measuring device includes a base substrate, a sensor chip and a circuit board. The sensor chip has a sensor electrode and is provided along an edge of the base substrate. The circuit board is configured to output a high frequency signal to the sensor electrode and acquire a digital value indicating electrostatic capacitance based on a voltage amplitude in the sensor electrode. The transfer device is configured to scan the measuring device. The operation unit is configured to obtain difference values by performing a difference operation with respect to the digital values acquired by the measuring device at multiple positions along a direction which intersects with an inner periphery of the focus ring.

Embodiments generally relate to an addressing circuit for a conductor array comprising intersecting row and column conductors. The addressing circuit comprises a switching circuit configured to selectively address an intersection between a selected row conductor and a selected column conductor for connection to a measuring circuit; and at least one voltage buffer selectively connectable to un-selected column conductors on opposite sides of and adjacent to the selected column conductor. The at least one voltage buffer is configured to equalise voltages between the un-selected column conductors and the selected column conductor.

A method for determining degradation of a capacitor in an electric meter includes, charging the capacitor to a predetermined voltage value during a charging period using charging circuitry of the electric meter, discharging the capacitor, during a discharge period, from the predetermined voltage value using discharging circuitry of the electric meter, measuring, during the discharge period, a first capacitor voltage value at a first time and a second capacitor voltage value at a second time later than the first time using capacitor measurement circuitry of the electric meter, determining, by a processor of the electric meter, a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the first time, and the second time, comparing the determined capacitance value to a capacitance threshold value, and determining that the capacitor is in a degraded condition when the calculated capacitance value is below the capacitance threshold value.

A method for determining degradation of a capacitor in an electric meter includes, charging the capacitor to a predetermined voltage value during a charging period using charging circuitry of the electric meter, discharging the capacitor, during a discharge period, from the predetermined voltage value using discharging circuitry of the electric meter, measuring, during the discharge period, a first capacitor voltage value at a first time and a second capacitor voltage value at a second time later than the first time using capacitor measurement circuitry of the electric meter, determining, by a processor of the electric meter, a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the first time, and the second time, comparing the determined capacitance value to a capacitance threshold value, and determining that the capacitor is in a degraded condition when the calculated capacitance value is below the capacitance threshold value.

Provided is a capacitive sensor in which fluctuation in the measured value of capacitance caused by the use environment is small. Disclosed is a capacitive sensor which includes a sensor sheet and a measuring instrument, the sensor sheet including a central electrode layer; a first dielectric layer laminated on the upper surface of the central electrode layer; a second dielectric layer laminated on the lower surface of the central electrode layer; a first outer electrode layer formed on the surface of the first dielectric layer on the opposite side of the central electrode layer side; and a second outer electrode layer formed on the surface of the second dielectric layer on the opposite side of the central electrode layer side, in which the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are formed from elastomers, the part where the central electrode layer and the first outer electrode layer face each other is designated as a first detection portion, while the part where the central electrode layer and the second outer electrode layer face each other is designated as a second detection portion, the sensor sheet is reversibly deformable, and the capacitances of the first detection portion and the second detection portion change with deformation. The state of deformation of the sensor sheet is measured on the basis of the total capacitance by adding the capacitance of the first detection portion and the capacitance of the second detection potion.