A capacitance sensor includes a switch control unit that performs a first switching process that turns on a first switch and then repeatedly performs a second switching process that complementarily switches off and on second and third switches that are respectively connected to second and third capacitors; an obtaining unit that calculates, as a sensor output value, a number of times the second switching process is repeated until a magnitude relationship reverses between an intermediate potential and a reference potential; a calculation unit that calculates a sensor output corrected value obtained by correcting the sensor output value such that a resolution becomes uniform; and a determination unit that determines whether a detection target exists from a magnitude relationship between a sensor output difference value and a determination threshold value.

A capacitance sensor includes a switch control unit that performs a first switching process that turns on a first switch and then repeatedly performs a second switching process that complementarily switches off and on second and third switches that are respectively connected to second and third capacitors; an obtaining unit that calculates, as a sensor output value, a number of times the second switching process is repeated until a magnitude relationship reverses between an intermediate potential and a reference potential; a calculation unit that calculates a sensor output corrected value obtained by correcting the sensor output value such that a resolution becomes uniform; and a determination unit that determines whether a detection target exists from a magnitude relationship between a sensor output difference value and a determination threshold value.

The embodiments described herein are directed to systems and devices for electronically measuring the absolute position of one or more moving targets e.g., along the length of a metal beam using mutual capacitive sensing. The beam may be made of metal and may have a limited inset area to fit a position detection sensor device along its length. The moving targets may have no active elements and the position of multiple targets may be detected simultaneously along the beam. The systems and devices described herein do not utilize electronic position feedback and instead rely on an integrated ruler and minimize the total number of sensors required to support recalibration, thereby minimizing scan time (more sensors results in a linear increase in scan time).

The embodiments described herein are directed to systems and devices for electronically measuring the absolute position of one or more moving targets e.g., along the length of a metal beam using mutual capacitive sensing. The beam may be made of metal and may have a limited inset area to fit a position detection sensor device along its length. The moving targets may have no active elements and the position of multiple targets may be detected simultaneously along the beam. The systems and devices described herein do not utilize electronic position feedback and instead rely on an integrated ruler and minimize the total number of sensors required to support recalibration, thereby minimizing scan time (more sensors results in a linear increase in scan time).

A device for detecting an object with respect to a detection surface including: a measurement electrode; at least one guard electrode, at the same alternating potential as the measurement electrode; at least one module for measuring a first signal with respect to the capacitance (C.sub.eo), called electrode-object capacitance, formed between said measurement electrode and said object; and
at least one electrode, called polarization electrode, placed opposite the object, and polarized at the ground potential (G) so as to polarize the object by capacitive coupling.

Examples are disclosed that relate to sensing a position of a surface proximate to a resonant LC sensor. One example provides a method on a sensing device comprising one or more resonant LC sensors each configured to output a signal responsive to a position of a surface proximate to the resonant LC sensor. The method comprises, for each LC sensor, generating an oscillating signal on an antenna of the resonant LC sensor and detecting a near-field response of the resonant LC sensor at a selected frequency.

Examples are disclosed that relate to sensing a position of a surface proximate to a resonant LC sensor. One example provides a method on a sensing device comprising one or more resonant LC sensors each configured to output a signal responsive to a position of a surface proximate to the resonant LC sensor. The method comprises, for each LC sensor, generating an oscillating signal on an antenna of the resonant LC sensor and detecting a near-field response of the resonant LC sensor at a selected frequency.

A capacitive sensor including an electrically conductive material, and a single electrode applied with positive potential, wherein the distance between the single electrode and the electrically conductive material determines the spherical radius for a proximity sensing range.

A capacitive sensor including an electrically conductive material, and a single electrode applied with positive potential, wherein the distance between the single electrode and the electrically conductive material determines the spherical radius for a proximity sensing range.

A source follower for a capacitive sensor device having a sense node and a shield node is provided. The source follower may include a transistor, and a switch array selectively coupling the transistor between the sense node and the shield node. The switch array may be configured to substantially disable current to the transistor during a first mode of operation, precharge the transistor during a second mode of operation, and enable the transistor to copy a sense node voltage to a shield node voltage during a third mode of operation.