A method for measuring an angular position of a rotatable signal-inducing unit uses a sensor unit electrically isolated from the signal-inducing unit. The signal-inducing unit has a center electrode disposed in a signal-inducing unit plane and a rotary electrode disposed in the signal-inducing unit plane, the rotary electrode being conductively connected to the center electrode and laterally offset therefrom. The sensor unit has a first sensor electrode disposed in a sensor plane and at least one second sensor electrode disposed in the sensor plane, the sensor electrodes being arranged in a circle around a ground electrode disposed in the sensor plane, the signal-inducing unit plane and the sensor plane being oriented substantially parallel to one another. The signal-inducing unit is supported so as to be rotatable about the center electrode and the rotary electrode is movable along a circular path in the region of the sensor electrodes.

A scale and related method for a length-measuring system for recording the absolute values of angles or distances. The scale includes a printed circuit board, at least one track for identifying length information or angle information and a coding for identifying the scale. The coding has at least one coding element comprising at least two electrodes and a conductive connection between the electrodes on an insulator substrate. The electrical connection is configured to be irreversibly destroyed when an electrical current is applied.

An absolute capacitative encoder includes a PCB, a plurality of conductive sectors that generate capacitors, a rotor mounted in revolving and/or axially translating mode with respect to the PCB, the rotor being made of dielectric material and having a peripheral slot in register with the conductive sectors, a control unit electrically connected to the conductive sectors in such manner to detect the capacity of each capacitor generated by the conductive sectors, the control unit being set in such manner to detect the capacity variation between the capacitors during the rotation and/or axial translation of the rotor in order to detect the angular and/or axial position of the rotor.

A displacement sensor for sensing a change in separation between a first element and a second element along a displacement direction. The sensor comprises a reference electrode mounted to the second element in the form of a conductive trace on a surface of the second element facing the first element. A deformable electrode, e.g. a conductive elastomeric material, is arranged between the first element and the second element so as to overlie the reference electrode. The deformable electrode has a contact surface facing the reference electrode and insulated therefrom. At least part of the contact surface is inclined relative to an opposing surface of the reference electrode such that when the deformable electrode is compressed along the displacement direction there is a reduction in volume between the contact surface and the opposing surface of the reference electrode, thereby changing the capacitive coupling between them. The sensor further comprises a controller element configured to measure a characteristic of the capacitive coupling between the reference electrode and the deformable electrode and to determine if a change in separation between the first element and the second element has occurred be determining if there is a change in the characteristic of capacitive coupling between the reference electrode and the deformable electrode.

An absolute encoder configured to, when a rotation range of a measurement target member is limited by a brake mechanism, generate an AB-phase signal and a Z-phase signal for calculating a rotation angle of the measurement target member. The absolute encoder includes a brake mechanism, a plurality of Z-phase-signal-detection-target portions each having a Z-phase-signal-rise-detection-target portion and a Z-phase-signal-fall-detection-target portion, a plurality of AB-phase-signal-detection-target portions each located between a Z-phase-signal-rise-detection-target portion and a Z-phase-signal-fall-detection-target portion that are adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction, to thereby form a plurality of restriction ranges each including at least one of the Z-phase-signal-rise-detection-target portions and at least one of the Z-phase-signal-fall-detection-target portions. An interval in the circumferential direction between a Z-phase-signal-rise-detection-target portion and a Z-phase-signal-fall-detection-target portion that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction is different among the plurality of restriction ranges.

Some embodiments of the invention include an absolute capacitive rotary encoder comprising a first disk, which is rotatable relative a second disk, and a first sensor ring and a second sensor ring. The first and the second sensor ring each have a multiplicity of first coupling electrodes and second coupling electrodes capacitively coupling to one another. The first coupling electrodes of a respective sensor ring have different coupling signal phases. The first sensor ring and the second sensor ring are matched to one another in such a way that an angle is determinable absolutely.

The displacement detector is configured to receive a transmission signal output from a transmission signal output unit by a reception electrode disposed in a detection head to detect a displacement between the detection head and a scale based on the received signal. The transmission signal is transmitted from a transmission electrode disposed in the detection head to the reception electrode through a coupling electrode disposed in the scale. Phase adjustment units generates a signal whose phase is adjusted from the transmission signal output from the transmission signal output unit. An amplitude adjustment unit adjusts an amplitude of the signal whose phase is adjusted by the phase adjustment unit to generate a crosstalk correction signal. A demodulation unit samples a signal generated by synthesizing the crosstalk correction signal and the received signal and to demodulate the sampled signal.

Described example user interface control apparatus includes a first structure, with a first side, conductive capacitor plate structures spaced along a first direction on the first side, a movable second structure with an auxiliary conductive structure, and an interface circuit to provide excitation signals to, and receive sense signals from, the conductive capacitor plate structures to perform a mutual capacitance test and a self-capacitance test of individual ones of the conductive capacitor plate structures to determine a position of the second structure or a user's finger relative to the first structure along the first direction.

A capacitance type rotation angle detection stage light includes a pivoting member and a supporting member for supporting the pivoting member. A reflecting grating is attached on the pivoting member, and the reflecting grating rotates along with the pivoting member. A signal grating is attached on the supporting member. The signal grating and the reflecting grating are arranged oppositely. The signal grating comprises capacitance emitting pieces, a capacitance receiving piece and shielding pieces. The reflecting grating comprises capacitance reflecting pieces that reflect signals sent from the capacitance emitting pieces to the capacitance receiving piece. Periodic excitation signals applied to the capacitance emitting pieces finally form a composite signal on the capacitance receiving piece through coupling of two pairs of capacitors that the capacitance emitting pieces and the capacitance reflecting pieces, and the capacitance reflecting pieces and the capacitance receiving piece.

Systems and methods are described herein for extracting inertial information from nonlinear periodic signals. A system for determining an inertial parameter can include circuitry configured for receiving first and second analog signals from first and second sensors, each sensor responsive to motion of a proof mass. The system can include circuitry configured for determining a difference between the first and second analog signals, determining a plurality of timestamps corresponding to times at which the difference crosses a threshold, and determining a plurality of time intervals based on the timestamp. The system can include circuitry configured for determining a result of applying a trigonometric function to a quantity, the quantity based on the plurality of time intervals and determining the inertial parameter based on the result.