Patent classifications
H03K2217/960735
ROBUST, LOW-COST CAPACITIVE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
A complex current measurement circuit for a guard-sense capacitive sensor includes a periodic signal voltage source, a differential transimpedance amplifier circuit (DTA) and a demultiplexer circuit (DMX). At least one sense antenna electrode of the capacitive sensor is electrically connectable to a signal input line of the DMX which has signal output lines electrically connected to differential signal input lines of the DTA. The DTA includes operational amplifiers having input ports each electrically connected to one of the signal output lines. For each differential signal input line, either a capacitor is electrically connected between an output port of the voltage source and the differential signal input line, wherein an impedance of the capacitor is close to zero Ohm, or a galvanic connection is provided to one of the signal output lines. An output signal provided by the DTA is usable for determining a complex sense current of the capacitive sensor.
Self capacitance drive offset cancellation in touch controller integrated circuits
An interface circuit includes an amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an output, a drive capacitor coupled to the first input of the amplifier, and a feedback path coupled between the output of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier. The interface circuit also includes a current driver coupled to the first input of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier, wherein the current driver is configured to drive the drive capacitor with a first current, and to drive a touch panel capacitor coupled to the second input of the amplifier with a second current.
Sensor and device for presence detection
A presence detection sensor for unlocking an opening panel of a motor vehicle, said sensor comprising a microcontroller implementing an analog-digital converter and comprising a first input, a second input forming the voltage reference of said analog-digital converter, a third input for supplying the microcontroller with voltage, and a plurality of inputs-outputs, and a capacitive voltage divider connected to at least one of the inputs-outputs of the plurality of inputs-outputs. The sensor comprises a resistive module connected between the first input and the second input of the microcontroller and a capacitive module connected between the second input of the microcontroller and a ground.
Multi-bias mode current conveyor, configuring a multi-bias mode current conveyor, touch sensing systems including a multi-bias mode current conveyor, and related systems, methods and devices
One or more embodiments relate to a multi-bias mode current conveyor. Such a current conveyor may include an input terminal, a reference terminal, an output terminal, a first and second cascoded current mirrors, and a biasing circuit. The first cascoded current mirror and a second cascoded current mirror may be arranged as a current conveyor that is configured to provide an output current that a mirror of an input current. The biasing circuit may be configured to provide a bias voltage selectively exhibiting a first voltage level or a second voltage level. The bias voltage may be provided at least partially responsive to a state of the input current. The biasing circuit may be arranged to apply the bias voltage to at least one of the first cascoded current mirror or the second cascoded current mirror.
Self-capacitive touch sensing circuit and noise suppressing method applied to self-capacitive touch panel
A self-capacitive touch sensing circuit including an operational amplifier, an internal capacitor, a first switch and a second switch is disclosed. A first input terminal and a second input terminal of operational amplifier are coupled to a capacitor and ground respectively and an output terminal of operational amplifier outputs an output voltage. The internal capacitor is coupled between the output terminal and first input terminal of operational amplifier. One terminal of first switch is coupled to a first external charging voltage and another terminal of first switch is coupled between the capacitor and the first input terminal. The first external charging voltage is higher than the second external charging voltage. The first switch and second switch are switched according to a specific order, so that the first external charging voltage or second external charging voltage will charge the capacitor.
Capacitive seat occupancy detection and classification system
A capacitive vehicle seat occupancy detection and classification system includes an impedance measurement circuit and a control and evaluation unit. The impedance measurement circuit is configured for providing periodic electrical measurement signals to a capacitive sensor of N different fundamental frequencies, wherein N is a natural number of at least 3, and to determine a complex impedance from each of determined sense currents in the capacitive sensor. The control and evaluation unit is configured to determine a seat occupancy class for each one of the complex impedances determined at the at least N different fundamental frequencies, and to determine a final seat occupancy class derived by a majority decision among the determined seat occupancy classes.
SELF CAPACITANCE DRIVE OFFSET CANCELLATION IN TOUCH CONTROLLER INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
An interface circuit includes an amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an output, a drive capacitor coupled to the first input of the amplifier, and a feedback path coupled between the output of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier. The interface circuit also includes a current driver coupled to the first input of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier, wherein the current driver is configured to drive the drive capacitor with a first current, and to drive a touch panel capacitor coupled to the second input of the amplifier with a second current.
Capacitive sensor device with EMI-robust capacitive measurement circuit
A capacitive sensor device configured for being connected between an electric heating member and a heating current supply and for using the electric heating member as an antenna electrode. The sensor device includes a common mode choke for connecting between the heating member and the current supply, and a control and evaluation circuit for determining an electrical impedance between the electric heating member and a counter electrode via a measurement node. The control and evaluation circuit includes: a third winding inductively coupled to the first and second windings of the common mode choke, a periodic signal voltage source directly connected to the third common mode choke winding, an electrical quantity measurement circuit configured to determine an electrical quantity across the measurement node, and an EMI filter network that is connected across a signal input port of the third winding and a reference input port connected to AC ground potential.
Reduction of capacitive touch sense electrode sample value change when electrode scan period is changed
A touch sensitive capacitive keypad system (100) is provided with an analog-to-digital converter, a keypad sensing electrode (114) coupled to measure capacitance voltages using a configurable electrode scan rate, and a controller (120) configured to provide scan-rate independent capacitance voltage measurements from the keypad sensing electrode to the analog-to-digital converter when there is a change in the configurable electrode scan rate by repetitively sampling a capacitance voltage measurements (e.g., 524a-f) from the keypad sensing electrode over a plurality of sequential electrode scan cycles and then discarding a predetermined number of the capacitance voltage measurements (e.g., 524a-b) to generate the scan-rate independent capacitance voltage measurements (e.g., 524c-f) that are provided to the analog-to-digital converter.
Analog front end (AFE) for quantization noise-limited sensor apparatus
An analog front end (AFE) for an input device includes a current conveyor and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) switchably coupled to the current conveyor. The current conveyor is configured to receive an input signal from a plurality of sensor electrodes. The ADC generates an output value corresponding to a digital representation of the input signal when the ADC is coupled to the current conveyor. Further, the ADC may selectively adjust the output value based at least in part on a state of the ADC when the ADC is decoupled from the current conveyor. In some implementations, the ADC may include a delta-sigma modulator configured to generate an additional sample when the ADC is decoupled from the current conveyor. The ADC may determine an amount of quantization error in the output value based on the additional sample, and adjust the output value when the quantization error exceeds a threshold amount.