The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for a capacitive sensor device (20) of a vehicle (1), in particular for control and/or evaluation at the capacitive sensor device (20) for detecting an activating action at the vehicle (1), comprising at least one sensor electrode (20.1) for sensing a change in a vicinity of the vehicle (1), a transmission arrangement (30) for providing an output signal (A) by a frequency-dependent change of an electrical input signal (E) of the transmission arrangement (30), an output (30.2) of the transmission arrangement (30), which is electrically connected to the sensor electrode (20.1) in order to operate the sensor electrode (20.1) with the output signal (A), wherein the transmission arrangement (30) comprises at least one filter component (30.4, 30.5) to perform the frequency-dependent change.

A capacitive sensor includes a switching capacitor circuit, a comparator, and a charge dissipation circuit. The switching capacitor circuit reciprocally couples a sensing capacitor in series with a modulation capacitor during a first switching phase and discharges the sensing capacitor during a second switching phase. The comparator is coupled to compare a voltage potential on the modulation capacitor to a reference and to generate a modulation signal in response. The charge dissipation circuit is coupled to the modulation capacitor to selectively discharge the modulation capacitor in response to the modulation signal.

The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for an evaluation in a capacitive sensor device (20) of a vehicle (1), in particular for the detection of an activation action at the vehicle (1), comprising: at least one sensor element (20.1) for the detection of a change in a surroundings of the sensor element (20.1), an electric holding arrangement (50.4) which is connected to the sensor element (20.1) for the transfer of charge, a control device (50) for the repeated determination (100) of at least one parameter of the sensor element (20.1) specific to the detection, in order to perform the evaluation, at least one controlling means (50.6) of the control device (50) in order to perform for the respective determination (100) of the parameter the transfer of charge repeatedly as pulses (P) with a predetermined number (N), so that a state of charge of the holding arrangement (50.4) is changed successively.

A presence detection device including a sensor connected to a microcontroller, the sensor including a first detection capacitor arranged in a first detection area, and a second detection capacitor arranged in a second detection area. The microcontroller is configured to recurrently repeat a phase of measuring a measurement signal by charging/discharging the first detection capacitor from/into the second detection capacitor, and to detect a presence of a user in the first detection area and/or the second detection area according to the measurement signal. Also disclosed are a motor vehicle including a detection device and a detection method.

A capacitive touch sensing circuit includes a first switch to a fourteenth switch, an operational amplifier, a comparator, a detection capacitor, a feedback capacitor, an amplifier capacitor and a mutual inductance capacitor. The tenth switch is coupled between a first node and a second node respectively coupled to a negative input terminal and an output terminal of operational amplifier. The amplifier capacitor is coupled between a third node and a fourth node. The eleventh switch is coupled between the first node and the third node. The twelfth switch is coupled between the second node and the fourth node. The thirteenth switch is coupled between the third node and the second node. The fourteenth switch is coupled between the fourth node and the first node. The capacitive touch sensing circuit sequentially operates under a first charging phase, a first transfer phase, a second charging phase and a second transfer phase.

A capacitive multipath force sensor module includes a movable actuator, first and second stationary capacitor plates, and a central capacitor plate connected to the actuator and positioned between the stationary plates. The central plate moves by a same amount toward one stationary plate and away from the other stationary plate when the actuator is moved. In multiple successive cycles, while the first stationary plate is held at ground, (i) the central plate and the second stationary plate are connected to a voltage and (ii) are then disconnected from the voltage with the central plate being connected to a capacitor having a known capacitance value to thereby enable a charge quantity stored on the central plate to be transferred to the capacitor. After a predefined number of cycles, a voltage of the capacitor, which is indicative of an amount of movement of the actuator, is measured.

A capacitive sensor that includes: a sensing electrode having a capacitance to be measured; an alternating voltage source, configured to apply an alternating voltage to the sensing electrode; a capacitive first transfer device; a measurement circuit configured to measure the capacitance of the sensing electrode; and a switching arrangement. The switching arrangement is configured to alternately, in a first switching state, connect the first transfer device to the sensing electrode to enable a charge transfer from the sensing electrode to the first transfer device and, in a second switching state, connect the first transfer device to the measurement circuit to enable a charge transfer from the first transfer device to the measurement circuit.

An apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode having first and second opposing surfaces. The first opposing surface is adjacent the first electrode and separated from the first electrode by a first distance, and the second opposing surface is adjacent the second electrode and separated from the second electrode by a second distance. The third electrode is configured to move relative to the first and second electrodes. A capacitance sensing circuit is coupled to the first and second electrodes. The capacitive sensing circuit is configured to determine a capacitance using the first and second electrodes.

Capacitive door handle sensor comprising at least one transmission electrode and a reception electrode, an operational amplifier configured as a charge amplifier and connected to the reception electrode, a switch for charge transfer, a first and a second switch for discharging the two operational amplifier inputs and, a capacitor arranged between the output and the inverting input of the operational amplifier, and a control unit for controlling and evaluating the measurement, wherein the control unit comprises a reference potential switching output which is connected to a terminal of the switch and is configured to selectively control a capacitance measurement between the transmission electrodes and the reception electrode or between the reception electrode and ground. Furthermore, methods for setting different operating modes are claimed.

A multi-channel capacitive sensor for measuring the capacitances of a plurality of sense electrodes to a system reference potential. The sensor comprises a sample capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, a first diode having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the sample capacitor and a second terminal coupled to a first sense electrode, and a second diode having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the sample capacitor and a second terminal coupled to a second sense electrode. The sample capacitor and diodes are coupled to a control circuit, e.g. implemented in a microcontroller. The control circuit is operable to apply a drive signal, e.g. a series of voltage pulses, to the first terminal of the sample capacitor while simultaneously applying a bias signal to the second terminal of one or other of the diodes to prevent the diode from conducting the drive signal. Thus charge transfer techniques can be used to measure multiple capacitances while sharing a common sample capacitor. This helps reduce inter-channel drift. Further measurement channels may be added by providing further diodes and corresponding sense electrodes. With three or more channels the scheme requires only one additional control circuit connection per additional channel.