Systems and methods for determining a touch input are provided. The systems and methods generally include measuring the peak voltage at an electrode over a measurement period and determining a touch input based on the peak voltage. The systems and methods can conserve computing resources by deferring digital signal processing until after a peak electrode capacitance has been sampled. The systems and methods are suitable for capacitive sensors using self-capacitance and capacitive sensors using mutual capacitance. The systems and methods are also suitable for capacitive buttons, track pads, and touch screens, among other implementations.

A sense unit for inductive sensing or capacitive sensing is described. The sense unit may include a first terminal coupled to a first node, a first electrode coupled to the first node, and a second terminal. The sense unit may include a second electrode coupled to the second terminal. In a first mode, a first signal is received at the first terminal and a second signal is output on the second terminal, where the second signal may be representative of a capacitance of the sense unit. The sense unit may include an inductive coil. The sense unit may include a first capacitor. The inductive coil and the first capacitor are coupled in parallel between the first node and ground. In a second mode, a third signal is received at the first terminal and a fourth signal is output on the second terminal.

The disclosure provides an integrator, a touch display device, and a driving method therefor which can perform amplification and integration functions together. The integrator includes an amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal to which a reference signal having a pulse waveform is supplied; at least one feedback capacitor; a first path switching unit configured to connect the feedback capacitor between an inverting input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier during a rising period of the reference signal; and a second path switching unit configured to connect the feedback capacitor between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier during a falling period of the reference signal, wherein, during each of the rising period and the falling period of the reference signal, a voltage difference between the reference signal and a signal applied to the inverting input terminal of the amplifier is amplified and accumulated, and the amplified and accumulated voltage difference is output.

Technology directed to capacitive touch-sensing channels, including a capacitive-sensing converter based on a sigma-delta modulator, is described. One sigma-delta modulator includes a comparator, a first integrator coupled to receive an incoming signal from the input node and to provide a first output signal, a second integrator, coupled in parallel to the first integrator, to receive the incoming signal and to provide a second output signal, and switching circuitry. The switching circuitry is configured to selectively couple the first integrator between the input node and the comparator to provide the first output signal to the comparator or selectively couple the second integrator between the input node and the comparator to provide the second output signal to the comparator.

Contact or movement gestures between a first body part and a second body part can be detected. Sense circuitry can be configured to sense a signal at the sense electrode (e.g., configured to contact the second body part) in response to a drive signal applied to the drive electrode (e.g., configured to contact the first body part). Processing circuitry can be configured to detect contact in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are met (e.g., an amplitude criterion and a non-distortion criterion). Additionally or alternatively, processing circuitry can be configured to detect a movement gesture in accordance with a determination that one or more criteria are met (e.g., a contact criterion and a movement criterion).

A capacitive sensor device comprises a first sensor electrode, a second sensor electrode, and a processing system coupled to the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with the first sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the emitting and the other of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the receiving, and wherein the first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate. The processing system is configured to determine positional information using the first and second capacitive measurements.

A door handle including a capacitance sensor configured to detect an operation body is provided. The capacitance sensor includes a substrate formed of an insulator and having a surface, at least one first sensor electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate, a plurality of second sensor electrodes disposed on the surface of the substrate, and a controller. The number of the plurality of second sensor electrodes is greater than the number of the at least one first sensor electrode. The controller applies a voltage to the plurality of second sensor electrodes and detects a coordinate position of the operation body, in a case where a capacitance between the operation body and the at least one first sensor electrode is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

Systems and methods for wireless capacitive presence detection are disclosed. In embodiments, a method includes: generating, by a tank circuit of a wireless presence detector, an electric field applied to a balanced electrode of the wireless presence detector utilizing power from a battery of the wireless presence detector; measuring, by a capacitive sensor of the wireless presence detector, a change in capacitance of the balance electrode; determining, by a microcontroller of the wireless presence detector, that the change in capacitance indicates a presence of a person within a predetermined distance of the balance electrode; and sending, by a radio circuit of the wireless presence detector, an alert to a remote gateway using a radio frequency sub-gigahertz (Ghz) transmission, wherein the alert is based on the determining that the change in capacitance indicates the presence of a person within the predetermined distance of the balance electrode.

A capacitor sensor array (or grid) over a wireless power transmission coil can include a first set of lines; a second set of lines intersecting the first set of lines; a first multiplexer coupled to provide a charge (e.g. in the form of a DC voltage) from a voltage source to the first set of lines and provide first signals to detect voltages on each line; and a second multiplexer coupled to provide a charge from the voltage source to the second set of lines and provide second signals to detect voltages on each line, wherein an object positioned with respect to the first set of lines and the second set of lines is located. According to some embodiments, a wireless power receive coil and a rectifier circuit can be used in forming a capacitor sensor, to sense the capacitance between the receive and transmit coils for better alignment between the two coils. Other embodiments are also provided.

A robot includes a body on which is mounted a functional head also including a capacitive detector, including: at least one electrical insulator in order to electrically insulate the functional head; at least one apparatus for electrically polarizing the functional head at a first alternating electrical potential (V.sub.g), different from a ground potential; at least one guard polarized at an alternating guard potential (V.sub.G) identical to the first alternating electrical potential; and at least one electronics, called detection electronics, for measuring a signal relating to a coupling capacitance, called electrode-object capacitance, between the sensitive part and a surrounding object.