HALF-BRIDGE FOR CAPACITIVE SENSING
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring a ratio of capacitances, comprising:
- a first comparator including a first comparator input, a first comparator output, and a first reference voltage;
a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, a first electrode coupled to the first comparator input, and a second electrode;
a first biasing element coupled to the first electrode of the first capacitive element;
a digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator for generating a varying waveform, the voltage waveform generator including a voltage waveform generator output coupled to the second electrode of the first capacitive element;
a second capacitive element including a second capacitance and a third electrode coupled to the first comparator input; and
a controller coupled to the first comparator output, the controller configured to control the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator, wherein;
a first output signal of the first comparator is dependent on a first ratio comprising the first capacitance and the second capacitance, and at least one of the first capacitive element and the second capacitive element is a variable capacitive element.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring a ratio of capacitances. The apparatus include a comparator including a comparator input, a comparator output, and a reference voltage; a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, a first electrode coupled to the comparator input, and a second electrode; a first biasing element coupled to the first electrode; a digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator for generating a varying waveform, the voltage waveform generator including a voltage waveform generator output coupled to the second electrode; a second capacitive element including a second capacitance and a third electrode coupled to the comparator input; and a controller coupled to the comparator output, the controller configured to control the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator, wherein an output signal of the comparator is dependent on a ratio comprising the first capacitance and the second capacitance, and the first capacitive element and/or the second capacitive element has a variable capacitance.
52 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring a ratio of capacitances, comprising:
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a first comparator including a first comparator input, a first comparator output, and a first reference voltage;
a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, a first electrode coupled to the first comparator input, and a second electrode;
a first biasing element coupled to the first electrode of the first capacitive element;
a digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator for generating a varying waveform, the voltage waveform generator including a voltage waveform generator output coupled to the second electrode of the first capacitive element;
a second capacitive element including a second capacitance and a third electrode coupled to the first comparator input; and
a controller coupled to the first comparator output, the controller configured to control the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator, wherein;
a first output signal of the first comparator is dependent on a first ratio comprising the first capacitance and the second capacitance, and at least one of the first capacitive element and the second capacitive element is a variable capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for measuring a ratio of capacitances, comprising:
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a first comparator including a first comparator input, a first comparator output, and a first reference voltage;
a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, a first electrode, and a second electrode;
a first node coupling the first comparator input to the second electrode;
a digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator for generating a varying waveform, the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator including a digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator output;
a first switch configured to selectively couple the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator output to the first node;
a first biasing element coupled to the first electrode;
a second capacitive element including a second capacitance and a third electrode coupled to the first electrode; and
a controller coupled to the first comparator output, the controller configured to control the digitally-controlled voltage waveform generator, wherein;
a first output signal of the comparator is dependent on a first ratio comprising the first capacitance and the second capacitance, and at least one of the first capacitive element and the second capacitive element is a variable capacitive element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for generating a first comparator output signal dependent on a ratio including a first capacitance (C1) of a first capacitive element and a second capacitance (C2) of a second capacitive element, the method comprising the steps of:
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setting an initial voltage across the first capacitive element;
generating a varying voltage waveform (Vw);
applying Vw to at least one of the first capacitive element and the second capacitive element to generate a first voltage (Vn1) such that Vn1 exhibits values above and below a first reference voltage (Vref1) at different times, wherein a change in Vn1 is substantially proportional to the ratio including the first capacitance and the second capacitance;
comparing Vn1 to Vref1; and
generating the first comparator output signal, wherein the first comparator output signal changes state in response to Vn1 crossing from one of being below Vref1 to being above Vref1 and from being above Vref1 to being below Vref1, and wherein a change in Vw is representative of a first ratio including the first capacitance and the second capacitance when Vn1 is substantially equal to Vref1. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification