Electric Field Sensing Device
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensing system is disclosed that uses at least one conductive plate and associated electronic circuitry to provide an output that is indicative of an object'"'"'s position in relation to the at least one conductive plate. The sensing system is provided with a high impedance drive signal that varies as a result of the location of an object relative to the at least one conductive plate. The electronic circuitry receives a high impedance drive signal value as an input and a processor uses the value to calculate a digital output indicative of the object'"'"'s position. The high impedance drive signal value is monitored over time enabling the objects position, displacement, pressure, movement, impact and energy to be determined. This data is output to a display and may also be transmitted to a person located remotely from the object being monitored.
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Citations
136 Claims
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1-70. -70. (canceled)
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71. An electric field sensing system used to detect movement, position and pressure of an object comprising:
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at least one conductive plate, a reference input signal, a high impedance drive signal input generated from said reference input signal and connected to said at least one conductive plate producing an electric field around said at least one conductive plate, a processing circuit that synchronously detects and receives as an input said reference input signal and said high impedance drive signal and applies at least one algorithm to measure any variations in said signals, and generates a digital signal output, and wherein a position of said object in said electric field determines a value of said high impedance drive signal and said processing circuit provides said digital signal output indicative of said object'"'"'s position or movement in relation to said at least one conductive plate. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A multilayered electric field sensing system used to detect at least one of movement, position and pressure of an object comprising:
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a plurality of electrically coupled conductive plates forming a layered construction, a plurality of compressible insulating members interleaved with said conductive plates, a reference input signal, a high impedance drive signal input generated from said reference input signal and connected to at least one of said conductive plates producing an electric field between said layered construction, a processing circuit that synchronously detects and receives as an input said reference input signal and said high impedance drive signal and applies at least one algorithm to measure any variations in said signals, and generates a digital signal output, and wherein a position of said object in said electric field determines a value of said high impedance drive signal and said processing circuit provides said digital signal output indicative of a position of said object or movement in relation to said plurality of electrically coupled conductive plates. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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112. A double layer electric field sensing system used to detect movement, position and pressure of an object comprising:
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an electronic circuit used to generate a multiplexed high impedance signal and a multiplexed low impedance inverted drive signal, a first conductive plate energised by said multiplexed high impedance drive signal, a second conductive plate energised by said multiplexed low impedance inverted drive signal, a compressible insulating layer located between said first and second conductive plates, a processing circuit that obtains as an input said multiplexed high impedance drive signal, calculates variations in said multiplexed high impedance drive signal and generates a digital signal output, and wherein said first conductive plate is electrically orthogonal to said second conductive plate generating a matrix of electrically coupled cells whereby a position of said object determines a number of coupling interactions between said electrically coupled cells and said processing circuit measures said positions and provides said digital signal output indicative of said object position. - View Dependent Claims (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136)
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Specification