CAPACITIVE POSITION SENSOR
First Claim
1. A sensor comprising:
- a sensing element comprising a sensing path having a length;
at least one sensing channel coupled to the sensing element, the sensing channel operable to generate a signal indicative of capacitance between the sensing path and a system ground;
a processor having a first mode and a second mode, the processor configured to determine a first position of an object along the sensing path using the signal and to set a parameter to an initial value in the first mode, wherein the initial value is related to the first position along the sensing path and to a range of parameter values associated with the length of the sensing path, the processor further configured to adjust the parameter in a second mode in response to a displacement of the object along the sensing path from the first position, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode when the signal indicates displacement of the object, proximate the sensing element, along the sensing path.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus related to a sensor are discussed herein. The sensor can include a sensing element having a sensing path, the sensing element coupled to a sensing channel, and a processor configured to interpret a signal generated by the sensing channel indicative of a capacitance between the sensing path and a system ground. The processor can have a first mode configured to set a parameter to a desired value. The desired value can be related to a first position of an object sensed along the sensing path and a range of parameter values mapped to a length of the sensing path. A second mode can adjust the parameter based on a displacement of the object along the sensing path.
18 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A sensor comprising:
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a sensing element comprising a sensing path having a length; at least one sensing channel coupled to the sensing element, the sensing channel operable to generate a signal indicative of capacitance between the sensing path and a system ground; a processor having a first mode and a second mode, the processor configured to determine a first position of an object along the sensing path using the signal and to set a parameter to an initial value in the first mode, wherein the initial value is related to the first position along the sensing path and to a range of parameter values associated with the length of the sensing path, the processor further configured to adjust the parameter in a second mode in response to a displacement of the object along the sensing path from the first position, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode when the signal indicates displacement of the object, proximate the sensing element, along the sensing path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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detecting an object proximate a first position along a sensing path of a capacitive position sensor; activating a first mode of the capacitive position sensor; setting a parameter to an initial value related to the first position; sensing a displacement of the object from the first position, the object proximate a sensing element along the sensing path of the capacitive position sensor; initiating a change in mode of the sensor from the first mode to a second mode using the sensed displacement of the object along the sensing path; and incrementally adjusting the parameter from the initial value using a magnitude of the displacement. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification