Capacitive Sensing

• US 20170170825A1
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodrón Limited (Atlantic IP Services Limited)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dubery, John Stanley
• Granted Patent: US 10,511,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/00 Measuring arrangements giving results other than momentary value of variable, of general application G01D3/00 takes precedence; in tariff metering apparatus G01D4/00; transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable G01D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 15/00 Component parts of recorders for measuring arrangements not specially adapted for a specific variable
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 by varying capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0878 Sensors; antennas; probes; detectors wave guide measuring sections G01R1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960725 Charge-transfer

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device includes a multi-channel capacitive sensor and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to ground a first sense capacitor and a second sense capacitor of the multi-channel capacitive sensor. The first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor are adapted to be connected to a drive line. The control circuit is configured to charge, by a first voltage provided on a pin of the controller, an in-series combination of a sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor while not charging the second sense capacitor by the first voltage provided on the pin of the controller. The control circuit is further configured to measure a second voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination, the second voltage providing an indication of a capacitance of the first sense capacitor.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A device comprising:

a multi-channel capacitive sensor comprising a drive line; and

a control circuit configured to;

ground a first sense capacitor and a second sense capacitor of the multi-channel capacitive sensor, wherein the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor are adapted to be connected to the drive line;

charge, by a first voltage provided on a pin of the controller, an in-series combination of a sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor while not charging the second sense capacitor by the first voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measure a second voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor, wherein the second voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the first sense capacitor.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

ground the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor after charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor;

charge, by a third voltage provided on the pin of the controller, an in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor while not charging the first sense capacitor by the third voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measure a fourth voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor, wherein the fourth voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the second sense capacitor.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to repeat the charging and measuring operations until the measured second voltage exceeds a measurement threshold.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use forward conduction of a drive signal by a first diode coupled to the first sense capacitor to charge the in-series combination.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to provide a bias signal, by a second pin of the controller, to prevent a second diode coupled to the second sense capacitor from forward conducting a drive signal to the second sense capacitor.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to compare the capacitance of the first sense electrode with a capacitance of a second sense electrode.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to provide a time gap between charging the in-series combination and measuring the second voltage.

27. The device claim 20, wherein the control circuit is further configured to ground the first sense capacitor while measuring the second voltage.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising logic, the logic when executed by one or more processors configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

grounding a first sense capacitor and a second sense capacitor of the multi-channel capacitive sensor, wherein the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor are adapted to be connected to a drive line;

charging, by a first voltage provided on a pin of the controller, an in-series combination of a sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor while not charging the second sense capacitor by the first voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measuring a second voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor, wherein the second voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the first sense capacitor.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise:

grounding the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor after charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor;

charging, by a third voltage provided on the pin of the controller, an in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor while not charging the first sense capacitor by the third voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measuring a fourth voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor, wherein the fourth voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the second sense capacitor.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise repeating the charging and measuring operations until the measured second voltage exceeds a measurement threshold.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise using forward conduction of a drive signal by a first diode coupled to the first sense capacitor to charge the in-series combination.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise providing a bias signal, by a second pin of the controller, to prevent a second diode coupled to the second sense capacitor from forward conducting a drive signal to the second sense capacitor.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise comparing the capacitance of the first sense electrode with a capacitance of a second sense electrode.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise providing a time gap between charging the in-series combination and measuring the second voltage.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise grounding the first sense capacitor while measuring the second voltage.

36. A method, comprising:

grounding a first sense capacitor and a second sense capacitor of the multi-channel capacitive sensor, wherein the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor are adapted to be connected to a drive line;

charging, by a first voltage provided on a pin of the controller, an in-series combination of a sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor while not charging the second sense capacitor by the first voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measuring a second voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor, wherein the second voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the first sense capacitor.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

grounding the first sense capacitor and the second sense capacitor after charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the first sense capacitor;

charging, by a third voltage provided on the pin of the controller, an in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor while not charging the first sense capacitor by the third voltage provided on the pin of the controller; and

measuring a fourth voltage on the pin of the controller resulting at least in part from charging the in-series combination of the sample capacitor and the second sense capacitor, wherein the fourth voltage provides an indication of a capacitance of the second sense capacitor.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising repeating the charging and measuring operations until the measured second voltage exceeds a measurement threshold.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising using forward conduction of a drive signal by a first diode coupled to the first sense capacitor to charge the in-series combination.