Circuit arrangement and method for measuring a difference in capacitance between a first capacitance C.sub.1 and a second capacitance C.sub.2

• US 5,777,482 A
• Filed: 07/03/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Tielert, Reinhard, Hildebrandt, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Regan, Maura K.
• Application Number:
  US08/675,590
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 324/678, 324/658, 324/679, 324/672, 340/870.37, 73/718
• US Class Current: 324/678
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/006 Intermittent recalibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24

Abstract

The circuit arrangement and method is for measuring a difference in capacitance between a first capacitance (C₁) and a second capacitance (C₂). A hitherto necessary compensation of a plurality of parasitic effects has become unnecessary due to isolated measurement of an unwanted capacitance (C_P) with which parasitic effects, to which the first capacitance (C₁) and the second capacitance (C₂) are subject, are modelled. When an evaluation logic (AL) realized in digital form is employed, only one counter unit wherein a binary value proportional to the respectively measured capacitance is counted need be provided. By cyclical measurement of the unwanted capacitance (C_P), the first capacitance (C₁), the second capacitance (C₂) and, at the end, the unwanted capacitance (C_P) are determined. The unwanted capacitance (C_P) is compensated when the counter unit respectively counts backward when "counting" the unwanted capacitance (C_P) but otherwise counts forward. Each sub-cycle (T1,T2,T3,T4) lasts exactly N clocks, whereby the clocks are supplied by a measuring oscillator (MO). The clocks are dependent on the capacitance respectively measured.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement for measuring a difference in capacitance between a first capacitance and a second capacitance, comprising:

a switch unit that, dependent on a switch position of the switch unit, is connected to the first capacitance, the second capacitance or to neither of the first and second capacitances, said switch unit being controlled by a period counter via a first output of the period counter;

a square-wave generator connected to the switch unit, said square-wave generator supplying a square-wave signal having a frequency dependent on a capacitance of the first or second capacitor that is selected by the switch unit;

an input of the period counter being coupled to an output of the measuring oscillator;

the plurality of square-wave signals supplied by the measuring oscillator in a sub-cycle of N clocks of a measuring cycle being made available via a second output of the period counter; and

an evaluation logic coupled to the second output of the period counter for calculating a difference in capacitance between the first capacitance and the second capacitance, whereby a value is allocated to a time duration of the respective sub-cycle, the value being proportional to the time duration, the difference in capacitance being determined from said value.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the period counter has a variable bit length.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation logic is realized in analog form.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation logic is realized in digital form.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the evaluation logic has a controller that defines the counting direction of an asynchronous counter;

and wherein the asynchronous counter coupled to the controller is coupled to a high-frequency oscillator via an AND gate.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the evaluation logic has an operation unit that is coupled to the asynchronous counter and to the controller.

7. A circuit arrangement for measuring a difference in capacitance between a first capacitance and a second capacitance, comprising:

a switch unit that, dependent on a switch position of the switch unit, is connected to the first capacitance, the second capacitance or to neither of the first and second capacitances, said switch unit being controlled by a period counter via a first output of the period counter;

a square-wave generator connected to the switch unit, said square-wave generator supplying a square-wave signal having a frequency dependent on a capacitance of the first or second capacitor that is selected by the switch unit;

an input of the period counter being coupled to an output of the measuring oscillator;

the plurality of square-wave signals supplied by the measuring oscillator in a sub-cycle of N clocks of a measuring cycle being made available via a second output of the period counter;

an evaluation logic coupled to the second output of the period counter for calculating a difference in capacitance between the first capacitance and the second capacitance, whereby a value is allocated to a time duration of the respective sub-cycle, the value being proportional to the time duration, the difference in capacitance being determined from said value; and

the evaluation logic having a controller that defines the counting direction of an asynchronous counter, the asynchronous counter coupled to the controller being coupled to a high-frequency oscillator via an AND gate, the evaluation logic also having an operation unit coupled to the asynchronous counter and to the controller.

8. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the period counter has a variable bit length.