Capacitive probe assembly with flex circuit
First Claim
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1. A capacitive probe assembly, comprising:
- a flex circuit comprising;
a sensor connection end having connections to a first sensor signal trace and a guard signal trace;
an amplifier circuit which is coupled at an amplifier signal input to said first sensor signal trace, coupled at an output to a first measurement signal trace, coupled at an amplifier power input to a power signal trace, and coupled at an amplifier ground input to a ground signal trace; and
a host connection end having connections to said power signal trace, said ground signal trace, and said first measurement signal trace;
a capacitive probe having a flex circuit signal connection to said first sensor signal trace of said flex circuit; and
a guard having a flex circuit guard connection to said guard signal trace of said flex circuit.
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Abstract
A novel capacitive sensor assembly that utilizes a flex circuit for amplification of capacitively sensed signals and for separating the power, ground, and measurement signals is presented. The use of a flex circuit in the capacitive probe assembly allows implementation of multiple capacitive sensors for respectively capacitively coupling multiple signals from respective multiple test points of a circuit under test. The invention integrates the sensor plate, amplifier, and return wiring for each capacitive sensor all onto one flex circuit.
68 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A capacitive probe assembly, comprising:
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a flex circuit comprising;
a sensor connection end having connections to a first sensor signal trace and a guard signal trace;
an amplifier circuit which is coupled at an amplifier signal input to said first sensor signal trace, coupled at an output to a first measurement signal trace, coupled at an amplifier power input to a power signal trace, and coupled at an amplifier ground input to a ground signal trace; and
a host connection end having connections to said power signal trace, said ground signal trace, and said first measurement signal trace;
a capacitive probe having a flex circuit signal connection to said first sensor signal trace of said flex circuit; and
a guard having a flex circuit guard connection to said guard signal trace of said flex circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A capacitive probe assembly, comprising:
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a flex circuit comprising;
a sensor connection end having connections to a number n, n greater than or equal to 1, of sensor signal traces and at least one guard signal trace;
a number m, m greater than or equal to 1, of amplifier circuits, each coupled at a respective amplifier signal input to one of said n sensor signal traces, coupled at a respective output to a respective measurement signal trace, coupled at a respective amplifier power input to a power signal trace, and coupled at a respective amplifier ground input to a ground signal trace; and
a host connection end having connections to said power signal trace, said ground signal trace, and each of said respective measurement signal traces;
a capacitive probe having a number n, n greater than or equal to 1, of flex circuit signal connections to said respective n sensor signal traces of said flex circuit; and
a guard having a flex circuit guard connection to said guard signal trace of said flex circuit. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A flex circuit for a capacitive probe assembly, said capacitive probe assembly comprising a capacitive probe and a guard, said flex circuit comprising;
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a sensor connection end comprising;
a connection to a first sensor signal trace, said first sensor signal trace connection connectable to said capacitive probe of said capacitive probe assembly; and
a connection to a guard signal trace, said guard signal trace connection connectable to said guard of said capacitive probe assembly;
an amplifier circuit which is coupled at an amplifier signal input to said first sensor signal trace, coupled at an output to a first measurement signal trace, coupled at an amplifier power input to a power signal trace, and coupled at an amplifier ground input to a ground signal trace; and
a host connection end having connections to said power signal trace, said ground signal trace, and said first measurement signal trace. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A flex circuit for a capacitive probe assembly, said capacitive probe assembly comprising a capacitive probe and a guard, said flex circuit comprising:
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a sensor connection end comprising;
a number n, n greater than or equal to 1, of sensor signal trace connections to a respective number n of sensor signal traces, said n sensor signal trace connections connectable to said capacitive probe of said capacitive probe assembly; and
a connection to a guard signal trace, said guard signal trace connection connectable to said guard of said capacitive probe assembly;
a number m, m greater than or equal to 1, of amplifier circuits, each coupled at a respective amplifier signal input to one of said n sensor signal traces, coupled at a respective output to a respective measurement signal trace, coupled at a respective amplifier power input to a power signal trace, and coupled at a respective amplifier ground input to a ground signal trace; and
a host connection end having connections to said power signal trace, said ground signal trace, and each of said respective measurement signal traces. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification