Capacitive distance sensor
First Claim
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1. An integrated sensor device for measuring a distance between the sensor device and an object, the sensor device comprising:
- a first capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to the form a first capacitance between the first plate and the object;
a second capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to form a second capacitance between the second plate and the object, the second plate being coplanar with the first plate; and
an amplifier having an input and an output, the input being connected to the first plate and connectable to a voltage source, and the output being connected to the second plate to form a negative feedback branch that includes the first and second capacitor plates and the object.
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Abstract
A distance sensor has a capacitive element in turn having a first plate which is positioned facing a second plate whose distance is to be measured. In the case of fingerprinting, the second plate is defined directly by the skin surface of the finger being printed. The sensor includes an inverting amplifier, between the input and output of which the capacitive element is connected to form a negative feedback branch. By supplying an electric charge step to the input of the inverting amplifier, a voltage step directly proportional to the distance being measured is obtained at the output.
82 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An integrated sensor device for measuring a distance between the sensor device and an object, the sensor device comprising:
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a first capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to the form a first capacitance between the first plate and the object; a second capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to form a second capacitance between the second plate and the object, the second plate being coplanar with the first plate; and an amplifier having an input and an output, the input being connected to the first plate and connectable to a voltage source, and the output being connected to the second plate to form a negative feedback branch that includes the first and second capacitor plates and the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A sensor device for measuring a distance between the sensor device and an object, the sensor device comprising:
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a voltage source providing an input voltage; a first capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to form a first capacitance between the first plate and the object; a second capacitor plate positioned adjacent the object to form a second capacitance between the second plate and the object; and an amplifier having an input and an output, the input being connected to the voltage source and the first plate and the output being connected to the second plate to form a negative feedback branch that includes the first and second capacitances. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated sensor device for measuring a distance between the sensor device and an object, the sensor device comprising:
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an input voltage source for providing a step voltage; a plurality of output lines; and an array of distance detecting cells selectively connected to the input voltage source and to the output lines, each cell including a capacitive distance sensor which includes; a first plate positioned in proximity to an object to form a first capacitance between the first plate and the object; a second plate positioned in proximity to the object to form a second capacitance between the second plate and the object, the second plate being coplanar with the first plate; and an amplifier having an input and an output, the input being connected to the input voltage source and to the first plate and the output being connected to the second plate to form a negative feedback branch that includes the first and second capacitances to establish an output voltage at the amplifier output in response to the step voltage of the input voltage source, the output voltage being proportional to a distance between the first plate and the object. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An integrated sensor device for measuring a distance between the sensor device and an object, the sensor device comprising:
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means for forming a first capacitance between a first capacitor plate and an object; means for forming a second capacitance between a second capacitor plate and the object; means for receiving an input signal; means for amplifying the input signal; means for outputting the amplified input signal; means for forming a negative feedback branch with the means for amplifying an input signal that includes the first and second capacitances; means for applying an electric charge variation to the means for receiving an input signal; and means for detecting a voltage at the means for outputting the amplified input signal. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification