Capacitance detector circuit, capacitance detection method, and fingerprint sensor using the same
First Claim
1. A circuit of a capacitive sensor having a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line, the circuit comprising:
- code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence to output the generated code as a column drive signal;
column line drive means for driving a plurality of column lines, from among the column lines that are selected in response to the code;
capacitance detecting means, connected to the row line, for detecting a voltage by converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into the voltage to output the detected voltage; and
decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the detected voltage output from the capacitance detecting means and the code to determine a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at the intersection,wherein the code generating means generates a PN code, and outputs the PN code with the phase thereof varied in time sequence, andwherein the code generating means repeats by a plurality of times a circle within which the phase of the PN code is varied by a number of bits equal to the number of bits of the PN code, and wherein the decode processing means determines a voltage responsive to a chanee in capacitance at the intersection on a per cycle basis, sums the voltage for a plurality of cycles, and outputs the summed result as the detected voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitance detecting circuit of a capacitive sensor having a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines detects a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line. The circuit includes a PN code generating unit for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence to output the generated code as a column drive signal, a column line drive unit for driving a predetermined one of the column lines which are selected in response to the code, a capacitance detecting unit, connected to the row line, for detecting a voltage by converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into the voltage to output the detected voltage, and a decode processing unit for performing a predetermined calculation on the detected voltage output from the capacitance detecting unit and the code to determine a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at the intersection.
119 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A circuit of a capacitive sensor having a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line, the circuit comprising:
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code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence to output the generated code as a column drive signal; column line drive means for driving a plurality of column lines, from among the column lines that are selected in response to the code; capacitance detecting means, connected to the row line, for detecting a voltage by converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into the voltage to output the detected voltage; and decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the detected voltage output from the capacitance detecting means and the code to determine a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at the intersection, wherein the code generating means generates a PN code, and outputs the PN code with the phase thereof varied in time sequence, and wherein the code generating means repeats by a plurality of times a circle within which the phase of the PN code is varied by a number of bits equal to the number of bits of the PN code, and wherein the decode processing means determines a voltage responsive to a chanee in capacitance at the intersection on a per cycle basis, sums the voltage for a plurality of cycles, and outputs the summed result as the detected voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A circuit of a capacitive sensor having a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line, the circuit comprising:
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code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence to output the generated code as a column drive signal; column line drive means for driving a plurality of column lines, from among the column lines that are selected in response to the code; capacitance detecting means, connected to the row line, for detecting a voltage by converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into the voltage to output the detected voltage; and decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the detected voltage output from the capacitance detecting means and the code to determine a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at the intersection, wherein the code generating means generates a Walsh code having bit strings varying in time sequence, and outputs the Walsh code as the code thereof. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A circuit of a capacitive sensor having a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line, the circuit comprising:
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code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence to output the generated code as a column drive signal; column line drive means for driving a plurality of column lines, from among the column lines that are selected in response to the code; capacitance detecting means connected to the row line, for detecting a voltage by converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into the voltage to output the detected voltage; and decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the detected voltage output from the capacitance detecting means and the code to determine a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at the intersection, wherein the decode processing means performs a decode process by multiplying and summing a data string of the detected voltage that is output in accordance wit the code in time sequence. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A circuit for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line in a capacitive sensor that includes a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, the circuit comprising:
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code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence; column line group selecting means for dividing the plurality of column lines into groups, each group including a predetermine number of column lines, and for selecting a group of column lines to be measured; column line drive means for driving the plurality of column lines in each of the successively selected column line groups in response to the code; capacitance detecting means, connected to the row line, for converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into a voltage signal, and outputting the voltage signal as a detected voltage; and decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the measured voltage and the code on a per column line group basis, and for determining a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at each intersection, wherein the code generating means generates a PN code, and outputs the PN code with the phase thereof varied in time sequence, and wherein the code generating means repeats by a plurality of times a cycle within which the phase of the PN code is varied by a number of bits equal to the number of bits of the PN code, and wherein the decode processing means determines a voltage responsive to a change in capacitance at the intersection on a per cycle basis, sums the voltage for plurality of cycles, and outputs the summed result as the detected voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A circuit for detecting a change in capacitance at an intersection of a column line and a row line in a capacitive sensor that includes a plurality of column lines and a row line intersecting the column lines, the circuit comprising:
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code generating means for generating a code having orthogonality in time sequence; column line group selecting means for dividing the plurality of column lines into groups, each group including a predetermine number of column lines, and for selecting a group of column lines to be measured; column line drive means for driving the plurality of column lines in each of the successively selected column line groups in response to the code; capacitance detecting means, connected to the row line, for converting a total sum of changes in capacitance at intersections of the selected column lines into a voltage signal, and outputting the voltage signal as a detected voltage; and decode processing means for performing a predetermined calculation on the measured voltage and the code on a per column line group basis, and for determining a voltage value responsive to the capacitance change at each intersection, wherein the code generating means generates a Walsh code having bit strings varying in time sequence, and outputs the Walsh code as the code thereof. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification