Capacitive sensor and measurement system

• US 7,880,481 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Werth, Tobias, Zangl, Hubert, Bretterklieber, Thomas, Motz, Mario, Hammerschmidt, Dirk, Brasseur, Georg, Holler, Gert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US11/959,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 324/684, 324/658, 324/649, 324/600, 324/662, 324/678, 324/679, 324/686
• US Class Current: 324/684
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/24 by varying capacitance

Abstract

A system includes a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode. The system includes a measurement system configured to sense a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a first offset to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode; and

a measurement system configured to sense a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a first offset to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance,

wherein the measurement system is configured to sense a conductance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a second offset to the sensed conductance to provide an offset compensated conductance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensed capacitance comprises a first capacitance component and a second capacitance component,

wherein the sensed conductance comprises a first conductance component and a second conductance component,

wherein the measurement system is configured to apply the first offset to provide an offset compensated first capacitance component and first conductance component, and

wherein the measurement system is configured to apply the second offset to provide an offset compensated second conductance component and second capacitance component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement system is configured to amplify the offset compensated capacitance by a first gain and to amplify the offset compensated conductance by a second gain.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the measurement system is configured to convert the amplified capacitance to a digital value and to convert the amplified conductance to a digital value.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the measurement system is configured to alternately convert the amplified capacitance to a digital value and convert the amplified conductance to a digital value using a single analog to digital converter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement system is configured to apply an excitation signal between the first and second electrodes and measure a displacement current between the first and second electrodes to sense the capacitance and the conductance.

7. A method for sensing, the method comprising:

providing a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode;

sensing a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode;

applying a first offset signal to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance;

sensing a conductance between the first electrode and the second electrode; and

applying a second offset signal to the sensed conductance to provide an offset compensated conductance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

amplifying the offset compensated capacitance by a first gain; and

amplifying the offset compensated conductance by a second gain.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

converting the amplified capacitance to a first digital value; and

converting the amplified conductance to a second digital value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein converting the amplified capacitance to the first digital value and converting the amplified conductance to the second digital value comprises alternately converting the amplified capacitance and the amplified conductance using a single analog to digital converter.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein sensing the capacitance and sensing the conductance comprises:

applying an excitation signal between the first and second electrodes;

sensing a displacement current signal between the first and second electrodes; and

demodulating the displacement current signal to determine the capacitance and the conductance.