×

Proximity sensor

  • US 7,952,366 B2
  • Filed: 07/25/2008
  • Issued: 05/31/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2007
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A sensor for determining the presence of an object comprising:

  • a sensing element;

    a capacitance measurement circuit operable to measure the capacitance of the sensing element; and

    a control circuit operable to determine whether the object is in proximity with the sensor based on a measurement of the capacitance of the sensing element, the control circuit further being operable to provide an output signal to control a function of an apparatus when it is determined that the object has not been in proximity with the sensor for a predetermined time duration, wherein the control circuit includes a time input terminal and the predetermined time duration is selectable from the number of different predefined time durations according to a voltage applied to the time input terminal, and wherein the control circuit includes a delay multiplier terminal and is configured so that a selected one of the number of different predefined time durations is multiplied by a multiplication factor according to a voltage applied to the delay multiplier terminal to provide the predetermined time duration.

View all claims
  • 14 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×