Capacitive detection systems and methods

• US 8,058,993 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Satz, Armin, Werth, Tobias, Hammerschmidt, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr.; John A
• Application Number:
  US12/241,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 340/562, 340/686.6, 280/735, 341/33, 361/181
• US Class Current: 340/562
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2405 by varying dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector

Abstract

The invention is related to capacitive sensing and detection systems and methods. In one embodiment, a capacitive sensor system comprises a first electrode and a second electrode forming a first capacitive sensor mounted to a vehicle and configured to create a first electric field directed outward from the vehicle, and a control unit coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to measure a change in the first electric field. In another embodiment, a method comprises capacitively sensing an object relative to a vehicle and communicating information related to the object. In yet another embodiment, a method comprises configuring a capacitive sensor to sense an object relative to a vehicle, and providing a path to communicate information from the capacitive sensor.

Claims

1. A capacitive sensor system comprising:

a plurality of electrodes, pairs of the plurality of electrodes being coupleable to form capacitive sensors configured to create electric fields directed outward from a vehicle;

a switching mechanism coupled to each of the plurality of electrodes to selectively couple the plurality of electrodes to form a first set of capacitive sensors and to selectively recouple the plurality of electrodes to form at least one additional set of capacitive sensors, the first and at least one additional sets of capacitive sensors comprising differently coupled pairs of the plurality of electrodes; and

a control unit coupled to the plurality of electrodes and configured to measure a change in the electric fields.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises the switching mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are mounted to a body portion of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of electrodes are mounted to a bumper of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of additional electrodes mounted in the bumper, forming at least one additional capacitive sensor and configured to create at least one additional electric field directed toward a chassis of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one further capacitive sensor configured to detect a change in a shock absorber of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are mounted within a door of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising at least one additional electrode coupled to the control unit and configured in an array with the plurality of electrodes.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a pressure sensor mounted within the door and coupled to the control unit.

10. A method comprising:

capacitively sensing an object relative to a vehicle by coupling a plurality of electrodes into a first capacitive sensing configuration, and

coupling the plurality of electrodes into a second capacitive sensing configuration different from the first capacitive sensing configuration; and

communicating information related to the object based on information obtained from the plurality of electrodes coupled in the first and second capacitive sensing configurations.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising mounting the plurality of electrodes to a vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising mounting the plurality of electrodes to a side portion of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein capacitively sensing further comprising detecting the object pre-crash.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising mounting the plurality of electrodes to a bumper portion of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising capacitively sensing a change in the bumper.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein capacitively sensing further comprises obtaining information related to at least one of a size and a distance of the object.

17. A method comprising:

configuring a capacitive sensor to sense an object relative to a vehicle, the capacitive sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes selectively switchable into a plurality of capacitive sensor configurations;

providing a path to communicate information from the capacitive sensor.