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Directional capacitive proximity sensor

  • US 9,118,330 B2
  • Filed: 12/01/2011
  • Issued: 08/25/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:

  • detecting an object near an electronic system that includes an electrically conductive medium forming a shield, an electrically insulating medium on the electrically conductive medium, and electrodes around a central area and on the electrically insulating medium, the detecting including;

    determining measurements representative of a capacitance on the electrodes, the determining for each measurement representative of capacitance including;

    executing a number of charge and transfer cycles of charging the electrodes and of transferring the charge between the electrodes and a sampling capacitor, andmonitoring the number of charge and transfer cycles and a voltage across terminals of the sampling capacitor;

    comparing the measurements representative of capacitance with a detection threshold; and

    deducing whether an object is near the central area in a detection field based on the comparing,wherein the determining includes simultaneously activating all the electrodes.

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