Successive approximate capacitance measurement circuit

• US 7,312,616 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Snyder, Warren S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US11/337,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 324/658, 324/649, 324/600, 324/661, 324/686, 324/519, 324/677, 324/678, 324/548, 324/76.11, 324/158.1, 323/288, 323/282, 327/538
• US Class Current: 324/658
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24

Abstract

A capacitance measurement circuit includes a current source, a switch, and a comparator. The current source is coupled to drive a current through a circuit node. The switch is coupled to the circuit node to switch the current into a device under test (“DUT”) capacitor. The comparator includes first and second input ports. The comparator is coupled to compare a first voltage received on the first input port against a reference voltage received on the second input port. The first voltage is related to the current driven through the circuit node, a frequency at which the switch is switched, and a capacitance of the DUT capacitor.

Claims

1. A capacitance measurement circuit, comprising:

a variable current source coupled to drive a selectable current through a circuit node;

a switch coupled to the circuit node to switch the selectable current into a device under test (“

DUT”

) capacitor;

a comparator including first and second input ports, the comparator coupled to compare a first voltage to be received on the first input port against a reference voltage to be received on the second input port and generate an output signal in response, wherein the first voltage is related to the selectable current driven through the circuit node, a switching frequency at which the switch is switched, and a capacitance of the DUT capacitor, wherein the switch is coupled between the first input port of the comparator and the DUT capacitor; and

capacitance measurement logic coupled to receive the output signal from the comparator and coupled to adjust at least one of the switching frequency or a magnitude of the selectable current dependent upon the output signal.

2. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a first switch, the capacitance measurement circuit further comprising a second switch coupled to selectively discharge the DUT capacitor when the first switch is open circuited.

3. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 2, further comprising switching logic coupled to alternately open circuit and close circuit the first and second switches at the switching frequency.

4. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 1, further comprising a first capacitor coupled between the circuit node and a voltage rail.

5. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 4, further comprising:

a second capacitor coupled between the first port of the comparator and the voltage rail; and

a resistor coupled between the circuit node and the first port of the comparator.

6. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 1, wherein the second input port of the comparator is coupled to receive the reference voltage independent of an output of the comparator.

7. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 5, wherein the resistor comprises a variable resistance resistor and wherein the second capacitor comprises a variable capacitance capacitor.

8. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 2, further comprising a low pass filter coupled between the circuit node and the first port of the comparator.

9. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 8, further comprising:

a first capacitor coupled to a voltage rail;

a third switch coupled between the first capacitor and the circuit node;

a fourth switch coupled between the low pass filter and the circuit node; and

a fifth switch coupled between the circuit node and a second voltage rail for precharging the circuit node.

10. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 1, further comprising a precharge switch coupled to the circuit node to selectively precharge the circuit node.

11. The capacitance measurement circuit of claim 2, wherein the first switch is coupled between the circuit node and the DUT capacitor and wherein a terminal of the second switch is coupled between the first switch and the DUT capacitor.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a source of current coupled to drive current through a circuit node;

a first switch coupled to switch the current into a device under test (“

DUT”

) capacitor;

a second switch coupled to selectively discharge the DUT capacitor;

a comparator including first and second ports, the first port of the comparator coupled to the circuit node independent of whether the second switch is open circuited, the comparator coupled to compare a first voltage to be received on the first port against a second voltage to be received on the second port and generate an output signal in response, wherein a change in the first voltage is related to a change in a capacitance of the DUT capacitor, wherein the first switch is coupled between the first input port of the comparator and the DUT capacitor; and

capacitance measurement logic coupled to receive the output signal from the comparator and coupled to adjust at least one of a switching frequency of the first switch or a magnitude of the current dependent upon the output signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first voltage is related to the current driven through the circuit node, a switching frequency at which the first switch is switched, and the capacitance of the DUT capacitor.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the source of current comprises a variable current source.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a third switch coupled to selectively precharge the circuit node.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second port of the comparator is coupled to a variable voltage source and wherein the second voltage is selectable according to the variable voltage source.

17. A machine-accessible storage medium having embodied thereon a description of an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising:

a current source coupled to drive a current through a circuit node;

a first switch coupled between the circuit node and a device under test (“

DUT”

) capacitor to switch the current into the DUT capacitor;

a second switch coupled to selectively discharge the DUT capacitor when the first switch is open circuited;

a comparator including first and second input ports, the comparator electrically coupled to the circuit node independent of whether the second switch is open circuited, the comparator to compare a first voltage to be received on the first input port against a reference voltage to be received on the second input port and generate an output signal in response, wherein the first voltage is related to the current driven through the circuit node, a switching frequency at which the switch is switched, and a capacitance of the DUT capacitor; and

capacitance measurement logic coupled to receive the output signal from the comparator and coupled to adjust at least one of the switching frequency or a magnitude of the current dependent upon the output signal.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17, wherein current source comprises a variable current source.

19. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises switching logic coupled to alternately open circuit and close circuit the first and second switches at variable frequencies.