Sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10921276-B2
Application number	US-201816191987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A sensor device includes a detection electrode opposing an external electrode, and generating a voltage corresponding to a change in capacitance; a capacitive amplifier circuit having a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and configured to detect the voltage generated in the detection electrode, and output a detection signal obtained by amplifying the voltage generated in the detection electrode based on a capacitance ratio between the first capacitor and the second capacitor; a reset switch configured to reset the voltage of the detection electrode to a reference potential; a changeover switch configured to switch the capacitive amplifier circuit between a capacitive amplifier and a voltage follower; a second changeover switch configured to disconnect the first capacitor from the capacitive amplifier circuit; and a second reset switch configured to reset a voltage of the first capacitor to the reference potential.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device, comprising:
a detection electrode opposing an external electrode to which a predetermined voltage is applied, and configured to generate a voltage corresponding to a change in electrostatic capacitance;
a capacitive amplifier circuit having an operational amplifier, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor, the first capacitor connected in series to the second capacitor, the second capacitor connected between an output terminal and an inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier, and the capacitive amplifier circuit being configured to detect the voltage generated in the detection electrode, and output a detection signal obtained by amplifying the voltage generated in the detection electrode based on a capacitance ratio between the first capacitor and the second capacitor;
a reset switch configured to reset the voltage of the detection electrode to a reference potential;
a changeover switch configured to switch the capacitive amplifier circuit between functioning as a capacitive amplifier and functioning as a voltage follower by establishing a short circuit between the output terminal and the inverting input terminal;
a second changeover switch configured to disconnect the first capacitor from the capacitive amplifier circuit for the capacitive amplifier circuit to function as the voltage follower; and
a second reset switch configured to reset a voltage of the first capacitor to the reference potential according to disconnection of the first capacitor from the capacitive amplifier circuit.

2. A sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein a magnitude of parasitic capacitance of the changeover switch and a magnitude of parasitic capacitance of the second changeover switch are associated with each other.

3. A sensor device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a sampling circuit configured to sample and hold a reference signal and the detection signal respectively, the reference signal being an output signal from the capacitive amplifier circuit before the predetermined voltage is applied to the external electrode, the detection signal being under a condition in which the predetermined voltage is applied to the external electrode, after the voltage of the detection electrode and the voltage of the first capacitor are reset to the reference potential by the reset switch and the second reset switch respectively, and the first capacitor is disconnected from the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch and the capacitive amplifier circuit is set to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch; and
a subtraction circuit configured to generate a difference between the reference signal and the detection signal held by the sampling circuit.

4. A sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sampling circuit configured to sample and hold a reference signal and the detection signal respectively, the reference signal being an output signal from the capacitive amplifier circuit before the predetermined voltage is applied to the external electrode, the detection signal being under a condition in which the predetermined voltage is applied to the external electrode, after the voltage of the detection electrode and the voltage of the first capacitor are reset to the reference potential by the reset switch and the second reset switch respectively, and the first capacitor is disconnected from the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch and the capacitive amplifier circuit is set to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch; and
a subtraction circuit configured to generate a difference between the reference signal and the detection signal held in the sampling circuit.

5. A sensor device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the capacitive amplifier circuit includes a non-inverting amplifier circuit which has the first capacitor connected between the inverting input terminal and a reference potential line and has the detection electrode connected to a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier and
wherein the subtraction circuit is configured to generate a differential signal obtained by subtracting the reference signal from the detection signal.

6. A sensor device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the capacitive amplifier circuit includes an inverting amplifier circuit which has the first capacitor connected between the inverting input terminal and the detection electrode and has a reference potential line connected to a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier and
wherein the subtraction circuit is configured to generate a differential signal obtained by subtracting the detection signal from the reference signal.

7. A sensor device according to claim 6 , wherein the sampling circuit is configured to:
hold the reference signal after the voltage of the detection electrode and the voltage of the first capacitor are reset to the reference potential by the reset switch and the second reset switch, respectively, the first capacitor is disconnected from the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch, and the capacitive amplifier circuit is set to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and further after a state in which the voltage of the detection electrode is reset to the reference potential is released by the reset switch, the function as the voltage follower is released by the changeover switch, and the first capacitor is connected to the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch; and
hold the detection signal after the function as the voltage follower is released by the changeover switch, the first capacitor is connected to the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch, and after an elapse of a predetermined period since the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

8. A sensor device according to claim 7 , further comprising a timing control circuit configured to:
hold the reference signal in the sampling circuit after resetting the voltage of the detection electrode and the voltage of the first capacitor to the reference potential by the reset switch and the second reset switch, respectively, disconnecting the first capacitor from the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch, and resetting the capacitive amplifier circuit to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, further releasing a state in which the voltage of the detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch, releasing the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and connecting the first capacitor to the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch; and
hold the detection signal by the sampling circuit after releasing the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and after an elapse of a predetermined period since the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

9. A sensor device according to claim 6 , further comprising a timing control circuit configured to:
hold the reference signal in the sampling circuit after resetting the voltage of the detection electrode and the voltage of the first capacitor to the reference potential by the reset switch and the second reset switch, respectively, disconnecting the first capacitor from the capacitive amplifier circuit by the second changeover switch, and setting the capacitive amplifier circuit to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, further releasing a state in which the voltage of the detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch, releasing the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switc

Assignees

• Ablic Inc

Inventors

• Wakabayashi Yuji

Classifications

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• G07D7/026

  using capacitive sensors · CPC title

• G01B7/08 Primary

  using capacitive means · CPC title

• H04N25/65 Primary

  applied to reset noise, e.g. KTC noise related to CMOS structures by techniques other than CDS · CPC title

• G07D7/164

  Thickness · CPC title