Sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073493-B2
Application number	US-201816191963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

To reduce effects of noise and improve detection accuracy, a sensor device includes: 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; and a capacitive amplifier circuit having a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected in series to each other, 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device, comprising:
a plurality of detection electrodes opposing an external electrode to each of which a predetermined voltage is applied, and wherein each one of the plurality of detection electrodes is configured to generate a voltage corresponding to a change in electrostatic capacitance, wherein the external electrode is formed as one electrode for all of the plurality of detection electrodes included in the sensor device;
a capacitive amplifier circuit having a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected in series to each other, and configured to detect the voltage generated in a first detection electrode of the plurality of detection electrodes and output a first detection signal obtained by amplifying the voltage generated in the first 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 first detection electrode to a reference potential;
a changeover switch configured to switch the capacitive amplifier circuit between a function as a capacitive amplifier and a function as a voltage follower;
a sampling circuit configured to sample and hold a reference signal and the first 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 first detection signal being obtained with the predetermined voltage applied to the external electrode, while the capacitive amplifier circuit is caused to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch after a voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch; and
a subtraction circuit configured to generate a difference between the reference signal and the first detection signal held by the sampling circuit.

2. A sensor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the capacitive amplifier circuit comprises a non-inverting amplifier circuit including an operational amplifier having the second capacitor connected between an output terminal and an inverting input terminal thereof, having the first capacitor connected between the inverting input terminal and a reference potential line, and having the first detection electrode connected to a non-inverting input terminal thereof, and
wherein the subtraction circuit is configured to generate a differential signal obtained by subtracting the reference signal from the first detection signal.

3. A sensor device according to claim 2 , wherein the sampling circuit is configured to:
hold the reference signal after the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch, and the capacitive amplifier circuit is caused to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and further release from a state in which the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential is made by the reset switch, and release from the function as the voltage follower is made by the changeover switch; and
hold the first detection signal after the release from the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and elapse of a predetermined period since the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

4. A sensor device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the capacitive amplifier circuit comprises an inverting amplifier circuit including an operational amplifier, having the second capacitor connected between an output terminal and an inverting input terminal thereof, having the first capacitor connected between the inverting input terminal and the first detection electrode, and having a reference potential line connected to a non-inverting input terminal thereof, and
wherein the subtraction circuit is configured to generate a differential signal obtained by subtracting the first detection signal from the reference signal.

5. A sensor device according to claim 4 , wherein the sampling circuit is configured to:
hold the reference signal after the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch, and the capacitive amplifier circuit is caused to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and further release from a state in which the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential is made by the reset switch, and release from the function as the voltage follower is made by the changeover switch; and
hold the first detection signal after the release from the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and elapse of a predetermined period since the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

6. A sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling circuit is configured to:
hold the reference signal after the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential by the reset switch, and the capacitive amplifier circuit is caused to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and further release from a state in which the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential is made by the reset switch, and release from the function as the voltage follower is made by the changeover switch; and
hold the first detection signal after the release from the function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch, and elapse of a predetermined period since the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

7. A sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a timing control circuit configured to perform the following timing control:
resetting the voltage of the first detection electrode to the reference potential by the reset switch, and causing the capacitive amplifier circuit to function as the voltage follower by the changeover switch;
further holding the reference signal by the sampling circuit after a state in which the voltage of the first detection electrode is reset to the reference potential is released by the reset switch, and release from the function as the voltage follower is made by the changeover switch; and
holding the first detection signal by the sampling circuit after release from the function as the voltage follower is made by the changeover switch, and elapse of a predetermined period after the application of the predetermined voltage to the external electrode.

8. A sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the plurality of detection electrodes arranged in line; and
a plurality of capacitive amplifier circuits respectively corresponding to individual ones of the plurality of detection electrodes.

Assignees

• Ablic Inc

Inventors

• Muraoka Daisuke

Classifications

• H04N25/76

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

• H04N25/65 Primary

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

• G03G15/5029 Primary

  by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness · CPC title

• G01B7/06

  for measuring thickness {(measuring during the manufacture of coatings C23C14/54)} · CPC title

• G01N27/22 Primary

  by investigating capacitance · CPC title