Fogale Nanotech

Quickstep Technologies LLC

Nanotec Solution

Fogale Sensors

Christian Neel

Didier Roziere

Christophe Blondin

Frédéric Ossart

Alain Courteville

Charankumar Godavarthi

Eric Legros

Jérôme Porque

Nicolas Billiard

Stéphane David-Grignot

A method for capacitive detection of nearby objects that may be located in the environment of an equipment provided with a capacitive detection device including a detection step, called discriminative detection step, including the following operations:

Method and device for discriminatory capacitive detection, and apparatus provided with such a device

A device for capacitive detection of an object with respect to a detection surface, including:

Series redundant capacitive sensing device

A capacitive detection device includes a set of several detection electrodes for each carrying out capacitive detection at a detection location. Each detection electrode is formed by at least a first measurement electrode and a second measurement electrode. The device also includes first detection electronics forming, with the first measurement electrodes, a first measurement channel, independent from a second measurement channel formed by second detection electronics with the second measurement electrodes. Therefore, for each detection location, the detection device carries out at least two redundant and independent detection operations.

Parallel redundant capacitive sensing device

A low-coherence interferometer apparatus for determining information on interfaces of an object including: a polychromatic light source; an optical system generating a measurement optical beam and a reference optical beam; a delay line introducing a variable optical delay between the optical beams; detection optics combining the beams, and producing a spectral signal representative of an optical-power spectral density of the resulting interference signal; a control and processing module acquiring a plurality of spectral signals for a plurality of optical delays, determining, for each spectral signal, optical retardation information between interfering beams within a spectral measurement range, analyse the variation in the retardations, and assign the optical retardation determined on the basis of the different spectral signals to interface curves, corresponding to straight lines with positive, negative, zero or almost-zero gradient, depending on the respective optical delay of the acquisition of the spectral signals, and to deduce information of the object.

Low-coherence reflectometry method and device employing time-frequency detection

An electronic impedance measurement device:

Impedance measurement device

A device for detecting an object with respect to a detection surface including at least one measurement electrode and at least one guard electrode separated by a distance (D) that is elastically modifiable locally by a load exerted by the object on the detection surface; and structure for electrical polarization of the electrodes (V, E) arranged in order to: (i) apply to the measurement and guard electrodes one and the same first alternating electrical potential (V) so as to measure a first signal relating to an electrode-object capacitance (C); and (ii) apply between the measurement and guard electrodes an alternating electrical potential difference (V), so as to measure a second electrical signal relating to an electrode-guard capacitance (C). A detection method utilizing the present detection device is also provided.

Device and method for detecting the approach and/or contact, and the pressure of an object in relation to a detection surface

A detection device including: Also provided is a detection method utilizing such a detection device.

Device and method for detecting the approach and/or contact and pressure of an object in relation to a detection surface

A method and device for generating a power supply voltage, referenced to a first reference potential, in an electronic system including an energizing source connected to the first and second reference potentials so as to impart an AC voltage differential between the reference potentials, wherein the device includes: (i) a source for supplying AC voltage, which is referenced to the second reference potential, connected to the first reference potential, and encompasses the energizing source; and (ii) rectifying and filtering elements connected, at the input thereof, to the first reference potential and to the source for supplying AC voltage, respectively, so as to generate, at an output, a power supply voltage (Vf) referenced to the first reference potential by rectifying a voltage at the terminals of the source for supplying AC voltage.

Device and method for generating an electrical power supply in an electronic system with a variable reference potential

A method of capacitive measurement between an object and an electrode plane includes applying an excitation signal to the resistive electrode plane, and determining a value of capacitance on the basis of a measurement of a measurement signal originating from the electrode plane. The excitation signal is a nonsinusoidal signal having at least one discontinuity. To determine the value of capacitance, the measurement signal is attenuated over a time window, this time window being the duration for which the resistivity of the electrode plane is manifested on the measurement signal in response to the at least one discontinuity.

Method of capacitive measurement between an object and an electrode plane by partial synchronous demodulation

This invention relates to a capacitive sensing device comprising (i) at least one capacitive electrode () with a substantially conductive material arranged so as to form a conductive surface (); (ii) at least one guard component placed close to said at least one capacitive electrode (); said capacitive electrode(s) () comprises(comprise) at least one opening () without conductive material arranged within or on the edge of the conductive surface () so as to reduce the coupling capacitance between said capacitive electrode(s) () and said guard component(s). The invention also relates to an apparatus implementing the device.

Capacitive sensing device comprising perforated electrodes

A method for real-time monitoring of an operational state of a capacitive sensor capable of being mounted on a rotating machine, and connected to an electronic measuring module via a high frequency transmission line. The method includes generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in capacitance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in conductance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, extracting a signal representative of the capacitance compensation and of a signal representative of the conductance compensation so as to determine an operating point of the sensor and analyzing the operating point so as to check if it is located in a predetermined area.

Method for real-time monitoring of the operational state of a capacitive sensor

A device is provided for interconnecting electronic systems having reference potentials separated by an alternating potential difference, the device includes a plurality of electrical connections that can electrically connect the electronic systems, and inductance coils arranged in series on the electrical connections, the inductance coils being electromagnetically coupled. Also provided is a method for interconnecting electronic systems.

Device and method for interconnecting electronic systems having different reference potentials

A method and device for generating a power supply voltage (Vf), referenced to a first reference potential (), in an electronic system including an energizing source () connected to the first and second reference potentials () so as to impart an AC voltage differential between the reference potentials (), wherein the device includes: (i) a source () for supplying AC voltage, which is referenced to the second reference potential (), connected to the first reference potential (), and encompasses the energizing source (); and (ii) rectifying and filtering elements () connected, at the input thereof, to the first reference potential () and to the source () for supplying AC voltage, respectively, so as to generate, at an output (), a power supply voltage (Vf) referenced to the first reference potential () by rectifying a voltage at the terminals of the source () for supplying AC voltage.

The present invention relates to a device for generating an alternating voltage difference between a first and second reference potential. The device comprises: an oscillator electrically referenced to the first reference potential; and a voltage follower/amplifier device electrically referenced to the second reference potential and having an input connected to the oscillator and an output connected to the first reference potential such that it can impose an alternating voltage difference, which depends on the signal generated by the oscillator, between said first and second reference potentials. The invention also relates to a system that uses the device and to a method for generating an alternating voltage difference between a first and second reference potential.

Device for generating an alternating voltage difference between the reference potentials of electronic systems

A capacitive measurement device is provided, including: (i) a first electronic system electrically referenced to a guard potential and connectable to capacitive electrodes; (ii) a second electronic system electrically referenced to a ground potential; and (iii) an energizing component connected to the guard and ground potentials, respectively, to impart an AC voltage differential between the potentials. The device also includes an integrated circuit that is referenced to the ground and includes a first installation area in which the first electronic system is implemented, and a second installation area in which the second electronic system is implemented. Also included are systems using the device and uses of the device.

Growing community of inventors

Nîmes, France

Christian Neel