Infineon Technologies Ag

Christoph Bernhard Wurzinger

Andreas Wiesbauer

Jose Luis Ceballos

Dieter Draxelmayr

Dietmar Straeussnigg

Methods and apparatuses are provided wherein a sensor which comprises at least two electrodes and a movable part is alternately biased with at least two different voltages.

Sensor with movable part and biasing

An apparatus for generating a sensor signal indicating information on a capacitance of a variable capacitor including a variable capacitance includes a sensor unit and a compensation unit. The sensor unit is configured to generate a sensor signal indicating information on a varying current flowing through a connection between the sensor unit and the variable capacitor caused by a variation of the capacitance of the variable capacitor while the variable capacitor is biased by a predefined bias voltage. Further, the compensation unit is configured to influence the sensor signal or to provide a compensation signal capable of influencing the sensor signal so that the sensor signal includes less nonlinear signal portions than a sensor signal without the influence of the compensation unit or the compensation signal.

Apparatus and a method for generating a sensor signal indicating information on a capacitance of a variable capacitor comprising a variable capacitance

Sensor with movable parts and biasing

Embodiments relate to an apparatus for determining a sensitivity of a capacitive sensing device having a sensor capacitor with a variable capacitance. The apparatus includes a measurement module and a processor. The measurement module is configured to determine, in response to a first electrical input signal to the sensor capacitor, a first quantity indicative of a first capacitance of the sensor capacitor and to determine, in response to a second electrical input signal to the sensor capacitor, a second quantity indicative of a second capacitance of the sensor capacitor. The processor is configured to determine a quantity indicative of the sensitivity of the sensing device based on the determined first and second quantity.

Apparatus and method for determining the sensitivity of a capacitive sensing device

Embodiments relate to an apparatus for determining a sensitivity of a capacitive sensing device having a sensor capacitor with a variable capacitance. The apparatus includes a measurement module and a processor. The measurement module is configured to determine, in response to a first electrical input signal to the sensor capacitor, a first quantity indicative of a first capacitance of the sensor capacitor and to determine, in response to a second electrical input signal to the sensor capacitor, a second quantity indicative of a second capacitance of the sensor capacitor. The processor is configured to determine the sensitivity of the sensing device based on the determined first and second quantity.

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Weiz, Austria

Christoph Bernhard Wurzinger