The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2008
Georg Brasseur, Vienna, AT;
Thomas Bretterklieber, Lieboch, AT;
Dirk Hammerschmidt, Villach, AT;
Gert Holler, Graz, AT;
Tobias Werth, Villach, AT;
Hubert Zangl, Graz, AT;
Georg Brasseur, Vienna, AT;
Thomas Bretterklieber, Lieboch, AT;
Dirk Hammerschmidt, Villach, AT;
Gert Holler, Graz, AT;
Tobias Werth, Villach, AT;
Hubert Zangl, Graz, AT;
Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, DE;
Abstract
A capacitance sensor, having at least one electrode is disclosed. A frequency spread signal generation circuit is coupled to the at least one electrode to apply a frequency spread signal based on a spread sequence. A periodic signal with a frequency is coupled to the at least one electrode. A frequency controller is coupled to the frequency spread signal generation circuit to vary the frequency of the periodic signal. A receiver circuit is coupled to the at least one or a further electrode to receive a version of the frequency spread signal which depends on a capacitance applied to the at least one electrode. An evaluation circuit is coupled to the receiver circuit to determine a capacitance value based on the received, dependent version of the frequency spread signal.