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:
Apr. 14, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2011
Laurent Lamesch, Reichlange, LU;
Aloyse Schoos, Bertrange, LU;
Laurent Lamesch, Reichlange, LU;
Aloyse Schoos, Bertrange, LU;
IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A., Luxembourg, LU;
Abstract
A combined seat heater and capacitive occupancy sensor comprises a heating element () connected between a first () and a second () node, and a capacitive sensing network connected to the heating element to apply an oscillating voltage thereto and to derive the capacitive load of the heating element. A common mode choke () connects the first and second node to a third () and fourth () node, respectively. The capacitive sensing network comprises an oscillator (), AC-coupled to the third and/or the fourth node to drive oscillating voltage into that node, and a transimpedance amplifier (), which has a first input to receive the oscillating voltage as reference voltage and a second input operatively connected to the heating element. The transimpedance amplifier maintains a voltage on its second input equal to the reference voltage by driving a current into the second input. An output signal () indicates the AC component of the current driven into the second input.