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. 16, 2017
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2013
Applicant:
Atmel Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Inventor:
Daniel Arthur Ujvari, Hauppauge, NY (US);
Assignee:
Atmel Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 27/04 (2006.01); G01R 27/32 (2006.01); G01B 7/14 (2006.01); G01R 27/00 (2006.01); G01R 27/26 (2006.01); G01N 22/00 (2006.01); H03K 17/955 (2006.01); G01R 23/00 (2006.01); H03K 17/96 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01B 7/14 (2013.01); G01N 22/00 (2013.01); G01R 27/00 (2013.01); G01R 27/04 (2013.01); G01R 27/2605 (2013.01); H03K 17/955 (2013.01); G01R 23/00 (2013.01); G01R 27/32 (2013.01); H03K 2017/9606 (2013.01);
Abstract
In certain embodiments, a proximity sensor includes a sensing element, an oscillator connected to the sensing element, and control circuitry connected to the oscillator. The sensing element has a capacitance to ground that is variable as a function of the proximity of an object to the sensing element. The oscillator includes a capacitor. The control circuitry is configured to supply an excitation to the oscillator and a charge to the sensing element, and to measure the resonant frequency of the oscillator. The control circuitry provides a signal indicative of the proximity of the object to the sensing element.