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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8174271 | Capacitance change measuring circuit of capacitive sensor device, capacitive sensor module, method of measuring capacitance change of capacitive sensor device, and electronic device Scanning rate in a capacitance change measuring circuit for a capacitive sensor device is enhanced. The circuit includes: an electrode drive section line-sequentially applying an input pulse signal to a plurality of columns of first electrode patterns in the capacit... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8072230 | Method for compensating for differences in capacitance between multiple capacitive sensors Disclosed is method for compensating for variation in the capacitance between multiple capacitive sensors. Prior to sensing operations, baseline capacitance values can be acquired for all sensors. A correction factor can be calculated based on such baseline values. ... | 12/06/2011 |
| 7924029 | Half-bridge for capacitive sensing Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring a ratio of capacitances. The apparatus include a comparator including a comparator input, a comparator output, and a reference voltage; a first capacitive element including a first capacitance, a first electrode coupl... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7768272 | Capacitance detecting apparatus including first and second variable capacitors which vary with the distance to an object A capacitance detecting apparatus includes: a first on/off switch; a first reference capacitor; a second on/off switch; a third on/off switch; a first sensor electrode; a fourth on/off switch; a second reference capacitance; a fifth on/off switch; a sixth on/off swi... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7504833 | Automatically balanced sensing device and method for multiple capacitive sensors Disclosed is method for compensating for variation in the capacitance between multiple capacitive sensors. Prior to sensing operations, baseline capacitance values can be acquired for all sensors. A correction factor can be calculated based on such baseline values. ... | 03/17/2009 |
| 7368922 | Method and device for determining parameters of fluctuating flow The invention relates to a method and a device for determining the parameters of a fluctuating flow of a fluid in a pipe, wherein at least three electrodes that are placed at a distance from one another in the direction of flow are provided in the periphery of the f... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7288945 | Systems and methods for detection of dielectric change in material and structure Methods and systems are described for efficiently detecting an object. The system includes at least one electrode for measuring a displacement current. The at least one electrode is coupled to a floating ground configuration provided by an op-amp, where the invertin... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7282927 | Use of a configurable electronic controller for capacitance measurements and cable break detection A method and apparatus for measurement of capacitance by use of an adaptive input-cell circuitry, part of a configurable electronic controller, or generally by a computer controlled adaptive input-cell. The input-cell comprises a comparator, two transistor switches ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7279908 | Dynamically switched line and fault detection for differential signaling systems A differential signaling system is provided. The differential signaling system comprises one or more cable pairs for carrying signals, one or more differential drivers for providing signals to the one or more cable pairs, and one or more differential receivers, the ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7256588 | Capacitive sensor and method for non-contacting gap and dielectric medium measurement A method for non-contact measurement of a displacement between a surface and a capacitive sensor comprised of at least two superimposed conductive plates electrically insulated one from the other and a sensor circuit coupled to the plates including: positioning the ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7235985 | Method and device for signal amplitude detection A method and a device (1) for detecting signal amplitudes by removing any DC component from the signal and then shifting the signal by a shift amount so as to produce a shifted signal having a first signal level equal to a reference level (Vref). The shift am... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7199591 | Method of measuring relative dielectric constant of dielectric substance of powders, cavity resonator used in the same, and application apparatus A relative dielectric constant of a mixed substance consisting of powders and a liquid medium is calculated, and then the relative dielectric constant of the mixed substance or a relative dielectric constant of the liquid medium is calculated as a relative dielectri... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7170303 | Fuel sensor A sensor (20) includes a single capacitor (30) that operates in two different modes to obtain capacitance and conductance information when a mixture flows between the electrodes (32, 34) of the capacitor. Two different oscillators (180, 182 | 01/30/2007 |
| 7157900 | Removable breaking calibration connector for toroidal conductivity sensor and method of calibration This invention relates to electrical connectors used with non-invasive toroidal conductivity sensors and calibration thereof. A removable breaking calibration connector is provided for temporary insertion in the electrical circuit to selectively break connection to ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7151383 | Oil condition sensor An oil condition sensor is proposed which can accurately determine the degree to which oil is contaminated with metallic powder. It includes a permanent magnet and a sensor head provided around the permanent magnet. The sensor head includes a cup-shaped electrode an... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7129693 | Modular voltage sensor A voltage sensor is described that consists of a plurality of identical series-connected sections, where each section is comprised of an arrangement of impedance elements. The sensor is optimized to provide an output ratio that is substantially immune to changes in ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7123179 | Apparatus and method for duty cycle conversion A reference signal generator for generating an output reference signal having a target duty cycle. The reference signal generator comprises a sawtooth generator for receiving an input reference signal having a reference frequency and generating a sawtooth waveform h... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7098674 | Occupant sensor An oscillatory or pulsed first signal is operatively coupled to a first electrode placed between a conductive heating element and a seating region of a seat containing the heating element. A second signal substantially equal to the first signal is operatively couple... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7057577 | Antenna connector for hazardous area A device for connecting an antenna to a hazardous enclosure. The device includes an intrinsically safe barrier for protection against electrical surges, and an explosion-proof device enclosure to contain the force of an explosion. ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7043967 | Sensor device for monitoring the condition of a fluid and a method of using the same The present invention is a compact apparatus and method that provides an efficient manner for monitoring the condition and level of a functional fluid directly in operating equipment. A sensor device is provided that includes a plurality of liquid sensors and a plur... | 05/16/2006 |
| 6998856 | Apparatus for sensing the position of a pointing object A computer system (10) includes a keyboard (11), a first pair of position-sensing electrodes (18.1 and 18.2), a second pair of position-sensing electrodes (20.1 and 20.2), a signal injection electrode (22) and an osci... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6906531 | Adaptive reference voltage method and system An adaptive reference voltage method and system analyzes a received bus signal to evaluate voltage swing characteristics and adjusts the reference voltage for reading the signal to a level that compensates for variations in margins between high and low signal switch... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6882164 | Electrostatic capacitance sensor and fingerprint collator comprising it A capacitance sensor usable as a fingerprint sensor is provided in which a timing controller (16) provides such a switching control as to first cause a switch (SA) in a sensor cell (100-k) to turn on to set the potential at a sense electrode to ... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6864691 | Circuit arrangement for detecting the capacitance or capacitance change of a capacitive circuit element or component A circuit arrangement for detecting the capacitance or capacitance change of a capacitive circuit element or component, in which there is a capacitive noise voltage compensation element, which corresponds to the sensor capacitor, represented as a noise voltage compe... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6822431 | Intrinsically safe sensor signal processing circuit Disclosed is an intrinsically safe sensor signal processing circuit, permitting lower cost installation and eliminating potential hazard. In the combination of a sensor which measures physical value as process variables in hazardous environment and a safety barrier ... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6777958 | Method and apparatus for detecting a change in capacitance of a capacitive proximity sensor A method for detecting a change in capacitance of a capacitive sensing element having a nominal capacitance value is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes coupling the sensing element to a first oscillator, the first oscillator generating a firs... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6646453 | Method for measuring the thickness of multi-layer films A method for capacitively measuring the thickness of multi-layer films (10), the layers (32, 34) the dielectric constants of which differ at least at a particular temperature, wherein, in addition to the capacitive measurement, at least one further thickn... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6639414 | Circuit for measuring changes in capacitor gap using a switched capacitor technique Disclosed is a single-stage, switched capacitor circuit for measuring changes in a variable by measuring changes in a capacitor gap. The change in the capacitor gap corresponds directly to a change in a measurable variable, such as pressure and accelerati... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6566892 | Portable fuel analyzer for analyzing the alcohol content of a mixed fuel A portable fuel analyzer includes a sensor, a processor and a display. The portable analyzer receives a fuel sample and the display identifies whether the vehicle fuel is tainted. The portable fuel analyzer is linked to an evaluation unit to determine a f... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6545488 | Piping fluid decision device and piping fluid control system To enable a fluid state of a fluid substance flowing through a path in a piping, for example a liquid state or a froth state of beer, to be surely and easily judged while keeping a sanitary condition, allowing a take out to be surely and easily performed,... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6538458 | Electrostatic capacitance probe device and displacement measuring circuit There is provided a small, high-performance electrostatic capacitance probe device and a displacement measuring circuit using the probe device. The electrostatic capacitance probe device is formed from a processed, stacked substrate with a silicon substra... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6513367 | Method of monitoring engine lubricant condition A method for generating indicators relating to the condition of lubricating oil in an internal combustion engine. A set of variables relating to operation of the internal combustion engine serve as proxy variables for brake mean effective pressure develop... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6501284 | Capacitive finger detection for fingerprint sensor Within a capacitive fingerprint detection device, finger detection is provided by a capacitive grid overlying the fingerprint sensor electrodes to measure the absolute capacitance of the finger placed on the sensor surface. The capacitive measurement is c... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6407556 | Sensor for indicating changes in the presence of persons or objects A sensor for indicating changes in the physical presence of persons or objects and including at least two electrically conductive sheets of material that are spaced mutually apart on an electrically non-conductive carrier sheet or the like. A sensing circ... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6072319 | Device for measuring properties of a textile product The disclosure relates to a device for measuring properties of a textile product in a measuring gap in which the textile product is inserted. On each of its surfaces the measuring gap has an electrode of a measuring capacitor, between which the product is... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6057693 | Dielectric mixture composition sensor with compensation for mixture electrical conductivity The composition of an electrically conductive mixture, such as a mixture of gasoline and alcohol, is measured using a single measurement cell having a first electrode and a second electrode with a measurement space therebetween for receiving a specimen of... | 05/02/2000 |
| 6028433 | Portable fluid screening device and method This invention relates to a fluid screening device, comprising: an impedance sensor including a cavity for holding a fluid to be screened, an impedance of the impedance sensor being affected by conditions of the fluid; an impedance measuring circuit for m... | 02/22/2000 |
| 5917314 | Electronic wall-stud sensor with three capacitive elements A device for locating the edges of wall studs includes a comparison circuit connected to each of three capacitive elements. As the device is moved along a wall, the comparison circuit monitors the relative charge time associated with each capacitive eleme... | 06/29/1999 |
| 5861757 | Dynamic solvent permittivity instrument An instrument for measuring the dielectric constant of samples with complex or uncertain geometries that can include unusually shaped single sample pieces or collections of differently shaped sample pieces such as powders. The premise of the measurement t... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5828222 | Quick DC compressive strength test method and the related apparatus An output open circuit test method including the steps of inputting the data of a predetermined charging current upper limit value and a predetermined test voltage and a predetermine test charging current time zone into a test apparatus, then employing a ... | 10/27/1998 |
