Patent · US Active

Method of sensing absolute position of a structure using a capacitively coupled position encoder

US7420376B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
16References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 29, 2006
Grant dateSep 2, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 29, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M1/26
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of sensing absolute position of a structure includes: generating a signal pattern to repetitively provide a changing voltage to each of two or more tracks of a sensor, capacitively coupling an electrode of the sensor to the tracks to determine a first electrode position along the tracks by detecting a first group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern, moving at least one of the electrode and the tracks relative to another of the electrode and the tracks to result in a second electrode position along the tracks different from the first electrode position, and detecting a second group of signals emitted in response to the signal pattern with the electrode capacitively coupled to the tracks to determine the second electrode position.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.