Patent · US Active

Capacitive interface circuit for low power sensor system

US8000789B2 · kind B2 · utility

38Cited by
12References
47Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 24, 2007
Grant dateAug 16, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 11, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01D5/24
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This disclosure describes a capacitive interface circuit for a low power system. The capacitive interface circuit is configured to achieve very low noise sensing of capacitance-based transducers, such as a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS)-based sensor, with high resolution and low power. The capacitive interface circuit uses a differential amplifier and correlated triple sampling (CTS) to substantially eliminate, or at least reduce, kT/C noise, as well as amplifier offset and flicker (1/f) noise, from the output of the amplifier. The capacitive interface circuit may further include an output stage that reduces glitching, i.e., clock transients, in the output signal by allowing transients in the amplifier output to settle. In this manner, the circuit can be used in a low power system to produce a stable, low-noise output.

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