IP Library Granted Patent US 10,120,519
Granted Patent B2
US 10,120,519 · App. 15/533,376 · Granted Nov 6, 2018

Electrostatic detection sensor

Inventors: Takateru Sawada (Osaka, JP); Takuma Besshi (Osaka, JP); Erika Sawada (Aichi, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G06F3/044G01D5/24H03K17/962H03K2017/9613
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,120,519
App. No.
15/533,376
Granted
Nov 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensor body of an electrostatic detection sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode surrounding the first electrode. A controller is configured to obtain a first sensed intensity of the sensor body while where the first electrode is connected to the second electrode. The controller is configured to obtain a second sensed intensity of the first electrode while the second electrode is grounded. The controller is configured to obtain a third sensed intensity of the second electrode while the first electrode is grounded. The controller is configured to determine whether an object approaches the sensor body or not based on first to third calculation values obtained by calculating the respective changes of the first to third sensed intensities with respect to time.

Claims (50)

1. An electrostatic detection sensor comprising:

a sensor body including

a first electrode, and

a second electrode surrounding the first electrode while being spaced from the first electrode; and

a controller connected to the first electrode and the second electrode,

wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a first sensed intensity corresponding to a capacitance of the sensor body while the first electrode is connected to the second electrode;

obtain a second sensed intensity corresponding to a capacitance of the first electrode by applying a first driving voltage to the first electrode while the second electrode is grounded to a ground potential;

obtain a third sensed intensity corresponding to a capacitance of the second electrode by applying a second driving voltage to the second electrode while the first electrode is grounded to the ground potential; and

determine whether an object approaches the sensor body or not based on a first calculation value corresponding to a change of the first sensed intensity with respect to time, a second calculation value corresponding to a change of the second sensed intensity with respect to time, and a third calculation value corresponding to a change of the third sensed intensity with respect to time.

2. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first calculation value is a difference between a value of the first sensed intensity at a first time point and a value of the first sensed intensity at a second time point.

3. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the second calculation value is a difference between a value of the second sensed intensity at a first time point and a value of the second sensed intensity at a second time point.

4. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the third calculation value is a difference between a value of the third sensed intensity at a first time point and a value of the third sensed intensity at a second time point.

5. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the object approaches the sensor body by comparing the first calculation value with a predetermined first threshold.

6. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a fourth calculation value from the second calculation value and a predetermined second threshold;

obtain a fifth calculation value from the third calculation value and a predetermined third threshold; and

determine that the object approaches the sensor body when the first calculation value is larger than the fourth calculation value and larger than the fifth calculation value.

7. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain the fourth calculation value by multiplying the second calculation value by the predetermined second threshold; and

obtain the fifth calculation value by multiplying the third calculation value by the predetermined third threshold.

8. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a fourth calculation value from the first calculation value and the second calculation value;

obtain a fifth calculation value from the first calculation value and the third calculation value; and

determine that the object approaches the sensor body when the fourth calculation value is larger than a predetermined second threshold and the fifth calculation value is larger than a predetermined third threshold.

9. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain the fourth calculation value by dividing the first calculation value by the second calculation value; and

obtain the fifth calculation value by dividing the first calculation value by the third calculation value.

10. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a fourth calculation value from the first calculation value and the second calculation value;

obtain a fifth calculation value from the first calculation value and the third calculation value; and

determine that the object approaches the sensor body when the fourth calculation value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold and the fifth calculation value is smaller than a predetermined third threshold.

11. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain the fourth calculation value by dividing the second calculation value by the first calculation value; and

obtain the fifth calculation value by dividing the third calculation value by the first calculation value.

12. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a fourth calculation value from the first calculation value and the second calculation value;

obtain a fifth calculation value from the first calculation value and the third calculation value; and

determine that the object approaches the sensor body when the fourth calculation value is smaller than a predetermined second threshold and the fifth calculation value is larger than a predetermined third threshold.

13. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain the fourth calculation value by dividing the second calculation value by the first calculation value; and

obtain the fifth calculation value by dividing the first calculation value by the third calculation value.

14. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a fourth calculation value from the first calculation value and the second calculation value;

obtain a fifth calculation value from the first calculation value and the third calculation value; and

determine that the object approaches the sensor body when the fourth calculation value is larger than a predetermined second threshold and the fifth calculation value is smaller than a predetermined third threshold.

15. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain the fourth calculation value by dividing the first calculation value by the second calculation value; and

obtain the fifth calculation value by dividing the third calculation value by the first calculation value.

16. The electrostatic detection sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a finger.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0139 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2017
From: SAWADA, TAKATERU; BESSHI, TAKUMA; SAWADA, ERIKA
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043049/0891 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-029140 · Feb 18, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180239456A1 · Aug 23, 2018