IP Library Granted Patent US 8,624,607
Granted Patent B2
US 8,624,607 · App. 13/194,282 · Granted Jan 7, 2014

Measuring voltage

Inventor: Luben Hristov Hristov (Sofia, BG)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,624,607
App. No.
13/194,282
Granted
Jan 7, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes, at a first input of a comparator, receiving from an analog multiplexer one of multiple first voltages. Each of the first voltages results at least in part from an interaction between an object and an electrode of each of one or more nodes of a capacitive touch sensor. The method includes, at a second input of the comparator, receiving a second voltage across a measurement capacitor that has a first terminal coupled to the second input of the comparator. The method includes charging the measurement capacitor at least in part through a measurement resistor coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor and monitoring an output of the comparator during the charging of the measurement capacitor. The output of the comparator changes state when the second voltage becomes approximately equal to or greater than the one of the first voltages. The method includes determining an amount of time from a start of the charging of the measurement capacitor to a change in state of the output of the comparator.

Claims (43)

1. A method comprising:

at a first input of a comparator, receiving from an analog multiplexer one of a plurality of first voltages, each of the first voltages resulting at least in part from an interaction between an object and an electrode of each of one or more nodes of a capacitive touch sensor;

at a second input of the comparator, receiving a second voltage across a measurement capacitor that has a first terminal coupled to the second input of the comparator;

charging the measurement capacitor at least in part through a measurement resistor coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor;

monitoring an output of the comparator during the charging of the measurement capacitor, the output of the comparator changing state when the second voltage becomes approximately equal to or greater than the one of the first voltages; and

determining an amount of time from a start of the charging of the measurement capacitor to a change in state of the output of the comparator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second terminal of the measurement capacitor is coupled to a switch configured to alternate between providing ground and a high impedance state to the second terminal of the measurement capacitor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor; and

one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more additional capacitors are coupled in parallel to the one or more additional resistors.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first voltages is across one of a plurality of sampling capacitors, each of the sampling capacitors being coupled to one of a plurality of inputs of the analog multiplexer.

8. A circuit configured to:

at a first input of a comparator, receive from an analog multiplexer one of a plurality of first voltages, each of the first voltages resulting at least in part from an interaction between an object and an electrode of each of one or more nodes of a capacitive touch sensor;

at a second input of the comparator, receive a second voltage across a measurement capacitor that has a first terminal coupled to the second input of the comparator;

charge a measurement capacitor at least in part through a measurement resistor coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor;

monitor an output of the comparator during the charging of the measurement capacitor, the output of the comparator changing state when the second voltage becomes approximately equal or greater than the one of the first voltages; and

determine an amount of time from a start of the charging of the measurement capacitor to a change of state of the output of the comparator.

9. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

10. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

11. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein a second terminal of the measurement capacitor is coupled to a switch configured to alternate between providing ground and a high impedance state to the second terminal of the measurement capacitor.

12. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein:

one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor; and

one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

13. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein each of the first voltages is a voltage across one of a plurality of sampling capacitors, each of the sampling capacitors being coupled to one of a plurality of inputs of the analog multiplexer, each of the first voltages resulting at least in part from charge transfer between a drive electrode and a sense electrode of each of one or more nodes of a capacitive touch sensor.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor that comprises a plurality of inputs of an analog multiplexer; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the capacitive touch sensor that embody logic that is operable when executed to:

at a first input of a comparator, receive from the analog multiplexer one of a plurality of first voltages, each of the first voltages resulting at least in part from an interaction between an object and a sense electrode of each of one or more nodes of a capacitive touch sensor;

at a second input of the comparator, receive a second voltage across a measurement capacitor that has a first terminal coupled to the second input of the comparator;

charge a measurement capacitor at least in part through a measurement resistor coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor;

monitor an output of the comparator during the charging of the measurement capacitor, the output of the comparator changing state when the second voltage becomes approximately equal or greater than one of the first voltages; and

determine an amount of time from a start of the charging of the measurement capacitor to a change in state of the output of the comparator.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a second terminal of the measurement capacitor is coupled to a switch configured to alternate between providing ground and a high impedance state to the second terminal of the measurement capacitor.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:

one or more additional capacitors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor; and

one or more additional resistors are coupled in series to the first terminal of the measurement capacitor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more additional capacitors are coupled in parallel to the one or more additional resistors.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each of the first voltages is a voltage across one of a plurality of sampling capacitors, each of the sampling capacitors being coupled to one of the plurality of inputs of the analog multiplexer.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2011
From: QRG LIMITED
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026699/0968 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2011
From: HRISTOV, LUBEN HRISTOV
To: QRG LIMITED
Reel/Frame 026674/0166 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130027061A1 · Jan 31, 2013