Abstract: A sensor for a portable connected device comprising a filter 30 is arranged to reduce a noise component on a sampled input signal, wherein the filter is arranged to consider only input measurements that change systematically in a same direction, updating an output value when all the input samples in a predetermined time window are above or below a current output value and, repeating the current output value when the input samples in the time window are below and above the current output value.

Abstract: A sensor for a portable connected device comprising a filter 30 is arranged to reduce a noise component on a sampled input signal, wherein the filter is arranged to consider only input measurements that change systematically in a same direction, updating an output value when all the input samples in a predetermined time window are above or below a current output value and, repeating the current output value when the input samples in the time window are below and above the current output value.

Abstract: A sensor for a portable connected device comprising a filter 30 is arranged to reduce a noise component on a sampled input signal, wherein the filter is arranged to consider only input measurements that change systematically in a same direction, updating an output value when all the input samples in a predetermined time window are above or below a current output value and, repeating the current output value when the input samples in the time window are below and above the current output value.

Abstract: A sensor for a portable connected device comprising a filter 30 is arranged to reduce a noise component on a sampled input signal, wherein the filter is arranged to consider only input measurements that change systematically in a same direction, updating an output value when all the input samples in a predetermined time window are above or below a current output value and, repeating the current output value when the input samples in the time window are below and above the current output value.

Abstract: A readout system for capacitive touch panel, particularly for single-ended capacity sensing matrixes, capable of internally calibrate and equalize the response of its capacity-to-digital converters (CDC). The readout system includes reference lines for interconnecting together different sub-circuits, and measuring the response of CDC in different circuits on common reference capacitors.

Abstract: A measuring circuit connectable to a capacitive touch-sensitive panel, the panel including a plurality of sense electrodes and optionally a common guard electrode, adapted to measure variations in the instantaneous electric capacity of the sense electrodes in response to proximity to conductive bodies, wherein the sense electrodes are biased at a fixed voltage relative to the common guard electrode, the measuring circuit comprising: a power management integrated circuit comprising a voltage source generating a modulation voltage that is available at a guard terminal of the power management integrated circuit that is in electric connection with the guard electrode; one or more slave integrated circuits, each connected to a plurality of sense electrodes and comprising a Capacity-to-Digital converter or a plurality of Capacity-to-Digital converters that are operatively arranged for generating digital measure codes representing the instantaneous electric capacity of sense electrodes; a means for varying the frequ

Abstract: A semiconductor device measures a state of a MEMS as a first voltage variation at a sensing node. The state of the MEMS includes a capacitance. A first capacitor is coupled between the sensing node and an input of an integrator for transferring the first voltage variation to a second node as a first signal. A second voltage variation is routed through a second capacitor to the second node as a second signal. The integrator integrates the first signal and second signal to provide an integrated signal. An ADC has an input coupled to an output of the integrator and converts the integrated signal to a digital signal representative of the capacitance of the MEMS. A DAC has an input coupled to the output of the ADC. A second capacitor is coupled between an output of the DAC and the sensing node.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a common mode output voltage in an instrumentation amplifier is provided. In one aspect, the common mode output voltage is increased or decreased with respect to the common mode input voltage to enable high amplification of the signal input to the instrumentation amplifier. Moreover, the common mode output voltage can be driven to (or approximately to) a target voltage value such as, but not limited to, half the supply, even if the common mode input voltage is close to supply or ground rail voltage. Thus, a high amplification of the differential input voltage can be obtained and utilized for various applications requiring rail to rail input.

Abstract: A sampling circuitry for a plurality of electrodes the circuitry comprising a plurality of charge amplifiers and a plurality of modulators, wherein each charge amplifier and each modulator, comprised in the plurality of charge amplifiers and the plurality of modulators, respectively, corresponds to an electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein each modulator is capable of generating a residue signal and a rough code corresponding to each sampled electrode of the plurality of electrodes, a multiplexer capable of receiving a plurality of residue signals generated by the plurality of modulators, a residue analog to digital converter capable of receiving a multiplexed residue signal from the multiplexer and outputting a digitized multiplexed residue signal, and a digital summation circuitry capable of receiving the digitized multiplexed residue signal and a plurality of rough codes, comprising each rough code corresponding to each sample electrode, and outputting a plurality of output codes.

Abstract: A measuring circuit connectable to a capacitive touch-sensitive panel, the panel including a plurality of sense electrodes and optionally a common guard electrode, adapted to measure variations in the instantaneous electric capacity of the sense electrodes in response to proximity to conductive bodies, wherein the sense electrodes are biased at a fixed voltage relative to the common guard electrode, the measuring circuit comprising: a power management integrated circuit comprising a voltage source generating a modulation voltage that is available at a guard terminal of the power management integrated circuit that is in electric connection with the guard electrode; one or more slave integrated circuits, each connected to a plurality of sense electrodes and comprising a Capacity-to-Digital converter or a plurality of Capacity-to-Digital converters that are operatively arranged for generating digital measure codes representing the instantaneous electric capacity of sense electrodes; a means for varying the frequ

Abstract: A sampling circuitry for a plurality of electrodes the circuitry comprising a plurality of charge amplifiers and a plurality of modulators, wherein each charge amplifier and each modulator, comprised in the plurality of charge amplifiers and the plurality of modulators, respectively, corresponds to an electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein each modulator is capable of generating a residue signal and a rough code corresponding to each sampled electrode of the plurality of electrodes, a multiplexer capable of receiving a plurality of residue signals generated by the plurality of modulators, a residue analog to digital converter capable of receiving a multiplexed residue signal from the multiplexer and outputting a digitized multiplexed residue signal, and a digital summation circuitry capable of receiving the digitized multiplexed residue signal and a plurality of rough codes, comprising each rough code corresponding to each sample electrode, and outputting a plurality of output codes.

Abstract: A readout system for capacitive touch panel, particularly for single-ended capacity sensing matrixes, capable of internally calibrate and equalize the response of its capacity-to-digital converters (CDC). The readout system includes reference lines for interconnecting together different sub-circuits, and measuring the response of CDC in different circuits on common reference capacitors.

Abstract: A measuring circuit for a proximity sensor, comprising a charge amplifier in a floating voltage domain that is driven by a square waveform. The output signal is sampled synchronously with the voltage of the floating domain, and demodulated by measuring the voltage steps amplitude. This approach is compatible with a switched capacitor implementation and allows discriminating the capacity signal from the ambient noise; the latter can be evaluated independently.

Abstract: A circuit for capacitive touch applications has a charge integrator, a low pass-filter, and a correlated double sampler having an input capacitor. The circuit also includes a sampler and holder, and an analog to digital converter. The low pass-filter has a cut-off frequency lower than the Nyquist frequency of the sampler and holder, and the low pass filter includes input capacitor and a serial resistor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the use of a resistive touch screen as a proximity sensor. The touch screen operates in a touch sensing mode and a proximity sensing mode. The proximity sensing mode turns off the touch sensing circuit and uses the equivalent capacitor formed by the top layer of the touch screen with a nearby object to detect proximity. A control circuit selectively connects the touch screen with measurement circuits to perform each of the sensing functions. The control circuit can be implemented with timing based control or an event driven topology.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a common mode output voltage in an instrumentation amplifier is provided. In one aspect, the common mode output voltage is increased or decreased with respect to the common mode input voltage to enable high amplification of the signal input to the instrumentation amplifier. Moreover, the common mode output voltage can be driven to (or approximately to) a target voltage value such as, but not limited to, half the supply, even if the common mode input voltage is close to supply or ground rail voltage. Thus, a high amplification of the differential input voltage can be obtained and utilized for various applications requiring rail to rail input.

Abstract: A semiconductor device measures a state of a MEMS as a first voltage variation at a sensing node. The state of the MEMS includes a capacitance. A first capacitor is coupled between the sensing node and an input of an integrator for transferring the first voltage variation to a second node as a first signal. A second voltage variation is routed through a second capacitor to the second node as a second signal. The integrator integrates the first signal and second signal to provide an integrated signal. An ADC has an input coupled to an output of the integrator and converts the integrated signal to a digital signal representative of the capacitance of the MEMS. A DAC has an input coupled to the output of the ADC. A second capacitor is coupled between an output of the DAC and the sensing node.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a common mode output voltage in an instrumentation amplifier is provided. In one aspect, the common mode output voltage is increased or decreased with respect to the common mode input voltage to enable high amplification of the signal input to the instrumentation amplifier. Moreover, the common mode output voltage can be driven to (or approximately to) a target voltage value such as, but not limited to, half the supply, even if the common mode input voltage is close to supply or ground rail voltage. Thus, a high amplification of the differential input voltage can be obtained and utilized for various applications requiring rail to rail input.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting a common mode output voltage in an instrumentation amplifier is provided. In one aspect, the common mode output voltage is increased or decreased with respect to the common mode input voltage to enable high amplification of the signal input to the instrumentation amplifier. Moreover, the common mode output voltage can be driven to (or approximately to) a target voltage value such as, but not limited to, half the supply, even if the common mode input voltage is close to supply or ground rail voltage. Thus, a high amplification of the differential input voltage can be obtained and utilized for various applications requiring rail to rail input.

Abstract: Examples are provided for converting an analog signal to a digital signal by processing more than one bit per cycle in a number of successive approximation cycles. A system may include capacitive sub-DAC circuits and comparators. Switches may isolate the capacitive sub-DAC circuits during one or more first cycles, and merge the sub-DAC circuits during one or more last cycles. A successive approximation register (SAR) may generate digital output signals or DAC digital signals. In another example, a system may include a DAC circuit. An input capacitor may be pre-charged to at least one of an analog input signal and a DAC analog signal. A programmable gain amplifier may amplify an error signal. A multi-bit ADC may convert the amplified error signal to a multi-bit digital signal. An SAR may use the multi-bit digital signal to generate a DAC digital signal or a digital output signal.